January 2021
Politics, potatoes & tomatoes Horace McQueen See page 3
If Herefords Were Black Baxter Black See page 5
Unleash the Beast Special Report See page 8
Rocky Ridge offers Safari experience By Shelli Parker
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Athens Daily Review
ife got a little bit wild in the year 2020, but Eustace grew even wilder with the opening of Rocky Ridge Safari Park. The hour and a half experience takes drive-thru patrons down a winding road featuring 24 different species over 180 acres of diverse terrain. The property is co-owned by Matt Ooten, Michael Davis and Shane Huff. After watching the property for over a year, the three friends took the plunge and went into the safari business. Davis has worked with exotics for eight years. “With the impact of COVID 19, we wanted to give our community something everyone could enjoy year round,” Ooten said. Each visitor is given a bag of food and many of the animals approach the cars eagerly. Although some of the more exotic species are a little more reserved. Don’t be surprised if Bodacious the Bison comes in for a smooch. “The three of us have spent the past five months constantly working on the property and safari center, doing the majority of the work ourselves,” Ooten said. “We would like to thank the contractors who helped with bulldozing, road work, and construction.” See SAFARI on Page 3
Pet Food Recall Staff Reports
The Food and Drug Administration recently said that at least 70 dogs have now died after eating contaminated Sportmix dog food and at least 80 are ill after ingesting the chow that is produced by Midwestern Pet Food, Inc. According to the Sportmix web site, national retailors selling Sportmix in this area include Tractor Supply, Petland and Pet Sense. It is also available for purchase on Amazon.com. Local retailers selling the brand are Cherokee Warehouse in Rusk and Circle C Farm & Ranch in Bullard. The FDA stated that the food “may contain potentially deadly levels of aflatoxin”, which is a toxin produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus. The mold grows on corn and other grains that are included in the dog food. According to the FDA, signs of aflatoxin poisoning in dogs and cats can appear as sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice and/or diarrhea. The list of Sportmix recalled varieties includes: • Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. bag: Exp 03/02/22/05/ L2; Exp 03/02/22/05/L3; Exp 03/03/22/05/L2 • Sportmix Energy Plus, 44 lb. bag: Exp 03/02/22/05/L3 • Sportmix Premium High Energy, 50 lb. bag: Exp 03/03/22/05/L3 • Sportmix Premium High Energy, 44 lb. bag: Exp 03/03/22/05/L3 • Sportmix Original Cat, 31 lb. bag: Exp 03/03/22/05/L3 • Sportmix Original Cat, 15 lb. bag: Exp 03/03/22/05/L2; Exp 03/03/22/05/L3 Lot code information may be found on the back of bag and will appear in a three-line code, with the top line in format “EXP 03/03/22/05/L#/B###/HH:MM.”
What to do:
Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center partially open Staff Reports
Athens Daily Review
T
he Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens is partially open and ready to welcome visitors. The facility has enhanced COVID-19 safety measures that comply with CDC guidelines and Governor Abbott’s executive orders. Its hours are currently 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. • Guests are encouraged to wear masks, maintain appropriate social distances from others outside their party, and use hand sanitizer and wash their hands regularly. • No groups larger than five people are allowed, except for families or people living in the same household. • To avoid crowding there will not be any tram or hatchery tours offered. • The indoor portion of the visitor center, including the dive theater, gift shop, and Game Warden museum will remain closed. • Water fountains and vending machines will not be operational. Visitors can bring drinks. Bottled water will be available for purchase. TFFC will be operating at approximately 25% visitor capacity. This will allow up to 100 people at the facility at any time. For information on current capacity, please follow the TFFC Facebook page and front entrance Photos by Chase A. Fountain, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
See FISH on Page 3
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January 2021
Texas Lunker Lakes
A review of reservoirs that produced the Top 50 Texas bass of all-time By Matt Williams Outdoors Writer
