A TRIBUTE TO MARS ..................... HOW COWBOYS
ReCOVER ............................. STAR-SPANGLED RODEO TRADItION
the official magazine of the sheridan wyo rodeo
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2017 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
MONDAY, JULY 10 10 a.m. -
FRIDAY, JULY 14
TUESDAY, JULY 11
6 a.m. 8 a.m. 9 a.m. 9 a.m. 10 a.m. 12 p.m. -
WEDNESDAY, JULY 12
1 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. -
1 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 a.m. 4 p.m. 7 p.m. -
9 a.m. 3 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. -
Rodeo Royalty Pageant Dress Rehearsal (Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall) Rodeo Royalty Pageant (Fairgrounds) Rodeo Royalty Horsemanship (Fairgrounds) PRCA Steer Roping Slack (Fairgrounds) Sheridan WYO Rodeo Boot Kickoff (Kendrick Park) Boot Kickoff Street After-Party (Black Tooth Brewing Company) Rodeo Slack (Fairgrounds) Native American Powwow (Historic Sheridan Inn) Fan Zone Carnival - Buddy Night (Fairgrounds close at midnight) Pre-Rodeo Entertainment (Fairgrounds) First PRCA Rodeo Performance including World Championship Indian Relay Races (Fairgrounds) **KIDS NIGHT (kids 12 & under - tickets $7)**
THURSDAY, JULY 13 9 a.m. 2 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. -
Rodeo Slack (Fairgrounds) Native American Powwow (Historic Sheridan Inn) Carnival (Fairgrounds closes at midnight) Fan Zone Pre-Rodeo Entertainment (Fairgrounds) Second PRCA Rodeo Performance including World Championship Indian Relay Races (Fairgrounds) **Tough Enough To Wear Pink (wear pink)**
Following rodeo -
Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast (Grinnell Plaza) Sneakers & Spurs Rodeo Run (Main Street) Beds Along the Big Horns Race (Main Street) Rodeo Slack (Fairgrounds) Parade “Star Spangled Rodeo” (Main Street) First Peoples Powwow and Dance following Parade (Historic Sheridan Inn) Kiwanis Duck Race (Kendrick Park) Fan Zone Carnival (Fairgrounds close at midnight) Pre-Rodeo Entertainment (Fairgrounds) Third PRCA Rodeo Performance including World Championship Indian Relay Races (Fairgrounds) **Patriot Night (wear red)** Street dance (Downtown)
SATURDAY, JULY 15 9 a.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. Following rodeo -
Rodeo Slack (Fairgrounds) Carnival (Fairgrounds close at midnight) Fan Zone Coronation of the 2017 Sheridan WYO Rodeo Royalty(Fairgrounds) Fourth PRCA Rodeo Performance including World Championship Indian Relay Races (Fairgrounds) **Celebrating 87 Years (wear “old timey” clothing)** Street dance (Downtown)
SUNDAY, JULY 16 10 a.m. 1 p.m. -
Bob King Memorial Team Roping (Fairgrounds) Tailgate Party and Polo games Eatons’ Cup, Alliance Tire Rodeo Cup and Cowboy Polo (Big Horn Equestrian Center)
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RODEO WEEK AND THE SURROUNDING EVENTS, SEE THE SHERIDAN WYO RODEO WEBSITE AT WWW.SHERIDANWYORODEO.COM OR CALL SHERIDAN WYO RODEO CENTRAL AT 307-751-0121.
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GET YOUR TICKETS
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FEATURES
20 • 10 Things to know 31 • posse fuels rodeo heritage 32 • Dressing the Part 40 • Life Behind the Lens 46 • Presenting Old Glory 52 • A tribute to mars
56 • how an anthem Embodies pride 76 • The Craftsmen 80 • an event’s most Loyal Fans 88 • where Star-Spangled Traditions Reside 110 • Veterans Find Solace, Shared values in rodeo 136 • Rodeo Recovery
Volunteers hold the American flag prior to the start of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo.
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Contents 18 • Welcome to Sheridan 22 • History of WYO 28 • WYO President’s Letter 50 • Sponsors 60 • Dana Bowman 62 • Fan zone 64 • More Than just Pretty Faces 70 • World Championship Indian Relay Races 82 • Professional Pick-up Men 93 • Morning Slack 112 • First Peoples Powwow 116 • Boot Kickoff 122 • Service Directory 125 • 2016 Parade Winners 130 • WYO Rodeo Whiskey 133 • ‘Til the last tailgate closes 134 • boot scootin’ at the Street Dance 139 • Bob King Memorial Roping 149 • Contestant List Troy Crowser of Whitewood, South Dakota, makes a good ride during the bronc riding event during the final night of the 2016 Sheridan WYO Rodeo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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Landons
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DESTINATION
SHERIDAN PUBLISHED JULY 2017
Destination Sheridan is a lifestyle and tourism magazine dedicated to serving the greater Sheridan area. Its circulation reach is into visitor centers, places of hospitality, motels, local businesses and other establishments in the greater northern Wyoming area, South Dakota, Montana and Colorado, and home delivery customers of The Sheridan Press. It is also available online at thesheridanpress.com and destinationsheridan.com.
VOLUME 6 NUMBER 3 CONTRIBUTORS Stephen Woody Publisher Phil Ashley Marketing director Kristen Czaban Managing editor Jon Cates Art director Lainie Cathcart Graphic designer Janea LaMeres, sales Lisa Marosok, sales Katie French, sales Chad Riegler, operations Becky Martini, office manager
All photos in Justin Sheely, photojournalist Destination Sheridan are Mike Pruden, journalist by Justin Sheely or are file photos from The Sheridan Kristin Magnusson, journalist Press archives unless Mike Dunn, journalist otherwise noted. Ashleigh Fox, journalist Copyright Chelsea Coli, journalist Sheridan Newspapers, Inc. Hannah Sheely, journalist All uncredited stories are from Sheridan Press staff reports.
ON THE COVER
Lakota Warpath jockey Don Cubby GhostBear,of team Rides a Pretty Horse heads off at the start of the final heat for the World Championship Indian Relay Races during the first night of the 2016 Sheridan WYO Rodeo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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Contributors ...................................................... STEPHEN Woody
Stephen Woody’s first rodeo was in 1956 in San Angelo, Texas. He was a youngster and one of the featured “stars” of the event was Rin Tin Tin. The best rodeo he’s ever seen is right here in Sheridan, Wyoming. It’s rodeo at its best. Rodeo Week in Sheridan is special and has been for generations. Enjoy the rodeo and all the festivities and entertainment. We know it will be memorable. Welcome to Sheridan. Let’s rodeo!
CHELSEA Coli
Chelsea Coli joined The Sheridan Press in October 2016 and is the county, business and outdoors reporter. Originally from upstate New York, Coli received her master’s degree from Georgetown University and her bachelor’s from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. This is Coli’s first rodeo and she’s looking forward to covering this great American sport.
JUSTIN Sheely Justin Sheely attended his first Sheridan WYO Rodeo when he was asked to volunteer to sell programs in 2008. He was captivated by the raw excitement of the Indian Relay races, something he had never seen before. Justin photographed the rodeo and Indian Relays as a hobbyist photographer over the years and was excited to photograph his first rodeo as a photojournalist working for The Sheridan Press in the summer of 2013. His photographs can be found throughout this magazine, in copies of The Sheridan Press during Rodeo Week and for purchase in online galleries at sheridanpress.smugmug.com.
KRISTIN Magnusson
Kristin Magnusson grew up in a rural town near Louisville, Kentucky. In 2003, drawn by the romantic myth of the West, she moved to Denver to earn a bachelor’s degree in multimedia studies and broaden her horizons. In 2009, Magnusson moved to Sheridan, where she worked in video, as a ranch hand and veterinary assistant. In April 2016, she started a new adventure at The Sheridan Press. Magnusson enjoys hiking and shooting video in the Bighorns and hopes to someday build up the courage to go hang gliding in Dayton.
MIKE Dunn Mike Dunn is a business, education and sports reporter with The Sheridan Press. He is originally from the state of Washington and graduated from the University of Wyoming. Mike’s favorite events to watch are bull riding and team roping.
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KRISTEN Czaban Kristen Czaban has been with The Sheridan Press since June 2008. Coming to Sheridan from Chicago meant a little culture shock, but she dove into Rodeo Week with enthusiasm and looks forward to it each year — especially the Boot Kickoff.
HANNAH Sheely
Hannah Sheely covered city, county and state government for The Sheridan Press from 20132015. She returned as a features reporter in October 2016, months before she and her husband, Press photojournalist Justin Sheely, became proud parents to their first child, Eliana. Hannah grew up in Wyoming with the excitement of nightly summer rodeos and thinks the Sheridan WYO Rodeo is the best she’s seen. She is partial to the Indian Relay Races and bareback riding.
MIKE Pruden
Sheridan Press sports editor Mike Pruden didn’t experience rodeo until he moved to Wyoming by way of Indiana two years ago. While it took a few go-rounds to get his bearings, he’s now a self-proclaimed rodeo aficionado. OK, that might be a stretch, but bucking broncs and, of course, Indian Relays are sure to get him out of his seat. And while NBA referees review every third play and Jordan Spieth takes 15 minutes to line up a putt, the nonstop action of rodeo is a fresh change of pace. Let’s get WYO’d!
ASHLEIGH Fox
Ashleigh Fox started with The Sheridan Press in October 2016 as the cops, courts and city government reporter. Fox completed her bachelor’s degree in journalism in May 2015 and worked as a sports reporter for a year in Sidney, Montana, before moving to Sheridan. Originally hailing from southeastern Colorado, Fox considers the move to Wyoming an easy cultural transition. She appreciates the Wild West feel that Sheridan provides and looks forward to diving into everything the Sheridan WYO Rodeo has to offer.
LAINIE Cathcart
Lainie Cathcart started with The Sheridan Press in February 2017. Growing up in a rodeo family, it is part of her lifestyle. She believes it is one of the greatest sports to be a part of. Rodeo has taken her places she may have never visited otherwise.
