Ranch, Rodeo, And Random News Outlet

–Event to Offer Open Entry For Both Youth And Open Athletes– World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) today announced that in light of COVID-19 restrictions in the state of Washington, the Puget Sound Showdown will be replaced with a one-day $300,000 rodeo in Guthrie, OK at the Lazy E Arena on August 15. The “Stampede At The E” will be coupled with the renowned Bullnanza on August 14, creating a weekend of premier western sports action. The Stampede At The E will be preceded by timed event and rough stock qualifier August 11-14 which will raise the week’s total payout upwards of $600,000. The top eight athletes in each discipline from the qualifier will earn a spot in the Saturday night Stampede At The E main event. Contestants in nine disciplines—bareback riding, women’s breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, barrel racing, bull riding, and team roping (heading and heeling)—will compete for their piece of the $300,000 purse. Athletes in each disci...

         BFI in Oklahoma Fuller and Ward win $155K  By just seven hundredths of a second over six steers, professional team ropers Kal Fuller of Bozeman, Montana, and Reagan Ward of Purcell, Oklahoma, won the richest event of their sport and split a first-place paycheck worth a record $150,000 at the 43rd Annual Bob Feist Invitational. The event is part of Wrangler BFI Week presented by Yeti, held for the first time inside the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, since its usual venue in Reno, Nevada, was shut down due to the pandemic.  Kal Fuller Photo By: Olie's Images “Words can’t describe this,” said Ward, who won in virtually his hometown, riding a horse he bought from world champion Kollin Von Ahn. “My header is pretty phenomenal. I’ve never met a 20-year-old that can do the stuff he can do. Most people can’t even do what he can do.” The BFI is the most lucrative but challenging team roping event for professionals in America. Under the tr...

         NRHA Suspends 2020 World Title Race Morey Fisk and Chicks Smokingun, 2019 NRHA Open World Champions (Photo by Andrea Bonaga) In a unanimous decision, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Board of Directors has suspended the 2020 NRHA World Title race. Historically, NRHA World Titles, awarded in open, non pro, and youth divisions, are coveted recognition for horses and riders. The international race allows aged reining horses a chance in the spotlight and highlights reiners from around the globe. However, this year, COVID-19 has led to and will continue to cause the cancellation of many events, both in the U.S. and around the world. The NRHA Board agreed that suspending the NRHA World Title Race was the only fair and equitable thing to do for the entire membership, worldwide. “The NRHA World Champion titles have played an important part of NRHA,” said NRHA President Mike Hancock. “The titles have been won by exceptional peopl...

Cody DeMoss wins Super Series Finish May 31   In his 20th year of ProRodeo competition, saddle bronc rider Cody DeMoss can still out-ride cowboys half his age. DeMoss won the saddle bronc riding three-head average in Bracket 5 at the Super Series Finish in Fort Worth on Sunday. “I got my card in 2000, and some days I feel like I’m 25 or 26 (years old) and some days I get burned out on it, but this break put some fire back in a lot of us,” DeMoss said. “And, to have a reality check that everything could be taken away at the drop of the hat, you will see that guys who come back rodeoing this year will be having more fun and excited to get on. I don’t imagine anyone will get sour this year since we get to do what we love to do.” Photo By: Joe Duty The Super Series Finish at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth gave ProRodeo athletes the chance to complete the bracketed competition that was cut short when the COVID-19 pandemic put competition on hiatus in mid-March...

                Why Cancel The Rodeo? There has been a record number of canceled rodeo events across the country. Many rodeo fans have voiced their concerns and disagreements with cancellations.  Why do they keep canceling the rodeo?  Rodeo events take a lot of funds to produce. It takes money for stock, personnel, & prizes to put on a good show. Most hometown rodeos are put on by a rodeo committee for that town. Business's that normally sponsor and advertise at these events have been closed nearly two months doing what they can to support their own family's. Photo By: Bar McMedia We are getting to a point where some restrictions are being lifted, but there has not been enough time for the economy to get back to its normal self. Many event venues are holding off opening right now due to the occupancy restrictions and fear of being linked to another outbreak. Event venues with limited occupancy are not capable of support...

Entries Strong for First Major Event of the Year Following the initial deadline for entries, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby Presented by Markel reports entries are on track for a strong event. The preliminary numbers for 2020 are already at 96% of the 2019 Derby. This count does not include any late entries, which must be received in office by 10:00 am, CDT, on June 3, for the draw to be posted on June 5. “This enthusiastic response shows the excitement reiners have to return to a major event,” said NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter. “We are thrilled to be able to welcome back our reining family to Oklahoma City.” Exhibitors, owners, and vendors should expect this year’s event to look and feel different than those in the past due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidelines and requirements from Oklahoma State Fair Park and the city of Oklahoma City are pending, but exhibitors should expect them to be published next week so all can be prepared to comply. In light ...

First post-COVID19 PRCA rodeo to air this weekend Watch more than a dozen world champs ride and rope live on-screen from Cave Creek (Arizona) Rodeo Days, May 22-24 The best of professional rodeo head to the desert this weekend to compete in Cave Creek, Arizona – the first PRCA rodeo held since the global coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement or cancellation of all spring rodeos. The 43 rd  Annual  Cave Creek Rodeo Days, postponed from its original March date, features three performances that aren’t open to the public per CDC guidelines and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey’s executive order. But set your DVR, because each performance will air live on The Cowboy Channel, May 22-24, and will stream live on any device via Cowboy Channel Plus. “We’re excited to ‘kick open the chutes’ and get live PRCA action back on The Cowboy Channel and our app, Cowboy Channel Plus,” said Jeff Medders, president and general manager of the network. “Summer is so important to e...

WOMEN’S RODEO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TO  FEATURE $750,000 PAYOUT --  World Championship Will Pay Equal Money in Each Discipline —   WCRA  ( World Champions Rodeo Alliance) and PBR (Professional Bull Riders) announced additional details today regarding the Women’s Rodeo World Championship (WRWC), taking place at South Point Arena in Las Vegas on November 3-7. The world championship event is open to any female athlete competing in breakaway roping, barrel racing,  team roping  and will award a $750,000 guaranteed payout with equal money in all four disciplines.  The event will also award a Women’s Rodeo All-Around Champion. All disciplines will feature two main pathways to the WRWC main event. Athletes who earn the top four spots on the WCRA Leaderboard at the end of the nomination period will be directly seeded into the main event while athletes 5-64 on the leaderboard will compete in a qualifying pool. The 60 athletes in the WCRA pool will...