“Casper ain’t prettified or gussied up. It’s a working stiff town. Cowboys and oil workers. Beer and guns. But it’s also a tolerant place that welcomes anyone who shares an affinity for open land and a do-as-you-please way of life.”
- Men’s Journal magazine, April 2010
We’ve come to know a number of folks who live the western life in the Casper vicinity. One of our favorite’s Jhett Johnson. The pro rodeo team roping heeler is back on the family ranch west of Casper after a winter rodeo season that saw him gather up about $11,000 and sustain a position well within striking distance of the coveted Top 15.
We ran into Jhett a couple of weeks ago in Casper where he had to pick up some medicine for a sick calf. He hadn’t heard about the recognition in the current issue of Men’s Journal magazine that if you want to be a cowboy, Casper is the best place in the U.S. to do it. I read Jhett the quote that opens this story and here’s how he reacted:
Jhett 3-31-2010Project 1-MPEG-4
Jhett Johnson on the family ranch and many other rodeo and ranch scenes are compiled in a new Wyoming DVD “Rodeo Road” we have produced for free distribution to those who have interests in such matters. And if you are reading this blog, we take it you do. Just drop a line to: info@visitwyo.gov and put Rodeo Road DVD in the subject line (be sure to include your mailing address) or call us toll-free at: 800.225.5996
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Houston Wrap-Up
The battleship that is Rodeo Houston has come to dock for 2010 and leaves in its wake a Wyoming bred champ in the bareback riding who climbs to the top of the world standings after cashing the $50,000 Shoot-Out Round paycheck. Ryan Gray has many relatives in the “Cowboy State” and in nearby Colorado. Ryan lives in Washington but he’s got Wyoming credentials that include growing up in both Cheyenne and Laramie. He’s a college graduate and a Christian athlete that almost always has a smile on his face even when fighting through the physical pain all pro bareback riders have to endure. The pay-per-view broadcast of Rodeo Houston allowed us to capture the action at the finals over the weekend. Here are Gray’s two rides Saturday and part of his arena interview in front of 70,000 rodeo fans:
Ryan
Team Wyoming bull riders Bobby Welsh and Seth Glause got to the finals in Houston and while they were sprung early, the young men from Gillette and Rock Springs respectively pocketed healthy enough amounts of cash to hold down spots in the Top 30. Welsh made a beautiful wild card round ride of 85 to make the Saturday finals and adopted a new piece of headgear replacing his hat with a helmet:
Bobby Houston recut
Welsh said he wore a helmet for a few rides in high school and knew he could adapt to one easily. He has, adding: “I didn’t even realize I had one on.” Congratulations to Bobby and Sunni as they await their fourth in the fall.
Wheatland’s Tyler Willis finished second in the Houston XTreme Bulls competition and that money sent the traveling partner of Seth Glause to the #19 spot of the current world standings.
A Wyoming horse carried one of pro rodeo’s most respected champs to a second win in Houston. Rod Hay, who is 40 and won Houston for the first time in 1989, topped the 2010 Houston bronc riding on a Burch Rodeo Co. (Rozet, WY) horse called Lunatic Fringe:
lunatic
And we simply can’t put Houston in the record books without making note of another outstanding showing for Meeteetse, Wyoming bullfighter Dusty Tuckness. He never ceases to amaze with his displays of courage in the face of battle. Here is just one example from the two-and-a-half weeks of Houston’s bruising affair:
dusty
Ryan
Team Wyoming bull riders Bobby Welsh and Seth Glause got to the finals in Houston and while they were sprung early, the young men from Gillette and Rock Springs respectively pocketed healthy enough amounts of cash to hold down spots in the Top 30. Welsh made a beautiful wild card round ride of 85 to make the Saturday finals and adopted a new piece of headgear replacing his hat with a helmet:
Bobby Houston recut
Welsh said he wore a helmet for a few rides in high school and knew he could adapt to one easily. He has, adding: “I didn’t even realize I had one on.” Congratulations to Bobby and Sunni as they await their fourth in the fall.
Wheatland’s Tyler Willis finished second in the Houston XTreme Bulls competition and that money sent the traveling partner of Seth Glause to the #19 spot of the current world standings.
A Wyoming horse carried one of pro rodeo’s most respected champs to a second win in Houston. Rod Hay, who is 40 and won Houston for the first time in 1989, topped the 2010 Houston bronc riding on a Burch Rodeo Co. (Rozet, WY) horse called Lunatic Fringe:
lunatic
And we simply can’t put Houston in the record books without making note of another outstanding showing for Meeteetse, Wyoming bullfighter Dusty Tuckness. He never ceases to amaze with his displays of courage in the face of battle. Here is just one example from the two-and-a-half weeks of Houston’s bruising affair:
dusty
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
RodeoHouston Update
Gillette, Wyoming bull rider Bobby Welsh has won a round and placed in another at the huge Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. His best outing was on a bull called “Big D” – a son of the famous bucking bull, Durango. Bobby stuck to his seat for a round-winning score of 88:
Total Houston money pocketed by Welsh so far nets at $4,750. There is a quite the pot o’ gold at the end of the RodeoHouston rainbow. A check for $50,000 is awarded each event winner once the field is narrowed to four by the finals, March 21.
Kelly Timberman, the 2004 world champion bareback rider, is in the money at RodeoHouston. The Mills, WY man who recently got hitched at a ceremony in Cheyenne, spurred a score of 81.5 last night to win $1,000. Here’s a look at his outing:
Kelly is second in his grouping at Houston and totals 160.5 on two rides. He’ll likely be headed to the semi-finals representing Wyoming in the bareback competition while Bobby Welsh will make the semis with his two scores for a total of 169.5 in bull riding.
Total Houston money pocketed by Welsh so far nets at $4,750. There is a quite the pot o’ gold at the end of the RodeoHouston rainbow. A check for $50,000 is awarded each event winner once the field is narrowed to four by the finals, March 21.