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t’s been a cold and dreary winter thus far, but Texas lunker lakes have come out of the gates red hot. Two reservoirs with rich histories of kicking out big bass have already rung the bell with a pair of Legacy class entries for the Toyota ShareLunker program. Travis Moore of Cleveland jump-started the program’s 35th season on Jan. 9 with a 13.44 pounder caught at Sam Rayburn in eastern Texas. It’s Sam Rayburn’s 27th Legacy entry since the 1986 debut of Texas Parks and Wildlife’s spawning and genetics research program. Genetic testing showed the big ‘Rayburn bass has pure Florida genes, according to Tony Owens, hatchery manager at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. If the fish spawns in captivity as hoped, a portion of its offspring will be used to help revamp the state’s Florida bass hatchery program. TPWD’s goal is to completely rebuild the hatchery program within the next few years using descendants of Toyota ShareLunkers 13 pounds or larger. On Jan. 14, Lake Austin angler CJ Oates of Lago Vista landed the second ShareLunker of the 2021 spawning season, which got underway Jan. 1. The 13.02 pounder is the lake’s 21st entry and its first since 2014. The Lake Austin fish is a Florida/ northern strain crossbreed. Biologists will attempt to spawn the fish, but its intergrade prodigy won’t be used in TPWD’s selective breeding program, which is reserved for pure Floridas. Oates’ bass is noteworthy for another reason. The fish was reportedly caught well after dark, around a boat dock, using a football jig. It’s not the first ShareLunker to be caught on a jig, but it’s the first to be caught at after sundown in a really long time. The only other Legacy-class ShareLunker I’m aware of that bit under the cover of darkness is a 17.63 pounder caught in 1990 at Lake Fork by Jerry New of Marshall. New’s bass currently ranks No. 4 among Texas’ Top 50 bass of alltime. Texas’ Top 50 list is an impressive one comprised of a small army of really big bass with some serious weight problems. The current Top 50 includes bass ranging from 18.18 pounds at the top of the list to 15.45 pounds at the bottom. Included are five fish in the 17-pound range, 21 in the 16-pound class and 23 15-pounders. Only one of those fish — a 15.5 pound former state record caught from a private lake called Lake Echo by John Alexander, Jr. — was caught prior to 1986. Those fish are divided among 17 different impoundments, including three privates lakes and 14 public reservoirs that represent nearly a half dozen geographic regions. Only two states have produced bigger bass than Texas -- California and Georgia. With the height of the springtime spawn still ahead, Texas anglers can expect
more reports of giant bass to roll in over the next few months. Where they will come from is anybody’s guess. Here’s a glance at the public lakes that have produced the lion’s share of the state’s biggest bass:
Lake Fork Top 50 Entries: 30 The Lake: The Top 50 list would look entirely different without Fork in the mix. The 27,000-acre reservoir near Quitman has produced the last two state records, 30 of the Top 50 and seven of the state’s Top 10 biggest bass. The lake’s last Top 50 (No. 48) fish came in March 2018, when John LaBove of Rockwall made a magical cast with a jig that produced a 15.48 pounder.
Caddo Lake Top 50 Entries: 4 The Lake: Located in far northeast Texas on the Texas/Louisiana border, Caddo began as a natural lake before a dam was built in the early 1900s to trap water along the Big Cypress Bayou watershed. Floridas have done well in its shallow waters, as evidenced by three Top 50 fish weighing upwards of 16 pounds. Interestingly, two of the 16 pounders were identified as the same fish by the Toyota ShareLunker program. The bass weighed 16.17 pounds when Keith Burns of Jefferson caught it in March 2010, making it the No. 16 bass of all-time. Sean Swank of De Berry caught the same bass in March 2011, when it weighed 16.07 and nailed down the No. 20 spot. Caddo’s latest Top 50 entry was a 15.7 pounder caught in March 2017 that ranks No. 32.
Lake Amistad Top 50 Entries: 2 The Lake: Amistad is the only other lake with multiple Top 50 entries, including a 15.68 pounder in 2005 (No. 34) and a 15.58 pounder in 1989 (No. 42). Rapidly fluctuating water levels over the years have spelled topsy survey fishing conditions for the big lake along the Texas/Mexico border. It hit a top stride in 2006-07, when several big tournament circuits including the Bassmaster Elite Series saw multiple anglers crack the 100-pound mark on 20 bass in four-day events.
Sam Rayburn Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: Sam Rayburn’s only Top 50 entry (16.8) came in 1997, but the 114,000-acre reservoir near Lufkin continues to live up to its reputation as one of the state’s top big bass lakes and one of the best tournament destinations in America. The lake has produced 26 Toyota ShareLunkers upwards of 13 pounds and tournament weights to shock the imagination. Last Feburary, Danny Iles and Brian Shook weighed in a five-bass limit weighing 49.31 pounds in a Texas Team Trail event. It may be the heaviest 5-bass team limit ever recorded on U.S. public waters.
Falcon
TPWD photo
Mark Stevenson’s former state record caught at Lake Fork in Nov. 1986 is the biggest bass ever caught in Texas on an artificial lure. Stevenson’s 17.67 pounder, the first-ever Texas ShareLunker, currently holds down the No. 2 spot on the Texas Top 50 list behind an 18.18 pounder that was caught in Jan. 1992 at Fork by Barry St. Clair. Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: Falcon’s lone Top 50 entry came in Jan. 2011, when fishing guide Tommy Law boated a 15.63 pounder. The fish grabbed gobs of press, but nothing compared to the Bassmaster Elite Series event held there in April 2008. Twelve anglers busted 100 pounds during the Lone Star Shootout. Mississippi’s Paul Elias won it with a four-day weight record of 132.8 pounds. Falcon needs water to rebound. When it happens, look out.
