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The 2014 Official Program for the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series is produced by the Steamboat Pilot & Today.
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big Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series welcome! Whether you came from across the globe or right down the road, we thank you for filling the stands and cheering on our contestants. It’s the goal of the rodeo board of directors to produce the best series in Pro Rodeo each year, and this season that bar is set higher than ever. We are proud to have been named the 2013 Mountain States Circuit Best Small Rodeo of the Year, and we believe we are the nation’s best summer Pro Rodeo series. This year’s 21 pro rodeo performances will feature world-class stock contractors, animal athletes, cowboys and cowgirls. It says a lot about Steamboat Springs to have more annual pro rodeos that any other community in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Utah or New Mexico. On behalf of our volunteer board of directors, the City of Steamboat Springs, our many sponsors and others that make this rodeo possible, it’s my pleasure to tip my hat and invite you to enjoy an exciting evening of rodeo action. — Brent Romick, chairman of the board/arena director
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Suzanne Schlicht Publisher Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series Board of Directors Brent Romick, Chairman John Shipley, President Ward Van Scoyk, Treasurer Steve Dawes, Director Emeritus John Kerst, Director Emeritus Chad Bedell Brian Dellen Dave Hartley Walter Magill Ren Martyn John Overstreet Laura Sankey Michael Sisk Paul Strong Dean Vogelaar Administrator and Corporate Secretary Char Mighton
Eugene Buchanan Magazine editor Lisa Schlichtman Editor Lindsay Porter Creative services supervisor Photographers Matt Stensland, John F. Russell (with special thanks to Zan and David Blundell) Advertising design and production Severiano DeMarco, Lindsay Porter, Mack Maschmeier, Chris McGaw, Fran Reinier
Rodeo Secretary Barbara Duggan
Advertising sales Reed Jones and Jenni DeFouw
Timers Linda Urie, Doris Mayhan, Sandy Zibell
For advertising information, call Reed Jones at 970-871-4225.
eVent sChedule
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ll performances are held at Brent Romick Rodeo Arena at Howelsen Hill, 501 Howelsen Parkway in downtown Steamboat Springs. Tickets at the gate are $20 for adults; $10 for kids ages 7 to 15; and free for children 6 and younger. Pre-sale tickets are $19 for adults and $9 for kids 7 to 15 and are available at Sheraton Steamboat Resort, Gondola General, F.M. Light & Sons, the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association Visitors Center, and Steamboat Central Reservations. All tickets are general admission. The main seating area is covered, and overflow seating is not. Handicap parking and seating are available. Visit www.steamboatprorodeo.com for more information. The barbecue is open from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Pre-rodeo entertainment appears from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m.
June
13 and 14 — 7:30 p.m. 20 and 21 — 7:30 p.m. 27 and 28 — 7:30 p.m.
July
3 — WRCA Ranch Rodeo/PCRA Bull Riding, 6:30 p.m. 4 and 5 — 6:30 p.m. (July 4 rodeo followed by fireworks display) 11 and 12 — 7:30 p.m. 18 and 19 — 7:30 p.m. 25 and 26 — 7:30 p.m.
august
1 and 2 — 7:30 p.m. 8 and 9 — 7:30 p.m. 15 and 16 — 7:30 p.m.
order of eVents
Opening ceremonies Permit bull riding Sponsor flags Team roping Bareback riding clown act following Steer wrestling Disc chuteout Calf scramble Saddle bronc riding clown act following Tie-down roping Ram Scramble Regional team roping Cowgirls barrel racing Junior & pee wee barrel racing Bull riding
inside Welcome Letter ................................... 6 Schedule .............................................. 7 Entertainment ..................................... 8 Calf/Ram Scramble ............................. 9 Disc Chute Out ................................... 9 Celebrating Pat Mantle ..................... 10 Wrangler Patriots ............................... 11 Travis Darling Memorial .................. 12 Behind the Scenes ............................ 13 History ................................................ 14 Stock Contractors .............................. 15 Events/Who to Watch For ................ 16 Barrelmen & Bullfighters .................. 20 Rodeo Terms ..................................... 24 Profile: Artist Leonid Afremov .......... 26 Ranch Rodeo ..................................... 27 Past Champions ................................ 28 Arena Improvements ......................... 29 Eight Seconds: Casey Colletti .......... 30
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Horseback Rides
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that’s entertainment
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ust because a rodeo event is over, don’t turn your head from the arena. The breaks are when the action heats up even more with world-class specialty acts.
The riders giving it their all at the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series aren’t the evening’s only entertainers. Joining them each fun-filled night are clowns, bands and more to ensure the entertainment lasts all night long. The rodeo’s event staff scours the country every year for the best acts it can find, bringing in top-level talent to keep you on the edge of your seat. Throw in calf scrambles, special kid zones, barbecues, vendors, live music and some of the best clowns (Note: They also are called bullfighters or barrelmen) in the business, and there’s something for everyone every weekend of the series. Welcoming you on the music front are a variety of bands, local and from afar, that play on the entertainment stage from 6 to 7:15 p.m. every night. Go ahead, kick up your heels and dance along. To fill in the gaps between the bucking and riding, clowns and various specialty acts take to
the arena, featuring an all-star lineup from around the world.
band sChedule
“They’re some of the best in the business,” says Rodeo Series chairman Brent Romick, adding that a good bullfighter has to be funny and banter with the announcer all while protecting the cowboys. “And they all love coming to Steamboat.”
June 13 Instant Cash June 14 Jesse Christensen June 20 Yampa Valley Boys June 21 TBD June 27 Trevor G. Potter June 28 Ragweed July 3 Michael Jonas Group July 4 TBD July 5 Jesse Christensen July 11 Yampa Valley Boys July 12 Trevor G. Potter July 18 TBD July 19 Old River Road July 25 TBD July 26 Smokin Guns Aug. 1 Instant Cash Aug. 2 Ragweed Aug. 8 Jesse Christensen Aug. 9 TBD Aug. 15 Trevor G. Potter Aug. 16 TBD * Entertainment subject to change
This year, you’ll see the return of several longtime favorites — including mainstay J.W. Winklepleck ( June 13, 14, 20 and 21, July 11 and 12, August 15 and 16); the lovable and laughable Keith Isley ( June 27 and 28, July 4 and 5); high-flying Timber Tuckness ( July 25 and 26); jalopy-driving Mark Swingler (August 1, 2, 8 and 9); and, straight from Mexico, rope artist Tomas Garcilazo ( July 11, 12, 18 and 19). No matter which night you’re here, you’re guaranteed thrills, spills and a barrel of laughs from some of the top rodeo performers. “Whether you go every night or once a year, you see stuff at a rodeo that you just don’t see anywhere else,” says announcer John Shipley. “It’s a true throwback to the old Wild West shows like Buffalo Bill.”