Kelly Timberman, the 2004 world champion bareback rider, is in the money at RodeoHouston. The Mills, WY man who recently got hitched at a ceremony in Cheyenne, spurred a score of 81.5 last night to win $1,000. Here’s a look at his outing:
Kelly is second in his grouping at Houston and totals 160.5 on two rides. He’ll likely be headed to the semi-finals representing Wyoming in the bareback competition while Bobby Welsh will make the semis with his two scores for a total of 169.5 in bull riding.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A Good Ride
Tom Parker went to high school rodeos in Wyoming with Chris LeDoux. Parker hailed from Lander and Chris competed out of Cheyenne. Tom was later called to military service and chose college afterward. Now he is the highly-regarded rodeo coach at Casper College. Among his charges in the last decade has been Chris’ son, Beau. “Chris would come out whenever he wasn’t on the road. He was very helpful,” said Parker. Family was everything to Chris LeDoux.
But in those early days all that mattered was riding bareback horses. He had a vast reservoir of “try.” He listened to the older riders and adapted his occasionally out-of-control style accordingly. Chris’ power was in his persistence…and guts. And you could see it all in his face. “I did everything I could to match that trademark grimace,” artist Mike Thomas told me this week. The Buffalo, Wyoming sculptor’s “Good Ride Cowboy” is being created in a bigger-than-life bronze statue that is now in the hands of the capable Hall family and their valued employees at Caleco (kah-LEE-ko) Foundry in Cody.
Our capable cameraman and editor, Mike McCrimmon, joined me at Caleco last Thursday evening to catch up on the LeDoux bronze progress. Let us share our findings with you here:
We’ll be visiting with Mike Thomas in his Buffalo studio in the near future and will return with an update in short order.
On this day we remember with sadness the loss of Chris LeDoux five years ago. There is anticipation too. Seeing that statue unveiled in Kaycee on land Chris and Peggy own will be very, very special. One of their boys used a pair of Chris’ boots to create prints in the still wet cement of the walk that leads to the statue. The prints fade and finally disappear at the statue base. He is still with us. Just listen to the wind.
But in those early days all that mattered was riding bareback horses. He had a vast reservoir of “try.” He listened to the older riders and adapted his occasionally out-of-control style accordingly. Chris’ power was in his persistence…and guts. And you could see it all in his face. “I did everything I could to match that trademark grimace,” artist Mike Thomas told me this week. The Buffalo, Wyoming sculptor’s “Good Ride Cowboy” is being created in a bigger-than-life bronze statue that is now in the hands of the capable Hall family and their valued employees at Caleco (kah-LEE-ko) Foundry in Cody.
Our capable cameraman and editor, Mike McCrimmon, joined me at Caleco last Thursday evening to catch up on the LeDoux bronze progress. Let us share our findings with you here:
We’ll be visiting with Mike Thomas in his Buffalo studio in the near future and will return with an update in short order.
On this day we remember with sadness the loss of Chris LeDoux five years ago. There is anticipation too. Seeing that statue unveiled in Kaycee on land Chris and Peggy own will be very, very special. One of their boys used a pair of Chris’ boots to create prints in the still wet cement of the walk that leads to the statue. The prints fade and finally disappear at the statue base. He is still with us. Just listen to the wind.
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Legacy of LeDoux
By Chuck Coon
Tomorrow will mark the fifth anniversary of Chris LeDoux’ passing. He represented the face, and spirit, of Wyoming to many thousands of people across our land and on many foreign soils. “His music helped me make it through my tour in Desert Storm in 91-92,” writes Craig Young in a Facebook entry. The social media outlet was originated as a tribute to Ledoux by Scott Sterrett of Wild Bunch Productions in Casper six months ago.
There are now more than 20,800 fans on the Chris Ledoux Tribute Rodeo Facebook site sharing personal memories of LeDoux. A man and his wife measure their driving trips by how many Chris LeDoux CDs they will listen to along the route. A married couple writes that their first date was a Chris LeDoux concert. One young man was buying a box set of LeDoux music in Nashville when the clerk told him of Chris’ death that day. “I broke down and cried in the Ernest Tubb Record Shop,” he writes.
Sterrett tells us that Garth Brooks has signed on to the Facebook site devoted to Chris LeDoux’s memory. I can tell you Garth did not hide his tears standing in the LeDoux kitchen near Kaycee, Wyoming where family and friends were gathered for a private memorial five years ago.
We spoke with Chris a few times. He was always willing to help a good cause whether promoting the move of the College National Finals Rodeo to Casper or offering his home country as a setting for public service announcements marking the Wyoming Centennial in 1990. He may have come to Wyoming from Texas, but Chris LeDoux was Wyoming through and through.
A cold day in 1965 offered a shivery Cheyenne welcome to the LeDoux clan. “I think it was ten below the first day we got here,” recalled Chris. “It was a little hard to get used to. But spring came and it was wonderful.” And there was a very large rodeo arena just a half-mile down the road from the family residence.
Chris LeDoux had already won a buckle at a rodeo in Texas and now he was within spittin’ distance of the chutes where all of the greatest champions in the world had competed. By 1968 LeDoux entered Cheyenne Frontier Days and the next year he placed in the bareback riding on a horse called “Chicken Fry.” He came back to the ready area and heard “Good Ride Chris” from several of his rodeo heroes. “I didn’t think they even knew my name. It was kind of like I was born right there in Cheyenne,” remembered LeDoux.
Five years later Chris came into the Cheyenne Sunday Finals ahead by ten points and felt that champion’s buckle within reach. It was not to be. Joe Alexander (The Great) spurred a bareback riding record score of 93 that day – a mark that would stay atop the pro rodeo record books for decades. LeDoux was nudged out by one point.
It was a blow for Chris LeDoux but he moved on and would rise to the world championship in bareback riding in 1976. He had fallen in love with a Wyoming girl and he was writing lyrics to match his guitar picking ever since his Mom, Bonnie, had bought him a Harmony guitar at Jay’s Music Store in Cheyenne.