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Welcome to Sheridan W
elcome to Sheridan, home of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo founded in 1931. Sheridan WYO Rodeo is part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association circuits, which are a part of the Million Dollar Silver Tour. The WYO Rodeo is the largest event held in Sheridan every summer and it packs a week of fun into our community every year. Planning for next year’s WYO Rodeo starts a week after this year’s rodeo, partly for all the hard work it takes, but also for recovery time. We are very proud of this great event and we welcome all to join us in this fantastic week of fun. Rodeo kicks off in Sheridan’s favorite gathering spot — Kendrick Park — on July 11 at 4 p.m. Join the Chamber Ambassadors and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo board at Kendrick Park for this year’s Sheridan WYO Rodeo Boot Kickoff party for Rodeo Week, sponsored by the wonderful people at The Historic Sheridan Inn. I offer this as a past Boot Kickoff champion, winning was an honor, the skill was a challenge and my new Justin boots lasted a long time. Rodeo Week is filled with visual imagery, humor and events not found elsewhere in the world. Sheridan’s history and culture stand out across the world.
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World travelers have made Sheridan and our rodeo a bucket list priority. Rodeo athletes, both human and animal, perform in four action-packed rodeo performances, July 1215, highlighted by the very popular World Championship Indian Relay Races. The one-of-a-kind Native American powwows are also cultural masterpieces. Family fun abounds throughout Rodeo Week from July 10-16. From the boot kickoff to our classic pancake breakfast, people gather as a community. Our carnival must be experienced to appreciate modern theme parks of today. Our hometown feel ignites hearts and plays on the strings of life at our Western street dances downtown. Our community also has world class and local polo games that should be enjoyed as one of the finer things in life. Our endless Bighorn Mountain outdoor recreation opportunities provide the time and space to fully enjoy our way life. Please join us this year in historic Sheridan, Wyoming! You won’t forget this experience and your family will talk about the memories decades into the future. Much of this fun is free to the public, but you need to purchase your event and rodeo tickets in advance. The fun is available for all to enjoy. Thank you for making Sheridan and our renowned WYO Rodeo a part of your life.
Mayor Roger Miller City of Sheridan
W
elcome all rodeo fans to the 87th annual Sheridan WYO Rodeo The Sheridan County Board of Commissioners is appreciative of the enormous benefits the Sheridan WYO Rodeo provides to Sheridan County. In its 87th year, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo continues to be a force in the community for firstclass professional rodeo entertainment, economic development and maintenance of our cultural heritage. As the largest annual event in Sheridan County, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo provides a springboard for fun. Surrounding the rodeo performances is a funfilled week that offers multiple opportunities for local organizations to garner financial support for various charitable causes. The county commissioners are proud of the close historic relationship that the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and Sheridan County have maintained since the first rodeo in 1931. This has resulted in many mutually supportive infrastructure projects to the Sheridan County Fairgrounds complex over the years. Last year the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and its charitable supporting organization, the Gold Buckle Club, invested $685,000 for additional seating and a much needed walkway over the track. These improvements benefit all fairgrounds user groups the rest of the year. In turn, Sheridan County and the Sheridan County Fair Association made more than $1.9 million worth of infrastructure improvements to the fairgrounds, which benefit all user groups and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. These mutual supporting programs significantly enhance the experience of Sheridan
WYO rodeo fans and all fairground user groups. The Sheridan WYO Rodeo enjoys an abundance of community cooperation throughout the county — that speaks well of our generous citizenry. The staging of each annual rodeo is a totally volunteer effort spearheaded by the board of directors that is supported by a small army of volunteers. When the generous local and corporate sponsors are added to the mix, success is the result. But the biggest factor in the continuing success of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo is you — the fans. Without your enthusiasm, your excitement, your appreciation of good rodeo and your “rodeo attitude,” all the cooperation between Sheridan County and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and the support of the volunteers and sponsors would be for naught. So thank you. And welcome again to the Sheridan WYO Rodeo.
Sheridan County Board of Commissioners
From left are Bob Rolston,Steve Maier, Terry Cram, Mike Nickel and Tom Ringley.
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Sheridan WYO Rodeo is the city’s biggest homecoming.
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Attendance grows each year.
For Sheridan's current and former residents, the rodeo is a chance to celebrate with friends and family. “Rodeo Week has a much greater reach than just rodeo fans,” said Ryan Koltiska, director of marketing for the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce. “Locals, as well as former Sheridan residents use Rodeo Week as the prime opportunity for other get-togethers such as family reunions, class reunions and family vacations.”
While the first rodeos attracted only a couple thousand people, today, the four-day attendance exceeds the city of Sheridan's population. More than 26,000 people attended the rodeo last year, which broke the record. Attendance has grown every year since 2012.
THINGS
TO KNOW BY MIKE DUNN
The Sheridan WYO Rodeo is an experience like no other. If you haven't been to Sheridan during Rodeo Week, though, it can be overwhelming. Here are a few things to know to ensure you enjoy all that Rodeo Week has to offer.
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It's a good time.
If you’re not into crowds, Rodeo Week can prove overwhelming. But, feel free to take a break or grab a drink at a local establishment. No matter what you chose to participate in, though, if you can’t find some fun, you aren’t looking hard enough. “The actual rodeo is a blast, well-organized, and even if you’re not a rodeo fan, you can still enjoy the show,” Koltiska said. “But the festivities for the week are what make it so much fun. The kids go crazy for the parade, the young adults go wild at the street dance, families gather for the boot kickoff, and everyone loves the carnival. People save up their time, energy, money and vacation because come July every year, there’s a good time to be had.”
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Indian Relay Racers
While the Sheridan WYO Rodeo may be one of the premiere competition sites in the country, Indian relay racers compete all summer long. Competitors in the Professional Indian Horse Racing Association can ride in more than 15 events across the United States. Competitors can be young and old. Last year, a 12-year-old competed as a jockey for one of the relay teams.
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Contestants come far and wide to compete in the rodeo.
Nearly 700 cowboys and cowgirls competed in the Sheridan WYO Rodeo in 2016. They come from all areas of the country and the globe, including Canada, Australia and Brazil. Don’t worry, though, there are many cowboys and cowgirls from right here in Wyoming, too.
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,W V D VLJQLßFDQW ERRVW WR Sheridan's economy.
“We know that a significant number of attendees come from out of town — we estimate roughly 15 percent — and that even more individuals 'come home' to Sheridan for the week’s events,” said Shawn Parker, Sheridan Travel and Tourism executive director. “This drives significant interest in Sheridan’s restaurants, hotels, shops, downtown attractions, the Bighorn Mountains and more.”
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Competitors can win thousands of dollars in prizes.
Cowboys and cowgirls can earn big bucks for their performances at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. The first ever purse for the event, held in 1931, was only $15,000. In 2016, the purse exceeded $300,000. How much would you want to win if you climbed on the back of a bucking bull?
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Bareback rider Brian Bain rides his way to an 80 on day two of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo.
Hotels are busy.
As one of the hottest tickets in town, many planning to visit Sheridan during Rodeo Week book their hotels months in advance. However, Parker said there's always a chance for spectators to pop into town to take in the action. “We’re seeing a trend where visitors are booking closer to their travel date — including many more last-minute overnights than we’ve seen in years past — suggesting the market is changing, and visitors are making more flexible plans,” Parker said. “That’s great news for us; we know that Sheridan is going to be busy again during the rodeo, and we’ll have an opportunity, as a community, to grab more of those folks 'just passing through,' when they see how lively Sheridan is.”
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Volunteers make the rodeo happen.
The Sheridan WYO Rodeo is a major production, but it wouldn’t be possible without volunteers. Thirteen board members and hundreds of other individuals work hundreds of hours without pay each year to make sure the rodeo goes off without a hitch. They get to be close to the action, but rarely get a break from it.
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Sponsors
Without sponsors, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo would not be the performance it is today. More than 50 local and national sponsors, including The Sheridan Press, help support the rodeo.
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HISTORY OF the WYO BY TOM RINGLEY
Sheridan WYO Rodeo emeritus board member
The Sheridan WYO Rodeo is a work in progress. In 87 years, starting in 1931, the WYO Rodeo has changed direction or modified its format many times in order to cope with various challenges. And it’s always been willing to try out new ideas and to discard them if they don’t work or outlive their usefulness. In every instance, the sole motivation behind every change has been to improve the rodeo experience for the Sheridan community and to ensure that the WYO Rodeo endures. There have been many examples over the years. Here are just a few: In 1933, the decision was made to have the carnival downtown, east of city hall, instead of at the fairgrounds. That idea didn’t work. The carnival has been at the fairgrounds ever since. From 1937 until 1941, the WYO Rodeo had two parades, on both the first and third days of the rodeo. That idea ran its course, and since 1945, when the rodeo resumed after the war, Rodeo Week has featured only one downtown parade. Its historical hallmark is that it always starts on time – 10 a.m. sharp! In 1936, a daredevil stunt was introduced during the rodeo performance. The stunt was that Capt. Frakes would crash his airplane into a burning building at the fairgrounds. He performed the stunt and survived. But the stunt caused such a ruckus with a governmental agency that the rodeo never tried such a stunt again. A few years later, the rodeo did have an Army lieutenant parachute from a plane into the rodeo arena in front of the spectators. But that was pretty tame stuff comparatively. In 1943 and 1944, the WYO Rodeo was canceled because of the war and re-emerged in 1945 with a new name, The Bots Sots Stampede, and a new status, amateur, instead of the prewar professional status. The name change lasted until 1951, when the rodeo almost failed, but public support was mustered and, by popular demand, the rodeo resumed its previous name of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. In 1964, the rodeo board had to cancel its vaudevillian-type night shows, which had been
Kortney Fisher of Morgan Mill, Texas, competes in barrel racing during the Sheridan WYO Rodeo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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ABOVE: Steer wrestler Sean Santucci leaves his horse to wrestle a steer, placing in the first round at the 2016 WYO Rodeo. BELOW: Saddle bronc rider Shorty Garrett competes at the WYO.
held since the 1940s. The board did it because of the financial burden and the fact that “it was hard to obtain affordable firstclass talent.” Fast forward 43 years, to 2007. The rodeo board decided to introduce a concert night during Rodeo Week. The concerts, while popular with the public, created a financial and logistical burden that was unacceptable to the rodeo board, and the concerts were terminated after four years. In 1967, the WYO was on the verge of failure again, and the rodeo board decided it had to resume professional status to survive. It did, the rodeo survived and today is one of the premier professional rodeos on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit and a member of the Million Dollar Tour. Good decision. In 1994, the WYO Rodeo board decided it needed to change stock contractors to improve the quality of the WYO Rodeo. As a result, it selected Ike and Roberta Sankey of Sankey Pro Rodeo. The Sankey family became an integral part of the WYO Rodeo family and helped the WYO Rodeo reach new heights. The Sankeys will be back this summer. In 1997, the Native Americans returned to the WYO Rodeo after many years absent. They compete in the World Championship Indian Relay Races, which offer the most exciting beginning of any rodeo in America. The races add incalculable value and excitement to the WYO Rodeo.
