So once again it seems that im about a month behind on my updating my blog. Im very sorry about this for those fans that follow me. Things have been hectic at college, and then getting sick, and BAM..here we are, Thanksgiving already. My producer and I have been working very hard when I actually have some free time to make things happen. Not only for me and my career, but mostly for you the fans. You are what Im most thankful for this holiday season. Honestly if it wasnt for your feedback, and making me realize that people out there really do love to see what it is I do…Well none of this would be possible.

     The semester ends soon at school, and that means i will be working hard full-time to make videos not only for my personal site Straponcowgirls.com but Im also making plans to get together with some other players in the adult entertainment world. So to all you Fans out there that would love to see me get pounded on your favorite websites….Write them and tell them, you want me..lets make it happen. I have some cool things lined up so far, and will be posting them here in the blog as soon as they are locked in. Now for updates on my own personal site.

    Straponcowgirls.com is starting to grow, and soon we are planning on giving the site a whole new look. Shooting everything in HD video, as well as pictures. The site was ment to look professional as well as show that we are just normal amateur models sharing me and my friends sexual adventures. This wont change at all…just the look of it. I will be doing some more shoots with my hot friend Bella Blaze. Olivia Saint Clair will also be doing a shoot with me soon. Ive got some hot threesome lined up with some sexy couples that are members of the website. Plus Im working on a Christmas DVD shoot, that should be a lot of fun.

     I hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving. I know Im going to try and catch up on some sleep. Thanks again for your love and support. Keep the feedback coming I LOVE nothing more than hearing from my fans…Well maybe a bed rocking orgasim..hehehe

Ginger

from here.

And if, for some reason, Cthulhu isn’t doing it for you today, there’s always this:

via the always always always interesting Molly Crabapple, but look also here and perhaps maybe here, if you’re into that kind of thing. And let’s face it: you probably are, right?

Edited to add:

ALSO! Up next: Post #500! It’s been that many, can you believe it? Shocking, right? For that very special post we have something planned that may be very interesting. Or, it may suck hard. Either way… stay tuned! Until then, here’s a picture of Sarah Palin visiting herself from the future:

Week Four

November, 11 2009

Nov 11 League STATS [download]

Here are the updated STATS for both the 7:00 and 8:00 leagues for week four. At the 7:00 league Bruce and Kurt took 1st with a time of 36:54. In the 8:00 league Kurt and Bob had the fastest time of the evening with a 36:01. All the competitive times are now under 45 seconds. Everyone looked really good this week, lots of close runs.

If anyone has any questions about the times, points, or running order please contact either John or Brenda Kaye. This is our first organizational league for both of us, so there may be some slight errors to be easily corrected. We have a good grasp of the times and placing during each league, only clerical errors when we post the final file.

::

If any of you have any questions please contact:

Brenda Kaye brendakaye [at] mac [dot] com

John jpagecorrigan [at] hotmail [dot] com

P: 612.813.1333

Geared as a “country” bar, the Electric Cowboy is a hangout for yuppie bitches who wanna play pretend cowgirl. They have electric bull riding which can be hot when some ho with D-cups is giving the bull a ride.

I’m not a fan of country music. But hey, if I can pick up a few ladies who are drunk and ready to ride my bull, then I’m all for it.

When I was a new airman at my first base in Hawaii I got fined for trespassing, a crime Hawaii takes very seriously. I wanted to go where tourists weren’t allowed. I wanted a photo that Oahu had never seen. I can hardly help myself. How can you not be curious? What do they have over there? Whom are they trying to protect? Why not take a little peak? How can you not be curious!?!

My beau and I were hiking in to swim and take photos of a sacred waterfall named, “Sacred Falls.” Sure, we passed warning signs with shotgun holes in them and broken fences but why wouldn’t the good state of Hawaii want to share this waterfall with me? The water was beautiful and there were two mysterious caves behind the waterfalls. I imagined us frolicking in the pond, splashing through the diamond cut waters, I don’t know maybe playing marco polo…naked…you get the picture.

When a tourist helicopter spotted us swimming in the waterfall, a ranger came in to fish us out. Come to find out, 32 people had died at that waterfall because of a rock slide. It was dangerous to be there and deemed sacred by the Hawaiians.

So, again, I pictured myself…swimming in the pond and my hair getting caught on a corpse’s dead hand…accidentally stubbing my toe on someone’s ribs. There would be slime underfoot and an unlimited supply of cooties in the water. When I mentioned these ideas to my date later (after our crime), he was eating. “I thought I saw hair in the water,” I said and then raised my eyebrow at his spaghetti. He backed away from the plate and frowned. I’d ruined spaghetti for him. I looked at my pot pie and his jaw dropped, apparently I ruined that for him too (you know how mucousy those look…hhhmmm…slime).

Sometimes when I’m shooting, I feel like I’m trespassing. It becomes obvious that the subject does not want their photos taken and something is said but usually preceded by a slight gesture or some type of body language. I get this a lot with women, in particular.

I was photographing the Western Equestrian Team when I took this photo. A group of cowgirls doing their thing. It was magnificent! They’re still women though…tough, wrangling women. Those societal gender norms do not stop at the arena, though you know. Because I was there, they were adjusting their hair, wiping dust off of their faces, posturing their bodies differently and picking at their sports bras. I was distracting them and they were being very polite about it for an entire practice. For my class I have to shoot all manual…manual focus, manual exposure…everything manual. It was a big mess of a shoot. I went back the next day to do it again, and I was waved over by the coach after taking one shot. Thank goodness I had a CD with photos from the day before. I handed them over, thanking her profusely, and left with my lower lip stuck out. Damn.

This is where I need that in-between-the-lines-advice from other photographers. How do you handle those awkward moments? What do you say? How do you get around it? Was what I did inappropriate? Geez, who is allowed to say I cannot shoot if I catch somebody doing something their ashamed of? I knew to respect the cowgirls but where is that line? Feel free to comment (the 14 people that read this). Pleeeassse…I need a psychic pow-wow.

www.falconhead.com

In Colfax County, New Mexico, everyone carried a gun -

back then

. . . these snapshots portray a little bit of play-acting with guns and ropes

. . . and fun.

On our last day in Fort Worth, our good friend Martha Stookey took us on a sightseeing trip downtown.  She hadn’t visited the 2 year old National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame before, and we were keen to see it.  It was marvellous – truly capturing the spirit of the Cowgirl. The Hall of Fame included female bronc riders, barrel racers, professional trick riders, movie stars (Dale Evans was honoured), poets,  and even musicians like Patsy Cline, and Pasty Montana. Cowgirls have indelibly left their mark on the western scene, and they’ve been there from the beginning. It was just delightful to see some of the old footage, and costumes from long ago.

The museum is housed in an old Art Deco building, with a fantastic trompe l’oeil mural outside.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame

Inside, we found a short film on cowgirls and a significant western art show by women artists.  Georgia O’Keefe is one of the honourees in the Hall of Fame, so they include artists in their inductees.

I think I was most impressed by some of the pictures of trick riders from the 1930s. What they could do on the back of a galloping horse!!!  They must’ve been in incredible shape, and had a close relationship with their horses to carry off their acts (not to mention glittery costumes that clearly inspired Liberace and Elvis!). If you’re ever in Fort Worth with a day to explore, I would highly recommend this museum.  I just checked their website at http://www.cowgirl.net/, and found out that they are looking for staff.  YOU COULD WORK THERE!  (I think I’ll tell my cousin Jane about this…..).

We continued our tour of Fort Worth with a visit to Martha’s childhood home, and then we headed down to the Stockyard area, where the cowBOYS are found.  Something was going on that day – lots of horse trailers everywhere, and when we drove through the Stockyards, we found the bars full, and even cowboys drinking and driving – with beers in their hands while in the saddle.  (sorry I didn’t get a picture of that – I was so surprised!)  But I DID get a picture of a couple of good looking buckaroos walking past some wagons.

Our last dinner in town was some great Tex-Mex food.  We said a sad farewell to Martha and her son Steve this morning. We’ve had a great time with them while we were in town. 

John and I with Martha

We’ve had a great visit to Texas. As we head north, into Kansas and Missouri to complete this tour, I have to expurgate “y’all” from my speech, and lower my expectations for pico de gallo. We’ve had meltingly hot and humid weather, torrential rains and chilly sunshine: a little bit of everything. As we head north, we’ll start adding layers, but we’ll remember the warmth of both the weather and the people of Texas. Until next time, y’all!