People would come from long distances to buy tapes of Chris LeDoux’s music on sale under the grandstands at the Cheyenne rodeo. After those “worn-out tapes” made a line in a Garth Brooks song, Chris LeDoux with his band Western Underground would become hugely successful. Their appearances at the Cheyenne Frontier Days night shows in the 1990s were raucous, rowdy, and loud affairs. No one sat down for long except when Chris settled a little to sing a few of his favorites. Ed Bruce wrote a song that was a staple of LeDoux’ live shows for rodeo crowds in the West. We are pleased and grateful to offer you it – in its entirety – here:
While we miss him and wish he was still up there giving everything for the brand, we have Chris’ music and soon we’ll have a wonderful town park in Kaycee built on two lots the LeDoux family had purchased in the heart of the tiny downtown.
Sculptor D. Michael Thomas of Buffalo, WY is going to be on hand for a bronze dedication, June 19. Western Underground will perform after the bronze is unveiled. There aren’t many motel rooms in Kaycee so if you are planning to attend look at staying in Casper or Buffalo. You can sure check Kaycee but those rooms will be taken very soon.
The event will be laid back and informal. We’ll visit with one another and reminisce. Emcee Bob Price of KTWO Radio in Casper is scheduled to keep us informed leading up to the showing of Thomas’ bronze “Good Ride Cowboy.” It’s Chris in the midst of his world championship ride with a guitar as a base. The size is life-and-a-half. Our video man Mike McCrimmon and I got a look at progress last week at the Caleco Foundry in Cody. We’ll give you an update here tomorrow.
When I die you can bury me beneath these western skies.
Thanks Pard.
Tomorrow will mark the fifth anniversary of Chris LeDoux’ passing. He represented the face, and spirit, of Wyoming to many thousands of people across our land and on many foreign soils. “His music helped me make it through my tour in Desert Storm in 91-92,” writes Craig Young in a Facebook entry. The social media outlet was originated as a tribute to Ledoux by Scott Sterrett of Wild Bunch Productions in Casper six months ago.
There are now more than 20,800 fans on the Chris Ledoux Tribute Rodeo Facebook site sharing personal memories of LeDoux. A man and his wife measure their driving trips by how many Chris LeDoux CDs they will listen to along the route. A married couple writes that their first date was a Chris LeDoux concert. One young man was buying a box set of LeDoux music in Nashville when the clerk told him of Chris’ death that day. “I broke down and cried in the Ernest Tubb Record Shop,” he writes.
Sterrett tells us that Garth Brooks has signed on to the Facebook site devoted to Chris LeDoux’s memory. I can tell you Garth did not hide his tears standing in the LeDoux kitchen near Kaycee, Wyoming where family and friends were gathered for a private memorial five years ago.
We spoke with Chris a few times. He was always willing to help a good cause whether promoting the move of the College National Finals Rodeo to Casper or offering his home country as a setting for public service announcements marking the Wyoming Centennial in 1990. He may have come to Wyoming from Texas, but Chris LeDoux was Wyoming through and through.
A cold day in 1965 offered a shivery Cheyenne welcome to the LeDoux clan. “I think it was ten below the first day we got here,” recalled Chris. “It was a little hard to get used to. But spring came and it was wonderful.” And there was a very large rodeo arena just a half-mile down the road from the family residence.
Chris LeDoux had already won a buckle at a rodeo in Texas and now he was within spittin’ distance of the chutes where all of the greatest champions in the world had competed. By 1968 LeDoux entered Cheyenne Frontier Days and the next year he placed in the bareback riding on a horse called “Chicken Fry.” He came back to the ready area and heard “Good Ride Chris” from several of his rodeo heroes. “I didn’t think they even knew my name. It was kind of like I was born right there in Cheyenne,” remembered LeDoux.
Five years later Chris came into the Cheyenne Sunday Finals ahead by ten points and felt that champion’s buckle within reach. It was not to be. Joe Alexander (The Great) spurred a bareback riding record score of 93 that day – a mark that would stay atop the pro rodeo record books for decades. LeDoux was nudged out by one point.
It was a blow for Chris LeDoux but he moved on and would rise to the world championship in bareback riding in 1976. He had fallen in love with a Wyoming girl and he was writing lyrics to match his guitar picking ever since his Mom, Bonnie, had bought him a Harmony guitar at Jay’s Music Store in Cheyenne.
People would come from long distances to buy tapes of Chris LeDoux’s music on sale under the grandstands at the Cheyenne rodeo. After those “worn-out tapes” made a line in a Garth Brooks song, Chris LeDoux with his band Western Underground would become hugely successful. Their appearances at the Cheyenne Frontier Days night shows in the 1990s were raucous, rowdy, and loud affairs. No one sat down for long except when Chris settled a little to sing a few of his favorites. Ed Bruce wrote a song that was a staple of LeDoux’ live shows for rodeo crowds in the West. We are pleased and grateful to offer you it – in its entirety – here:
While we miss him and wish he was still up there giving everything for the brand, we have Chris’ music and soon we’ll have a wonderful town park in Kaycee built on two lots the LeDoux family had purchased in the heart of the tiny downtown.
Sculptor D. Michael Thomas of Buffalo, WY is going to be on hand for a bronze dedication, June 19. Western Underground will perform after the bronze is unveiled. There aren’t many motel rooms in Kaycee so if you are planning to attend look at staying in Casper or Buffalo. You can sure check Kaycee but those rooms will be taken very soon.
The event will be laid back and informal. We’ll visit with one another and reminisce. Emcee Bob Price of KTWO Radio in Casper is scheduled to keep us informed leading up to the showing of Thomas’ bronze “Good Ride Cowboy.” It’s Chris in the midst of his world championship ride with a guitar as a base. The size is life-and-a-half. Our video man Mike McCrimmon and I got a look at progress last week at the Caleco Foundry in Cody. We’ll give you an update here tomorrow. When I die you can bury me beneath these western skies.