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PRESIDENT, SHERIDAN WYO RODEO NICK SIDDLE
Howdy friends,
Welcome to the 87th annual Sheridan WYO Rodeo celebration “Star Spangled Rodeo.” It is truly an exciting week to be in Sheridan with a wide variety of events — family and class reunions and homecoming time for many past Sheridan folks. I am blessed with the opportunity to lead an award-winning rodeo board to host this tremendous event. We had a record setting year in 2016 and hope to continue that trend this year. We do our best to continue to improve on our event, one of the best professional rodeos in America. With an entirely volunteer board, the WYO Rodeo Spurs volunteer group, the WYO Rodeo Wranglers — our flag carriers and mounted drill team, we continue to improve on the Western traditions that make the WYO such a top-notch event. We are so pleased to welcome the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard from Fort Riley, Kansas, to our festivities this year for their 100-year celebration. We also welcome back Dana Bowman, parachute veteran extraordinaire, to “drop in” with Old Glory each evening. After saluting our nation, we proceed to the most exciting event you will see anywhere, the World Championship Indian Relay Races, a WYO Rodeo tradition. WYO Rodeo Week is truly a community event. Keeping in mind our board goals of promoting, supporting and producing outstanding rodeo events, and supporting the Western lifestyle and economic development, we team with many community organizations to make this an activity-filled
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week of excitement. This simply could not happen without our tremendous community support, the outstanding sponsors who help make it happen and the strength of the Sheridan community. Each evening of rodeo action, you will be treated to pre-rodeo entertainment, world class livestock, top Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association competitors, three of the best pickup men in the business, two of our nation’s best bullfighters and the best barrel man and entertainer in the sport. Top that off with an outstanding rodeo announcer, a fast-paced variety of edge-ofyour-seat events, and plenty of great food and drink options. Before and after the rodeo you can enjoy the carnival, fan zone and downtown activities galore, not to mention the downtown parade and variety of events Friday. Enjoy the week. Take some time with family and friends to entertain and be entertained. Be proud to be part of the “Star Spangled Rodeo” and the great Western tradition that is the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. Have a great time and “LET’S GET WYO’D!”
The people who make it
happen!
Left to Right (standing): Larry Gold, Charlie Jorgenson, Zane Garstad, Nick Siddle, Billy Craft, Jim Wolfe, Vicki Kane, Hayden Heaphy Left to Right (on wagon): Sam Summers, Linda St Clair, Jeff Wells, Ike Sankey (Stock Contractor), Lonnie Wright, Jess Sams
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Posse Fuels Heritage BY KRISTIN MAGNUSSON
The Sheridan WYO Rodeo attracts more than 26,000 attendees to Sheridan every year, including thousands of guests from outside the county, other states and around the world. “Rodeo is a great thing, always has been,” King’s Saddlery and King Ropes owner Bruce King said. “It used to be the whole town would close down, we’d have it on a Friday afternoon, Saturday afternoon, businesses would shut down and everybody would go to the rodeo. It’s a social thing, a good time for everybody to let loose, a celebration of our life and heritage.” Sheridan Stationery Books and Gallery owner Robby Smith said she has lived in Sheridan her whole life and rodeo has always been a big deal. “It’s just so much a part of our community and it’s the biggest social event of the year,” Smith said. “Rodeo Week is when people come home. People who have moved away from here always come home for rodeo because you see everybody.” There are four major sponsors to the Sheridan WYO Rodeo — Coca-cola, Mars, Gold Buckle Club and the Sheridan WYO Posse. The Sheridan WYO Posse was established six years ago, and local businesses were proud to show their support. According to Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board member Larry Gold, Sheridan Stationery Books and Gallery and King’s Saddlery and King Ropes were officially the first two businesses to come on board as members. “We joined the Posse because it’s a fun way to support the rodeo,” Smith said. “Rodeo is also important for the Sheridan community because it brings a lot of people to town, which means there are more people downtown shopping, there are people staying in the motels and eating in the restaurants, and of course at rodeo, drinking in the bars. It’s a big boon for a lot of businesses.” King said his family joined the Posse because rodeo is what they do, it is basically their business, and the membership is a supporting factor of the rodeo. He said the rodeo is an organiza-
tion that needs community support to keep it going. Sheridan is a cowboy area, so it needs to be done. “We grew up going to rodeo every summer,” King said. “It used to be able to support itself, but it’s getting more entertaining, more professional, with more things going on and so the better it gets, the more expensive.” Sheridan WYO Posse members are the backbone of the Sheridan community business leaders and owners who are doing the most to make Sheridan a great place to live and work. The Posse membership is one of the most affordable ways to directly support the largest event held in Sheridan helping to ensure it continues to drive nearly $6 million in economic activity in the Sheridan community each year, SWR board members said. The Sheridan WYO Posse is an avenue for smaller businesses to show their pride for being a part of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo sponsorship. Their membership fees constitute their annual sponsorship, making them collectively a major sponsor. This year there are more than 80 members in the Posse and the rodeo board is working toward 100 memberships by Rodeo Week, Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board Member Lonnie Wright said. Sponsors are essential for the Sheridan WYO Rodeo to happen every year. All aspects of the rodeo have to be paid for and sponsors make it happen. They contribute to everything from renting the fairgrounds; the clown act; the bullfighters; the pickup men; the stock contractor; the lights, which are huge consumers of electricity; to the prize money to have the top cowboys come and compete. “The rodeo is growing by leaps and bounds and it seems like every year we do better and better,” Wright said. “I always think about it like Christmas in July for Sheridan County, because of all the people that show up and all the money that changes hands again, again and again. It’s a special thing for Sheridan County.”
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the part
Tips for how to cowgirl (and cowboy) up for the WYO Rodeo BY HANNAH SHEELY
It’s a classic scene in movie history. In “Back to the Future III,” Marty McFly exits the bathroom at a drive-in movie theater wearing a Western outfit Doc chose for his time travel back to 1885. Marty looks doubtfully at his rust red jeans, gold belt buckle, and salmon and baby blue shirt with long fringe on the chest and sleeves Marty: “I don’t know. You sure this stuff is authentic?” Doc: “Of course! Haven’t you ever seen a Western?” Marty: “Yeah, I have Doc, and Clint Eastwood never wore anything like this.” While anything goes for dressing to attend the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, Boot Barn manager Cindy Davis offers a few tips on how to cowgirl (and cowboy) up — without looking like Marty McFly. “It is all about personal preference,” Davis said. “Anything goes, just anything goes.” Ladies can opt for traditional or chic western. Traditional includes a long-sleeved shirt tucked into jeans with a belt, hat and boots to complete the look. It is practical and comfortable but leaves plenty of room for style and bling with colorful shirts and bold jewelry to accessorize.
Women’s Traditional
2016 Sheridan WYO Rodeo Queen Bailey McLean models a traditional western look for women. Clothing supplied by Boot Barn. • Traditional western women’s shirts have a longer waist and sleeves to keep the cowgirl covered while she rides. Go for a fun pattern and color. • Jeans are practical and stylish, good from rodeo to street dance to ranch. • Traditional doesn’t mean boring. Bling it up with belts and jewelry.
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Chic western is the more common style during rodeo week, Davis said. It is nice for hot weather, and it is just plain fun. Pair a flowy, sleeveless top with denim shorts or a skirt. Add boots, hat and jewelry — chunky or simple — to top it off. Or go for a summer dress with boots, hat and bling. Men like to dress for rodeo, too, Davis said, usually opting for a long-sleeved western shirt tucked into jeans, and, of course, a hat, belt and boots. “It’s Sheridan culture, and so much of what we do here in Sheridan is based around the western lifestyle,” Davis said. “It’s an extension of that, a chance for everybody to have fun and dress the part.”
Women’s Chic Western
Boot Barn sales/keyholder Candice Gay models a chic western look for women. • Pair a bold, flowy sleeveless top with denim shorts or skirt for eye-catching style. • This look is all about the boots, so strut your stuff in a daring pair. • The hat says cowboy while the earrings say class.
Cowboy Up
Local cowboy Chris Sorenson models a traditional Western look for men. • Pick jeans that make you feel good — and look good. Don’t forget the belt. • When buttoning up that shirt, show your personality with some color and fun patterns. • Palm leaf and straw hats keep your head cooler in summer heat.