The Lake: Pinkston’s only Top 50 entry came in 1986, when it produced a former state record weighing 16.9 pounds that now ranks No. 7 among the Top 50.. Only one other 13 pounder has been turned into Toyota ShareLunker, but others have likely been caught and released by tightlipped locals. TPWD fisheries biologist Todd Driscoll says electrofishing surveys at Pinkston consistently produce higher per hour catch rates than any lake in his district.
O.H. Ivie
Austin
Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: ‘Ivie’s Top 50 16.08 pounder came in 2010, the same year it erupted with a Toyota ShareLunker flurry that closed with 12 fish. The West Texas lake has produced 26 fish over 13 pounds since 2000, the most recent coming last March when it cranked out its first Sharelunker in eight years. Fisheries experts believe the stage is set for another big bass bonanza thanks to big rain events in 2019 that flooded thousands of acres of new growth terrestrial vegetation.
Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: Austin’s lake record 16.03 pounder from 2011 ranks No. 24 among the Top 50. The lake has produced 21 Toyota ShareLunkers weighing upwards of 13 pounds, including a single year high of six in 2012. Sadly, the fishery went downhill after grass carp were introduced later that year.
Conroe Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: Conroe’s only Top 50 entry, a 15.93 pounder, came in 2009. It has produced 17 Toyota ShareLunkers upwards of 13 pounds since 1994. It’s peak years for whoppers were 1997 and 2009, each resulting in three fish. Conroe’s last ShareLunker came in 2015. Bass anglers witnessed the best fishing during years before grass carp wiped out the lake’s lush hydrilla beds.
Pinkston Top 50 Entries: 1
Choke Canyon Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: Like Falcon and Amistad, “Choke” is a lake prone to rapid water fluctuations triggered by drought and water demands downstream. Bass fishing quality tends to ebb and flow accordingly, with peak years occurring in years when the “new lake effect” is evident. It last peaked in 2009, when six Toyota ShareLunkers including three 15 pounders were caught. The biggest, a 15.45, ranks as Texas No. 50 bass.
Mill Creek Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: Located near Canton, the 237acre lake is legendary for the 16.77 pound bruiser (No. 10) it produced in spring 1990. Mill Creek kicked out three Toyota ShareLunkers in the 13-14 range between 1988-92. It was last heard from in 2006, when another 13 pounder was caught. TPWD biologists label it a “quality” fishery that doesn’t spit out giants like it used to.
Gibbons Creek Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: The 2,800-acre reservoir made its only mark on the Top 50 in 1988 when Troy Johnson boated a 16.13 pound ShareLunker (No. 17). It produced four more Toyota Sharelunkers, including two 14 pounders, between 1990-95, but hasn’t be heard from since.
Possum Kingdom Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: Bass anglers had high hopes for PK after it produced a Top 50 16.02 pounder (No. 25) in 1989 and followed it up with a 15.38 in 1991. All has been quiet since. The biggest fish reported to ShareLunker since the program was revamped to include multiple weight categories is an 11.32 pounder caught Feb. 2018.
O.C. Fisher
TPWD photo
Caddo Lake is the second leading producer Top 50 fish with four entries, including three in the 16-pound class. Sean Swank’s 16.07 pounder caught in 2011, pictured here, currently ranks No. 20. Interestingly, Keith Burns caught the same fish the previous year when it weighed 16.17 pounds — the No. 16 biggest Texas bass of all-time.
Top 50 Entries: 1 The Lake: The West Texas lake near San Angelo produced a 15.69 pounder (No. 33) in 1996, but went through tough times in the years that followed. The lake was declared effectively dry in 2015 and is currently at 6.3 percent capacity. ‘Fisher’s only other ShareLunker entry came in 1992, a 13.25 pounder.
January 2021
East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
Politics, potatoes and tomatoes
G
roaning and moaning is the order of the day—so it seems. The sassy and well fed “leaders” in Washington, D.C. and in Austin, Texas offer little except excuses. The screw-up on distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is a wakeup call for taxpayers. Those mealy mouthed politicians who cry that radical groups have a right to “peaceful protest” that destroys property of others are to be pitied. Words alone have no effect on those morons who wreck businesses and shut down parts of our major cities. Our
fearless leaders authorized use of the National Guard to quell the threat of more violence in our national Capitol, Why not use these steadfast members of our military to shut down violent protests in Oregon, New York City and other hotspots across our country? Anyway, back to the rest of this column. Food on the table is essential to all of us. So why not use some common sense and start growing some of our food. Gardening takes some sweat—and very little money.
A little garden can turn out lots of greens, squash, potatoes, tomatoes and plenty of other quality products. I remember a visit some years ago when invited to a sit-down with some minority “community leaders” in an East Texas county seat. Topic of conversation was using some vacant city lots to grow vegetables. One out of town speaker offered his big garden tiller free of charge. Another offered to buy the seed and plants. Only question was who was going to do the work. The community “activist” spoke up
and said “we don’t know nothing about raising a crop”. Those of us doing our best to get folks in the community involved finally gave up. Those residents who could have benefitted from raising much of their own food had little to say. We were basically told by the “community leader” that if we would plant the gardens, control the weeds and harvest the bounty, they would eat it. At that, the meeting concluded and those who need local food still don’t have gardens. Laziness is as laziness does.