Yippie Yi!
Thanks Pard.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Miller Tackles Tucson
A wet last of February day at the Tucson rodeo ended by floating a nice and dry champion’s paycheck to Lance Creek, Wyoming steer wrestler Jason Miller. He wasn’t even going to compete in the Arizona affair this year because of the rain and potential for a thick, soupy arena that can, and has, fostered injuries to bulldoggers and their horses. Miller’s three runs totaled out at 20.5 seconds – good enough to win the average and a Tucson champion’s buckle. We spoke with the 2007 world champion today about his rainy run on Sunday:
Miller rode a good horse owned by fellow Wyoming steer wrestler Les Shepperson of Midwest who isn’t able to enter some of the big winter rodeos in Texas because of a serious injury last year in Houston that prevents Les from qualifying in 2010.
Miller’s earnings will move Jason well into the Top Ten of the current world standings heading into the long and laborious RodeoHouston which covers three weeks of March.
Miller rode a good horse owned by fellow Wyoming steer wrestler Les Shepperson of Midwest who isn’t able to enter some of the big winter rodeos in Texas because of a serious injury last year in Houston that prevents Les from qualifying in 2010.
Miller’s earnings will move Jason well into the Top Ten of the current world standings heading into the long and laborious RodeoHouston which covers three weeks of March.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Cowboys Meet Lawmakers
There were a lot of “Sirs” and “Mams” floating around the Little America Resort in Cheyenne this week. Five professional rodeo cowboys took time away from their pursuits in the warmth of Texas and Arizona to meet Wyoming legislators and people in the tourism industry here who have supported the only state program in the nation that sponsors contestants that have risen to the level of competing at the national finals. Those who came to sign autographs, meet & greet, and otherwise mingle included bull riders Kanin Asay and Bobby Welsh, bronc and bull rider Seth Glause, bronc rider Chet Johnson and bullfighter Dusty Tuckness. Coming off his first national finals, Tuckness is going to spend the first three weeks of March dashing and darting about RodeoHouston.
The winter rodeo season is in full swing and already there are injuries being nursed by Kanin Asay and Chet Johnson. Kanin, of Powell, WY, won the bull riding at the NFR in Las Vegas last December. He told us his last three bull rides this year have ended with hang ups. Muscles are strained and bruised as a result. “I just have to stop ridin’ like a sissy,” Asay said. Johnson is from Gillette. The reigning Canadian Champion bronc rider was stepped on after a dismount in Rapid City, SD earlier this month. Chet suffered a concussion and had to have stitches near his right eye. He feels better but is clearly not at a hundred percent.
The just-completed San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo was good to a few of Team Wyoming’s pokes. Clayton Savage of Casper made the finals in bull riding but did not score there. He came in with about $2,500 in winnings though and picked up another $4K in the San Antonio Xtreme Bulls event. Savage is sitting at #28 of the world standings. Jhett Johnson from Casper was also in the San Antonio finals with team roping pard Steve Purcella. They were just out of the money with a 5.4 second run but added over $3,000 to their earnings total thus far in 2010. Jhett is now just out of the Top 15 for heelers.
Kelly Timberman from Mills, WY is off to a nice start this year now married to his sweetheart Charidie. Timberman is holding down the #9 position in the bareback riding world standings and won about $1,500 in San Antonio. He’ll be among a large contingent of the Wyoming team members competing in Tucson this weekend.
Jason Miller of Lance Creek who is bull dogging with authority in 20-10 finds himself in the average lead heading into the finals weekend at Tucson. Miller has grappled two head in 13 flat. He is in the lucky #13 spot in the pro steer wrestling world standings.
The winter rodeo season is in full swing and already there are injuries being nursed by Kanin Asay and Chet Johnson. Kanin, of Powell, WY, won the bull riding at the NFR in Las Vegas last December. He told us his last three bull rides this year have ended with hang ups. Muscles are strained and bruised as a result. “I just have to stop ridin’ like a sissy,” Asay said. Johnson is from Gillette. The reigning Canadian Champion bronc rider was stepped on after a dismount in Rapid City, SD earlier this month. Chet suffered a concussion and had to have stitches near his right eye. He feels better but is clearly not at a hundred percent.
The just-completed San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo was good to a few of Team Wyoming’s pokes. Clayton Savage of Casper made the finals in bull riding but did not score there. He came in with about $2,500 in winnings though and picked up another $4K in the San Antonio Xtreme Bulls event. Savage is sitting at #28 of the world standings. Jhett Johnson from Casper was also in the San Antonio finals with team roping pard Steve Purcella. They were just out of the money with a 5.4 second run but added over $3,000 to their earnings total thus far in 2010. Jhett is now just out of the Top 15 for heelers.
Jason Miller of Lance Creek who is bull dogging with authority in 20-10 finds himself in the average lead heading into the finals weekend at Tucson. Miller has grappled two head in 13 flat. He is in the lucky #13 spot in the pro steer wrestling world standings.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
WYO Timed Event Tango
There’s some new pep in the big steps of Wyoming’s Jhett Johnson and Jason Miller. Their 2010 pro rodeo season began with each winning their respective events at the SandHills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, TX.
Miller, the 2007 world champion steer wrestler, dogged a pair in 8.1 seconds and collected more than $3,500:
The Lance Creek, Wyoming native opens 2010 in the number eight position of the world standings.
Johnson and team roping partner Steve Purcella split the Odessa average with another pair of team ropers but a three paycheck total (two rounds and the average - $4,422) in Odessa is good enough to set Jhett sixth in the world standings for heelers to start the year:
Miller, the 2007 world champion steer wrestler, dogged a pair in 8.1 seconds and collected more than $3,500:
The Lance Creek, Wyoming native opens 2010 in the number eight position of the world standings.