IN THIS WEEKLY PRESS RELEASE PROVIDED COURTESY OF PRCA YOU’LL FIND:
Willis’ double triumph in Waco unexpected – even to him 
Team roping horses each claim fourth AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year award 
Upcoming PRCA rodeos
 Next up
 2009 PRCA World Standings leaders
 2009 PRCA World Standings

Willis’ double triumph in Waco unexpected – even to him  

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – As shocked as he may have been about what he had just done, bull rider Tyler Willis still had the presence of mind to call home from the arena of the Heartland ProRodeo Championships Oct. 17.
“My mom had been a nervous wreck all week,” Willis said, “so I knew making that call was the first thing I had to do.”
Willis’ parents, Don and Tammy, had made it down to Waco, Texas, for the early rounds of the rodeo from their Wheatland, Wyo., ranch and were awaiting news on whether Willis had gotten past his Vernon (Texas) College teammate, Taylor Cowan, and won the PRCA Bull Riding Rookie of the Year Award.
When Willis finally called, it was with a double helping of good news. Not only had he won the rookie award, but he had won the ornamental buckle that goes to the Heartland ProRodeo champion.
“It was a pretty wild week,” Willis said. “(The rookie race) went back and forth until the semifinal round. I knew I had that won when Taylor got bucked off in the semifinals. He just walked right over, shook my hand, and said, ‘Congratulations.’ He took it a lot better than I would have.
“After that, I was just having fun. I couldn’t ask for anything else. I wasn’t thinking about winning the (Heartland) title. I never really thought I had a shot until I got to the short round.”
For that four-man final he drew Andrews Rodeo’s Slick Willy, “a bull that doesn’t get ridden much,” and who had twice bucked off one of Willis’ travel partners, Sam Wyatt. But Willis was equal to the challenge. He had the only successful ride of the finals, earning 84 points on Slick Willy.
Willis earned $7,500 for that ride, pushing his total for the week to $12,522 and allowing him to jump from 24th to 19th in the final regular-season PRCA World Standings.
Had Willis not lost more than a month of the season to an injury he suffered at the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, he might well have qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Willis was knocked unconscious, had his cheekbone broken in three places and broke his eye socket in the wreck, requiring a plate and six screws.
Clint Cannon added more luster to his history-making season in Waco. He tied the arena record held by Dave Worsfold and Steven Peebles with an 89-point ride on Carr Pro Rodeo’s River Boat Annie in the finals to earn his 17th title of the PRCA season.
The $12,143 he banked for the week pushed his season total to $233,457, a PRCA regular-season earnings record for any individual event. It also sends Cannon into the Wrangler NFR with a lead of more than $63,000 over second place Bobby Mote.
Also greatly improving their position for the Dec. 3-12 Wrangler NFR were tie-down roper Ryan Jarrett and saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell.
Jarrett, the 2005 world champion all-around cowboy, moved from ninth place to third in the world standings after winning the Heartland final in 8.7 seconds and collecting $12,771 for the week.
Sundell tied his own arena record with an 89-point ride, set six days earlier, on Gold Buckle’s Special Time in the final. His rodeo-best earnings of $16,985 lifted from 12th place to fourth in the PRCA World Standings with $88,901.
The other Heartland ProRodeo champions were team ropers Luke Brown and Martin Lucero ($14,028 each) and steer wrestler Chancey Larson ($16,542).
The only competitor who was able to use the Heartland ProRodeo Championships to move into the field for the Wrangler NFR was steer wrestler Matt Reeves of Pampa, Texas. The $2,200 he earned in the first round at Waco jumped him all the way to 12th while bumping Gabe Ledoux out of the 15th – and final – spot in Las Vegas.

Team roping horses each claim fourth AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year award

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – Team roping heading horse Precious Speck, owned and ridden by Travis Tryan, and team roping heeling horse, Baileys Cooper Doc, owned and ridden by Randon Adams, both earned their fourth AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year honors.
Precious Speck, “Walt,” has taken top honors in 2003 and from 2007-2009, while Baileys Cooper Doc, “Diesel,” has claimed consecutive first-place honors since 2006.
        Steer wrestling horse Rocks Eyes Opener, “Jessie,” owned by Lee Graves and ridden by Graves and Trevor Knowles, picked up a second Horse of the Year award. Jessie also got the top nod in 2007.
        “When you back him in the box, he’s going to give you 110 percent every time,” said Graves, of Calgary, Alberta, who leads the PRCA World Standings with season earnings of $120,574.
        Larneds Ricoche Doc, “Woody,” owned and ridden by Dan Fisher, was voted the steer roping AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Also picking up a second honor was barrel racing horse Rare Fred, owned by Ronald Martin and ridden by 2006 World Champion Mary Burger. “Fred” also was named AQHA/WPRA Horse of the Year in 2006.
In the tie-down roping, Big Smokin Wonder, “Pearl,” owned by Sid Miller and ridden by Cody Ohl, took its first AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year honor.
The rest of those recognized included steer wrestling – 2. Black Velvet Win “Streak,” owned by Richard and Leigh Ann Ramsey, ridden by Jeff Green, Shawn Greenfield, Travis Carnine, Dane Hanna, Cash Myers, K.C. Jones and Stockton Graves; 3. (tie) Latches Rockette, “8-Ball,” owned and ridden by Jake Rinehart and Docs Otoe Peppy, “Smarty,” owned and ridden by Billy Bugenig. Team roping heading – 2. Lite My Dynamite, “Sic Em,” owned by Treda LLC, ridden by Trevor Brazile; 3. BMG Custom Hotrod, “Bullseye,” owned by Chuck Crawford and Charly Crawford and ridden by Charly Crawford. Team roping heeling – 2. Take Aim N Fire, “Slim Shady,” owned and ridden by Justin Davis; 3. (tie) Freckles Taz, “Taz,” owned and ridden by Kinney Harrell and Boot Scootin’ Bingo, “Gambler,” owned by Dean Tuftin and ridden by Rich Skelton. Tie-down roping – 2. Eightys Sport, “Sweetness,” owned by Spur Resources 1, Ltd., ridden by Clint Cooper, Houston Hutto and Blair Burk; 3. Acre Te Run, “Oz,” owned by Justin Maass, ridden by Maass, Scott Kormos and Cimarron Boardman. Steer roping – 2. White Hot Ike, “Bullseye,” owned and ridden by Chance Kelton; 3. Happy San Doc, “Happy,” owned and ridden by Paul Patton. Barrel racing – 2. Judge Buy Cash, “Jethro,” owned by Frank and Lynne Mays, ridden by Brenda Mays; 3. Sugar Moon Express, “Martha,” owned and ridden by Lindsay Sears.
The top 25 timed-event contestants in the PRCA World Standings and the top 25 in WPRA NFR standings as of Oct. 5 are eligible to vote on those timed-event horses nominated for the 2009 AQHA/PRCA/WPRA Horse of the Year. Voting was conducted by phone on Oct. 6 through ProCom. Points were awarded as follows:
1=3 points
2=2 points
3=1 point
        The animal with the most points is awarded AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year in each timed event category. Horses that are nominated must be AQHA registered horses, and anyone can nominate a horse.

Upcoming PRCA Rodeos

Oct. 22      Dodge Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, Kansas City, Mo., begins
Oct. 22      Dodge Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo, Ogden, Utah, begins
Oct. 23      First Chance Bonanza, Brookings, S.D., begins
Oct. 23      State Fair of Louisiana ProRodeo, Shreveport, La., begins
Oct. 23      Dodge Prairie Circuit Finals Steer Roping, Bucyrus, Kan. 

2009 PRCA World Standings Leaders

AA: Trevor Brazile……….. $262,078
BB: Clint Cannon…………. $233,457
SW: Lee Graves………….. $120,574
TR-1: Chad Masters………. $130,186
TR-2: Jade Corkill…………. $120,714
SB: Jesse Kruse ……………. $130,054
TD: Trevor Brazile…………. $132,916
BR: J.W. Harris……………… $219,237
SR: Scott Snedecor………. $61,839

2009 PRCA World Standings

Unofficial as of Oct. 19, 2009.
For 2009, official rodeo limits are as follows: all-around, 70; bareback riding, 100; steer wrestling, 70; team roping, 70; saddle bronc riding, 100; tie-down roping, 70; barrel racing, 70; and bull riding, 125. Bull riders can count Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls events toward the PRCA World Standings, but not toward the all-around standings.