SAFARI, continued from page 1 Davis, Ooten and their families live in close proximity to the park and are easily available for animal care and observation. The United States Department of Agriculture requires extensive permits to keep the animals for exhibit. Ooten said they use one of the most well respected vets in the exotic industry and are continuously open to his sound advice. Animal welfare is a top priority. As soon as you enter the gates, stop at the visitor center to purchase tickets and get a bag of food. Turn the corner and you will be greeted by various animals including zebras, buffalo, audad, red sheep, elk and more. The park discourages hand feeding, but instead suggests tossing food on the ground near your vehicle to enjoy the amazing variety of animals. The trip is geared toward attendees of all ages and the experience is sure to delight children and photographers alike offering a close look to rarely seen animals. Currently the park is open seven days a week, but hours of operation vary based on season. “Our hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday,” Ooten said. “We open at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. on Sundays, with the last car being admitted at 3pm.” Admission is $17.50 for adults, $15.50 for 65+, $13.50 for ages 3 to 12 and under two are free. Military and first responders receive a 10% discount. “We saved the best for last, Rocky the Camel, our unofficial mascot, is the last animal on the tour and he loves greeting people as they exit. He is a mess.” For more information view Rocky Ridge
Safari on the web at www.rockyridgesafari. com or call 903-502-2100.
FISH, continued from page 1 the enhancement, conservation and stewardship of aquatic resources in Texas. Explore its freshwater exhibits, learn to fish or teach someone else at our casting ponds, wonder down our wetland trail and witness a working fish hatchery in action! Follow Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
signage. Admission is temporarily reduced to $2.50 per guest. Visitors can enjoy all outside aquaria, recreational fishing (tackle and bait will be available), the Angler’s Pavilion, antique lure and fishing
equipment exhibit, and wetland trail. Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s mission is to provide an educational, entertaining visitor experience that promotes freshwater sport fishing and
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That’s –30—horace@valornet.com
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January 2021
Winter care in the yard and garden W
inter greetings to everyone. I don’t know about you, but I am still reeling from the astounding snowfall this month. We received more than six inches in my neck of the woods, and I believe there were areas that received upwards of eight inches and higher. Beautiful and fun, but also deadly. The soft silence of the snow was interrupted by the sounds of limbs cracking and popping
as they broke under the weight of the snow. Considering that, now is the perfect time to assess your trees. Do you have damaged limbs? Be sure to check for stress cracks and trim those damaged limbs with proper pruning cuts, (which on a mature tree will be a three-part cut) and give some attention to the damaged bark. For more information, please see this publication: https://aggie-horticulture. tamu.edu/earthkind/
landscape/proper-pruningtechniques/ . There are many winter lovelies that can withstand snow and ice. If you are looking for landscape color that can handle winter, look at members of the brassica family— cabbage, kale, broccoli, and the like—as well as stock, pansies, violas, and dianthus, just to name a few. They make a beautiful color pop in the winter landscape.
back to the same height. • Now is a great time to cut back herbaceous perennials and hardy ornamental grasses. • If you need to transplant trees, mature or seedling, now is an excellent time, while they are fully dormant. • Plant dahlia tubers in late February and early March. • Prepare beds for planting flowers and vegetables. You may want to consider renting or buying a garden tiller to speed up the process; however, a strong back and a garden fork will still do an excellent job. • For every 100 square feet of bed area, work in a several-inch layer of either compost, plus five pounds of balanced fertilizer. • Dig and divide summer and fall flowering perennials just before they initiate their spring growth.
We accept all Medicare Part D, WellCare & Humana. Stop by and we’ll guide you every step of the way!
Palestine
Hometown Pharmacy
City-Wide Delivery & Drive-thru 903-729-3100 101 Medical Dr.
LX2610SUHSD Trailer Package 1) LA535 Loader 2) Land Pride BB1260 Box Blade 3) Land Pride RCR1260 Rotary Mower 4) TU70 Orangeline Trailer
LawnStarter compared the 50 states across 44 key metrics to rank the Best States to Start a Farm or Ranch. We looked at the infrastructure, prevalence, environmental factors, cost, and potential returns of farming and ranching in each state.
The full ranking and analysis can be found here: https://www. lawnstarter.com/blog/ studies/best-states-tostart-a-farm/
Cherokee County Horticulturist
with Kubota!
But which states are better if you want to start a “Green Acres” life or be “At Home on the Range” where the cattle and horses roam?
Nine of the top 10 states are fully or partially within the central Great Plains. States such as Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas boast cheap land, an excellent growing climate, and a highly developed infrastructure for farmers and rural residents.