Johnson and team roping partner Steve Purcella split the Odessa average with another pair of team ropers but a three paycheck total (two rounds and the average - $4,422) in Odessa is good enough to set Jhett sixth in the world standings for heelers to start the year:
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Better than Average
To those outside of the rodeo realm it must seem strange to hear talk of “average” and think it matters much. Just look at the beaming face of Powell, WY bull rider Kanin Asay and you know that winning the average at the national finals rodeo is a magnificent accomplishment that nudges the newlywed toward the pinnacle of his chosen profession. He rode a bull called Big Iron tonight and the big score was the highest of any ride at the 2009 NFR – 93 points. Asay finished second in the world standings winning $205,000. But it is the last ride that gave him a bull riding average championship – most points scored over the course of the entire finals. Please sit back and enjoy a look at Kanin’s ride, the aftermath and our interview with Asay standing with his new saddle, gold buckle and his best friend, first-time NFR bullfighter Dusty Tuckness from Meeteetse, WY. What shows below is courtesy of our talented video guru Mike McCrimmon:
Kanin Asay won almost $113,000 at the 2009 NFR. Bobby Welsh of Gillette finished fourth in the world standings this year and came ever so close to edging nearer to the top with his performance in the final round. Welsh came off his bull at 7.78 seconds. Clayton Savage of Casper was also in the top ten, finishing in the eighth position.
Kelly Skies
Kelly Timberman closed out his 2009 on a high horse. The Mills, WY 33-year-old won the world championship in bareback riding five years ago and continues to be among the elite pros in rodeo. Wise Guy is wild and Kelly matched him jump for jump:
Timberman finished third in the bareback riding average and that alone added $28,000 to his annual earnings. Kelly rose to fifth in the world standings for 2009 by gathering almost $72,000 over the last ten days.
We must also add that our Team Wyoming team roper, Jhett Johnson from Casper, netted just over $34,000 at this years’ NFR. He isn’t complaining.
Sincerest appreciation is given here to Winnercomm Productions (the company that brings rodeo to your television set) and the PRCA for allowing us to obtain video and to be close to the Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo action again this year.
We are most proud of Team Wyoming and hope to see you along the rodeo road in 2010.
Kanin Asay won almost $113,000 at the 2009 NFR. Bobby Welsh of Gillette finished fourth in the world standings this year and came ever so close to edging nearer to the top with his performance in the final round. Welsh came off his bull at 7.78 seconds. Clayton Savage of Casper was also in the top ten, finishing in the eighth position.
Kelly Skies
Kelly Timberman closed out his 2009 on a high horse. The Mills, WY 33-year-old won the world championship in bareback riding five years ago and continues to be among the elite pros in rodeo. Wise Guy is wild and Kelly matched him jump for jump:
Timberman finished third in the bareback riding average and that alone added $28,000 to his annual earnings. Kelly rose to fifth in the world standings for 2009 by gathering almost $72,000 over the last ten days.
We must also add that our Team Wyoming team roper, Jhett Johnson from Casper, netted just over $34,000 at this years’ NFR. He isn’t complaining.
Sincerest appreciation is given here to Winnercomm Productions (the company that brings rodeo to your television set) and the PRCA for allowing us to obtain video and to be close to the Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo action again this year.
We are most proud of Team Wyoming and hope to see you along the rodeo road in 2010.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Rough Stock Squad
Bobby Welsh, Dusty Tuckness, Kanin Asay and Clayton Savage. They’ve synched superbly in a short period of time and really came together at the NFR in 2009. We spoke to them a few nights ago to get their perspectives about counting on one another through thick and thin:
Buckle Up
Our video manager, Mike McCrimmon, has visited the Wyoming highlight reel from the first several rounds of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas to pull out a few juicy morsels for your perusal. Give yourself a minute, sit back and enjoy:
Happy Birthday Clay
Clayton Savage is celebrating his 23rd birthday today. Wyoming Travel & Tourism was pleased to recognize young Mr. Savage on this special day. He was signing autographs at our table outside the Wrangler Apparel booth in the Cowboy Christmas show where at high noon the howling began:
Red Boots Diary
Gillette bull rider Bobby Welsh has attained the ultimate prize for a cowboy. Comfortable boots. They are red and that color has drawn comments from many a rodeo announcer in the arena and during television broadcasts, especially on ESPN during Xtreme Bulls events. We now show you the secret of the red boots by way of Bobby’s own willingness to divulge their origin:
We will be back to fill this column late tonight with a recap of how Wyoming cowboys finished the 2009 NFR.
Buckle Up
Our video manager, Mike McCrimmon, has visited the Wyoming highlight reel from the first several rounds of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas to pull out a few juicy morsels for your perusal. Give yourself a minute, sit back and enjoy:
Happy Birthday Clay
Clayton Savage is celebrating his 23rd birthday today. Wyoming Travel & Tourism was pleased to recognize young Mr. Savage on this special day. He was signing autographs at our table outside the Wrangler Apparel booth in the Cowboy Christmas show where at high noon the howling began:
Red Boots Diary
Gillette bull rider Bobby Welsh has attained the ultimate prize for a cowboy. Comfortable boots. They are red and that color has drawn comments from many a rodeo announcer in the arena and during television broadcasts, especially on ESPN during Xtreme Bulls events. We now show you the secret of the red boots by way of Bobby’s own willingness to divulge their origin:
We will be back to fill this column late tonight with a recap of how Wyoming cowboys finished the 2009 NFR.
BIG WYO NIGHT
We are going to have some fun tonight. Three Wyoming bull riders have proven their toughness and skill at the same time being watched over and helped to walk away from every ride by Meeteetse, WY bullfighter Dusty Tuckness. His fearlessness is certainly evident to all who’ve been watching the 51st NFR.