All-around
1.   Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas      $262,078
2.   Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah  143,950
3.   Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo.    131,266
4.   Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga.      115,228
5.   Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta    107,594
6.   Jake Hannum, Ogden, Utah    74,859
7.   Cash Myers, Athens, Texas   69,640
8.   Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas  68,487
9.   Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D.        55,214
10. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb.    51,984
11. Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla.       50,027
12. Beau Franzen, Sidney, Mont.  47,238
13. B.J. Campbell, Benton City, Wash.    43,208
14. Shank Edwards, Levelland, Texas      43,194
15. Olin Hannum, West Haven, Utah        42,713
16. Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb.        42,068
17. Marty Becker, Cardston, Alberta      42,042
18. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz.  41,716
19. Clayton Foltyn, El Campo, Texas      39,551
20. Seth Glause, Rock Springs, Wyo.      37,780

Bareback Riding
1.   Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas         $233,457
2.   Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore.    170,339
3.   Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash.    138,591
4.   Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla.       124,284
5.   Heath Ford, Greeley, Colo.  118,580
6.   Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas    103,162
7.   Kaycee Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah       102,835
8.   Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas      92,438
9.   Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo.        88,637
10. D.V. Fennell, Neosho, Mo.    69,929
11. Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas        69,545
12. Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo.        68,918
13. Jared Smith, Williston, Fla.         62,070
14. Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore.        59,925
15. Jason Havens, Prineville, Ore.       57,769
16. Jared Keylon, Fort Scott, Kan.       54,431
17. Tim Shirley, Grant, Colo.    50,304
18. Matt Bright, Azle, Texas     44,249
19. Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, Alberta       41,551
20. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb.    40,220

Steer Wrestling
1.   Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta        $120,574
2.   Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif.         112,553
3.   Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D.       110,927
4.   Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta    96,950
5.   Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore.  77,737
6.   Todd Suhn, Hermosa, SD      77,108
7.   Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb.  74,075
8.   Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas        73,945
9.   Shawn Greenfield, Lakeview, Ore.    69,034
10. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo.     65,260
11. Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore.         62,761
12. Matt Reeves, Pampa, Texas    61,395
13. Casey McMillen, Craig, Colo.         59,570
14. Joey Bell Jr., Athens, Texas         59,209
15. Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla.      59,180
16. Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La.     58,812
17. Jason Miller, Lance Creek, Wyo.      53,986
18. Ronnie Fields, Oklahoma City, Okla.  52,719
19. Ethan Thouvenell, Fallbrook, Calif.  49,806
20. Casey Martin, Sulphur, La.   49,312

Team Roping (header)
1.   Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn.    $130,186
2.   Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C.         105,442
3.   Kelsey Parchman, Cumberland City, Tenn.     93,686
4.   David Key, Caldwell, Texas  90,664
5.   Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas      89,707
6.   JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas         85,892
7.   Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont.       85,503
8.   Nick Sartain, Yukon, Okla.  80,397
9.   Blaine Linaweaver, Leavenworth, Kan.        73,618
10. Keven Daniel, Franklin, Tenn.        73,149
11. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.       67,316
12. Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore.    64,410
13. Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz.    63,017
14. Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas      62,643
15. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont.  62,303
16. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga.  61,446
17. Ty Blasingame, Olney Springs, Colo.  57,242
18. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore.    54,862
19. Justin Yost, Hico, Texas     53,059
20. Jay Adams, Logandale, Nev.   52,042

Team Roping (heeler)
1.   Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev.  $120,714
2.   Richard Durham, Morgan Mill, Texas  111,598
3.   Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas       98,086
4.   Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas  90,989
5.   Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas  90,500
6.   Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga.        85,754
7.   Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev.       85,314
8.   Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas  84,884
9.   Kollin VonAhn, Durant, Okla.        79,230
10. Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz.      71,118
11. Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.       67,316
12. Russell Cardoza, Farmington, Calif.  64,410
13. Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla.        63,446
14. Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo.  59,482
15. Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif.     55,315
16. Britt Bockius, Claremore, Okla.      51,272
17. Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas    50,615
18. Allen Bach, Weatherford, Texas       47,863
19. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah        47,123
20. Boogie Ray, Mabank, Texas    44,533

Saddle Bronc Riding
1.   Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont.     $130,054
2.   Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La.   100,383
3.   Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La.    89,295
4.   Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa         88,901
5.   J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D.   86,906
6.   Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla.        86,903
7.   Bryce Miller, Buffalo, S.D.         84,893
8.   Shaun Stroh, Dickinson, N.D.        82,159
9.   Isaac Diaz, Stephenville, Texas     81,831
10. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas   75,164
11. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M.     74,399
12. Justin Arnold, Santa Margarita, Calif.       72,439
13. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta       68,195
14. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah   67,652
15. Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D.  65,788
16. Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, N.D.      62,586
17. Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo.         58,128
18. Rusty Allen, Eagle Mountain, Utah    52,434
19. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah  50,684
20. Tyrell Smith, Vaughn, Mont.  45,678

Tie-down Roping
1.   Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas      $132,916
2.   Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla.        100,780
3.   Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga.      92,615
4.   Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah  91,733
5.   Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas   87,387
6.   Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas  86,993
7.   Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho      84,052
8.   Ryan Watkins, Dublin, Texas         83,009
9.   Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas       78,583
10. Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas        76,240
11. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas  76,025
12. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash.         73,978
13. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla.    73,157
14. Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas         70,297
15. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo.     66,005
16. Jake Hannum, Ogden, Utah     64,937
17. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas        61,993
18. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas         58,152
19. Kody Curry, Buna, Texas      56,466
20. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas       54,931

Steer Roping
1.   Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas       $64,766
2.   Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan.        49,640
3.   Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas         42,501
4.   Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas      41,653
5.   Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas      39,456
6.   Shane Suggs, Granbury, Texas        34,732
7.   Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas  30,864
8.   Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz.         27,865
9.   Neal Wood, Guy, Texas       27,047
10. Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas  26,868
11. Leo Campbell, Amarillo, Texas        26,712
12. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas    26,297
13. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla.        26,121
14. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas   25,546
15. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla.         25,336
16. Will Gasperson, Decatur, Texas       25,234
17. Cody Scheck, Alva, Okla.     23,630
18. Guy Allen, Santa Anna, Texas         23,047
19. Rod Hartness, Pawhuska, Okla.        20,263
20. Buster Record Jr., Buffalo, Okla.    19,479

Bull Riding
1.   J.W. Harris, May, Texas     $219,237
2.   Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah         108,444
3.   Corey Navarre, Weatherford, Okla.   105,885
*4.   Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo.        92,799
5.   Kanin Asay, Powell, Wyo.    92,169
*6.   Douglas Duncan, Alvin, Texas       81,628
7.   Clayton Savage, Casper, Wyo.        81,410
8.   Tate Stratton, Stanley, N.M.        80,604
9.   Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla.  78,985
10. Colin McTaggart, Las Vegas, Nev.     78,834
11. B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis.     77,996
12. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D.         75,412
13. Howdy Cloud, Kountze, Texas  67,721
14. Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz.  66,483
15. Zack Oakes, Elk, Wash.       63,568
16. Wesley Silcox, Santaquin, Utah       63,021
17. Clint Craig, Mena, Ark.      62,288
18. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo.   59,491
19. Tyler Willis, Wheatland, Wyo.        54,769
20. Beau Schroeder, China, Texas         51,016

* Does not include their Xtreme Bulls earnings because they did not compete in the minimum of 40 regular-season PRCA rodeos

*Barrel racing (through Oct. 19, 2009)
Barrel racing standings, provided by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), are unofficial, subject to audit and may change. Unofficial WPRA Standings are published by the PRCA as a courtesy. The PRCA is not responsible for the verification or updating of WPRA standings.
1. Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas              $155,865
2. Mary Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla.               120,616
3. Lindsay Sears, Nanton, Alberta                 114,239
4. Jordon Peterson, Chilton, Texas                  84,481
5. Tiffany Fox, Fox, Okla.                          82,025
6. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D.                    72,698
7. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz.                      72,104
8. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore.                    66,545
9. Sheena Robbins, Fresno, Calif.                   65,523
10. Cassie Moseley, Farwell, Texas                  64,727
11. Danyelle Campbell, Beaumont, Calif.     64,471
12. Tammy Fischer, Ledbetter, Texas                 63,720
13. Sue Smith, Blackfoot, Idaho             61,003
14. Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas                  53,811
15. P.J. Burger, Pauls Valley,  Okla.               52,837
16. Savanah Reeves, Dublin, Texas                   52,453
17. Terra Bynum, Colorado City, Texas       52,142
18. Rachael Ross, Murrieta, Calif.                  50,802
19. Christina Richman, Glendora, Calif.             42,530
20. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah                       41,867