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Cowboying for Kids
Calf, Ram scrambles let kids join the fun
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owboys and cowgirls aren’t the only ones with the chance to compete in Brent Romick Rodeo Arena at the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series. Your young’uns can get in on the action every night, as well, down to the dirt on their “boots.” All they have to do is join the Calf Scramble or the Ram Scramble. Just listen for the announcer to mention when to line up at the west end of the arena, and then get ready to cheer as they scurry around to grab a ribbon off the tail of a calf or ram. The Calf Scramble is for kids ages 6 to 12, while the Ram Scramble is for kids 5 and younger. The young ones compete just the same as the big kids, with a sheep substituted for a calf. “It’s definitely one of our most popular events,” says the rodeo series’ Charlene Mighton, adding that as many as 100 kids take part in the tail-grabbing action every night. “Both the kids and the parents love it. For a lot of visitors, it’s the highlight of their trip.” The format is simple: Kids gather in the arena, the calf or ram is released and the children then run around trying to grab the ribbon off its tail. Some events take a few seconds and others as long as 10 minutes as the calves and rams twist and turn away from every outreached hand. Eventually, someone winds up with the ribbon, winning bragging rights and special prizes. And every child walks away a winner for participating.
Photo by Zan Blundell
Ready, Aim, Fire
Disc Chute Out rewards donor support
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owboys and cowgirls compete for prizes every night. Now you can get in on the action, too. As long as your aim is good, you can win prizes from sponsors while supporting your favorite small town rodeo series. Every night, the Disc Chute Out lets you throw specially marked discs (true-flying Discraft “Frisbee” golf discs) at the rodeo for $5, and then when the announcer says it’s time for the Disc Chute Out, you get to let your disc sail, aiming for a prize banner
laying in the arena. Every disc that lands on a banner is a winner! If your disc goes in the wash tub in the center of the arena, you win the Grand Prize, sponsored by Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp: A return trip to Steamboat with a free three-night ski-and-stay package for two. Other prize sponsors include Haymaker Golf Course, Honey Stinger, BigAgnes, BAP!, Mountain View Car Wash, the Howler Alpine Slide, Howelsen Ice Arena, Wrangler and E3 Chophouse.
Last year, the rodeo series earmarked 300 discs for the audience to throw. In the process, organizers raised $10,000 for the series. “It’s an activity for every member of the family,” says rodeo board member Laura Sankey. “And all proceeds help fund the nonprofit Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series, so you’re helping the rodeo while you’re having fun.”
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remembering a legend the Pat mantle memorial award
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olin Stalley is on a roll. One that, in the past two years, has earned him prestige amongst his peers, as well as a little additional prize money.
Courtesy photo
At the end of every Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series season, the series’ top six saddle bronc riders face off in the annual Pat Mantle Memorial Saddle Bronc Riding, a single-ride event paying homage to the late Pat Mantle, a cowboy with long-running ties to the rodeo series. The winner gets $2,000 in prize money, as well as a commemorative rifle. For the second year in a row, it was Stalley, a 31-year-old rider from Riverton, Wyoming, coming out on top. With a high-flying last run, he again managed to wrestle the title away from four-time Pat Mantle Award winner Brandon Munn. “I’ve always been right on the bubble of making the cutoff because I’m always doubled up with other rodeos,” Stalley says. “But the last two years, I’ve been able to make it down to Steamboat enough times to pull it off, and have had great rides at the last event.” The contest celebrates Mantle, a Marlboro Man look-alike who grew up raising cattle and horses on his family’s ranch in Dinosaur National Monument and represents all things rodeo in Steamboat. Known for his annual horse roundups in nearby Browns Park, Mantle, who died in 1992, played an integral role in the development of Steamboat’s rodeo. “When we were kids, if we told our daddy we were hungry, he’d just hand us a stick and point at a
jack rabbit,” he once told a reporter. A fierce rodeo competitor in bronc riding and roping, Mantle created the 7-11 Rodeo Co., became a rodeo producer and rode as a pickup man into his 50s. He also operated the Sombrero Ranch Stables in Estes Park, Boulder, Grand Lake and Steamboat, helping visitors enjoy time in the saddle. Every fall, some 600 of his horses were returned to Northwest Colorado to graze, and he’d round them up again come spring. He was so tough, in fact, that once, while working a rodeo in Boulder, an ornery bull named Long John known for jumping the fence threw a cowboy and made straight for the railing where two little girls were sitting. Riding his favorite horse, named Fritz, Mantle roped Long John at the top of his jump and pulled him back into the arena.
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onor. Respect. Bravery. People salute the core principles of America's soldiers because they so proudly reflect the ways of the West. The Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series is honored to support the Wrangler National Patriot program, created to fund and support America’s wounded and fallen soldiers and their families as well as help inspire all Americans to rally around one another in patriotism. “We have a high level of pride and respect for the individuals serving in the U.S. military who show heroism every day to protect our country,” says Wrangler Specialty Apparel president Phil McAdams. “This is our chance to give back to those veterans who have suffered injuries fighting for our freedom, and to their families who have lost a loved one while on duty. It’s a cause we believe will resonate with the Western industry and rodeo community.”
whose mission is to empower and enrich lives through adaptive recreational activities. The partnership will help fund their STARS and Stripes Heroes Camp, a weeklong program of outdoor sports and recreation enabling veterans to experience the Steamboat area in a special, unique way. “We are honored to have the support of the rodeo series and Wrangler for our STARS and Stripes Heroes program,” says STARS executive director Julie Taulman. “All contributions help injured veterans and Wounded Warriors regain their independence and self-esteem through adaptive sports such as kayaking, waterskiing, biking and skiing. Our motto is ‘Life has no limitations, except the ones you make,’ and we believe that every participant, no matter their disability, can achieve success and thrive.”
Photo by Zan Blundell
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wrangler national patriot program
Net proceeds from the July 3 Cowboys’ Roundup Days performance will benefit two local nonprofits: the Rodeo Arena Development Fund and Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports’ STARS and Stripes Heroes Camp.
On a local level, the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series has teamed up with Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports,
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the darling round
special saddle bronc event honors cowboy
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n July 18 and 19 and for the second year in a row, cowboys in the sixth weekend of the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series will have a chance to honor one of their own by competing in a special Saddle Bronc riding contest called the Darling Round. Paying tribute to Travis Darling, a locally raised PRCA rider who was killed in a car accident in Texas in 2012, the event’s purse will be doubled to $2,000, with a commemorative buckle presented to the winner and bonus checks from Darling’s Memorial Fund to the top three riders. But it’s the memory of Darling that matters most. “It’s our way to honor someone who was an integral part of our local rodeo series,” rodeo committee president John Shipley says. Darling was born and raised in Steamboat Springs. He had been on the road competing in PRCA rodeos before moving to Rockdale, Texas, to train cutting horses in fall 2012 where the crash occured. Darling represented Colorado at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Saddle Bronc and Cutting, and attended Casper College on a full rodeo scholarship earning associate degrees in agriculture, business and animal science. In 2009, Darling qualified for the College National Finals and won the Steamboat series’ coveted Pat Mantle Memorial Bronc Riding. Throughout five seasons, he won his share of 10 PRCA Saddle Bronc titles. Darling’s spirit lives on as friends and family share stories of his life. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile. Saddle Bronc rider and artist Will Berg, of Kaycee, Wyoming, created this graphite-on-paper illustration to honor friend Travis Darling.