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an Economic Staple FROM STAFF REPORTS
Since 1931, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo has been a staple of summertime entertainment in northeastern Wyoming. Drawing in sell-out crowds, the rodeo provides a week of social events for locals and tourists alike. However one of its largest impacts is the contribution the WYO Rodeo makes to the community’s economy. According to information compiled by Larry Gold, controller of the WYO Rodeo and treasurer of the Gold Buckle Club, the SWR brings in millions of dollars of revenue. It is estimated that the WYO Rodeo’s out-of-town visitors stay for an average of two days and two nights and spend an average of $550 while in Sheridan. In 2016, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo had more than 26,500 in attendance, drawing approximately 15 percent of its guests from outside the state. The rodeo typically sells out Friday and Saturday nights, but could spur even more growth with increased attendance on Wednesday and Thursday nights. In 2016, the WYO Rodeo expanded seating to accommodate roughly 640 more guests per night, providing a total capacity of 6,400 guests each night. The expanded seating includes more Gold Buckle Club seats, temporary seats and a suspended walkway. More guests mean more visitors and more money being spent in town. Not only is money poured into various industries from hotels to restaurants, but local businesses benefit from the unique opportunities to advertise and participate during events. “There’s a lot of opportunity for every kind of business in town to generate some income, and this is also a weeklong celebration for everyone who comes back here,” Gold said. Additionally, the rodeo showcases Sheridan as a potential vacation destination, while supplementing the area’s economy through a large summer tourism boost. “I can’t think of anything else that has the magnitude [of the SWR],” Gold said.
................................................................................................................................. TOP: Duane Allred, owner of Cowboy Kettle, in Colstrip, Montana, pours hot popcorn from the kettle under the grandstands during the 2016 Sheridan WYO Rodeo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds. MIDDLE: Six-year-old Isabelle Badgett fills her cup from Kona Ice under the grandstands during the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. BOTTOM: Rodeo goers visit the Burger Wagon under the grandstands during the Sheridan WYO Rodeo.
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Improvements FROM STAFF REPORTS
The Sheridan WYO Rodeo has made enumerable improvements to the Sheridan County Fairgrounds since the first rodeo performance in 1931. That year, the board of directors built an additional grandstand just to accommodate the expected crowds. The WYO has completed many other facility upgrades throughout the 87 years of its existence. Last year, the WYO and the Gold Buckle Club made even more improvements at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds. The latest round facilitates movement and increased seating capacity. The track crossing from the main grandstand and Exhibit Hall area to the GBC seating, the chute area and the east grandstand has always been a concern to The WYO Board of Directors. It was a choke point that presented safety and security concerns especially at the beginning of the rodeo during the World Championship Indian Relay Races. Also, if it rains during Rodeo Week, the track becomes a muddy quagmire — not good for foot traffic. For several years the WYO Rodeo and GBC discussed the possibility of installing a walkway over the track. Those discussions came to fruition; the walkway became a reality in 2016. The steel and concrete walkway extends from the west side of the track from the Exhibit Hall lawn, along the backside of the Gold Buckle seating and down to the area behind the roping chutes. The walkway also provides above ground access to the current GBC grandstand, which was also expanded. One-hundred forty seats were added to increase GBC seating to 595 seats. At the same time, the existing deck area was expanded. Both the deck area and the additional seating are over the timed event chute area. The cost of the addition is $616,000. But that’s not the end of the story. Because of the many sellout crowds in recent years, The WYO and GBC boards of directors are determined to provide more and better seating for rodeo fans. Consequently, portable grandstands, which seat 500 people, will be placed in the north end of the arena. Fencing will be placed between the new seats and the rodeo action, in effect making the arena shorter, but occupants of these ringside seats are going to be really close to the action. Access to this new seating, which is Section H, is across the track on the north end of the main grandstand. This new seating will cost $69,000. The combined cost of the two projects, $685,000, represents a major investment in the Sheridan County Fairgrounds by the WYO Rodeo and GBC, but the new facilities are expected to enhance the rodeo experience for the thousands of fans during Rodeo Week, and
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for the rest of the year will be available for other events at the fairgrounds. In 2014, The WYO officially transferred capital improvements valued at $491,751 to Sheridan County. These improvements made between 2005 and 2013 included air-conditioning and heating in the Exhibit Hall, livestock handling pens, GBC seating, east side grandstand seating, a new Crow’s Nest, Wi-Fi equipment and antenna and a walkway over the livestock return alley behind the crow’s nest. With the completion of the current ongoing projects, the investment in the Sheridan County Fairgrounds will exceed $1 million. One of the original purposes of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo when it was incorporated so long ago was to “…erect buildings and improvements upon parks and grounds used by it, and for the civic betterment and improvement of the Sheridan community…” While The WYO and the GBC have made significant investments over the last few years to enhance the rodeo experience, and incidentally benefit all other fairground users as well, Sheridan County has made concurrent infrastructure improvements to benefit all users. Since 2010, Sheridan County and the Sheridan County Fair Association have invested more than $1.9 million in infrastructure projects at the fairgrounds. The list of projects includes drainage improvements ($435,000), renovation of the Exhibit Hall ($470,000), water system ($621,000) and parking lot improvements ($115,000). These projects, plus other minor ones, and the in-house efforts of the fairgrounds staff, have transformed the functionality and appearance of the fairgrounds. It is a facility of which the Sheridan community can be proud. The WYO and the GBC have their eye on yet another fairgrounds improvement project as well. They are considering the installation of more seating over the bucking chutes which would conceptually include four luxury box seats, 380 new stadium seats, a new crow’s nest, a concession area and restrooms. This concept has been talked about by rodeo fans for years. Editor’s note: This article was submitted by Sheridan County Commissioner and Sheridan WYO Rodeo emeritus board member Tom Ringley in 2016 and has been updated for this year’s edition.
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Life behind the BY ASHLEIGH FOX
While Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association photographer Eva Scofield blends into the arena action throughout the course of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, her photography stands out nationwide. An award-winning photographer and retired captain in the U.S. Navy, Scofield goes about her job like most people who help make the rodeo happen. What people don’t see, though, is Scofield’s dedication to her favorite rodeo. “Certainly one of my favorite (events to cover) is Sheridan,” Scofield said. “I love being there. The committee is like family. I’ve turned down other rodeos, like Pikes Peak or Bust, because I want to be at Sheridan every year. Surely something I never, ever thought I’d get a chance to do, but I love going to Sheridan.” With no formal training in photography, Scofield shows the hard work she put in to get where she is today through her spot-on work. “There’s a lot of action displayed in those pictures,” said Hayden Heaphy, a WYO Rodeo board member who volunteers to handle the WYO Rodeo media credentials. “There’s things happening with the horses and the athletes and bulls and animals and you look at those pictures and you think, ‘How can that animal do that?’ I never thought a horse could walk on its toes with his nose on the ground, but this one looks like he’s doing that.”
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I’ve turned down other rodeos, like Pikes Peak or Bust, because I want to be at Sheridan every year. - Eva Scofield
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Scofield was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Navy in the early 1990s. While there, she competed in the European rodeo and started taking photos. “I just picked up a camera and just started taking pictures of my buddies and that’s how I started pretty much,” Scofield said. Scofield started with the PRCA in 2003 and now remains on a first-name basis with the contestants and part of the family of WYO Rodeo committee members. “I show up there and I get hugs and everybody’s just glad to see everybody,” Scofield said. The days spent in Sheridan are long for Scofield. She starts with slack in the early hours of the day, followed by a lunch break filled with downloading and as much editing as she can squeeze in, then back to the arena for the main event. She stays up editing photos until around midnight, then starts the process again right away the next day. While she takes few or no breaks and runs from end to end in the arena to capture the best shot of each cowboy and cowgirl, she wouldn’t trade it for a seat in the bleachers. “It’s something that you get hooked on, just like guys are hooked on rodeo,” Scofield said. “It’s the people. It’s the excitement. It’s the challenge of getting great shots each time. It’s just a little bit of all those things.” Scofield relates the relationships fostered within the rodeo circuit to those in the military. “It’s the people and the places,” Scofield said of her inspiration of why she continues to shoot. “Sometimes it’s fun, sometimes it sucks, but the thing that keeps guys in when they do stay is the camaraderie and all the places you get to go.” With prior family ties to Sheridan, Scofield said she feels the WYO Rodeo is like coming home. In fact, she even owns land in the area; she hopes someday she’ll slow down enough to lay a foundation. For now, though, she’ll continue providing top-notch photography for cowboys and the community to enjoy.
Televised Performance FROM STAFF REPORTS
Did you make plans for Sheridan WYO Rodeo Week that take you out of town? Are you unable to attend the action at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds? First, we’re sorry. Those plans don’t mean you’re completely out of luck. The Saturday night performance of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo will be televised. According to WYO Rodeo board members, Wrangler has long been a supporter of Sheridan’s rodeo and the company has created a network to broadcast rodeos throughout the year. Last year, 2016, was the first year the Sheridan event got on the Wrangler schedule.
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The board credits Stu Pierson, the Jumbotron contractor who also works with the Wrangler Network, with helping to provide the coverage. “He has played an important role in getting our event televised,” WYO Rodeo board member Zane Garstad said. “He has extensive rodeo broadcast coverage experience working for Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and covering numerous large rodeos throughout the country. Stu is a true professional and a real asset to the WYO Rodeo.” For more information about the broadcast, see wranglernetwork.com.
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Jumbotron FROM STAFF REPORTS
It’s easy to get caught up in the crowd and miss a piece of the action. Or, maybe you needed a cold beverage or a bite to eat and missed some of the arena excitement. Don’t worry. Instant replays, highlights and scores will all be included again in this year’s Sheridan WYO Rodeo with the help of a Jumbotron. The rodeo board said after the first year, they knew the large screen would be a requirement for years to come. It brings a higher level of entertainment to the event. The screen — and what’s on it — will be the same this year. The SWR will again partner with Get Western Productions from Cheyenne to provide the crowd with the extra look at rodeo action. The vendor will use highlight reels before each show. Starting Wednesday night, a reel of the 2016 winning rides and runs will play. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, highlights of this year’s rodeo will be broadcast so attendees know who set the bar previous nights and can compare action from night to night. Everyone from spectators to riders watch the Jumbotron, and its importance isn’t lost on the WYO Rodeo board. The Jumbotron is made possible by Ramaco and EMIT Technologies this year.