Kim Benton
Ring in the
Staff Report
Besides feeding the world, the U.S. agriculture industry forms a big part of our economic backbone. All the rapid innovation over recent decades, too, means modern farmers and ranchers have far greater opportunities to expand in their field.
faster and will become effective in the landscape more quickly than the large sizes. • Now is an excellent time to select and plant containergrown roses to fill in bare spots in your rose garden. • Plant gladiolus corms; space planting dates at two-week intervals to extend flowering season. • Wait until after they finish flowering before pruning springflowering shrubs such as quince, azalea, forsythia and spiraea. • When pruning shrubs, follow these steps: (1) prune out any dead or damaged branches first; (2) thin out by removing about onethird of the canes or stems at ground level, removing the oldest canes only; (3) shape the rest of the plant but do not cut everything
New Year
Texas named a top state to start a farm or ranch Farming and ranching aren’t the most glamorous professions — you’re up before sunrise to till the soil and milk the cows — but they are among the most rewarding and essential jobs.
Here are a few other items on your to-do list for winter care in the yard and garden: • While you are checking for snow damage, check your junipers and other narrowleafed evergreens for bagworm pouches. This is a great time to hand remove those pouches and burn them before the caterpillars emerge in the spring. • Complete the bareroot planting of woody landscape plants his month. Container and ball-and-burlapped plants are in good supply and can be set out most any time. Winter and early spring planting provides an opportunity for good establishment before hot weather comes. • When buying plants, the biggest is not always the best, especially with bare-rooted plants. The medium to small sized (four to six feet) usually become established
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January 2021
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If Herefords Were Black If Herefords were black and Angus were red would breeders of Herefords breed Angus instead? I mean, would the people who bred Herefords first be now breeding Angus if things were reversed.
Promoting their native resistence to thorns, while cursing as mutants those not sprouting horns. Just draggin’ their sheath through the cheatgrass and burrs like leaky ol’ bass boats nobody insures.
Or would they be loyal to red, white and true To color of cowlick be always true blue? If such were the case would they dis all the blacks, Tell jokes about prolapse, compare them to Yaks
Debate would rage on like it does anyway if South had worn blue or the North had worn gray, Or if Henry Ford had been Hank Chevrolet You’d still be a Ford man... or would you, today?
More suited for saddle or wearin’ a yoke Than stubbornly breeding until they go broke. And those of the Aberdeen Angus cartel, would they tout maternal endowments, as well,
So if Herefords were black and Angus were red would breeders of Herefords breed Angus instead? The question begs deep philosophical thought but don’t get disgruntled or get overwrought
The breeders of purebreds run true to the grain And efforts to change them would just be in vain And not ‘cause they think other cattle are bad “I’m stickin’ with this one, ‘cause that’s what Dad had.”
Women and Rodeo
Women’s Rodeo World Championship announces updates Staff Reports
T
he Women’s Rodeo World Championship recently announced updates regarding Challenger classification for the Nov. 1 through 6 event, at South Point Arena, held in conjunction with Professional Bull Riders World Finals in Las Vegas. In addition to the classification updates for 2021, there will also be a new technology release associated with the WRWC Leaderboard, which will separate athletes into Pro and Challenger - with a Leaderboard for each classification. Last year, WRWC launched the inaugural event using this revolutionary Pro and Challenger classification system. Athlete classification is established under the Rodeo Logistics Athlete Classifications; using Equi-Stat earnings in Barrel Racing, Global Handicaps Systems numbers in Team Roping and Virtual Rodeo Qualifier verified earnings in Breakaway Roping. RLAC is a tiering process where athletes are ranked based on earnings in their respective WRWC disciplines. “Instituting the Challenger is an effort to create more opportunities for all women rodeo athletes,” said Associate Vice President of Athlete Initiatives Sami Jo Smith. “This effort will level the playing field by separating the Pro and Challenger athletes into their respective pools of competition in the WRWC qualifying rounds. This gives each group both a fair and direct path to compete at the WRWC.” Smith also stated that athletes classified as a Challenger are eligible to compete in either the WRWC Challenger competition or the WRWC Pro Competition. Athletes classified as Pros are only eligible to compete in the WRWC Open competition. The newly updated earnings for RLAC (classification) is as follows: Barrel Racing
Breakaway Roping Team Roping You are a Challenger if your earnings do not exceed the amount listed below in any one of the defined time periods: • 2018-20= $20,000 Annually • Lifetime Earnings = $100,000 You are a Challenger if your earnings do not exceed the amount listed below in any one of the defined time periods: • 2018-20= $6,000 Annually • Lifetime Earnings = $20,000 You are a Challenger Team Roper If… • At or below a #4.5 Header • At or below a #4.5 Heeler *Based on the Global Handicaps System * All team ropers MUST have a current Global Handicaps membership The announcement revealed an athlete’s status as a Pro or Challenger will be determined based on known (verifiable) information as of Jan. 1, 2021. The athlete’s status will remain as classified following this date, regardless of their competitive efforts or earnings through the start of competition at the 2021 WRWC. In addition to the Classification update, WRWC also announced that the 2021 WRWC Leaderboard will now be separated by Pros and Challengers using each discipline’s RLAC Classification. For all athletes that nominate an event for the W21 Segment, and earn points, they will be placed on the respective leaderboard based on their individual classification. Challenger athletes who are currently ranked on the W21 leaderboard as of today, will have the opportunity to choose the leaderboard on which they would like to compete by emailing support@ wcrarodeo.com by Sunday, Feb. 28. New athletes on the W21 Leaderboard have until April 30 to choose their classification. Once
Courtesy photo
an athlete has earned over 250 points on the Pro or Challenger leaderboard, they can no longer switch leaderboards. Nominations for the November 2021 Women’s Rodeo World Championship will remain open until Oct. 3. Women rodeo athletes from all over the globe are eligible to qualify to compete at the $750,000 payout event.