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Behind the scenes
lot of work goes on behind the rides you see every night at the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series. From announcers and chute bosses to arena directors and logistics, it takes a combined effort to pull off one of the best rodeos in the country (a winner of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association’s Rodeo of the Year). So tip your hats to:
Brent Romick arena director
As arena director and chairman of the board, Brent Romick wears a big hat. He’s responsible for the event’s entire production, coordinating the rough stock and timed events, specialty acts and chute boss to ensure everything fits into a two-hour performance. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun,” says Romick, a member of the PRCA since 1975. Romick has competed in riding and roping events since his youth and is a former series champion in team roping, bull riding, bareback, calf roping and steer wrestling. He still competes in team roping while striving to produce the best pro rodeo series in the nation.
Char Mighton administrator
Paperwork piles up as high as the manure at a rodeo. Managing all that red tape for the Steamboat series is none other than Char Mighton, the rodeo’s administrator since 1998. “There’s quite a few logistics to deal with,” says Mighton, who also hires personnel, handles ticket distribution, supervises the gate and maintains standings. “I love the rodeo’s Western way of life, the people I work with and our guests’ excitement during every performance. It’s also great to watch the competitors progress through the season toward the season championships.”
Ward Van Scoyk site manager
Local attorney Ward Van Scoyk is well accustomed to troubleshooting — which fits in perfectly with his position as site manager for the Steamboat rodeo, where unexpected glitches can occur at any time. Van Scoyk has been on the rodeo board since 1992 and is its current treasurer. His responsibility is to ensure that everything runs horsehair smooth, from turning the lights on and off to flagging the rough stock events. He also gets equipment where it needs to be and when, from sponsor flags for the flag girls to electric eyes for barrel racing. “The Steamboat rodeo is great,” says Van Scoyk, whose family started Denver’s Colorado Saddlery Co. in 1946. “I love being involved with performances, working in the arena and having fun with contestants and fans.”
John Shipley
Brian Dellen chute boss
The clowns aren’t the only jugglers at the Steamboat rodeo. As chute boss, it’s Brian Dellen’s job to keep the bucking chutes organized to make sure the right cowboy gets on the right ride in the correct order. He also informs the announcer who’s riding what and when, and he keeps things safe for the rider and animal. A one-time saddle bronc and bull rider and bullfighter, he’s a good man for the job. “This lets me stay involved in a sport I love,” says Dellen, who also has worked the chute crew at the National Finals Rodeo. “It’s my way of still rodeoing.” Dellen loves the Steamboat series because many riders come back every year. “You need two things to have a successful rodeo — contestants willing to give it their all and great spectators,” he says. “And Steamboat has both.”
announcer
Rodeo Barbecue
Shortly after arriving in Steamboat in 1982, John Shipley announced that he would ride bareback horses at the Friday Night Jackpot Rodeo. So he attended two rodeo schools and was bucked off week after week. It wasn’t until a last-minute substitution for a missing announcer that he realized he had “more aptitude describing it than doing it.”
To serve up the best vittles possible, the City of Steamboat Springs contracts out its food services to the best concessionaire it can find. This year that honor goes to Janice and Ron Forcum’s RJAZ Food Service, who know a thing or two about slinging ribs. For the past 18 years, Janice worked the rodeo for concessionaire Steve Fraysher until his retirement last year. It was only natural that Janice and Ron take it over. Expect the same award-winning, apple-smoked barbecue, from chicken and pork to beef and its best-selling ribs, as well as burgers, bratwurst, hotdogs, desserts and more. In all, 33 employees roam the rodeo grounds every night, at your service for your dining, drinking and entertainment pleasure (yes, they even book the bands playing from 6-7:15 p.m. every night). And riding herd on it are Janice and Ron, who treat it all as another night at the family dinner table. “We love it,” says Janice. “We’re outside meeting people and serving them great food at an award-winning, small town rodeo. It’s a fun, great place to be — it’s Steamboat!”
The switch — especially after tutoring under Hall of Fame announcer Hadley Barrett — led to Shipley joining the PRCA as an announcer in 1987. Since then, he’s announced rodeos from Montana to Florida, receiving the PRCA’s coveted life membership Gold Card. Career highlights include announcing the National Finals Steer Roping, the Ram National Circuit Finals and Cheyenne Frontier Days. “I love playing a small part in keeping an important part of our heritage alive,” he says.
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hen you sit down and watch the action-packed Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series, you’re taking part in a time-honored tradition in town that has seen cowboys riding bulls and broncs for more than a century. “Ranching and rodeo have been important here forever,” says longtime rodeo announcer John Shipley. “They’re part of our town’s whole tradition.” Ever since the first white settlers arrived in Steamboat Springs in the late 19th century, roping and riding have been part of daily life with the sport blossoming by necessity. These early settlers established homesteads and raised horses and livestock as a way of life. Every year, cattle would have to be rounded up, ornery bulls corralled and calves roped for branding. It’s those same skills long used on area ranches that you see displayed today at the Brent Romick Rodeo Arena. These cowboys’ rodeo skills migrated from ranches to competitions, quickly becoming a vital part of town gatherings. In the early days, spectators would form a
rodeo ring by positioning their horses in a circle, heads turned inward. Later, cars were used to form the circle.
Courtesy of Tread of Pioneers Museum
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Rodeo History 101 The makeshift arenas didn’t dampen competition. In the early 1900s, Steamboat reared some of the toughest buckers in the business, including famous horses such as Pin Ears, Carrie Nation and General Pershing. Weekly festivities called the “Friday Night Jackpot” arose in the mid-1970s where riders competed for their combined entry fees. “Those original Friday night rodeos were pretty wild and loosely regulated,” says rodeo board member Brent Romick. In 1982, local Steve Dawes helped the Jackpot Rodeo grow to include Saturday night, and the Steamboat Springs Rodeo Series was born. In 1989, the 10-week series became sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and saw its name changed to the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series. Throughout this 111-year history — from the first Cowboy Roundup Days, now celebrated every July 4, to today’s weekly pro series, a winner of the PRCA’s Small Out-
door Rodeo of the Year — the town’s ranching roots have continued to shine. In fact, many of town’s original homesteads still provide stock for the events, which attract some of the nation’s top competitors trying to earn their way to the National Finals. So as you enjoy the show from the stands, tip your hat to the cowboys keeping one of town’s most lost-lasting traditions alive (and don’t be surprised if some of the cowboys ask you to form a circle with your cars after the show is over).
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the sKinny on the stoCK Contractors: a behind-the-scenes gem for steamboat Pro Rodeo series
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ehind every great ride you see in the Brent Romick Rodeo Arena are the unsung heroes of all rodeos: the animals that provide cowboys their rides. The horses and bovines beneath every contestant are every bit the athlete the riders are, bred specifically for rodeoing. These animals are taken care of by the best stock providers in the country and arrive fresh and ready to go every weekend. This is where the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series truly shines. The rodeo’s animal needs are filled by some of the best stock contractors in the country, who provide fresh rides at each and every event — something not many rodeos offer. “The Steamboat rodeo uses a bunch of different stock contractors, so they always have great horses,” last year’s Pat Mantle Memorial Saddle Bronc Riding winner Colin Stalley says. “Competitors love that about the Steamboat rodeo. We all love coming here to ride.”