The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is the largest and oldest rodeo-sanctioning body in the world. The recognized leader in professional rodeo, the PRCA is committed to maintaining the highest standards. The PRCA, a membership-based organization, sanctions more than 600 rodeos annually, and there are nearly 30 million fans in the U.S. The PRCA showcases the world’s best cowboys in premier events through the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots, and its subsequent Justin Boots Playoffs, the Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, the PRCA’s bull riding tour; and the world-renowned Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Action from PRCA-sanctioned rodeos and its premier events appears on ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPN Deportes. Each year, PRCA-sanctioned rodeos raise more than $26 million for local and national charities. www.prorodeo.com

IN THIS WEEKLY PRESS RELEASE PROVIDED COURTESY OF PRCA YOU’LL FIND:

- USSTC/PRCA Bucking Stock of the Year announced
- Nine sessions of Wrangler NFR televised live
- Upcoming PRCA rodeos
- Next up – Rodeo news and notes
- 2009 PRCA World Standings leaders
- 2009 PRCA World Standings
- Xtreme Bulls Tour standings

USSTC/PRCA Bucking Stock of the Year announced

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – If Grated Coconut could talk, the Calgary Stampede bucking horse could ask for a raise, or at least an extra scoop of oats. The Calgary Stampede stud claimed the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company/PRCA Bareback Riding Horse of the Year Award for the fourth consecutive year and a record-tying sixth time (2003-04, 2006-09).

With the top nod, Grated Coconut ties the legendary bucking horse Descent of Beutler Brothers & Cervi, who also garnered six awards (1966-69, 1971-72). Grated Coconut claimed his sixth Canadian Professional Rodeo Association award last week. Grated Coconut, 12, is the son of dam, Coconut Roll, and sire Wyatt Earp.

Bareback riding equine stars Wise Guy, of the Classic Pro Rodeo string, and Growney Brothers’ Moulin Rouge finished second and third in the voting, respectively.

In the saddle bronc riding, Spring Planting of the Flying 5 Rodeo string earned her first USSTC/PRCA Horse of the Year honor. The blue roan mare is a source of pride for the Hutsell family, since she was raised on the family’s eastern Washington ranch. She is the daughter of dam, Jubille, and sire Iron Mountain, also Flying 5 Rodeo bucking horses.

“She is solid from when the gate opens until the whistle blows,” said Chad Hutsell, general manager of Flying 5 Rodeo. Frontier Rodeo’s Let ’er Rip finished second and Harry Vold Rodeo’s Painted Valley came in third in the voting.

Buckeye of Silverado Rodeo Company has been honored as the USSTC/PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year posthumously. The bull sustained a back injury in an altercation with another bull in a pen. The bull was treated by veterinarians at Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in College Station for about 10 days. However, extensive efforts were not successful.

Owner Harlan Robertson was greatly moved to have Buckeye honored. “He just bucked like heck,” said Robertson of the Wrangler NFR qualifier and son of Panhandle Slim. Reigning World Champion Bull Rider J.W. Harris was bucked off Buckeye in their one meeting.

“He had it all,” said Harris, the PRCA World Standings leader. “He would jump five feet into the air, kick over his head and turn back. That is what you want in a bucking bull. If you rode him, you would be 90 points. He bucked.”

The honor is Robertson’s second. His bull Biloxi Blues was USSTC/PRCA Bull of the Year in 2006. Robertson submitted Buckeye for honors at the request of bull riders. “It was special to me (to win) in 2006, but this is more special,” Robertson said.

Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Little Lightning earned the No. 2 spot in the voting, while Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Multi-Chem Texas Cocktail finished third.

Stock contractors submitted nominations for two animals from their herds for the livestock of the year awards. The top 30 cowboys in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding, as of Sept. 1, were mailed a ballot with the list of eligible stock in their event. Ballots returned by Oct. 9 were counted for the awards. The livestock, and their owners, will be honored at the annual PRCA Awards Banquet, Dec. 2 at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas.

The AQHA/PRCA Horses of the Year are expected to be announced later this week and will be posted on ProRodeo.com. The list also will be included in the Oct. 18 news release.

Nine sessions of Wrangler NFR televised live

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A record nine live performances of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 3-12, in Las Vegas will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN Classic. In addition, all 10 performances will be re-aired a minimum of two times, also on ESPN2 and ESPN Classic.

The TV schedule for the 51^st Wrangler NFR is available on ProRodeo.com, along with a listing of Wrangler NFR local start times and other information for rodeo enthusiasts planning to attend or watch on TV from home.

The “Super Bowl of Rodeo” will feature a record payoff of $5.75 million to the sport’s elite athletes. The Top 15 contestants from the PRCA World Standings and the Top 15 barrel racers from the WPRA World Standings will contend for gold buckles inside the Thomas & Mack Center, which has sold out for more than 230 consecutive performances.

ProRodeoLive.com, the Internet broadcast voice of the PRCA, will provide live audio coverage in each event all 10 nights of the Wrangler NFR. Coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m. (PT) Dec. 3-4 and Dec. 7-12, and at 5:30 p.m. (PT) Dec. 5-6. Calling the action will be Steve Kenyon, with color commentary from ProRodeo Hall of Famer and World Champion Bareback Rider Clint Corey, along with six-time Wrangler NFR team roping qualifier Wade Wheatley.

Upcoming PRCA Rodeos

Oct. 14 NILE ProRodeo, Billings, Mont., begins
Oct. 14 Trinity Valley Exposition, Liberty, Texas, begins
Oct. 15 Rusk County PRCA Rodeo, Henderson, Texas, begins
Oct. 16 Arkansas State Fair Rodeo, Little Rock, Ark., begins

Next Up

Oct. 13 Heartland ProRodeo Steer Roping Finals, Waco, Texas

Rodeo News and Notes

PRCA announces new sponsor Good Ride

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Good Ride, a fashionable, casual clothing and accessory line, has become a new PRCA and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo sponsor, announced Sean Daniels, vice president, PRCA Properties. Good Ride clothing and accessories fall in between traditional Western clothing and high-fashion street wear. The creative force behind the line is Florida fine jewelry designer Hannah Casper, who grew up competing in horse shows. Casper, along with business partner Lisa King, feature clothing and accessories for those who enjoy activities, such as rodeo, riding motorcycles, surfing, boating and ocean fishing. The name for the company comes from the expression “Oh man, you had a ‘good ride,’” in reference to riding bulls, horses or a wave. Items in the line include T-shirts, sweatshirts, shirts, caps, jewelry, decals and temporary tattoos. The full Good Ride line will be launched in December in Las Vegas. Plans are also in the works for a Good Ride store. To learn more about Good Ride, visit their Web site, www.goodridelife.com.

Plenty of highlights from Heartland ProRodeo Championships
WACO, Texas – A steer wrestler punched his ticket to Las Vegas, records were broken and a bull rider won two rounds. All that and the Heartland ProRodeo Championships are only on day four of a nine-day run at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Complex.

More than 200 contestants, who qualified by competing in the Heartland ProRodeo Series, are taking part in the Heartland finale. The Series consists of PRCA rodeos with committee purses of $30,000 or less.

Steer wrestler Matt Reeves, in 16^th place in the PRCA World Standings, earned the money he needed to unofficially move past 15^th-place Gabe Ledoux and get the final steer wrestling spot in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 3-12 in Las Vegas. Reeves needed about $1,800 to surpass Ledoux, and the Pampa, Texas, cowboy turfed his steer in 4.3 seconds on his first run and pocketed $2,200 when he tied Casey Martin for first place in the round.

Saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell from Boxholm, Iowa, set a Heartland Championship record with an 89-point ride on Whiskey of Universal Rodeo on Oct. 11. The mark broke the previous record of 88 set by Cody DeMoss, from Heflin, La., during the opening-night performance on Oct. 9. The tie-down roping record was broken twice the same evening. Adam Gray from Seymour, Texas, first broke the record with a 7.6-second run, and then Hunter Herrin, from Apache, Okla., improved on Gray’s time with a 7.5-second run. Sundell, DeMoss, Gray and Herrin have each mathematically locked up spots in the Top 15 for 2009 and are adding to their earnings.

Bull rider Bandy Murphy has collected two go-round buckles and paychecks while in Waco. The Morgan Mill, Texas, cowboy scored 90 points on David Bailey Rodeo’s Billionaire on Oct. 9 and then scored 84 points on Classic Pro Rodeo’s Smoke Oct. 10, to win both rounds and pocket more than $5,000.

The Heartland ProRodeo Championships conclude with the finals, set for 7 p.m. (CT) Oct. 17. The Heartland ProRodeo Steer Roping Finals are at 8 a.m., Oct. 13, also at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Complex. Defending Heartland Finals steer roping champion Cash Myers, two-time and reigning World Champion Scott Snedecor, reigning World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor Brazile and 18-time World Champion Guy Allen are among the deep and talented field set to compete in Waco. The Heartland Final is the final competition of the season, which can impact the 2009 PRCA World Standings. The 51^st Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is Dec. 3-12, in Las Vegas, and the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping is Nov. 13-14 in Guthrie, Okla.

Visit ProRodeo.com for more information on the Heartland Finals, Clem McSpadden NFSR and the Wrangler NFR.

–Courtesy Susan Kanode

Hermanson among average winners at Dodge Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo
MINOT, N.D. – Cole Hermanson rode four bulls, including winning the third and fourth rounds, to claim the Dodge Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, presented by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, held Oct. 8-11. His high-marked ride was 87 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Red Neck in the final round. The Mandan, N.D., cowboy, along with the other average winners and the top year end qualifiers, have secured spots in the national championships in the spring.

The Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo is April 7-10 in Pocatello, Idaho.
“It feels great,” Hermanson told the Minot Daily News. “You work toward this all year, and to finally have it happen, it’s great.”

Other average winners were Joe Gunderson of Agar, S.D. (bareback riding); Clay Cowan of Highmore, S.D. (steer wrestling); Mark Brockmueller of Irene, S.D., and Dustin Harris of O’Neill, Neb.; (team roping) J.J. Elshere of Quinn, S.D. (saddle bronc riding); Barry Blair of Ekalaka, Mont. (tie-down roping) and Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, S.D. (barrel racing). Complete results from the Badlands Finals are on ProRodeo.com. In-depth coverage will appear in the Oct. 30 ProRodeo Sports News, THE Voice of ProRodeo.

Ellensburg, Puyallup and Omaha: Updated TV information
Key competitions in the homestretch of the ProRodeo season will be televised in October and November. Coverage of the Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo will be re-aired at noon (ET) on ESPN Classic on Oct. 17 and Nov. 15. The Ellensburg Rodeo, held Sept. 4-7, was the final stop of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots.

ProRodeo fans can also relive the excitement of the Justin Boots Playoffs, held Sept. 11-13 in Puyallup, Wash., by watching the broadcast at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18. Coverage of the Justin Boots Championships, held Sept. 24-26 in Omaha, Neb., will follow at 8 p.m.

Puyallup’s Justin Boots Playoffs will re-air at noon Oct. 24 on ESPN Classic, at 11 a.m. Oct. 25 on ESPN2 and at noon Nov. 21 on ESPN Classic.

The re-air dates for Omaha’s Justin Boots Championships are noon Nov. 1 on ESPN Classic and at noon Nov. 29 on ESPN Classic.

TV information is posted on ProRodeo.com. (Note: Times are subject to change by ESPN and broadcast times are listed in Eastern Time.)

Reeves, Ryan among 2010 Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees
World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Tom Reeves and Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund Board member Nolan Ryan will be two of six members of the 2010 Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame induction class.

Joining Reeves and Ryan in the Hall are the late James Jennings, Dean Smith, the Warvell family and Dr. James “Red” Duke Jr., the winner of the Rick Smith “Spirit of Texas” Award.

Reeves, an 18-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, won the NFR average title in 1993 and a world championship in 2001. After retiring from competition in 2005, he entered the stock contracting business and became the coach of the Ranger (Texas) College rodeo team, which he led to a College National Finals Rodeo team title in 2007. Reeves won the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Mentoring Award the same year and was inducted into the Hall in 2008.

Ryan, who has raised Beefmaster cattle since 1972, started the Nolan Ryan Foundation in 1990, which benefits students in Ranch Management programs. He is a member of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the American Breeders Association, and he served on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission from 1995-2001. Ryan, a Hall of Fame pitcher, is a member of the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, and is currently president of the Texas Rangers.

Jennings was the announcer at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo for 35 years, and was a member of the RCA, PRCA and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was also an accomplished author; his book, “Touring Texas Towns…and some that ain’t,” was in its third printing at the time of his passing in 2004.

The induction ceremony, scheduled for Jan. 10, is one of the premier events leading up to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, Jan. 15-Feb. 7.

Canadian Professional Rodeo Association announces awards, CFR selections
CALGARY, Alberta – The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association has announced its 2009 award winners for Stock of the Year, Timed Event Horses of the Year, and the elected personnel for the 2009 Canadian Finals Rodeo, set for Nov. 11-15 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Voted on by members of the CPRA, these annual awards recognize the top bucking stock, timed-event horses and the year’s top stock contractor, as well as the Specialty Act and Announcer of the Year.

The Calgary Stampede has been voted Stock Contractor of the Year, and swept the bucking stock awards for 2009, the first such occurrence since 1983, when Vold Rodeo Ltd. won all three stock awards. Calgary Stampede’s L-40 Lynx Mountain picked up the Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year title for the first time. The mare has been selected for the CFR twice and made trips to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas from 2007-08.

Another Stampede horse, but one that needs little introduction, has earned the Bareback Horse of the Year title for the sixth time. The stud G-65 Grated Coconut was previously honored with the title in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Runner-up was Grated Coconut’s son, M-32 Majestic Rocket.

The black, brockle-faced bull C-301 Speed Dial, also from the Calgary Stampede, was voted the 2009 Canadian Bull of the Year.

A record has been broken in the timed-event end of the arena. Greg Cassidy’s horse, Willy, was selected Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year for the sixth time, ousting Hall of Fame inductee Wes Zieffle’s outstanding horse, Twist, from his long-time status as the steer wrestling horse who had won the most Horse of the Year titles.

Pincher, owned by Chad Johnson of Del Bonita, Alberta, was named Tie-Down Roping Horse of the Year for the first time.
Reiner, owned by Okotoks, Alberta, cowgirl Deb Renger, has been given the award for Barrel Racing Horse With the Most Heart. It is Reiner’s first time receiving the title.

The Specialty Act of the Year award went to Ash Cooper of Senlac, Saskatchewan, while the Announcer of the Year award went to Les McIntyre of Claresholm, Alberta, a first-time winner.

Heading to the CFR are pick-up men Gary Rempel of Fort Shaw, Mont., making his record-breaking 12th appearance at the Finals, and Jason Resch of Fort Assiniboine, Alberta, who makes his third straight appearance.

Bullfighting cousins Scott and Jesse Byrne, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, are in the arena together for the first time at the CFR. For Scott, of Wainwright, Alberta, this is his eighth consecutive CFR appearance. This year’s alternate is bullfighter David Sandilands of Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. Once again, Brenda Vold and Maxine Baird will be the CFR timers.

–Courtesy/Pamela Porosky, CPRA

Bumper sticker photos among promotion plans for California Rodeo Salinas
SALINAS, Calif. – The California Rodeo Salinas is celebrating 100 years of tradition, July 15-18, 2010, and people can help spread the word by taking a yellow California Rodeo Salinas bumper sticker with them on the road. From October through June 2010, the California Rodeo Salinas will ask fans to take photos with the bumper stickers during your travels and e-mail them to mroth@carodeo.com or post them to the California Rodeo Salinas’ Facebook page. The bumper stickers are complimentary if picked up in person at the California Rodeo Office (1034 N. Main Street in Salinas, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and also are available online at www.carodeo.com/store for $1. The California Rodeo Salinas Marketing Committee will review all of the submitted photos and choose five winners to receive a 2010 commemorative rodeo baseball cap ($25 value). Include your contact e-mail when submitting photos for the contest. The deadline for e-mailing photos is May 31, 2010.