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Presenting BY KKRISTIN RIST RI RIST STIN INN M MAGNUSSON AGGNU NUSSSSONN
When Dana Bowman doesn’t parachute into the rodeo arena with the American flag, the Sheridan WYO Wranglers have the honor of presenting the American flag for the Sheridan WYO Rodeo as part of the mounted flag presentation Friday night, dubbed “Armed Forces Night,” of Rodeo Week. Wyoming Army National Guard human resources specialist and Sheridan WYO Wrangler Jackie Lewis, who has been carrying flags for the Wranglers for as long as she can remember, had that honor in 2016. Sheridan WYO Wranglers head coach Cindy Wolfe said Lewis was chosen because of her military history. “Last year was a really big honor because it was the first year I have ever carried the American flag, and I also carried the flag on my own horse,” Lewis said. “It was a cool experience to just ride around at your favorite rodeo and have people standing up as you carry the flag. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to do it again.” Carrying the American flag is not only an honor, but one that comes with great responsibility because of the etiquette required for its handling. The protocol is spelled out in the United States Flag Code. Wyoming Army National Guard Master Sgt. Dale Willis said according to the flag code, the American flag must be on the right-hand side of the formation of horses and it needs to be held higher than the rest of the flags, aloft and free. It needs to be presentable as far as making sure it’s a good, clean flag and not ratty or tattered.
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Section eight of the flag code spells out the protocol for the respect of the American flag — it should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground or water. Willis said the military community understands that things can happen, especially when you are on horseback. When the rider gets on her horse, she needs to make sure not to dip the flag down so that it touches the dirt. When it is put away, it can be folded like a traditional flag and put in a case or a box. The flag code also spells out the protocol for conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of the American flag. During the formal presentation, “all persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries present should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.” “Those people who are not part of the ceremony, if they’re getting ready for something, such as warming up their horses, and they are out of the view of the presentation of the flag, it’s understandable if they don’t dismount and take their hats off,” Willis said. “It is a free country, but if they are in the same arena, it would be better to have them dismount or at least take their
hats off and put their hand over their heart, even if they are on horseback.” The Wranglers are taught how to carry the American flag during practice sessions. “The American flag, of course, is the most honored,” Wolfe said. “Once it comes in the arena it is the first in and the first out. It is carried so that it faces the audience as it goes by. If the horses are at a standstill, the American flag is always first, followed by the state flag, and then armed forces flags; those all line up behind the American flag. Behind them are the other flags, including the sponsor flags. When the national anthem is sung, all of the flags, including the state flags and the armed forces flags, will be tipped toward the American flag.” The Wranglers practice nine months out of the year. They work on safety drills, riding through patterns and desensitizing the horses to the flags and noises associated with the rodeo. When the wind catches a flag, the noise and movement can be scary for a horse, so desensitizing it is necessary to maintain safety. Also, getting the horses used to having riders carry flags toward and up behind them is important to prevent spooking. Carrying the flags during Rodeo Week is hard work. Lewis said the flags can be pretty heavy, especially on the nights that are really windy, or if it’s raining. The 2016 Sheridan WYO Rodeo had several “firsts” for the Wranglers. It was Lewis’ first time carrying the American Flag, it was the first year men participated in carrying the flags and it was the first time a breast cancer survivor carried the “tough enough to wear pink” flag Thursday night. Wolfe said she hopes these firsts continue into the future of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo.
2015 Miss Rodeo Wyoming Laurel Austin presents Old Glory the rodeo.
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Gold Buckle Club FROM STAFF REPORTS
As the members and guests of the Gold Buckle Club gather at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo for another year of fun, food and first-class treatment, SWR Board member and GBC advisory committee member Linda St. Clair said it is important to remember the original reason for forming the club: to support the rodeo. “The Gold Buckle Club now gives in excess of $35,000 a year — $25,000 of which has been given each year since it started in 2005 and an additional $10,000, now that the club has grown, which goes to the Indian Relay purse or any other special projects,” St. Clair said. “It’s a lot of fun and everybody enjoys the events we do, but the reason for it is to provide a larger purse for the rodeo to attract the cowboys and cowgirls.” The GBC is a members’ only organization that allows a maximum of 250 people to join by paying a $2,000 entry fee and $1,000 a year in membership dues. Only individuals are allowed to join — no businesses — but each individual is allowed to bring one guest to each social event of the club. Currently, the club is full and a couple dozen people are on a waiting list. The membership dues are now divided up into three uses: the original rodeo purpose, capital construction costs, social events and community partnerships. “The Gold Buckle Club has made hundreds of
thousands of dollars’ worth of improvements at the fairgrounds since its existence,” St. Clair said. Some examples of these improvements include the air conditioning in the Exhibit Hall and the expanded seating in the arena. As for the member benefits, during the four nights of the rodeo they have a hospitality room at the fairgrounds with free food and drinks. They also have two social events throughout the year. It all began when founder Doug Meier, who had a mission to start this club, took the idea from the rodeo in Ellensburg, Washington. In 2005, 49 people joined and attended the first drawing to assign buckle numbers for their now famous belt buckles featuring their membership number. By virtue of a random drawing, Troy Baker holds membership number 1. Of those 49 original members, there are only two who are not active members anymore. St. Clair said the Gold Buckle Club has seen far greater success than Ellensburg Rodeo club has ever seen. “There have been representatives from several other rodeos from other states and other towns in Wyoming who have come to see if they could model a similar club at their rodeo and no one has been successful at it yet,” St. Clair said. “Doug Meier went out and worked very hard in those first several years to build the membership and have events. The other towns that have tried it, I would say what would be missing for them is that springboard in the beginning, that person who really goes out and sells it, and I give a lot of credit to Doug for being that person for the first several years.” The club has continued to grow and get better every year, St. Clair said. She anticipates it will continue doing so, as the community believes in and supports the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. The Gold Buckle Club added 140 seats in its seating area on the south end of the arena and a sky bridge is now in place to keep attendees of the WYO Rodeo out of the dirt and out of the action on the track around the arena.
Bill Shackelford mingles with other Gold Buckle members during the first day of the 2014 Sheridan WYO Rodeo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall.
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Sponsors are essential FROM STAFF REPORTS
Sponsors are essential in order for the Sheridan WYO Rodeo to happen every year. “Without their support our rodeo would not be where it is today,” rodeo board member Zane Garstad said. “If you don’t have sponsors, you don’t have a rodeo.” As the rodeo draws more than 26,000 people each year, sponsors help to produce such a large event. The WYO provides various levels of opportunities for sponsors ranging from $250 to more than $25,000. These levels include the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Posse, Banner, Contract, Rodeo Event (including World Championship Indian Relay Races) Performance, Special Event, Jumbotron and Official sponsor designations. New sponsors that have joined the WYO this year include EMIT Technologies, Standish Foundation, The D Las Vegas, WYO Rodeo Whiskey, G-5 Family Ranch, and Wyo Lotto. “We are blessed to have all our sponsors. With partners like M&M’S as a part of our rodeo family, they help bring more credibility to our event, which in turn helps us attract more potential sponsors” Garstad said. “Through prize money and funding we are able to provide the kind of entertainment that is available at the WYO,” he added. In turn, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board provides sponsors with exposure to “the largest event in Sheridan County,” Garstad said. “Our focus is on what we can do for them… we are very loyal to our sponsors. They are our partners in making the WYO Rodeo what it is today.” This year there are more than 50 sponsors for the 2017 SWR.
Sponso
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2017 Sheridan Wyo Rodeo Sponsors
ors
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to Forrest
FROM THE SHERIDAN WYO ROD RODEO D BOARD To most, M&M’S Chocolate Candies are colorful, chocolate fun. To Sheridan residents and especially rodeo-goers, the man behind the brand goes beyond a candy craving. “Forrest E. Mars Jr. has increased the quality of life for everyone in this community,” Sheridan WYO
Rodeo board member Zane Garstad said. “His contributions to youth, family, arts and culture are unparalleled. Sheridan is a better place to live because of him.” Pamela Mars-Wright, Mars’ daughter, was living in Big Horn when he went to visit her and fell in love with the area as well as the thought of living near his daughter and grandchildren. Mars has given generously to The Brinton Museum, Whitney Rink at the M&M’S Center, The WYO Theater and Sheridan College. Local officials say his gifts have been a catalyst — many other people and organizations have generously supported the community because of him. When the WYO Rodeo lost a major sponsor, a few board members sat down with Mars at the Best Western Sheridan Center to discuss the possibility of sponsoring the event. “We were talking to him about sponsoring, and he said, ‘I can write you a check, or I can help you grow your rodeo,’ That’s how our relationship began,” Garstad said. The Mars family has sponsored the rodeo since 2003. But the family’s contribution to the Sheridan WYO Rodeo reaches far beyond a cash donation. “Forrest invited his sponsorship team, headed by William Clements, to the rodeo,” Garstad said. “They taught our board how to be more strategic and run our rodeo like a business, while staying true to our mission to drive tourism in our home town.” Garstad said Mars provided the tools and guidance the rodeo team needed to grow and become more self-sufficient. “We’ve worked with some of the top Mars executives in the world,” Garstad said. “They have been incredibly generous with their time and support. And that has made all the difference.” The visual recognition of M&M’S as a sponsor helped the WYO Rodeo increase credibility.
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His contributions to youth, family, arts and culture are unparalleled. Sheridan is a better place to live because of him.
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- Zane Garstad
Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board member
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Mars Jr. “That’s worth more than the money they gave us,” Garstad said. “It’s something that we will always be grateful for.” Garstad also said he appreciated how Mars embraced Sheridan’s culture without trying to change the city. “He was a pretty special guy,” said Lonnie Wright, Sheridan WYO Rodeo board member. “He did a lot for the rodeo. But he didn’t just give money and walk away. He wanted to know, ‘What are you going to do with this money, and what kind of results can I expect?’” While the team mourns the loss of Mars, who died last summer, organizers of the WYO Rodeo remain confident in the skills he instilled over the years. “We all miss him,” said Garstad. “We’re honoring his generosity and long-time support by continuing to build the Sheridan WYO Rodeo for generations to come.”