This year’s contractor lineup promises high-flying fun for riders and spectators. In all, the 10-week series will see animals from three stock contractors, ensuring the series has the best buckers in the business. “Every contractor has its own following of competitors, so getting stock from three contractors ensures well-rounded participation,” rodeo administrator Char Mighton says. “Everyone’s always excited about riding fresh mounts.” The contractors provide stock for anywhere between one and three weeks (two to six rodeos). Leading off things this year for the first two weeks is Picket Pro Rodeo, of Fairfield, Texas, followed by longtime series stock provider Glenn Southwick and Southwick’s Rocky Mountain Rodeo, of Jay Em, Wyoming, which will provide stock for the next four weekends. The rest of the season will see buckers from Harry Vold Rodeo Co., of Avondale, which has been supplying rodeos for 60 years.
Finding top-notch stock is paramount in luring top-notch riders. “Quality animals are the key to a great rodeo,” says stock provider Kirsten Vold, whose father moved from Canada to Colorado nearly 45 years ago. “Riders and spectators always see quality buckers in Steamboat.” Vold’s 32,000-acre Avondale ranch houses more than 600 horses and 150 bulls, and the company plans to bring 40 horses and 25 bulls to Steamboat this summer. Southwick, which raises its own stock and knows its animals intimately, provides stock for about 35 rodeos per year, with Steamboat always high on its list. Owner Glenn Southwick says longtime fans will recognize some of his tried-and-true horses, and first-timers will be in for a good show. “We have good, fat, healthy livestock that will buck,” he says proudly. “And we know everything about them — from the upand-comers to the potential superstars.”
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Event Round-up
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Who and what to watch for at this year’s rodeo series
f last year’s tight-as-a-belt-buckle rodeo season was any indication, reaching the overall winner’s podium this year will be even tougher. Each event came down to the wire, with many category winners determined by the last ride or run of the season. While you might not see all of these competitors tonight at the rodeo, part of the magic of being a rodeo cowboy is entering events in different locations. We’ve profiled a few names to watch for this year at the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series.
Bareback riding
Team roping
Sponsor: Ski Town Cleaners The most physically demanding event in a pro rodeo may be bareback riding. Cowboys use one hand to grasp a leather rigging to stay on the horse and are judged on their spurring technique and bucking action of the horse. To score higher points, riders must turn the toes of their boots outward and lean way back. No score will be given if the cowboy does not “mark out” the horse. Judges watch closely to ensure that as the horse comes out of the chute, the cowboy’s feet are above its shoulders. The feet must remain there until the horse’s front feet hit the ground. A bareback rider must remain on the animal for eight seconds. Who to watch for: In bareback riding, the rider to beat this year is Anthony Thomas, who came all the way from northwest Australia to steal the 2013 bareback title from 2012 winner Craig Wisehart, of Kersey, Colorado, with a series of high-flying rides throughout the season. And he has his sights on the even loftier goal of competing in the National Finals Rodeo. But also tip your hat to Wisehart, who isn’t going down without a fight. Wisehart won the 2012 bareback title as well as season honors in 2009 and 2010. And the Streweler brothers, Larry and David, also are high on the list for top honors. Larry won the title in 2008, and David captured the crown in 2011. Look for any one of these cowboys to give the Aussie Thomas a run for his money.
Sponsor: Steamboat Village Brokers (Regional team roping: Ore House at the Pine Grove) Team roping demands close cooperation between two cowboys (the header and the heeler) and their horses. The steer is given a head start as the header waits behind a rope barrier. If the header breaks the barrier, a 10-second penalty is assessed. The heeler follows. The header is the first one to rope and must catch the steer either around the horns, neck or one horn and the head. As soon as the header secures the loop, he “dallies” the rope around the saddle horn and rides to the left, turning the steer away from a right-handed heeler. As the header rides away, the heeler tries to rope the steer’s hind feet. A five-second penalty is assessed if the heeler catches only one foot. The two riders then back their horses to take the slack out of their ropes. The clock stops when all the slack has been taken up and the ropers are facing each other. Who to watch for: In team roping, reigning Steamboat series champs Paul Beckett and Clayton Van Aken are the team to beat, traipsing down south from Laramie, Wyoming, for every event last season en route to winning the 2013 crown. But they’re not going to tie up this year’s season as easily as they do their steers. In 2012, the duo of Lee Hagler, of Fort Lupton, and Riley Pedro, of Nunn, took top honors, and plan to compete again, as well (Pedro also co-won the 2009 title). And don’t count out the father-son team of Lee and Luke Lancaster, who won it in 2010, as well as Lance Allen and Jake Day, winners of the coveted title in 2011. Both of these teams also plan to compete for the series’s overall prize. But their dallies will have to hold.
Tie-down roping
Photo by Zan Blundell
Sponsors: Christy Sports, SportStalker
16 | 2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo
After giving the calf a head start, the horse and rider begin their chase. As the cowboy throws his loop, the horse comes to a stop. With his horse still skidding to a stop, the cowboy dismounts, runs to the calf, brings it to the ground and ties any three legs together with a pigging string. The horse must keep slack out of the rope, but not pull so tight that the calf is dragged. When the roper finishes tying, he throws his hands in the air to signal to the flag judge. Then, he gets back on his horse and rides toward the calf, putting slack back into the rope. The calf must remain tied for six seconds after the rope is slack, or the cowboy will receive a “no time.” Who to watch for: After narrowly losing the 2012 tie-down title to Kersey’s Chase Johnston in a duel that came down to the last event of the season and just a 10-point scoring differential, Jake Hamilton made up
for it last year, winning the whole enchilada in the hit or miss tie-down roping event. But don’t count out Johnston to rebound this year. “It’s been super close all along,” he says, adding that the top honors often come down to the last calf of the season. “I love competing in Steamboat — it’s a great facility and great crowd. Everyone likes to win a Steamboat series.”
Steer wrestling
climate and is a great town. I vote for it as Rodeo of the Year every season.” As for winning the crown again, he says it comes down to luck and showing up. “There are a handful of guys who could win it every year,” he says. “I’m fortunate to be able to make it to most of them each year. A lot of times, it just comes down to where you’re sitting towards the end of the year.”
Saddle bronc riding
Sponsors: Ron and Janice Forcum
Sponsor: Mountain Valley Bank
Steer wrestlers, also known as bulldoggers, try to stop a running steer after jumping off a quarterhorse. Courage, timing and balance are essential. The objective: Get the steer on the ground the fastest using only strength and leverage. Done correctly, the event takes only three to five seconds. The cowboy starts his run behind a barrier with another cowboy called a hazer, who keeps the steer from turning away. The steer then is given a head start. When it reaches the scoreline and the rope barrier is released, the steer wrestler and the hazer chase the steer until the wrestler can make his jump. The wrestler then hooks his right arm around the steer’s right horn, grasps the left horn with his left hand, and digs his heels into the dirt and uses leverage to bring down the animal.