Last night two of the bull riding trio made successful trips. Clayton Savage of Casper was 86.5 on Foolish Pride and Savage would really like to start all over again here at the finals in Vegas:
Clayton’s Friday night paycheck was $10,000 for third place. Gillette’s Bobby Welsh topped the bull Crazy Train for an 83 and fifth place on the night:
Watch with Cowboy Pride tonight as Welsh battles Siverado’s Silent Assassin, Kanin Asay from Powell takes on the bull known as Big Iron and Savage is aboard Silent Image. All three of Wyoming’s riders have managed to remain in the top ten of the world standings through all the ups and downs of the NFR. Asay is third, Welsh fourth and Savage in the eighth position. Average wise Welsh leads everyone and Asay is second. Clayton Savage, who is celebrating his 23rd birthday today, is sixth in the average.
Burns Rodeo Company from Laramie will present two bulls for the final round tonight. Kid Twist and Conspiracy are going to be hard to handle for Colin McTaggart and Howdy Cloud respectively.
Kelly Timberman, the 2004 world champion bareback rider, is smiling at his draw for the final round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo tonight. The Mills, WY rodeo superstar will pack his punch on top of Wise Guy – a horse Timberman spurred to a huge score on the finals night at the regular season playoffs in Omaha. Last night in Las Vegas, Kelly matched kicks with the bareback horse Peaches and Cream to score 84.5 and take away third-place cash of $10,000:
The queen of Powder River Rodeo Company from Riverton, WY gets another chance tonight in the NFR final round. Wyoming’s Miss Congeniality had trouble in the chute box her first time out earlier this week. Odds are she’ll redeem herself and present a daunting challenge for bronc rider Bradley Harter. Miss C has a first jump that is a marvel to watch especially for a horse of her size. (We are not insulting her weight. She is just a big girl.) Owner Hank Franzen has a custom-made halter he’ll present to Harter and it will surely bring an anxious smile to the Texas man who’ll be first out in the bronc riding tonight.
Tonight’s finals will air at 9 Mountain Time on ESPN2.
Last night two of the bull riding trio made successful trips. Clayton Savage of Casper was 86.5 on Foolish Pride and Savage would really like to start all over again here at the finals in Vegas:
Clayton’s Friday night paycheck was $10,000 for third place. Gillette’s Bobby Welsh topped the bull Crazy Train for an 83 and fifth place on the night:
Watch with Cowboy Pride tonight as Welsh battles Siverado’s Silent Assassin, Kanin Asay from Powell takes on the bull known as Big Iron and Savage is aboard Silent Image. All three of Wyoming’s riders have managed to remain in the top ten of the world standings through all the ups and downs of the NFR. Asay is third, Welsh fourth and Savage in the eighth position. Average wise Welsh leads everyone and Asay is second. Clayton Savage, who is celebrating his 23rd birthday today, is sixth in the average.
Burns Rodeo Company from Laramie will present two bulls for the final round tonight. Kid Twist and Conspiracy are going to be hard to handle for Colin McTaggart and Howdy Cloud respectively.
Kelly Timberman, the 2004 world champion bareback rider, is smiling at his draw for the final round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo tonight. The Mills, WY rodeo superstar will pack his punch on top of Wise Guy – a horse Timberman spurred to a huge score on the finals night at the regular season playoffs in Omaha. Last night in Las Vegas, Kelly matched kicks with the bareback horse Peaches and Cream to score 84.5 and take away third-place cash of $10,000:
The queen of Powder River Rodeo Company from Riverton, WY gets another chance tonight in the NFR final round. Wyoming’s Miss Congeniality had trouble in the chute box her first time out earlier this week. Odds are she’ll redeem herself and present a daunting challenge for bronc rider Bradley Harter. Miss C has a first jump that is a marvel to watch especially for a horse of her size. (We are not insulting her weight. She is just a big girl.) Owner Hank Franzen has a custom-made halter he’ll present to Harter and it will surely bring an anxious smile to the Texas man who’ll be first out in the bronc riding tonight.
Tonight’s finals will air at 9 Mountain Time on ESPN2.
Bull Champ Crowned
JW Harris of May, TX earned his second consecutive world championship in bull riding a night early. He can’t be caught having come into tonight facing only two other men with an outside chance to overtake the staggering lead JW had entering the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Both challengers bucked off early. Kanin Asay of Powell was one of those riders and although Kanin went down tonight he is in great shape for a big average check. He is second and Bobby Welsh of Gillette is first in the average. Bobby was scored 83 tonight on a bull named Crazy Train.
Clayton Savage of Casper put $10,000 in his jeans tonight finishing third with a score of 86.5 on Foolish Pride. That same animal horned the pants of Meeteetse, WY bullfighter Dusty Tuckness in an earlier NFR round. Savage is sixth in the average race and has taken the tape off his rib injury. He has cracks in a couple of them but seems none the worse for wear. Ah, to be young and seemingly invincible.
Veteran bull rider Cody Hancock of Arizona was knocked out at the end of his winning ride. He was taken out of the arena on a stretcher and is receiving hospital treatment for a concussion. He was awake when rolled past us and I can tell you he wanted to stay for his victory lap.
Clayton Savage of Casper put $10,000 in his jeans tonight finishing third with a score of 86.5 on Foolish Pride. That same animal horned the pants of Meeteetse, WY bullfighter Dusty Tuckness in an earlier NFR round. Savage is sixth in the average race and has taken the tape off his rib injury. He has cracks in a couple of them but seems none the worse for wear. Ah, to be young and seemingly invincible.
Veteran bull rider Cody Hancock of Arizona was knocked out at the end of his winning ride. He was taken out of the arena on a stretcher and is receiving hospital treatment for a concussion. He was awake when rolled past us and I can tell you he wanted to stay for his victory lap.
Timberman Collects Again
Kelly Timberman of Mills, WY collected $10,000 for his third-place finish tonight scoring 84.5 and inching his 2009 NFR earnings ever so close to the $35K mark. The 2004 world champion bareback rider is fourth in the average with one night remaining. Timberman surpassed the $1 million career earning milestone during this trip to the finals.
A Record Set and Reset
Team ropers were sizzling tonight. One pair, JoJo Lemond and Randon Adams, set a new world record time of 3.4 seconds and five minutes later that mark was beaten by Chad Masters and Jade Corkill who finished their run in 3.3 seconds.