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RODEO ANNOUNCER WILL RASMUSSEN FROM STAFF REPORTS
He’s not afraid to say it — well Will Rasmussen isn’t afraid to say anything — but the Sheridan WYO Rodeo is his favorite in the nation. With more than a two-decade career, that’s saying something. “What an event with a world class rodeo,” Rasmussen posted to his fan page during the 2014 rodeo. “If you want a little taste of the West, or should I say a big gulp, you need to check out this event and this terrific town.” His experience and love of rodeo extends even past his own career. His family, known as the “Rodeoing Rasmussens,” has a long history of rodeo participation. His mother is a timer, his brother, Flint, an award-winning rodeo clown, another brother competes and his father, Stan, is an announcer. Rasmussen first got his start in 1981 when his father double booked two rodeos. Rasmussen’s career began in Gardiner, Montana, and continued to grow into a full-time career, leading him to win a surplus of awards over the last two decades. Of the hundreds of rodeos he has announced for, Sheridan has been one of his stops more than a dozen times. Combining humor, facts and wit, Rasmussen keeps the crowd interested and informed — sometimes even shocked, as he’s known for his lack of political correctness. “I guess it's my sense that you need more than just a rodeo,” he said in his biography on his website. “People want to be entertained.” And entertain he does. Up in the crow’s nest, Rasmussen keeps the night flowing smoothly with a knack for getting the audience involved. However, his job starts before he even makes it to the arena. Setting him apart from other announcers is the amount of research he puts in. Facts and anecdotes about participants and animals are never lacking from his performance. “It’s a great reward to have thousands of people respond positively to something that’s happened and to know you helped that along,” Rasmussen said. Sponsored by ERA Carroll Realty, Will Rasmussen will return for the 2017 Sheridan WYO Rodeo.
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How an anthem embodies BY MIKE PRUDEN
Tracing history to find the first rodeo in America leads a number of places: New Mexico in 1847, Colorado in 1869, Texas in 1883. According to prorodeohalloffame.com, the Prescott, Arizona, rodeo began in 1888, and much of today’s sport of rodeo is traced back to Prescott. Interestingly, the first Prescott rodeo was held on July 4, a day on which the United States of America has celebrated its independence since 1776. Maybe that is why the country’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” has great significance in rodeo culture. The singing of the anthem before sporting events is nothing new. While the song wasn’t made the national anthem until 1931, its first reference of performance at a baseball game was nearly 70 years prior, in Brooklyn, New York, in 1862. Nowadays, performances of the anthem are analyzed and critiqued and have become their own spectacles. Even casinos across Las Vegas take bets on various aspects of the anthem during Super Bowl week. And while we’ve come to expect varying versions of the anthem at sporting events across America, “The Star-Spangled Banner” has always had a comfortable home in the rodeo circle. Dave Craft, member of the Craft Brothers and habitual anthem singer at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, couldn’t put his finger on a direct tie between the sport of rodeo and the national anthem. Maybe it’s because it’s always played a huge part in rodeo, he thought, at least as long as he’s been alive. Craft was confident, however, in the song’s significance. “Give thanks, and be proud,” he said. “That pretty much sums it up.” Performing a national anthem isn’t an easy task, and Craft and Becky Bridger admitted that having several thousand eardrums intently listening to your rendition doesn’t alleviate any pressure. But they also called the task an honor as the song has so much meaning to so many people.“It’s a huge honor to have the privilege to represent America’s anthem at such a beloved time of year for our community,” Bridger said of her performance anxiety. The average singer goes for about 90 seconds in his or her anthem rendition, and that short period of time, with an entire venue of people silently focused on the song’s words and meaning brings a brief, but important period of reflection. “We take a lot for granted every day, all day,” Craft said. “That’s the moment when you realize two things: one, you realize how unbelievably lucky we are to live in America. Simple as that. Two,
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it also makes us reflect upon the cost of that freedom and honor those who protect it for us.” The Craft Brothers have performed the anthem before the WYO Rodeo for more than a decade, and while the audience members may change and the flair might be increased year after year — Craft noted the addition of veteran Dana Bowman skydiving into the arena with a giant American flag as an automatic goose-bump bringer — the emotions rarely change. Tears, cheers, smiles and thank yous are welcomed sights to Craft and his brothers. Specific emotions may not be the goal, but rejuvenating some sort of meaning — a unique feeling for each individual person — is what makes it such an honor to deliver a 90-second performance before each night’s rodeo action.“It’s honestly the scariest feeling in the world accompanied with happiness, love, courage, faith and patriotism,” Bridger said. Bridger has sung the anthem twice at the WYO Rodeo. Some anthem singers become regulars at the rodeo, like the Craft Brothers. Others bring a fresh rendition to the Sheridan County Fairgrounds arena each year, like Bridger. No matter the freshness or familiarity of the voices behind the microphone, though, the powerful meaning behind the anthem is one tradition that’s stuck around. “The rodeo is big; the stakes feel much greater,” Bridger said, noting she’s sung anthems in a number of different venues. “The flag is being flown down by the brave parachuter, and there are thousands of patriotic supporters cheering us on. We are so lucky to have such a support system behind us.”
Five-year-old Tinley Barnes holds her hand over her heart for the national anthem during the first night of the 2016 Sheridan WYO Rodeo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
Anthem etiquette • At the venue — all present, except those in military uniforms, should stand facing the flag with their right hand over their heart out of respect. Follow the lead of those at the podium or onstage and share the moment together as Americans. • If there’s no flag, face toward the music and act as if a flag were there. • Hats — If you’re not in a military uniform and are wearing a hat, remove it with your right hand and hold it over your left shoulder, while your hand is over your heart. • Military personnel — members in uniform should render the military salute at the beginning of the anthem and retain the position throughout. National Anthem etiquette via usa.gov
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RODEO CLOWN JJ HARRISON FROM STAFF REPORTS
Entertaining a crowd at a rodeo can be an easy job. Wild bulls, bucking broncs and crazy cowboys keep fans on their feet and cheering. But between the 8-second rides and between events, as cowboys and cowgirls ready for the next ride, somebody has to keep the crowd interested. That job falls to the rodeo clown. For about the last 10 years, that clown has been Ash “Crash” Cooper. In 2016, though, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo board opted to mix it up with a new face. “We wanted to keep things fresh,” WYO Rodeo board member Billy Craft said. “That was the reason for the change.” Craft noted that Cooper had been a popular addition to the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, but said after a decade, the crowd has a certain familiarity with the act. JJ Harrison, who took over Cooper’s duties in 2016, has a different vibe, Craft said. “He’s really a high-energy guy,” Craft said. “He works really well with the crowd and he is really engaged with the crowd.” Craft didn’t want to give away Harrison’s techniques, but said the crowd will have a lot to look forward to with the clown’s act. Harrison hails from Walla Walla, Washington. He graduated in 1998 from Washington State University, where he competed in rodeo. He then used his education degree to work as a middle-school science teacher. After nearly a decade in the classroom, though, Harrison took a chance on an opportunity that arose for him to be a rodeo clown. For awhile, he taught during the school year and performed at rodeos in the summer. But in 2006, he got his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association card and has been on the rodeo trail ever since. Harrison will return thanks to a sponsorship from Perkins Family Restaurant.
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Dana Bowman DANA BOWMAN
BY TOM RINGLEY
Dana Bowman, Sgt. First Class (retired), will return to the Sheridan WYO Rodeo in a fashion only he can pull off. He’ll parachute from an airplane to land in the Sheridan County Fairgrounds arena as part of the grand entry for each of the four evening performances. It was Bowman’s performance at a motorcycle rally in Red Lodge, Montana, that caught the attention of Kent Sherwood, owner of Sheridan Physical Therapy. Sherwood enthusiastically reported to several WYO Rodeo Board members on the spectacular and emotional performance he had seen and then generously offered to sponsor Bowman if the WYO Rodeo board could convince him to jump for the local event. The WYO Rodeo board accepted the offer and together with Sheridan Physical Therapy and Sheridan Orthopedics will sponsor the excitement and patriotism of Dana Bowman’s performance at every performance of this year’s Sheridan WYO Rodeo. Bowman is a skydiver, a retired member of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces and the Golden Knights. Remarkably, he is also a double amputee. He lost his legs in a parachuting accident in February 1994 in a training exercise with the Golden Knights. When Bowman collided mid-air with a teammate at a combined speed of 300 mph his left leg was severed below the knee, his right leg above the knee. The teammate died instantly, but for some unknown reason, Bowman’s parachute opened and he landed unconscious in a parking lot. Bowman’s rehabilitation was miraculous, only because of his dogged determination to recover. In three days he was walking on prostheses; a feat it took most people with similar injuries at least six weeks to accomplish. In six weeks, he wore out four pairs of prostheses because of his punishing, self-imposed rehabilitation program. Bowman insisted on helping
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doctors design special prosthetics that allowed him to water ski, snow ski, scuba dive, and bicycle and lead a full, active life. He went to the hospital’s brace and limb shop at night and built his own sockets, which join the remaining leg to the prosthesis. Five months after the accident, Bowman left Walter Reed hospital to go skydiving as part of a Golden Knights wedding ceremony. And as he grew stronger, he became a cheerleader for other wounded soldiers. Nine months after the accident, he became the first double amputee to re-enlist in the Army. Subsequently, he became the U. S. parachute team’s lead speaker and recruiting commander. Bowman retired in 1996 after he made his last jump as a Golden Knight into the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Atlanta. In 2000, he became the first member of his family to earn a college degree and graduated with honors, earning a bachelor’s degree in commercial aviation. He presently is the only double amputee commercial helicopter pilot instructor in the world, as well as a commercial hot air balloon pilot.