Unlike bareback riding, in which the cowboy grabs a rigging fastened to the horse’s back, a saddle bronc rider grips a thick rein attached to the horse’s halter. He then must mark out the horse as in bareback riding. As the horse bucks, the rider bends his knees to pull his heels back and then snaps his feet back to the horse’s shoulder as the animal’s front feet hit the ground, synchronizing spurring with the horse’s movements. The rider is judged on spurring action, body control and the degree to which he keeps
Who to watch for: In the rough-and-tumble steer wrestling event, look for Dan Cathcart, of Carpenter, Wyoming, to try and retain his 2013 crown, but not without a run for his money from 2012 winner Tony Larsen, of nearby Sheridan, Wyoming. And both of these wrestlers likely will face heavy competition from three-time series champion Shawn Mills. “I’ve been competing in Steamboat every year since 1990,” says 2013 series winner Cathcart. “It’s a great get-away and a great rodeo. They treat all the contestants well, it has a good
Ranch Bronc Riding On the ranch, cowboys need to be prepared for a horse to buck anytime and anyplace, and have the skill necessary to stay on. In this season’s new ranch bronc riding event, horses are saddled as they would be for everyday use with a regular working saddle, with cow-
boys using a one-rein bucking horse halter for control. Points are awarded for the difficulty of the horse, and degree of effort, control and exposure demonstrated by the rider. Watch for this event as part of the WRCA’s Ranch Rodeo on July 3, the last weekend of July and all three weekend events in August.
2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo | 17
his toes turned out. The horse’s bucking action contributes to the score, just as in bareback riding. who to watch for: Riverton, Wyoming’s Colin Stalley rode away with last year’s Saddle Bronc title, as well as the coveted Pat Mantle Memorial Saddle Bronc Award, pocketing an extra $2,000 and a commemorative rifle. But Wheatland, Wyoming’s Brandon Munn, who’s won both the Steamboat title and Pat Mantle award three times previously, is riding fast on his high-kicking heels, promising a great matchup this year. And don’t count out two-time title winner Jake Griffin from making a podium appearance, either.
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“The Steamboat rodeo’s always great,” says Stalley, 31, who’ll fight hard this year to keep his crown. “There are always great animals here in Steamboat, as well as a great crowd.”
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As he guns for his fourth overall title, Munn adds that you have to place well in the majority of events to win the overall crown, and that it requires two or three top two finishes and three or four top four results. “It takes consistency and a little luck,” he says.
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barrel racing
sponsors: Ram Rodeo (Pee Wee and Juniors: steamboat Flyfisher) The goal of barrel racing is to run a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels in the fastest time. The horses pivot on their haunches at high speeds and execute each turn with only inches to spare. Normally, quarterhorses are used in barrel racing. A knocked-over barrel incurs a five-second penalty.
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Photo by Zan Blundell
Who to Watch For: Local favorite Wendy McKee might not have had to travel as far as other competitors in last year’s barrel racing event to get to Steamboat, and she made the most of it by posting her first-ever overall title in the tight-turning race. But 2012 title winner Sami Jo Sweeney, from Fort Lupton, is poised to pressure her all the way to the final event in August. And don’t rule out an unprecedented sixth podium finish by perennial favorite and five-time winner Julie Haskins, from nearby Maybell, who knows Brent Romick Rodeo Arena as well as anyone.
Bull riding
Sponsor: Booco’s Contract Services In what is hoped to be an eight-second ride, the rider holds a flat-braided rope in his glove hand. As he settles onto his bull in the chute, he pulls the rope’s tail through a loop and wraps the rope around his riding hand, at times weaving it through his fingers for better grip.
Catching up with Booco “I’ve been competing in the Steamboat Rodeo for 12 years, ever since I turned 18,” says 2013 Steamboat Bull Riding champion Jake Booco, who grew up just a horse-trot away from the Brent Romick Rodeo Arena. “I’ve been second a bunch, but finally managed to win it. Last year, after winning the August bonus round, I pretty much had it wrapped up by the second to last week. But it could be tough this year to do it again. Last year, Cody
Johansen and Pat Church, from New Zealand, were riding really well. It depends on how many weeks I compete. If I go every week and have good rides, there’s a good chance I can win again. But I could win every rodeo in the country and then get bucked off all six in Steamboat. Still, it’s always fun to ride in front of your hometown crowd. Steamboat is my hometown rodeo, and it’s great because a lot of family and friends can come watch.”
Each bull has a different style of bucking Some spin, others circle, others throw in jumps or kicks and others move sideways in midair. As the cowboy waves his free hand to counter the bull’s gyration and maintain his balance, he must avoid touching the bull with his free hand or he is disqualified. The cowboy’s control and the bull’s bucking efforts each account for half of the score. Who to watch for: In the hold-onto-the-seat-of-your-pants bull riding event, the final category held each night, it was Hayden-raised Jake Booco, 29, winning last year’s high-flying crown, stealing the title away from 2012 winner Dillon Kujala, of Burns. But retaining it this year won’t be easy, especially with pressure from such veterans as three-time champion Clayton Savage, 2010 overall champion Lonny Graham and 2011 winner Brady Menge. “Bull riding is always one of the crowd favorites,” says rodeo series announcer John Shipley. “And it always seems to come down to the wire for the season title.”
Photo by Zan Blundell
2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo | 19
Barrelmen & Bullfighters
P
lease, don’t call them “clowns” (OK, your kids can). The proper term is bullfighter or barrelman. While part of their job is to help entertain audiences during breaks in the action, their real job is to protect cowboys’ backs once they’re off their mounts. And that is risky, high-stakes business. How would you like to lure a bull away from its intended target? In every rough stock event, these barrelmen’s hands are as full as each rider’s are with the mounts below him. That said, however, they’re also great entertainers, with specialty acts that they have polished for years. Here are a few of the guys you’ll see jumping into barrels and backfiring jalopies this season.
J.W. Winklepleck
June 13 and 14, June 20 and 21, July 11 and 12, Aug. 15 and 16 If there’s a clown who knows how to walk the walk, it’s crowd favorite J.W. Winklepleck. On any given night, you’re as apt to see him riding a bucking bronc of his own as donning his clown gear to help others do the same.
Winklepleck started riding in Steamboat in 1994 and won the bareback competition in 2000 and almost another in 2007. “I enjoy both clowning and riding,” he says. “But you can’t ride bucking horses forever.” He’s since carved out a niche as a barrelman and performer, getting up close with the audience and interacting with them the whole time. His acts also include snowboarding behind a horse — something near
and dear to those in Steamboat. He’s also known for his announcer rapport, with his banter providing some of the best entertainment of the night. “The atmosphere at the Steamboat rodeo is way above that at a lot of rodeos,” he says. “You can’t beat the scenery, and it’s a fun committee and town.”
Keith Isley
June 27 and 28, July 4 and 5 Ask Keith Isley to speak in front of people at a Kiwanis Club meeting, and he couldn’t do it. The 38-year rodeo veteran has a shy side. But with “makeup on in front of 10,000 people,” he says, “it’s nonstop action.” Isley got into rodeo at age 15, bareback riding and taking on bulls. He realized early on that he enjoyed protecting the cowboys more than actually competing. He was the PRCA Clown of the Year for the past three years and is an eight-time PRCA Specialty Act of the Year award winner. For the second year in a row, he swept the Coors Man in the Can, Comedy Act of the Year and Clown of the Year awards at the annual PRCA Awards. His acts include trick roping and riding and animal routines. “We do quite a few different acts,” he says. “We try to do something different every night.” What started as a weekend gig has turned into a career. He’ll work the biggest rodeo in the world one week and a high school rodeo the next. “I’m the most blessed person in the rodeo business,” he says. “I’m going to make dang sure I don’t forget where I came from.”