–Courtesy Mandy Roth/California Rodeo Salinas

2009 PRCA World Standings Leaders
AA: Trevor Brazile $254,345
BB: Clint Cannon $221,314
SW: Lee Graves $120,574
TR-1: Chad Masters $130,186
TR-2: Jade Corkill $120,714
SB: Jesse Kruse $130,054
TD: Trevor Brazile $132,916
BR: J.W. Harris $216,723
SR: Scott Snedecor $61,839

7. 2009 PRCA World Standings
Unofficial as of Oct. 12, 2009.
For 2009, official rodeo limits are as follows: all-around, 70; bareback riding, 100; steer wrestling, 70; team roping, 70; saddle bronc riding, 100; tie-down roping, 70; barrel racing, 70; and bull riding, 125. Bull riders can count Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls events toward the PRCA World Standings, but not toward the all-around standings.

2009 PRCA WORLD STANDINGS
All-around
1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas $254,345
2. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah 143,950
3. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo. 131,266
4. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB 107,594
5. Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga. 100,571
6. Jake Hannum, Ogden, Utah 74,859
7. Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas 67,859
8. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas 67,746
9. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D. 55,214
10. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. 51,984
11. Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. 50,035
12. Beau Franzen, Sidney, Mont. 47,238
13. B.J. Campbell, Benton City, Wash. 43,208
14. Shank Edwards, Levelland, Texas 43,194
15. Olin Hannum, West Haven, Utah 42,713
16. Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. 42,068
17. Marty Becker, Cardston, AB 42,042
18. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz. 41,103
19. Clayton Foltyn, El Campo, Texas 39,551
20. Seth Glause, Rock Springs, Wyo. 37,780

Bareback Riding
1. Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas $221,314
2. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore. 170,339
3. Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash. 138,591
4. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla. 124,284
5. Heath Ford, Greeley, Colo. 112,923
6. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas 103,162
7. Kaycee Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah 102,835
8. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas 92,438
9. Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo. 88,637
10. D.V. Fennell, Neosho, Mo. 69,929
11. Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas 69,545
12. Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo. 68,918
13. Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore. 59,925
14. Jason Havens, Prineville, Ore. 57,769
15. Jared Smith, Williston, Fla. 56,413
16. Jared Keylon, Fort Scott, Kan. 52,545
17. Tim Shirley, Grant, Colo. 50,304
18. Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, AB 41,551
19. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. 40,220
20. Matt Bright, Azle, Texas 39,917

Steer Wrestling
1. Lee Graves, Calgary, AB $120,574
2. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif. 112,553
3. Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D. 110,927
4. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB 96,950
5. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore. 77,737
6. Todd Suhn, Hermosa, SD 77,108
7. Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb. 74,075
8. Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas 73,945
9. Shawn Greenfield, Lakeview, Ore. 69,034
10. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo. 65,260
11. Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore. 62,761
12. Casey McMillen, Craig, Colo. 59,570
13. Joey Bell Jr, Athens, Texas 59,209
14. Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla. 59,180
15. Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La. 58,812
16. Matt Reeves, Pampa, Texas 57,002
17. Jason Miller, Lance Creek, Wyo. 53,986
18. Ethan Thouvenell, Fallbrook, Calif. 49,806
19. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah 47,580
20. Dane Hanna, Starkville, Miss. 46,632

Team Roping (header)
1. Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn. $130,186
2. Kelsey Parchman, Cumberland City, Tenn. 93,686
3. Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C. 91,414
4. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas 89,707
5. David Key, Caldwell, Texas 88,150
6. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas 85,892
7. Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont. 85,503
8. Blaine Linaweaver, Leavenworth, Kan. 73,618
9. Keven Daniel, Franklin, Tenn. 72,521
10. Nick Sartain, Yukon, Okla. 72,482
11. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash. 67,316
12. Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore. 64,410
13. Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz. 63,017
14. Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas 62,643
15. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont. 62,303
16. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga. 61,446
17. Ty Blasingame, Olney Springs, Colo. 57,242
18. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore. 54,862
19. Justin Yost, Mt.Morris, Pa. 53,059
20. Jay Adams, Logandale, Nev. 52,042

Team Roping (heeler)
1. Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev. $120,714
2. Richard Durham, Morgan Mill, Texas 111,598
3. Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas 98,086
4. Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas 90,989
5. Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas 87,986
6. Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga. 85,754
7. Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev. 85,314
8. Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas 84,884
9. Kollin VonAhn, Durant, Okla. 71,316
10. Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz. 71,118
11. Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash. 67,316
12. Russell Cardoza, Farmington, Calif. 64,410
13. Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla. 63,446
14. Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo. 59,482
15. Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif. 55,315
16. Britt Bockius, Claremore, Okla. 51,272
17. Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas 50,615
18. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah 47,123
19. Allen Bach, Weatherford, Texas 46,606
20. Boogie Ray, Mabank, Texas 43,905

Saddle Bronc Riding
1. Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont. $130,054
2. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La. 95,040
3. JJ Elshere, Quinn, S.D. 86,906
4. Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla. 86,903
5. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La. 84,895
6. Bryce Miller, Buffalo, S.D. 84,893
7. Shaun Stroh, Dickinson, N.D. 82,159
8. Isaac Diaz, Stephenville, Texas 80,574
9. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas 75,164
10. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M. 72,533
11. Justin Arnold, Santa Margarita, Calif. 72,439
12. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa 71,915
13. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB 68,195
14. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah 67,652
15. Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D. 65,788
16. Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, N.D. 62,586
17. Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo. 58,128
18. Rusty Allen, Eagle Mountain, Utah 52,447
19. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah 50,686
20. Tyrell Smith, Vaughn, Mont. 45,678

Tie-down Roping
1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas $132,916
2. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla. 98,266
3. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah 91,733
4. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas 86,993
5. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho 84,052
6. Ryan Watkins, Dublin, Texas 83,009
7. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas 78,844
8. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas 78,583
9. Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga. 77,958
10. Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas 76,240
11. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash. 73,978
12. Blair Burk, Durant, OK 73,157
13. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas 72,882
14. Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas 70,297
15. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo. 66,005
16. Jake Hannum, Ogden, Utah 64,937
17. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas 61,364
18. Kody Curry, Buna, Texas 56,466
19. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas 54,931
20. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas 53,752

Steer Roping
1. Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas $61,839
2. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan. 49,160
3. Vin Fisher Jr, Andrews, Texas 41,280
4. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas 41,248
5. Shane Suggs, Granbury, Texas 34,119
6. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas 31,722
7. Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas 30,864
8. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz. 27,252
9. Neal Wood, Guy, Texas 27,047
10. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla. 24,894
11. Leo Campbell, Amarillo, Texas 24,685
12. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas 24,666
13. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas 24,404
14. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla. 24,056
15. Will Gasperson, Decatur, Texas 23,954
16. Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas 23,161
17. Cody Scheck, Alva, Okla. 23,016
18. Guy Allen, Santa Anna, Texas 22,034
19. Rod Hartness, Pawhuska, Okla. 19,996
20. C.A. Lauer, Buffalo, Okla. 19,031

Bull Riding
1. J.W. Harris, May, Texas $216,723
2. Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah 108,444
3. Corey Navarre, Weatherford, Okla. 105,885
4. Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo. 92,799
5. Kanin Asay, Powell, Wyo. 92,169
6. Douglas Duncan, Alvin, Texas 81,628
7. Clayton Savage, Casper, Wyo. 81,410
8. Tate Stratton, Stanley, N.M. 80,604
9. Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla. 78,985
10. Colin McTaggart, Las Vegas, Nev. 78,834
11. B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis. 77,996
12. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D. 75,412
13. Howdy Cloud, Kountze, Texas 67,721
14. Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz. 66,483
15. Zack Oakes, Elk, Wash. 63,568
16. Wesley Silcox, Santaquin, Utah 63,021
17. Clint Craig, Mena, Ark. 62,288
18. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo. 59,491
19. Beau Schroeder, China, Texas 51,016
20. Jason Beck, Prairieville, La. 49,614

*Barrel racing (through Oct. 12)
Barrel racing standings, provided by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA). WPRA Standings are published by the PRCA as a courtesy. The PRCA is not responsible for the verification or updating of WPRA standings.

1. Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas $155,865
2. Lindsay Sears, Nanton, Alberta 141,218
3. Mary Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla. 122,289
4. Tiffany Fox, Fox, Okla. 100,236
5. Jordon Peterson, Chilton, Texas 92,049
6. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore. 77,376
7. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz. 73,529
8. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D. 72,698
9. Cassie Moseley, Farwell, Texas 70,039
10. Sheena Robbins, Fresno, Calif. 68,242
11. Tammy Fischer, Ledbetter, Texas 66,840
12. Sue Smith, Blackfoot, Idaho 66,811
13. Danyelle Campbell, Beaumont, Calif. 66,759
14. Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas 59,453
15. P.J. Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla. 57,061
16. Savanah Reeves, Dublin, Texas 55,251
17. Terra Bynum, Colorado City, Texas 52,142
18. Rachael Ross, Murrieta, Calif. 51,101
19. Christina Richman, Glendora, Calif. 43,519
20. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah 43,358

Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls Tour Standings
Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches
(Final-unofficial as of Oct. 12, 2009)
1. Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz. $36,077
2.Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah 32,746
3. Douglas Duncan, Alvin, Texas 32,439
4. Clayton Savage, Casper, Wyo. 31,268
5. Tate Stratton, Stanley, N.M 30,599
6. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D. 29,525
7. J.W. Harris, May, Texas 29,175
8. B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis. 28,021
9. Kanin Asay, Powell, Wyo. 19,402
10. Jordan Hooton, Daingerfield, Texas 17,963
11. Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo. 17,548
12. Fred Boettcher, Rice Lake, Wis. 16,380
13. Chad Denton, Berry Creek, Calif. 14,382
14. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo. 14,025
15. Colin McTaggart, Las Vegas, Nev. 13,518
16. Jarrod Ford, Greeley, Colo. 13,423
17. Spud Jones, Tohatchi, N.M. 10,246
18. Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla. 9,781
19. Beau Schroeder, China, Texas 9,265
20. Zack Oakes, Elk, Wash. 8,610
21. Tyler Willis, Wheatland, Wyo. 8,507
22. Cooper Kanngiesser, Zenda, Kan. 8,155
23. Marcus Michaelis, Caldwell, Idaho 7,254
24. Casey Baize, San Angelo, Texas 7,143
25. Colby Reilly, Stratford, Wash. 6,862
The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is the largest and oldest rodeo-sanctioning body in the world. The recognized leader in professional rodeo, the PRCA is committed to maintaining the highest standards. The PRCA, a membership-based organization, sanctions more than 600 rodeos annually, and there are nearly 30 million fans in the U.S. The PRCA showcases the world’s best cowboys in premier events through the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots, and its subsequent Justin Boots Playoffs, the Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, the PRCA’s bull riding tour; and the world-renowned Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Action from PRCA-sanctioned rodeos and its premier events appears on ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPN Deportes. Each year, PRCA-sanctioned rodeos raise more than $26 million for local and national charities. www.prorodeo.com

Press Release Courtesy of Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The voice of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 3-12 in Las Vegas, is going to have a very familiar ring to it.

The announcers named today by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association – Boyd Polhamus, Bob Tallman and Randy Corley – have worked the “World Series” of professional rodeo a combined 46 times.

This is the 14^th appearance in a row for Polhamus and the 14^th in 15 years for Tallman and 22^nd overall. Corley, a 10-time PRCA Announcer of the Year, will work the Wrangler NFR for the 10^th time.

All three of them are on the short list for the 2009 PRCA Announcer of the Year award, which they have won a combined 20 times.

Sunni Deb Backstrom of Congress, Ariz., will serve as the rodeo secretary for the Wrangler NFR for the seventh time and the fourth in succession.

Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Contract Personnel

Announcers: Boyd Polhamus, Brenham, Texas; Bob Tallman, Poolville, Texas, and Randy Corley, Silverdale, Wash.
Secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom, Congress, Ariz.
Assistant Secretary: Debi Davis, Nine Mile Falls, Wash.
Office Manager: Vickie Shireman, Elk City, Okla.
Timers: Cynthia Barnes, Sutherland, Iowa; Dollie Riddle, Vernon, Texas, and Kathy McCloy, Ottumwa, Iowa
Timed Event Chute boss: John Farris, Addington, Okla.
Livestock Superintendent: Ted Groene, Pahrump, Nev.
Assistant Livestock Superintendent: John Barnes, Sutherland, Iowa
Barrelman: Keith Isley, Goldston, N.C.
Alternate Barrelman: Donnie Landis, Gooding, Idaho
Bullfighters: Darrell Diefenbach, Azle, Texas; Dusty Tuckness, Meeteetse, Wyo., and Clay Collins, Garland, Texas
Pick-up Men: Paul Peterson, Southland, Texas, and Bobby Marriott, Woods Cross, Utah
Alternate Pick-up Man: Gary Rempel, Fort Shaw, Mont.

Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping Contract Personnel

Announcers: Charlie Throckmorton, Grandview, Texas, and Doug Mathis, Cleburne, Texas
Secretary: Irene Singer, Calhan, Colo.
Timers: Danna McFarland, Okeechobee, Fla., and Melissa Navarre, Weatherford, Okla.
Chute Boss: Art Alsbaugh, Alamosa, Colo.

The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is the largest and oldest rodeo-sanctioning body in the world. The recognized leader in professional rodeo, the PRCA is committed to maintaining the highest standards. The PRCA, a membership-based organization, sanctions more than 600 rodeos annually, and there are nearly 30 million fans in the U.S. The PRCA showcases the world’s best cowboys in premier events through the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots, and its subsequent Justin Boots Playoffs, the Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, the PRCA’s bull riding tour; and the world-renowned Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Action from PRCA-sanctioned rodeos and its premier events appears on ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPN Deportes. Each year, PRCA-sanctioned rodeos raise more than $26 million for local and national charities. www.prorodeo.com

My guest today is WILLA Award-winning Jana Richman, author of The Last Cowgirl. This is a bittersweet story of the heart, a poignant coming of age tale, a tapestry of relationships and love. It grabbed me from the beginning and yanked me right into Dickie’s life, into her heart and kept me riding through the pages right along with her.

Jana, welcome to my blog. Did you grow up on a ranch?

Sort of. When I was about ten, my father bought a run-down ranch similar the one George found for himself in The Last Cowgirl. We were ill-prepared for it. My mother hated the idea, having been raised on a farm herself and finding no romance in the life. But my father, whose own father worked as a hired ranch-hand his entire life, was driven to own land and live a life of ranching. However, he never moved us to the ranch permanently. We stayed in town during the school year and lived at the ranch during the summer.

How much of this story is from your own experiences?

I get asked this question a lot and I find it difficult to answer. Some characters in the book (George, Ruth, Annie, Heber, and Stumpy) are based upon people I know or have known in my life, and others (Bev) come entirely from my imagination. As I mentioned above, my father did buy a small run-down ranch when I was a child, and many of the ranching scenes in the book come from my own experience. The book is set in Utah’s west desert, which is where I grew up, and the love and sadness that Dickie feels for the place are emotions I share with that character. I believe this is no doubt true throughout the book—that the overall sentiment comes through my own experience.

What inspired you to write this book?

Two moments in my life have stuck with me as pivotal events. The first was my father’s decision to buy the ranch. I grew up hating that decision and it took years for me to realize what a positive difference it made in my life. It changed my life completely, shaped the way I view the west, contributed greatly to my understanding of the west and taught me how to live in the west.

The second event was the nerve gas incident in 1968 that killed about 6,000 sheep. It wasn’t the event so much as the reaction to it—or lack thereof—from my community that stayed with me. The event passed without much conversation, without much outrage, seemingly without much notice. I’ve written about that in several different genres—both fiction and nonfiction. The cognitive dissonance required by the people of my hometown—most of whom were receiving a paycheck from the military branch of the federal government at the time—always fascinated me. Outsiders wrote about the people of my community describing them as apathetic dupes, but I knew it was much more complex than that. I go back to our (westerners) relationship with the federal government over and over in my work.

Those two events were the basis of my exploration in The Last Cowgirl. I initially thought it would be George’s story, but as I tried to write that, I realized that George wasn’t reflective enough to tell the story so it became Dickie’s story.

You’ve used flashbacks seamlessly, and the book is written in present tense, which I didn’t even notice until I was half-way through. Both of these techniques are evidence of your writing skills. Do you have a writing background?