UW Grad Wins
University of Wyoming graduate Casey McMillen dropped his steer in 3.3 seconds to take ninth-round honors in the steer wrestling competition.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Purple Passion
He likes the color purple and rides with the passion it takes to be a champion. Kanin Asay of Powell, WY scored 87 on Grey Dog last night to win the eighth round of bull riding at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Only two men made qualified rides. A late re-ride attempt by Corey Navarre also fell short.
Asay always makes a thorough investigation of the bull he has drawn and knew what to expect out of last night’s mission. One fact coming to the fore in the last few years is that multiple generations of bucking bull breeding has turned out a large number of animals who most times out are beyond the grasp of just about any rider success when it comes to keeping a seat for eight seconds.
We spoke with Kanin after his success last night and he also delved into the assemblage of animals he and his fellow riders are facing at the NFR this year:
Powder River Let ‘er Buck
Two of the bulls out last night belong to the “bull guys” of Wyoming horse stock contractors Powder River Rodeo Co. based in Riverton. Lori and Hank Franzen run a tight ship and since horses are their forte they leave the bulls to people who specialize in that animal, in this case D & H Cattle out of Oklahoma.
The luck of the draw put Wyoming riders on D&H bulls last night. Clayton Savage of Casper – competing at his first national finals – drew Sure Fire. Look closely at how he refuses to give up. Savage lasted past the seven-second tick but not quite to eight:
As mentioned earlier, Kanin Asay had the other D&H bull and made a great outing to win the round. Powder River’s Hank Franzen spoke with us afterward:
Kanin Asay finds himself at the top of the average leaderboard with two rounds to go and still much ground to make up on overall leader in the world champ’s chase – JW Harris of Texas.
Asay always makes a thorough investigation of the bull he has drawn and knew what to expect out of last night’s mission. One fact coming to the fore in the last few years is that multiple generations of bucking bull breeding has turned out a large number of animals who most times out are beyond the grasp of just about any rider success when it comes to keeping a seat for eight seconds.
We spoke with Kanin after his success last night and he also delved into the assemblage of animals he and his fellow riders are facing at the NFR this year:
Powder River Let ‘er Buck
Two of the bulls out last night belong to the “bull guys” of Wyoming horse stock contractors Powder River Rodeo Co. based in Riverton. Lori and Hank Franzen run a tight ship and since horses are their forte they leave the bulls to people who specialize in that animal, in this case D & H Cattle out of Oklahoma.
The luck of the draw put Wyoming riders on D&H bulls last night. Clayton Savage of Casper – competing at his first national finals – drew Sure Fire. Look closely at how he refuses to give up. Savage lasted past the seven-second tick but not quite to eight:
As mentioned earlier, Kanin Asay had the other D&H bull and made a great outing to win the round. Powder River’s Hank Franzen spoke with us afterward:
Kanin Asay finds himself at the top of the average leaderboard with two rounds to go and still much ground to make up on overall leader in the world champ’s chase – JW Harris of Texas.
The Pride of Powell
The purple was popping tonight for Kanin Asay. The Powell, WY bull rider stayed on a bull that tried ever so deftly to toss his man but in the end Grey Dog was mastered for a score of 87 and a best-of-show for Asay. WOOF! Kanin loves the color purple and was decked from head to toe with it tonight. His Wyoming fans stood and cheered wildly and it was not in vain. Put another one in the books for Kanin. He’s won two rounds at the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas and seems poised to be back for more. Asay leads the average now but still has a steep mountain to climb in order to overcome world standings leader JW Harris. And while Bobby Welsh of Gillette did not score tonight he is in the hunt as well.
Powder River Rodeo Co. of Riverton, WY had a big stake in tonight’s bull riding. Their “bull guys” run a company called D & H Cattle out of Oklahoma. Grey Dog is one of their animals. Hank Franzen, owner with his wife Lori, of Powder River was beaming about a Wyoming rider winning the round. “We’re pretty proud to have him win it on our bull, that’s outstanding,” Franzen said.
Tune in here again mid-morning tomorrow. We’ll show you Kanin’s ride and our interview with the Powell man of purple. Hank Franzen will be with us too. It is going to be worth the wait. This was one big night for Wyoming.
Powder River Rodeo Co. of Riverton, WY had a big stake in tonight’s bull riding. Their “bull guys” run a company called D & H Cattle out of Oklahoma. Grey Dog is one of their animals. Hank Franzen, owner with his wife Lori, of Powder River was beaming about a Wyoming rider winning the round. “We’re pretty proud to have him win it on our bull, that’s outstanding,” Franzen said.
Tune in here again mid-morning tomorrow. We’ll show you Kanin’s ride and our interview with the Powell man of purple. Hank Franzen will be with us too. It is going to be worth the wait. This was one big night for Wyoming.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Purple Stays
Kanin Asay’s pink shirt (for “Tough Enough to Wear Pink night” at the NFR) clashed – I think – with his purple helmet but Kanin matched his bull, Who’s Next, last night to be one of only four riders who stayed on for scores. The way it’s been going four out of fourteen is pretty good for this national finals. The Powell mans’ score was 79.5 and it added $7,000 to his take home from Vegas thus far:
Kanin Asay is now fourth in the race for the coveted average-round money and Gillette’s Bobby Welsh is second. He is now third in the world standings while Asay is fourth. They have a lot of ground to cover in order to catch leader JW Harris who is $70,000 in front of the number two man, Corey Navarre, but Harris is not going to be competitive in the average money race so the gap can be made up quickly if Welsh and Asay get on hot streaks the final three rides. Harris is scheduled to sit again tonight as he recuperates from a broken bone in his right hand. He will ride Friday and Saturday nights.