J.W. Winklepleck 20 | 2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo
tomas garcilazo
July 11 and 12, July 18 and 19 Prepare to be wowed by some fancy ropework. Mexico’s Tomas Garcilazo has studied floreo de reata (rope artistry) from an early age and was raised in his family tradition of la charreria, a skill performed by charros, who take pride in their horsemanship and roping abilities. One of the finest charros presenting la charreria today, Garcilazo incorporates his mastery of horsemanship and ropework into every performance, routinely bringing audiences to their feet. Unlike most charros who compete in Mexican rodeos, Garcilazo has taken his show worldwide, introducing his craft to an international audience. And now he’s bringing it to Steamboat Springs. A fixture at the National Finals Rodeo for the past 15 years, Garcilazo has won several awards, most notably the Specialty Act of the Year in 2007 and 2012. He also was part of Disney’s Wild West Show in France, has toured with such musicians as Linda Ronstadt and performed on Broadway with the Tony Award-winning Will Rogers Follies. Garcilazo lives in southern California and continues to share his legacy at rodeos, stock shows, horse shows and other equine events.
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the former rider says. “I really am that goofy.” Best known for his walk-and-talk antics and interaction with announcers, he also has a trick or two up his sleeve. “I’m also known for my air suit acts,” he says. “I have a sumo dancing and queen act that lands me on a horse in an air-fi lled suit — you never know how that one ends up.” He also has a giant dancing clown suit he breaks out for the crowd.
runs in his blood. He’s a third-generation entertainer and has been doing rodeos for the past 31 years. “I’ve been doing rodeo and ranching all my life,” he says. What makes his act pop is that it’s one of the newer and unique acts on the circuit. He says it’s hard to fi nd new acts that work year in and year out, but he thinks
“It’s clean family humor everyone can enjoy,” he says. “Everyone wants to laugh, and I get to give that gift to people. I want people to feel like they lost 10 pounds just watching me.” And it doesn’t get any better than performing in Steamboat. “Steamboat is a beautiful town and a great place for rodeo,” he says.
J.J. harrison
J.J. harrison June 18 and 19
timber tuckness
J.J. Harrison, 38, has made fast work of a clowning career. A pilot and former teacher, he’s become one of the most sought after rodeo clowns in the country due to his quick wit, walk and talk. The fat suits and dancing also help. “It’s not an act, it really is who I am,”
July 25 and 26
This Wyoming native does more than 100 performances per year across the United States and Canada and has made multiple television and fi lm appearances. A former high school and college fi nals all-around cowboy, rodeo entertaining
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he has one of the freshest acts in the business — at least, as fresh as the manure he’s continually dodging. He won’t divulge what exactly he’s planning to do, but he says he’s glad to be back in Steamboat Springs. “Expect the unexpected and have fun,” he says.
Mark Swingler
Aug. 1 and 2, Aug. 8 and 9 If there’s one thing about Mark Swingler’s act, it’s that the audience is assured to stick around to the end. “Mine’s a gotcha act,” says the Austin, Texas, native. “We lay a storyline in front of everyone, and it all comes together at the end. People even bring their friends back to see what their reaction is.” The punchline to the act has been developed by one of the PRCA’s best. Swingler has been with the PRCA for 20 years and has been a rodeo entertainer for 26. This year marks his fifth visit to the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series, and he loves coming back. “I love coming to Steamboat with the cool weather in the summer,” he says. “I’m wearing a jacket at night while it’s 120 degrees back home.”
Mark Swingler
2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo | 23
Y
rodeo terminology
ou might hear a few new words or phrases that aren’t in your regular vocabulary at tonight’s event at Brent Romick Rodeo Arena. It’s all part of the jargon here at the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series. The following guide will help you decipher the drawl: All-around cowboy A title given to the athlete who accumulates the most money in two or more events. Barrier Two pieces of rope connected by a piece of kite string in front of the chute. In timed events, if the cowboy breaks through the barrier before it is released by another rope tied to the steer or calf, a 10-second penalty is assessed. Chute The area where an animal is held prior to the event. In rough stock events, this is where the cowboy gets on the animal just in front of the grandstands. The timed-event chutes are at the west end of the stadium. Initial Contact rule Term used in bareback and saddle bronc riding referring to where the cowboy’s heels, or spurs, are positioned on the animal when it leaves the chutes. The cowboy’s feet are required to be above the horse’s shoulders. If not,
a judge will throw a yellow flag, nullifying the ride. The rule doesn’t apply to bull riding. Hazer The cowboy who rides alongside the steer to keep it running straight in steer wrestling. Generally, steer wrestlers give 25 percent of whatever they win to their hazers. Often, one hazer will haze for several steer wrestlers, and many wrestlers haze for other wrestlers. Hooey The knot a tie-down roper uses to secure the calf.
Rank No, not the animal’s (or cowboy’s) smell. It’s a term used to describe a particularly vicious bull or bucking horse. Most often, it’s used as a compliment — generally, the ranker a bull or bronc, the higher the score.
Header/Heeler In team roping, the cowboy who catches the steer’s horns (header) and hind legs (heeler).
Riding events A term used to refer to saddle bronc, bareback and bull riding. Contestants must ride for eight seconds to score.
Mountain States Rodeo Circuit One of 12 professional rodeo regions, including rodeos in Colorado and Wyoming. Cowboys earn points for each performance, with those earning the most qualifying for the National Finals.
Rough stock Livestock used in riding events as opposed to timed events.
National Circuit Finals Rodeo This rodeo awards more than $500,000 in prize money and features contestants from each of rodeo’s 12 geographic circuit systems. World champions and weekend cowboys alike qualify based on how well they do in their home circuits.
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National Finals Rodeo The biggest rodeo of the year, held every December in Las Vegas. Only the top 15 money winners in each event qualify for the 10-round rodeo, which has a purse of more than $5 million and decides the world champion in each event.
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Slack Often, more cowboys enter a rodeo than there are slots to compete. Cowboys not scheduled to compete post their times or score during slack, held after the Friday night performance. Scores and times from slack count just like those posted during the regular performance. Timed events Any event in which a competitor is racing against the clock. Steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and barrel racing are the most common.
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western inspiration behind the poster
W
hen Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series leaders met to design this year’s rodeo poster, they were looking for something more than the traditional cowboy photo. So they enlisted the services of Belarusborn impressionistic artist Leonid Afremov. “We just loved his work,” board member Laura Sankey says. “It seemed to encapsulate about the thrill of rodeo while stirring viewers’ imaginations.” Leonid Afremov Working primarily with a palette knife and oils, Afremov — who lived in Russia, Israel and the United States before moving to his current home and art studio in Playa del Carmen, Mexico — blends vibrant colors, strokes and action into a unique, “positive” style that is truly his own. Selling his works exclusively on the Internet (www.afremov.com), he paints mainly landscape, city scenes, seascapes, flowers and portraits, with most of his work reflecting his own personal memories and emotions. Above all, he tries to evoke a certain feeling in the viewer rather than tell a story. Almost every painting, he says, comes from a very personal inspiration.
He has a special affinity for animals, including cats, dogs, tigers, giraffes and — what caught the eye of the rodeo committee — horses. “I paint rodeos and cowboys because of my fascination with old Western movies,” Afremov says. “There is something that makes a man on a horse look very powerful in a painting.”