I used to be a CPA and then went to work on Wall Street, but I was always a closet writer. When I was growing up, my father thought reading was a “waste of time” when there was real work to be done, so I did my reading and writing on the sly. I don’t come from a literary background. That’s always intimidated me but never stopped me. When I decided to come out of the closet, I moved back west and enrolled in a journalism graduate program at the University of Arizona. After that degree, I got an MFA in creative writing with an emphasis in nonfiction. I did a lot of freelance writing—any job I could get—to get myself through both graduate programs. I deliberately let my CPA license lapse so I could never fall back on that.

What do you like/don’t like about writing?

There’s nothing I don’t like about writing. That’s not to say I find the process easy; I don’t. But I love the process. As my husband likes to say, I’m ill-suited for any other life. I can’t get out of bed before 10 a.m., which means I cannot hold most jobs. I am decidedly not a team player, as has been noted on every report card and every performance appraisal throughout my life. The word “team” makes me shudder. And I like to lie. Writing fiction is a good job for me even if the pay sucks.

The part I don’t like is the part that has nothing to do with writing—the marketing/promotion of a book. I do it because I want to go on writing, but it’s not nearly as fun for me as sitting in a room alone. I love to hear from people who have read the book and have found that it resonates with their experiences, but it is stressful for me to market my own work. I would find it much easier to market the work of another writer. Maybe we should set up a system to do that for one another (just like you’re doing here with your website!)

Hey, good idea!

How long did it take you to write the book?

That’s also a difficult question to answer. I started on it before my previous book came out in 2005, but then got pulled away from this novel for the final editing and marketing of that book. My guess is about 2 years—maybe a little longer.

How long to find an agent/publisher?

I already had an agent before I wrote The Last Cowgirl. I’ve worked with the same agent since 2001. He has handled my nonfiction and fiction. When I was working on the nonfiction book, I spent close to a year writing and polishing a book proposal. Once I felt that it was ready to show, I started to attend writing conferences. I won a nonfiction fellowship at the Writers @ Work conference in Salt Lake City and that included meeting with an agent or an editor. I met with an editor from Norton. She didn’t end up buying the book, but she showed enough interest in the proposal so that I knew I had something, and I went from there. I showed the proposal to a select group of writers that I had some earlier contact with. Eventually it got the attention of my current agent and the rest is history. He’s been fabulous to work with. I feel as if he understands my work and he gets it in front of the right editors whom he believes will have an interest in the work.

What has been your biggest obstacle in getting to this point of your writing career?

Writing is one obstacle after another. What other job do you know where you work for hours, weeks, months, years for nothing more than a remote possibility that you might get paid some nominal amount of money in the future? It’s an absurd career choice. I would say my biggest obstacle thus far has been the recognition that I either need to live alone or I need to live with a partner who has a deep understanding of the creative process. I was set on the former, but I’m lucky enough to have found the latter.

Any favorite authors or genres you enjoy?

Everything. I read literary nonfiction, fiction and poetry. I read work that challenges me every step of the way, and then I’ll read crap for a while. I won’t name names or titles, but there’s endless crap out there to choose from.

What is your next project?

I’m working on another novel.

How would you like to be remembered?

You mean next year or after I die (assuming it’s not next year)? Next year I’d like to be remembered like this: “Oh yeah, I liked her last book; I think I’ll buy her next one.” I don’t spend too much time worrying about whether I’ll be remembered after I’m dead. What do I care? I’ll be dead.

You are also the author of a non-fiction book, Riding in the Shadow of Saints: A Woman’s Story of Motorcycling the Mormon Trail. Can you briefly describe your inspiration for, and what this book is about?

I grew up Mormon and after meeting me most people are shocked by that. I am too. But there are pieces of me that are undeniably Mormon. What exactly does that mean? I’m the first in my family to leave the Mormon Church after five generations of devout Mormons. Why? That’s what I wanted to explore in the memoir, Riding in the Shadows of Saints. And I wanted to explore what we mean by “faith” in America. And what we mean when we claim a particular religion or none at all and what we mean when we say we do or do not believe in God.

Jana, thank you for your willingness to share your writing journey with us.

You may purchase The Last Cowgirl from your locally-owned bookstore. If you do not have one close by, you can purchase it from The King’s English Bookshop at www.kingsenglish.com or any independent bookstore.

Barrel racing is a timed rodeo event, where the fastest time is what matters most. Cowgirls compete in the arena against each other and the clock. For the barrel racing event, the arena is cleared and three barrels are set up at different marked locations. The riders then enter the arena at full speed, quickly rounding each barrel in a cloverleaf pattern and then exiting where they entered. A stopwatch or timer is used registering down to a hundredth of a second.
Speed is what this event is all about.. The riders guide their horses as close as they can to the barrels trying to shave precious seconds off the clock. For each barrel they knock over (which happens sometimes) a 5 second penalty is assessed to their total time. Leaving the barrels standing and ripping through the course is every barrel racers goal.

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When 180 horses’ hooves pounded the ground a few feet from me, manes flaring and breaths misting ghost-like in the chill Colorado mountain air, this city boy was transfixed.

It was the 5:30 morning roundup at the C Lazy U Ranch in Granby, Colorado, up in the snow-capped Rocky Mountains.
The whinnying echoed in the nearby corrals as we walked the short distance to the campfire and the big enamel coffee pot, joining the handful of early risers watching the sun burn off the mist.

I’ve always wondered what people did at Dude Ranches.
And at the C Lazy U they do a lot of things, all connected to the Cowboy Culture, with the horse at the heart of the experience.

There are a dozen or so Dude Ranches in Colorado, and they all have solid family programs built ranch life led by authentic cowboys and cowgirls.

I saw lots of teens and a few pre-teens (all horse lovers!) grooming their horses, laughing and joking as a group, coming back exhausted but happy after their trail ride, and eager to head to the kids’ canteen to eat and talk about the night’s up-coming campfire.

Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is another Dude Ranch, and as close to home on the range as you’ll likely get

Like any good Dude Ranch experience, it’s all about freedom and space and some sense of what’s left of the western experience.
And, of course, it’s about horses; about exploring crystal streams or snow covered hills, on the back of a horse or hiking a trail with a friend.

Folks eat well at Dude Ranches, but they dine graciously at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Tabernash, Colorado, and stay in fully-equipped, beautifully designed log cabins.

Garth and Debs, the resident wranglers, know their horses, and like most wranglers are patient with beginners and families.
At the end of the day’s trail rides or Alpine Hikes, guests ease the rough spots with sophisticated massages and fine wines in the saloon.

And while it may be tough for city dwellers to imagine all this space, peace and beauty, it’s here. And it’s authentic.

So, I’ve been shooting a lot, but not much worth posting up here until today.

Yesterday I went out to the Equestrian event and covered it for the O’Colly. I was raised up as a farm boy, I used to ride horses, rodeo the whole ten yards. So I love shooting the Equestrian events.

One thing about equestrian events, is well its tough to get something interesting that isn’t always the same photo. If you’ve ever been to an event you’ll notice that it’s the same routine each time so you know were the action is going to be.

I got a lot of good sliding photos, and a few good fence jumping photos but I wanted something interesting to bring home with this shoot.

The event was held in the morning, and we had a cloudy overcast day which sucked when I got the sky in the photo.

Out of no were, the sky opened up and showed us some of that beautiful Oklahoma sky.

Instantly I knew what shot I wanted, so I grabbed for the 17-50 to go as wide as I can go. Got down as low as I could and waited for someone to ride by and click.

I love the way it turned out, hope you do to.

Stay Classy,

Mitch

Wishing each and every rider Good Luck with the season and enjoy yourself!

P.S. The buckles will be real pretty

Days like today are prime for thinking, creating, writing, reading, sleeping….. But mainly, a day like today makes me want to dive into the depths of my dim mind and pull out blurbs of me and put them into print. Unfortunately I really have nothing to say and don’t feel much like digging around up there. 

So, I shall post a picture of my new cowgirl boot courtesy of my mother’s rumaging tendencies. This isn’t the most flattering shot of my cute boots. But, you shoulda seen me today! Denim tucked into my boots. My light pheasanty top (aka the top I could be 7 months prego in). My hair cutely clipped. Topped off with my navy blue pea coat. Cuuuuuute.

The challenge is not always saying what you mean, but to say it with as few words as possible.