About WRWC: In 2020 WCRA and PBR announced a revolutionary event in women’s rodeothe Women’s Rodeo World Championship. The event paid out more than $737,500 to female athletes in 2020. The event is open to any female athlete in the world competing in
Courtesy photo
breakaway roping, barrel racing, and team roping. The 2021 WRWC will be held in Las Vegas January 1-6 at South Point Arena.
About WCRA WCRA is a professional sport and entertainment entity, created to develop and advance the sport of rodeo by aligning all levels of competition. In association with PBR, WCRA produces major rodeo events, developing additional opportunities for rodeo industry competitors,
stakeholders and fans. To learn more visit wcrarodeo. com. For athletes interested in learning more about the WCRA Virtual Rodeo Qualifier, visit app. wcrarodeo.com
About PBR Professional Bull Riders is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 700 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour, which features the top 35 bull riders in the
world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour; the PBR Touring Pro Division; and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. PBR’s digital assets include RidePass, which is home to Western sports. PBR is a subsidiary of IMG, a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media. For more information, visit PBR. com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube. com/PBR.
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January 2021
Work ethic key to longevity in rodeo
A
t 49, pro team roper Kory Koontz isn’t planning on slowing down. “I feel like I’m definitely blessed,” he said. “I think age is just a number. I’m just trying to convince myself that I’m just 29.” Koontz, who is from Stephenville, finished third in the team roping heeling title race (with help from partner Manny Egusquiza Jr.) during the Jan. 21-24 Stockyards Shootout/ San Antonio Qualifier at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth and he has earned a trip to next month’s San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. The Stockyards Shootout featured 24 competitors in each event. Nine competitors in each event advanced to a semifinal round on Sunday, Jan.24. Then the top four advanced to a final round that capped the Sunday performance. The four finalists in each event are eligible to compete in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s San Antonio Rodeo, scheduled for Feb. 12-13, Feb. 15-20 and Feb. 22-27 at Freeman Coliseum. “If you do really well there, it will kind of get you a little bit of a head start on the rest of the year and gets
you on the way to having enough money to go to the NFR,” Koontz said of the San Antonio Rodeo. According to the PRCA, Koontz has competed in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 22 times (1992-2007, 2010-2012, 2015, 2017-2018). Koontz said making it to the NFR requires lots of hard work.
“There are a lot of things that go into making it possible to go to the NFR,” Koontz said. “In the team roping, you’ve got to have a great partner, someone you work well with. There’s no real recipe other than just real hard work. You’ve got to have great horses. You’ve got to put the time in. You’ve got to work on roping a way that’s successful and a way that
wins. Things kind of keep changing and getting faster. And so, I just keep on working on the things I’ve got to do to keep up with the young guys now days.” Koontz said his lifestyle of a having a daily work ethic helps him have longevity as a rodeo competitor. “I’ve got to keep making a living,” he said. “So, I just
get up every day. I rope and I ride horses and I just stay busy. There’s no real secret to it. I try to eat halfway decent so I take care of my diabetes and just stay active.” Koontz said his determination makes a difference. “I have a lot of try,” he said. “When I back in there (to compete in a rodeo), I plan on winning.”
Death of a legend
Roping steers wear special protective horn wraps to protect the ears and head from rope burns.
ProRodeo Hall of Famer Paul Mayo, passed away Jan. 24 in Stephenville at the age of 78, according to prorodeo.com. Mayo snared bareback riding world titles in 1966 and 1970. When he earned the 1966 world title, he was from Grinnell, Iowa, where he grew up. But when he earned the gold buckle in 1970, he had a Fort Worth residence. Mayo qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 10 times in bareback riding (1965-71, 1973-74 and 1979) and twice in bull riding (1965 and 1971). He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2010. During his heyday
Brett Hoffman, a Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame member, has reported on rodeos for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for more than three decades. Email him at bchoffman777@earthlink.net.
in the 1960s and 1970s, Mayo helped pioneer a riding method of leaning way back on a bronc as he rhythmically spurred the horse, jump for jump, during an eight second ride. That style of riding has been practiced by bareback riders since. A memorial service for Mayo is scheduled for 11 a.m. Feb. 6 at Cowboy Church of Erath County in Stephenville.