26 | 2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo
sanCtioned ranCh rodeo added to roundup days
A
ction, excitement, real working cowboys. Those are the ingredients for the Working Ranch Cowboys Associationsanctioned Ranch Rodeo to be featured July 3, as part of the 111th annual Steamboat Cowboys’ Roundup Days. An added highlight to the Ranch Rodeo will be a special Pro Bull Riding section and Ranch Bronc Riding event. The roots of rodeo in Steamboat Springs date back to historic ranch rodeos held on the same grounds that now comprise today’s Brent Romick Rodeo Arena. Ranchers and their families gathered here for picnics and other activities, but the highlight was always a friendly but fiercely competitive series of events focused on daily ranching chores centered around handling horses, cattle and roping skills. In the early days, there were no chutes or fenced arenas; spectators formed the arena’s boundaries. Throughout the past 15 years, Steamboat has staged local ranch rodeos throughout the summer, with many falling on the July Fourth holiday weekend. This year, the Steamboat Ranch Rodeo becomes one of 24 WRCA-sanctioned performances with working cowboys representing ranches from Florida to Arizona. Teams will compete in Ranch Bronc Riding, Trailer Loading, Team Branding and Team Gathering, with participants meeting strict guidelines as cowboys who make a living on working ranches. The winning team from Steamboat and the other sanctioned rodeos automatically qualify for the WRCA World Championship scheduled in Amarillo, Texas, this November.
2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo | 27
Past Rodeo Champions Bareback Matt Webber, 1985; Tracy Lawton, 1986; Mark Darling, 1987; Brian Swingle, 1988; Jesse Banek, 1989; Gordon Griffith, 1990; Gordon Griffith, 1991; Shane Call, 1992; Shane Call, 1993; Rick Bradley, 1994; Rick Bradley, 1995; Rick Bradley, 1996; George Harty, 1997; Rick Bradley, 1998; Mitch Walz, 1999; J.W. Winklepleck, 2000; Travis Carlson, 2001; Gary Burgener, 2002; Zach Curran, 2003; Cody Fox, 2004; Jerad Schlegel, 2005; Jerad Schlegel, 2006; Micky Downare, 2007; Larry Streweler, 2008; Craig Wisehart, 2009; Craig Wisehart, 2010; David Streweler, 2011; Craig Wisehart, 2012; Anthony Thomas, 2013
Saddle bronc Marty Forester, 1985; Wes Hertzog, 1986; Steve Claypoole, 1987; Clay Keller, 1988; Dane Noyce, 1989; Wes Hertzog, 1990; Harry Virden, 1991; Chuck Halloway, 1992; Tommy Cress, 1993; Wes Hertzog, 1994; Brett Brooks, 1995; Colt Bruegman, 1996; Marty Forester, 1997; Mitch Walz, 1998; Mitch Walz, 1999; Josh Bilbrey, 2000; Bryan Costner, 2001; Chet Johnson, 2002; Ryan Rodewald, 2003; Ryan Rodewald, 2004; Britt Trumbull, 2005; Chance Skelton, 2006; Brandon Munn, 2007; Brandon Munn, 2008; Travis Darling, 2009; Jake Griffin, 2010; Jake Griffin, 2011; Brandon Munn, 2012; Colin Stalley, 2013
Bull riding Steve Cooper, 1985; Ty Rinaldo, 1986; Steve Baker, 1987; Nick Buckley, 1988; Scott Pofahl, 1989; Jeff Cathcart, 1990; Kevin Malovich, 1991; Doug Joseph, 1992; Trent Knez, 1993; Eddie Faircloth, 1994; Hunter Cathcart, 1995; Troy Hipsag, 1996; John Pinnt, 1997; Scott Jacobson, 1998; Sid Killingsworth, 1999; Clint Walker, 2000, Justin Mildenberger, 2001; Jarrod Ford, 2002; Josh Koschel, 2003; Ryan Greenlee, 2004; Josh Kaine Johnson, 2005; Luke Gray, 2006; Clayton Savage, 2007; Clayton Savage, 2008; Clayton Savage, 2009; Lonny Graham, 2010; Brady Menge, 2011; Dillon Kujala, 2012; Jake Booco, 2013
Tie-down Jerry Green, 1984; Ben Grave, 1985; Jerry Kraft, 1986; Lyle Horn, 1987; Dan Johnson, 1989; K.C. Jones, 1990; Dan Johnson, 1991;
Lane Johnson, 1992; Dick Carroll, 1993; Lyle Horn, 1994; Cory Zion, 1995; Charlie Kingsbury, 1996; Jack Hadley, 1997; Jake Clark, 1998; J.D. Crouse, 1999; K.C. Jones, 2000; Cory Zion, 2001; Chris Downey, 2002; J.G. Marshall, 2003; K.C. Jones, 2004, Joe Colletti, 2005; Trevor Theil, 2006; Trevor Theil, 2007; Joe Colletti, 2008; Troy Hubbard, 2009; Darnell Johnson, 2010; Mark Black, 2011; Chase Johnston, 2012; Jake Hamilton, 2013
Steer wrestling Mardell McKnight, 1989; Mark McNamee, 1990; Dick Schneider, 1991; Eric Pickering, 1992; Eric Pickering, 1993; Craig Stein, 1994; Dan Cathcart, 1995; Eric Pickering, 1996; R.C. Harbour, 1997; Doug Cox, 1998; Leon Vick, 1999; Wade Corliss, 2000; Wade Corliss, 2001; Jimmy Allen, 2002; Eric Pickering, 2003; Bill Claunch, 2004; Cole Fritzlan, 2005: Shawn Mills, 2006; Jake Simmons, 2007; Wyatt Johnson, 2008; Theo Federer, 2009; Shawn Mills, 2010; Shawn Mills, 2011; Tony Larsen, 2012; Dan Cathcart, 2013
Team roping Merrit Linke, 1985; Port Toft, 1986; Dan Haskins, 1987; Marty Seeley, 1988; Port Toft, 1989; Lee Lancaster and Chris Glover, 1990; Steve Winnery, 1991; Kevin Norell, 1992; Joe Roderick, 1993; Grant Scheer, 1994; Lee Lancaster and Lynn Lancaster, 1995; Greg Barrier and Dennis Hathcock, 1996; Randy Mekelburg and Lee Lancaster, 1997; Dwight Arnold and Mike Christnick, 1998; John O’Connor and Taz Green, 1999; Paul Griesman and Bret Tonozzi, 2000; Troy Kreutzer and Tim Kreutzer, 2001; Paul Beckett, 2002; Luke Lancaster and Jason Gilchrist, 2003; Lance Allen, 2004; Lance Allen and Paul Beckett, 2005; Shawn Hagler and Alan Erickson, 2006; Jerod Farella, 2007; Jay Tittel, 2008; Shawn Harler and Riley Pedro, 2009; Lee and Luke Lancaster, 2010; Lance Allen and Jake Day, 2011; Lee Hagler and Riley Pedro, 2012; Paul Beckett and Clayton Van Aken, 2013
Barrel racing Tina Lenard, 1985; Coleen Burman, 1986; Casey Fawcett, 1987; Susan Campbell, 1988; Sonja Rose, 1989; Vicki Donaho, 1990; Raedene Spears, 1991; Julie Haskins, 1992; Julie Haskins, 1993; Mary Anderson, 1994; Mary Anderson, 1995; Mary Anderson, 1996; Mary Anderson, 1997; Gayla Shaefer, 1998; Mary Anderson, 1999; Casey Shelsted, 2000; Bonny Wheatley 2001; Belinda Brownell, 2002; Ranette Taylor, 2003; Bonnie Austin, 2004; Margie Ward, 2005; Margie Ward, 2006; Margie Ward, 2007; Kelly Koeppen, 2008; Julie Haskins, 2009; Julie Haskins, 2010; Julie Haskins, 2011; Sami Jo Sweeney, 2012; Wendy McKee, 2013
All-around cowboy Steve Claypoole, 1987; Dar Haskins, 1991; Shane Call, 1992; Shane Call, 1993; Tammy Brennan, 1993; Tyke Bennett, 1995; Tyke Bennett, 1996; Randy Mekelburg, 1997; Mitch Walz, 1998; Mitch Walz, 1999; Chris Downey, 2001; Jarrod Ford, 2002; Luke Lancaster, 2003; K.C. Jones, 2004, K.C. Jones, 2005; Mario Baleztena, 2006; Joe Colletti, 2007; Mario Baleztena, 2008; Mario Baleztena, 2009; Cole Dorenkamp, 2010; K.C. Jones, 2011; Calvin Brevik, 2012; Clayton Van Aken, 2013