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Fan Zone FROM STAFF REPORTS
Each night of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, the carnival lures children young and old to enjoy rides and games just outside the fences of the Sheridan County Fairgrounds arena. But, for those who aren’t interested in rides that spin you around, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo has organized another kind of pre-rodeo entertainment — the Fan Zone. Sheridan WYO Rodeo board President Nick Siddle said the Fan Zone is geared toward families and aims to encourage people to get to the rodeo early to enjoy a wholesome experience before
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the main event. The Fan Zone will be located north of the ticket booth on the grass. Organizers said it will include musical entertainment, a qualifying contest for the children’s World Championship Dummy Roping Competition and a place for families to gather before the cannon sounds to start the rodeo each night. The Fan Zone will open at 5 p.m. each night of rodeo performances — July 12-15 — and is free.
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More than just pretty faces FROM STAFF REPORTS Competing in the Sheridan WYO Rodeo isn’t for the faint of heart. And for the women trying to be crowned Rodeo Queen this couldn’t be more true. More than just pretty faces, these ladies need horsemanship skills, rodeo knowledge and poise to be named queen. Preparing for months, competitors are put through multiple challenges to prove themselves. While 25 percent of the score is based on appearance, a girl’s ability to handle and ride a horse makes up 50 percent of her score. The last 25 percent is based on an interview in which candidates are questioned about world news, rodeo and horse knowledge as well as personal goals. Anyone who doesn’t score at least 70 percent in each category is disqualified. So far, three SWR queens have won Miss Rodeo Wyoming and have been in the top five at Miss Rodeo America. “They definitely have some skills other than just walking across a stage,” Rodeo Queen Board President and former Rodeo Queen Kerri Cook said. During the rodeo, the contestants perform the grand entry, clear cattle from the arena and interact with the spectators.
“They are basically bridging the gap between the contestants and the audience,” Cook said. This interaction is especially important with out-of-state fans, Cook explained. The girls regularly answer questions about animal safety and rights for those not familiar with the SWR. Due to their role as representatives for the rodeo, the ability to speak eloquently and professionally is a must for rodeo royalty. The SWR offers four categories for its royalty program: Junior Princess for ages 10-13, Princess for ages 14-15, Senior Princess for ages 16-18 and Queen for ages 19-24. Often the crowned queen is in college and has grown up through the program. She acts as a role model to the other women and girls within the royalty program. “Younger girls really look up to them (the queen and princess) and they can see their work ethic,” Cook said. “They’re actually working in the arena; they’re not just on display.” Sheridan County has one of the only programs in the state that offers rodeo queens a scholarship. Additionally, the crowned queen receives a saddle, buckle and various awards from the different categories in which she competes. While these skills may seem very specific to rodeo work, Cook said they’re transferable to all aspects of life. “The importance is seeing the development and maturity level in the girls from where they start and where they end… It’s amazing how much their confidence and speaking skills and just how they present themselves improves over the year,” Cook said. For more information or to apply to be Sheridan WYO Rodeo royalty go to wyorodeoroyalty. com.
Karyn Rieger is named Miss WYO Rodeo 2017 during the WYO Rodeo Royalty Coronation last July.
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2017 Sheridan WYO Rodeo Royalty ...................................................................................................................... MISS WYO RODEO KARYN RIEGER
Karyn Rieger is the 23-year-old daughter of Steve and Beth Rieger. She graduated from Worland high school and attended Sheridan College, where she received associate degrees in agricultural business and rangeland management. Rieger currently attends the University of Wyoming pursuing a double major in agricultural education and rangeland management. After graduating, she plans to teachhigh school agriculture and further her ambitions in owning a cattle ranch. Rieger is a member of the UW Show Team, where she competes in ranch horse versatility shows. In her free time, she enjoys helping local ranchers, traveling and riding her horses. Rieger is proud to represent the Sheridan community and Sheridan WYO Rodeo as she competes for the prestigious title of Miss Rodeo Wyoming in August. She invites her community to come support this endeavor at the Wyoming State Fair in Douglas. Rieger would like to thank all of the sponsors as well as the community, family, friends, Sheridan WYO Rodeo board members and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Queen Board for their sincere support and generosity in helping make her reign successful. Rieger looks forward to representing the Sheridan WYO Rodeo in her upcoming appearances throughout the remainder of her reign as Sheridan WYO Rodeo Queen 2017.
SENIOR PRINCESS LIBBY JOST Libby Jost is the daughter of Corey and Vicki Jost of Sheridan. Jost recently earned her Associate of Science degree in elementary education and will pursue a bachelor’s degree from Chadron State College through Sheridan College this fall. She was the president of Baptist Collegiate Ministry, a Christian club on campus, as well as a member of Sigma Alpha Pi and Phi Theta Kappa. She maintained a 4.0 GPA while enrolled in 22 credit hours. She enjoys riding her family’s horses, working cattle, DIY projects, exploring the Bighorn Mountains and spending time with family and friends. Jost values family and friends both at the church and on the college campus. She loves people of all ages and is especially looking forward to being an elementary education teacher. Jost takes pride in representing the Sheridan WYO Rodeo as your 2017 Senior Princess, and would like to extend a sincere thank you to her sponsors and supporters.
PRINCESS HANNAH JOST
Hannah Jost is the 16-year-old daughter of Corey and Vicki Jost of Sheridan. Jost will be a junior at Sheridan High School. She enjoys working cattle on her family’s ranch, helping with spring calving and branding. She’s always ready to hop on her horses Rocky and Roman for more reining and roping practice. If Jost is not on a horse, you can find her singing in the Sheridan High School Spectrum choir, performing in the SHS musical, playing on the varsity tennis team or drawing at her drafting table. Her faith, family and friends are very important to her. Jost is a caring young lady who works hard at whatever she does. She wants to someday have an occupation where she can help others. She would like to take this opportunity to thank her sponsors, family, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board, and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Queen Board for their support. Jost is proud to represent the Sheridan WYO Rodeo as your 2017 Princess.
JUNIOR PRINCESS LAINEY KONETZKI
Lainey Konetzki is the 14-year-old daughter of Larry and Lisa Konetzki of Sheridan. Konetzki will attend Sheridan High School where she will be in the ninth grade. Konetzki enjoys her horses more than anything else. She loves to spend time in the arena competing in everything from barrel racing and goat tying to western pleasure and reining. In the future, she would like to continue training horses and have the opportunity to compete at the intercollegiate level. Konetzki would like to thank all her supporters, her parents, the sponsors, the WYO Rodeo Board and the WYO Rodeo Queen Board for making this year a rewarding experience for her as the 2017 Sheridan WYO Rodeo Junior Princess.
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Unleashing the excitement FROM STAFF REPORTS
The cowgirls who carry the sponsor flags at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo have an official name: The Sheridan WYO Rodeo Wranglers. For more than 20 years, they’ve gone by a number of monikers — the gals who carry the flags, Sheridan WYO Rodeo flag carriers — that all described what they did but failed to capture their key role in each rodeo performance. These folks, from teenagers to grandmothers, play a critical role in wrangling the crowd’s attention and unleashing the energy that comes with one of the nation’s premier rodeo events when they race around the arena during the grand entry carrying the flags of high-dollar sponsors who make that rodeo possible. The flags fly by in a whirl of color, waving and snapping in the rush of wind created by horses galloping at 20 to 30 mph. The yearly tradition is one of the first displays of the excellent horsemanship that spectators will see in the Sheridan County Fairgrounds arena. Wranglers head coach Cindy Wolfe said she and the committee of four others who work with her to organize the group want to keep growing the group. “We really want to do some different patterns and try to keep it fun,” Wolfe said. “After all, we’re the ambassadors for the rodeo. We carry the sponsor flags and without the sponsors there would be no rodeo.” Wolfe carried a WYO rodeo flag when she was younger, for about a decade. Then life took her away from the area for about 20 years. She returned to Sheridan and the WYO Rodeo flag team within the last couple years. The action of the 30-plus horses and riders in the arena sets
the stage for the rodeo and is important to getting all the fans, and cowboys and cowgirls excited for the big event, rodeo organizers have said. The number of sponsor flags, which represent sponsors who have donated $3,750 or more, has increased over the years, starting with just a couple in the rodeo’s early history to a total of 36 this year. While the flag carriers make the job of WYO Wrangler look easy, don’t be fooled. It can be a challenge to find 30-plus skilled riders who have horses who can handle the excitement created by the announcer, the Drum and Bugle Corps, the flags, the crowd and all the other horses. “A lot of people think, ‘Oh they’re just the flag carriers,’” Wolfe said. “But it does take skill and knowledge and there are 36 people, with flags, with the crowd and with the horses — the level of difficulty is up there.” Knowing that anything can go wrong with that many people and animals in one space, Wolfe said the group practices once per week at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds. The group also offered workshops and trainings in the off-season at the Sheridan College AgriPark. “It’s hard work, it really is,” Wolfe said. “But it’s worth it.” Whatever the skills or reason for volunteering, each Sheridan WYO Rodeo Wrangler uses fine horsemanship skills to help wrangle the crowd, the cowboys and cowgirls and launch one of the finest rodeos in the West. The Wranglers are sponsored by C&K Equipment Sales Inc.
The Sheridan WYO Rodeo Wranglers proudly carry the flags of sponsors that make the WYO possible.