Stockyards Shootout champions Blake Ash, a Missouri cowboy, clinched the Stockyards Shootout/San Antonio Qualifier tie-down roping title with a time of 8.7 seconds during the final round on Sunday. Other champions were bareback rider Craig Wisehart (86.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Cactus Black); steer wrestler Chance Howard (3.5 seconds); team ropers Thomas Braman and Chris Young (4.4 seconds); saddle bronc rider Kash Deal (76 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Pillow Talk); and bull rider Chance Schott (82.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Slapping Bo).
PBR update
Photo courtesy of Metro Creative
HUDSON
On the Professional Bull Riders circuit, Kaique Pacheco, a Brazilian who is from Decatur, clinched the title at the Jan. 23-24 Unleash The Beast (top tier) tour stop in Arcadia, Florida, and earned $30,200. Cody Teel of College Station finished second and pocketed $12,476.
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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy
East Texas Stock Prices TRI-COUNTY LIVESTOCK MARKET
HUNTS LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE
ATHENS COMMISSION COMPANY
Updated: 1/23/2021 Head Count: 892
Updated: 1/18/2021 Head Count: 1020
Updated: 1/22/2021 Head Count: 490 Sellers: 104
STEERS
STEERS 200lb - 299lb
1.00 2.10
300lb - 399lb
1.00 2.01
400lb - 499lb
1.00 1.77
500lb - 599lb
1.00 1.57
600lb - 699lb
1.00 1.31
700lb - 899lb
1.00 1.30
1.40 2.10
300lb - 400lb
1.30 1.95
400lb - 500lb
1.25 1.75
500lb - 600lb
1.15 1.71
600lb - 700lb
1.10 1.44
700lb - 800lb
1.00 1.10
HEIFERS 300-DOWN
UNDER 300lb
1.30 1.60
300lb - 400lb
1.25 1.50
400lb - 500lb
1.20 1.45
HEIFERS
HEIFERS
300-DOWN
0.85 2.05
Under 300lb
1.79 1.87
300lb - 400lb
0.80 2.00
300lb - 400lb
1.31 1.95
400lb - 500lb
0.80 1.70
400lb - 500lb
1.25 1.78
500lb - UP
0.70 1.55
500lb - 600lb
1.10 1.57
600lb - 700lb
1.03 1.30
0.80 1.80
700lb - 800lb
1.10 1.25
300lb - 400lb
0.75 1.75
HEIFERS
400lb - 500lb
0.70 1.45
Under 300lb
1.08 1.60
500lb - UP
0.70 1.35
300lb - 400lb
1.00 1.53
400lb - 500lb
1.00 1.55
500lb - 600lb
0.90 1.26
600lb - 700lb
1.05 1.35
700lb - 800lb
0.97 1.06
200lb - 299lb
1.00 1.80
300lb - 399lb
1.00 1.80
400lb - 499lb
1.00 1.75
500lb - 600lb
1.15 1.30
SLAUGHTER
500lb - 599lb
1.00 1.47
600lb - 700lb
1.10 1.20
Cows
0.25 0.59
600lb - 699lb
1.00 1.23
700lb - 800lb
0.85 0.90
Heavy Bulls
0.55 0.86
700lb - 899lb
1.00 1.14
SLAUGHTER
SLAUGHTER
Top
0.70 0.88
Low-Middle
$600 $1000
Cows
0.30 0.65
$1200 $1550
STOCKER COWS
Bulls
0.60 0.95
0.50lb 0.85lb
PAIRS
$710 $900
GOATS
$75hd $400hd
BRED COWS
$590hd $850hd
BABY CALVES
$65hd $300hd
GOAT/SHEEP
$100hd $250hd
$150hd $1000hd
BABY CALVES
$110hd $185hd
Heavy Bulls
Bulls
0.77 0.86
PAIRS
PAIRS
$550 $1,630
BABY CALVES STOCKER COWS
GOATS
$50hd $300hd
LOW-MIDDLE
NA NA $550/hd $1700/hd $750 $1000
HORSES
$1000 $1200
PACKER
0.15 0.56
0.26 0.58
$320hd $1,200hd
PAIRS
Cows
Cows
STOCKER COWS
Updated: 1/27/2021 Head Count: 130 Buyers: 30 Sellers: 33
STEERS
STEERS
UNDER 300lb
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STEERS 300-DOWN
1.61 2.28
305lb - 400lb
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405lb - 500lb
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1.16 1.46
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605lb - 800lb
1.10 1.31
SLAUGHTER Cows
0.40 0.63
Bulls
0.77 0.90
PAIRS
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BRED COWS
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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living
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January 2021
Unleash The Beast
PBR’s Elite Unleash The Beast Makes First-Ever Stop in Longview Special Report
F
or the first time in league history, the elite PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast will travel to Longview, Texas, continuing the 2021 season’s initial outdoor swing at Longview Rodeo Arena with the PBR Longview Invitational February 27-28. Featuring more than 30 of the world’s best bull riders attempting some of the rankest bulls on the planet, the PBR Longview Invitational will mark the sixth event of the 2021 season, part of the Unleash The Beast: American Roots Edition, early-season events at outdoor rodeo arenas across the south. Prior to travelling to Longview, the American Roots Edition will have held events in three Florida cities, Ocala (Jan. 16-17), Arcadia (Jan. 23-24) and Okeechobee (Jan. 30-31), before bucking into Texas for tour stops in Del Rio (Feb. 13-14) and Pecos (Feb. 20-21). The PBR Longview Invitational will follow all local