Pat Mantle Memorial Saddle Bronc Riding Championships Marty Forester, 1993; Eudell Larsen, 1994; Brett Brooks, 1995; Justin Miller, 1996; Brett Brooks, 1997; Mitch Walz, 1998; Todd McCaughey, 1999; Mitch Walz, 2000; Mitch Walz, 2001; Chet Johnson, 2002; Britt Trumbull, 2003; Brandon Munn, 2004; Andy Kurtz, 2005; Chad Mosher, 2006; Tate Owens, 2007; Brandon Munn, 2008; Travis Darling, 2009; Brandon Munn, 2010; Brandon Munn, 2011; Colin Stalley, 2012; Colin Stalley, 2013 28 | 2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo
arena improVements underway
T
he Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series is one of the most successful rodeo series in the country and an integral element of the summertime culture of the Yampa Valley. At its heart is the Brent Romick Rodeo Arena, a vital part of the Howelsen Hill city park complex and an important amenity for residents and visitors. With the last major rodeo facility improvement completed in 1990, which added the main grandstands, awnings and the current arena, the grounds now are ready for additional improvements. At the forefront is a proposed plan that creates a multi-use facility for various community events and uses, including the addition of several plaza spaces promoting year-round community gathering and accommodating a variety of activities and group sizes. (Notice the beautiful new chutes, gates and pens under and around the grandstand.) Benefits of the new plan include: • Increased safety for animals, contestants and visitors • A better guest experience
• A centralized, multipurpose plaza, amphitheater, vendor and kids play area that’s attractive to a broad range of user groups • Improved efficiency for operations and maintenance, making the facility more sustainable • More parking, including a centralized parking area in Howelsen Hill Park • Improved rodeo arenas, pens and chutes • Allowance for more efficient winter (Nordic) and summer (rodeo) activities • Better spectator seating • Improved vehicular and pedestrian circulation and access • RV hookups The Rodeo Facility Improvement Committee is working with the Steamboat community to raise funds to help make these improvements a reality. The Schematic Design Plan is available online at www.steamboatsprings.net/recreation. Details can be found at www.steamboatprorodeo.com.
Happy Trails BreakfasT
start with
at
A Lifetime of Wellness Starts Here Comprehensive care for the entire family We partner with our patients to achieve improved health through Comprehensive Preventative Care.
Free WiFi • Large Parties Welcome Patio Seating • Locally Owned & Operated
Serving breakfast and lunch all day WE ARE OPEN: Mon - Fri 6:30am - 2pm Sat 6:30am - 2:30pm • Sun 7am - 2:30pm
940 Central Park Dr. Suite 100 • 970-879-3327 • www.yvma.com
970-871-4633 • 325 Anglers Dr.
Conveniently located between downtown & the mountain (behind Starbucks) 2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo | 29
8 seconds with bareback rider asey Colletti, 28, known as the “Colorado Cowboy,” won several Bareback go-rounds at last year’s Wrangler National Finals, including sharing a fifth-round victory with four-time World Champion Bobby Mote. He also won the sixth and 10th rounds, all after injuring his knee earlier. Undergoing surgery this spring, the Pueblo, Colo., cowboy is gearing up for another winning season, including a few swings through Steamboat, one of his favorite rodeo stops. We caught up with him for his take on bareback riding and Steamboat. “I’ve been coming here every year since 2005. Riders love it because it’s Steamboat. The rodeo committee treats everyone great, it’s a circuit rodeo, and it’s close to home and easy to get to. “I love skiing here, also — especially the Cowboy Downhill.
“Steamboat’s great because they bring in different stock contractors all season. Riders like that; it means fresh new rides every time you visit.
“My winning ride in the fifth round last year came on Scarlett’s Web, the same horse I won on in the fifth round in 2012. She’s a stout, big, bucking horse with a lot of heart. You can feel her get excited in the chute and then she just rolls out and kicks over her head every jump. If I could ride a bareback horse every day, it would be Scarlett’s Web.
“My dad rode bareback for 25 years. I grew up around it my whole life. I told him I wanted to try it, and won my first rodeo the next week.
“I envision the perfect ride in my head and then take that to the spur board and practice pen. It’s very mental for me.
“Riding bareback came easier to me than riding bulls or saddle broncs. I got bucked off bulls a lot faster. Bareback is just a different way of riding.
“I try to sign autographs for anyone who asks and talk to everyone. It’s a great way to meet fans and friends.
But I suck, even though I’m from Colorado. There are guys who are way better than me. “The whole Howelsen complex is pretty amazing. There’s a lot to do. I especially like that Alpine Slide.
“Last year, I won three go-rounds at the finals, which was huge for me. I hurt my knee in the third round, but I’m feeling good now and looking forward to competing again.
Daily specials on lunch, dinner and drinks. Open until 10 p.m. Downtown Steamboat 730 Lincoln Ave. 970.879.7570 30 | 2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo
“Competing at the Finals is like playing in the SuperBowl. It’s what you strive for all year. I get there and I’m sitting across from guys I’ve looked up to my whole career. It’s just an amazing experience.
Photo by Fred McClanahan, Jr.
C
Casey Colletti
Open Memorial Day weekend through September
SteamboatAlpineSlide.com
970.819.8010
645 Howelsen Parkway Located downtown off of 5th Street, past the rodeo grounds, at the base of the chairlift of Howelsen Hill.
Come play with us
Located at the base of Mt. Werner USTA National Facility of the Year
Open to the Public Year Round Six indoor and 10 outdoor courts
970.879.8400 | 2500 Pine Grove Road www.10s.com | info@10s.com
970.879.0341 • Howelsen Parkway www.steamboatsprings.net/ice Ice Skating • Skate Rentals Helmets are Free • Bumper Cars on Ice 2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo | 31
970-879-4390
Visit our Full-service showroom in Central Park Plaza next to Walmart
Soak your calves with the rest of the herd. Steamboat’s #1 Choice for Hot Tubs Since 1979 Open: Monday - Friday 10-6 • Saturday 10-5 • Check us out at www.aquavitaspas.com 32 | 2014 steamboat springs pro rodeo