Jhett’s Loop Gets Cash
Casper’s Jhett Johnson threw a beauty last night and with partner Steve Purcella netted a third-place time of 4.3 seconds in the team roping to win third place and $10,000:
Jhett is at $34,000 and counting so far in NFR competition. He and Purcella are eighth in the average. It pays eight spots.
Blazing Hazers
Two Wyoming cowboys who competed in the steer wrestling event at last years’ National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas have gone over to the other side in 2009. Jason Miller of Lance Creek and Les Shepperson from Midwest are prominent hazers. Miller is working with traveling partner and event leader Luke Branquinho along with Curtis Cassidy. Shepperson is hazing for Dean Gorsuch. We got to spend a little time in Vegas with Jason and Les and here is that report:
Kanin Asay is now fourth in the race for the coveted average-round money and Gillette’s Bobby Welsh is second. He is now third in the world standings while Asay is fourth. They have a lot of ground to cover in order to catch leader JW Harris who is $70,000 in front of the number two man, Corey Navarre, but Harris is not going to be competitive in the average money race so the gap can be made up quickly if Welsh and Asay get on hot streaks the final three rides. Harris is scheduled to sit again tonight as he recuperates from a broken bone in his right hand. He will ride Friday and Saturday nights.
Jhett’s Loop Gets Cash
Casper’s Jhett Johnson threw a beauty last night and with partner Steve Purcella netted a third-place time of 4.3 seconds in the team roping to win third place and $10,000:
Jhett is at $34,000 and counting so far in NFR competition. He and Purcella are eighth in the average. It pays eight spots.
Blazing Hazers
Two Wyoming cowboys who competed in the steer wrestling event at last years’ National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas have gone over to the other side in 2009. Jason Miller of Lance Creek and Les Shepperson from Midwest are prominent hazers. Miller is working with traveling partner and event leader Luke Branquinho along with Curtis Cassidy. Shepperson is hazing for Dean Gorsuch. We got to spend a little time in Vegas with Jason and Les and here is that report:
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
In the Money
Casper team roping heeler Jhett Johnson and partner Steve Purcella made a very cool $10,000 each in their third-place finish tonight with a time of 4.3 seconds. They’ve won $34K thus far and are eighth in the average.
Only four bull riders made the eight-second buzzer in tonight’s seventh round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. One of them was Powell’s Kanin Asay who was fourth scoring a 79.5 on a bull called Who’s Next. Kanin is now fourth in the average race while Bobby Welsh of Gillette has slipped to second. Current world champion JW Harris is well out in front of the pack this year but was not out tonight as he continues to nurse a broken bone in his riding hand. Harris plans to return for rounds nine and ten, Friday and Saturday.
Lance Creek’s Jason Miller hazed for pal Luke Branquinho and Luke won for the second night in a row. The reigning world champion steer wrestler has taken over the top spot in both the average and world standings. He’s made $70,000 in seven days at the NFR.
We’ll have Jhett Johnson’s heeling work in the seventh round and give you a viewing of Kanin Asay on his bull once the video is ready to transmit tomorrow morning.
Only four bull riders made the eight-second buzzer in tonight’s seventh round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. One of them was Powell’s Kanin Asay who was fourth scoring a 79.5 on a bull called Who’s Next. Kanin is now fourth in the average race while Bobby Welsh of Gillette has slipped to second. Current world champion JW Harris is well out in front of the pack this year but was not out tonight as he continues to nurse a broken bone in his riding hand. Harris plans to return for rounds nine and ten, Friday and Saturday.
Lance Creek’s Jason Miller hazed for pal Luke Branquinho and Luke won for the second night in a row. The reigning world champion steer wrestler has taken over the top spot in both the average and world standings. He’s made $70,000 in seven days at the NFR.
We’ll have Jhett Johnson’s heeling work in the seventh round and give you a viewing of Kanin Asay on his bull once the video is ready to transmit tomorrow morning.
Money in Barebacks
Kelly Timberman of Mills, WY spurred like the champ he is and ended up splitting 3rd/4th/ and 5th position cash of $7,200 in last night’s sixth round of bareback riding at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. For those of you who don’t know, Kelly recently married his longtime girlfriend Charidie in Cheyenne. We want to give you a look at Kelly’s ride but also a peek into his psyche. He plans to do everything possible to make his marriage work:
Ryan Gray rode halfway through the national finals before finding his way to the pay window. Last night he got on a Wyoming horse and cashed in by winning second place and $13,500 on Pinball Wizard of the Burch Rodeo Co. string based near Rozet, WY. The ride was scored at 86.5 for the college grad who grew up in Cheyenne and Laramie:
Shake it Luke
Good buds Luke Branquinho and Jason Miller had their speed on in the steer wrestling last night. Luke threw down in 3.2 seconds - just a hair (.2 seconds) longer than the arena record. Jason, of Lance Creek WY, was his hazer. Everyone in the arena knew what would follow a 3.2 run and Luke didn’t disappoint:
The steer wrestling competition is tight at the lead with just $30,000 separating the top three big men.
Hunter’s Tail
You do what you must to catch a steer at the national finals. Hunter Cure of Texas showed as much last night when he had only a tail to hold and a long run to get the job done:
Ryan Gray rode halfway through the national finals before finding his way to the pay window. Last night he got on a Wyoming horse and cashed in by winning second place and $13,500 on Pinball Wizard of the Burch Rodeo Co. string based near Rozet, WY. The ride was scored at 86.5 for the college grad who grew up in Cheyenne and Laramie:
Shake it Luke
Good buds Luke Branquinho and Jason Miller had their speed on in the steer wrestling last night. Luke threw down in 3.2 seconds - just a hair (.2 seconds) longer than the arena record. Jason, of Lance Creek WY, was his hazer. Everyone in the arena knew what would follow a 3.2 run and Luke didn’t disappoint:
The steer wrestling competition is tight at the lead with just $30,000 separating the top three big men.
Hunter’s Tail
You do what you must to catch a steer at the national finals. Hunter Cure of Texas showed as much last night when he had only a tail to hold and a long run to get the job done:
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