and state health protocols. PBR, along with Longview Rodeo Arena, is instituting a series of fan safety protocols, including: • In addition to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-informed screening, all PBR personnel will undergo medical testing for COVID-19 and be required to wear masks. • PBR will only sell up to 50% of venue capacity to separate fans. To further promote social distancing, fans will only be able to sit in every other row, with seating limited in each open row. • Social distancing will be encouraged at the concession stands, restrooms and merchandise stands. PBR’s 2021 debut in Longview comes on the heels of a trailblazing season in which PBR was the first major professional
sport in North America to return to competition in late April following the COVID-19 (coronavirus) related shutdown, and the first to host fans in arena in mid-July with new safety protocols in place. With the new season already underway, the race for the 2021 PBR World Championship has gotten off to a feverish start. At the season-launch Unleash The Beast event in Ocala, rising Brazilians *Mauricio Moreira *(Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil) and *Junior Patrik Souza *(Sonora, Brazil), delivered career-best finishes to surge to the top of the world standings for the first time in their careers. After both riders earned points at the most recent tour stop in Arcadia, Florida, Souza is now ranked No. 1 in the world, 20 points ahead of No. 2 Moreira. Three-time PBR World Champion *Silvano Alves *(Pilar do Sul, Brazil), 2016 PBR World Champion *Cooper Davis *(Jasper, Texas) and 2018 PBR Rookie of the Year *Keyshawn Whitehorse *(McCracken Springs, Utah) also delivered breakthrough performances at the season-launch Unleash The Beast event. Davis led the contingent, going a near perfect 3-for-4 to catapult to No. 4 in the world, now within 33.5 points of Souza as he seeks his second World Championship. Alves and Whitehorse are tied for the world No. 7 rank, 70 points removed from the top spot. Whitehorse notably delivered the first 90-point ride of the new season, scored 90 points on *Preachers Kid *(K-C Bucking Bulls/RD Cattle). In addition to Davis, several additional Texans are anticipated to compete at the PBR Longview Invitational. Those athletes include: *Cole Melancon *(Paris, Texas); 2019 PBR Rookie of the Year *Dalton Kasel * (Muleshoe, Texas); *Mason Taylor *(Maypearl, Texas); *Ezekiel Mitchell * (Rockdale, Texas), *Cody Teel *(College Station,
Photo courtesy of MetroCreative
Texas); *Taylor Toves * (Stephenville, Texas); and *Tye Chandler *(Celina, Texas). The bull riding action for the PBR Longview Invitational begins at 2:00 p.m. CST on Saturday, February 27, and Sunday, February 28. Tickets for the two-day event are on sale now. General admission tickets are priced at $50, with kids tickets (ages 5-12) available for $15, taxes and fees not included. Children under the age of 5 will gain entry to the event for free. Eventgoers are encouraged to purchase their tickets early, with the cost of all admission levels increasing by $5-$10 on event day. They can be purchased online through PBRTIX.com or by calling (800) 732-1727. For an enhanced PBR experience in a sociallydistanced environment, fans can now purchase add-on PBR Premium Experiences which will include the Elite
Photo courtesy of MetroCreative
Experience and Bull Housing Tour on both Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28 in Longview for $60. The Elite Experience will include a Q&A session with a select group of the league’s top riders, bullfighters and stock contractors, merchandise voucher, limited edition poster and commemorative lanyard, while the Bull Housing Tour will feature a stock contractor guided tour of the PBR’s bull housing in the Sunshine State where fans will get an up-close look at the world
renowned bovine athletes. For more information on PBR Premium Experiences and to purchase the Elite Experience and/or Bull Housing Tour for the PBR Longview Invitational in Longview visit https://pbr. com/tickets/premiumexperiences/ <https://pbr. com/tickets/premiumexperiences/>.
About PBR (Professional Bull Riders) PBR is the world’s premier bull riding
organization. More than 500 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash the Beast Tour (UTB), which features the Top 35 bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. PBR’s digital assets include RidePass, which is home to Western sports. PBR is a subsidiary of IMG, a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media.