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World Championship Indian Relay Races FROM STAFF REPORTS
Each night of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, fans in the stands take to their feet and cowboys line up along the chutes to take in the action of the World Championship Indian Relay Races. While the races evoke gasps, cheers and cringes, it is a sport rich with skill, strategy and practice. There are four athletes on a relay team: the rider, two holders and a mugger. Though the attention of the audience is often on the rider, the other three players are equally key in achieving a win. A holder grasps the harness of the horse and points its head in the direction it will need to run once mounted, prior to the rider hopping aboard. The other holder keeps the horses still in position for a smooth exchange by the rider from horse to horse. The mugger gains control of the horse as it slows for the rider’s dismount, also ensuring a flawless transition. Each relay team has its own strategy and practice rituals, but there seems to be a general consensus among the athletes that the key to a win is in the exchange. No matter the strategy, though, the sport is steeped in
tradition. Last year, at just 12 years old, Catcher His Bad Horse was undoubtedly one of the youngest Indian relay jockeys in the field. The Northern Cheyenne athlete gets up before sunrise to practice one of his family’s oldest routines: riding horses. His Bad Horse wakes up early so he can train with the animals before the day heats up. He works with new horses so that animal and jockey can get comfortable with each other, and he feeds them and gives them cool-down exercises to prevent injury after intense runs. “It’s fun, I guess, just taking care of them,” he said. “Feed them. Run them. Keep them in shape.” His Bad Horse said none of his friends race as he does. But among his family, the young jockey is not alone. His Bad Horse’s older brother, Lynwood Jr., started jockeying for the team at age 11. He’s now serving in the Marines, so Catcher has taken over the role. And their father, Lynwood Sr., grew up with the sport, started jockeying in his teens, and has a championship title to his name in a longer, 15-mile, fourhorse relay.
Warman jockey Robert He Does It jumps on his third horse for the World Championship Indian Relay Races during a past competition of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. W
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Leo Sonson Hugs hangs on as his horse rears back during the World Championship Indian Relay Races at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo.
Twelve-year-old Catcher His Bad Horse stands up after jumping off his ďŹ rst horse for the World Championship Indian Relay Races at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo last year.
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“The story on this is that my family was involved with this back in the ‘20s and ‘30s,” he said. “Lame Deer [Montana] had a race track, you know, in the early 1900s, and the Siouxs and the Crows would come and participate on the [...] Northern Cheyenne reservation.” The track that His Bad Horse Sr. frequented as a kid still hosts relay races, with a half dozen Northern Cheyenne teams competing there regularly. But the difference between then and now, His Bad Horse Sr. said, is that before it was a sport, pure and simple, winners
simply took pride in their performances and horsemanship. Today it’s a moneyed affair, relying on expensive thoroughbred horses and time-intensive training to earn prizes of up to $10,000. But the rules of the sport haven’t changed. In fact, the relay races of today involve much of the same skill and prowess needed for life on the Great Plains centuries ago. His Bad Horse said horses have always been an important survival tool for the Northern Cheyenne and other Plains nations, helping people capture other horses or move lodges from one place to the next. “We depended on the horse to hunt, we depended on it as transportation,” he said. “Even going into battle with these horses.” Ashton Old Elk, a member of the Crow Nation and jockey for Old Elk Relay, grew up just as steeped in the tradition as the His Bad Horse family. The 23-year-old jockey rode with friends and family as a kid and earned money working with the animals. “When they were breaking horses and stuff, I was like the test dummy,” he said, smiling. “My brothers would go and do all the ground work and then they’d have me jump on the horses.” He and his friends would often gather with their horses and ride through the town of Lodge Grass, Montana. “There would be about like 30, 40 of us,” Old Elk said. “We’d just jam the street and have everybody go around us.” For Old Elk, as for many in the sport, care for the horses is the No. 1 priority. Old Elk only brings horses to competitions if they are in top shape and he devotes income from his second job as a roofer for Crow Housing Authority to the animals’ ongoing needs. “It’s a lot of work, though,” he said. “These horses, they’re like us. I baby them like kids.” Old Elk said he’s been to competitions where protesters from The Humane Society show up. “They think we’re [committing] animal cruelty, hurting the horses,” he said. “But people don’t really know how much work we put into these horses to make them perform out there.” Lynwood His Bad Horse Jr. jumps on an exchange horse during the first heat of the Indian Relay Race at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds arena.
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The BY MIKE PRUDEN Five or six shoppers wander around counter tops peering wide-eyed at merchandise on the wall at King’s Saddlery on Sheridan’s Main Street on this particular May afternoon. Some sift through the rows of famous King Ropes hats, others mosey through the store to the museum in the back. Two months later, though, it won’t be as easy to get from one end of the store to the other. The shop, arguably one of Sheridan’s most popular, fills with cowboys and tourists alike during the week of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. “About 20 times,” King’s Saddlery owner Bruce King said of the crowd during rodeo week compared to a regular week, peering from his second-floor desk at the May 24 consumers. He was already preparing for the busiest week of the year. Ropes line the back walls of the Main Street building
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like militant soldiers marching into battle — perfectly aligned and organized, varying in shape, weight, color and pretty much any other category imaginable for a long piece of nylon. Intricately embroidered saddles sit atop tables, some still unfinished as craftsmen take quick breaks from their work. Since its opening in 1963, King’s Saddlery has become a must-stop for travelers making their way through Sheridan, especially during Rodeo Week. But for King, whose father, Don, founded the business, it’s more than just a tourist attraction. Much more. “We supply the rodeo people with their tools,” he said. “What’s better, a cowboy or a tourist to stop in? Who do you think’s going to spend more?” The cowboy? “I would think so,” King agreed. The store prides itself on its quality and craftsmanNolan Buckley works in the shop at King Ropes.
ship in what King referred to as a competitive field. Many cowboys utilize King equipment from the time they start rodeoing as youngsters to the time they’re buried in the soil they so meticulously groomed for decades. Others, King said, go elsewhere. But the main goal is to provide equipment that’s worthy of the name printed on it. The entire week of the WYO Rodeo is a hectic one for Bruce King and the King’s Saddlery staff, but if a cowboy turns a King rope into a top prize down the road at the fairgrounds, that’s what it’s all about.
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We supply the rodeo people with their tools. - Bruce King
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Tom Balding referred to that King quality when speaking of the driving force of his business, Tom Balding Bits and Spurs. Balding referenced the “Sheridan style” of tooling, developed by Don King and seen worldwide on all sorts of leather goods, not just the saddles that made the style famous. And Balding isn’t shy to create styles of his own. A long-time craftsman of aircraft, cars and sailboats, Balding’s intricate welding techniques and constant pursuit of perfection made his bits and spurs some of the most famous and popular in the world. What started as a skill for welding and love for horses quickly made Tom Balding Bits and Spurs the go-to fabricator for cowboys worldwide. “When I go to the rodeo, I see a lot of our gear out there,” Balding said. As Balding guides tours through his shop on River-
side Street — not on Main Street, he admits as kind of a bummer for attractiveness — the passion for his craft exudes with each description of equipment he’s collected over the past several decades. All of that passion eventually leads back to one simple concept: crafting a high quality product. “The spur is the iconic symbol of the West,” he said, noting the West’s reputation for culture and craftsmanship. “Our reputation is perfect, as far as the highest quality, unique designs, and I just think it compliments Sheridan.” Bits, spurs, ropes and saddles are staples to cowboys and the rodeo athletes that come to Sheridan. Most of the competitors at the WYO Rodeo come from hometowns far from Sheridan, but their gear and hardware can often be traced back to the town that host’s one of the country’s most popular rodeos.
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An event’s most An annual tradition for many families BY HANNAH SHEELY
He can count the number of Sheridan WYO Rodeo performances he’s missed in nearly six decades on one hand — and that hand is missing a thumb he lost in a roping accident. “In 57 years of WYO Rodeo, I’ve maybe missed two performances, possibly three,” Gary Mefford said. Mefford was less than 1 year old when he attended his first WYO Rodeo and sat in the box seats that have been in his family for 65 years. The seats — which were actual wooden boxes in the old arena and are now reserved seats located front and center in the main grandstand — were given to his grandfather Ben Shreve in the early 1950s before being passed to his parents and eventually to him. Box seats at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo rarely go up for purchase, local historian Tom Ringley said. The prime seating is occupied by loyal rodeo fans who pay annually for their standing reservation. There has been a lengthy waiting list for box seats since the rodeo began in 1931. Ringley tells the story of prominent businessman Jack Ferren who was on the WYO Rodeo board from 1940-1975. Even he had to wait 20 years before his number came up to buy his seats. “Once people have them, they don’t let go of them,” Ringley said. Mefford’s dad, Harry Mefford, passed away at age 94 two years ago. The World War II veteran — who was serving in a Marine Corps horse guard at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed — sat in his box seats every night of every rodeo from 1953 into his final year of life.
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“He was one of those die-hard fans,” Gary Mefford said. For the Meffords, the WYO Rodeo was a family event, not just a rodeo. Kids grew into adolescents, adults and parents with children of their own while attending the boot kickoff, parade, street dance and rodeo performances year after year. When Mefford was 10 or 12, his older brothers Tom and Dick, both in their 20s, got into a wrestling match over spilled beer that sent coolers and folding chairs flying. The next year, new signs had been placed at each entrance to the fairgrounds: No beer coolers allowed. Mefford smiles sheepishly when he tells the story — you can blame the Meffords, he said. “It’s a week where family and friends come together,” Gary’s wife, Sara Mefford, said. “Rodeo Week was something for all of you to do together as a family.” Thirty-five years ago, Gary Mefford became more ingrained in the WYO Rodeo when a friend asked him to time barrel races. That progressed to opening chute gates for steer roping and wrestling. Mefford now lines up help for all the work that needs to be done behind the chutes. Gary and Sara Mefford both work at King Ropes in downtown Sheridan. Gary roped Sara into pushing steers at the WYO Rodeo when she began working with him 15 years ago. She even pushed steers when she was nine months pregnant. This year, the Mefford’s daughter, Londyn Rose Mefford, is 4 years old. This is her first Sheridan WYO Rodeo. She will sit in the Mefford’s box seats with her mom enjoying the event that has tied the family together for seven decades and counting.
Box seat ticket holders Sara, Londyn, and Gary Mefford sit in their seats at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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PROFESSIONAL PICK-UP MEN GILBERT, MARRIOTT & WARD FROM STAFF REPORTS They’re impossible to miss, but they’re hardly noticed. As cowboys get bucked from their broncs and unroped steers mosey around the arena, the collective eyes in the grandstands tend to wander toward the now horseless cowboy or up to the scoreboard. But even as the cowboy limps out of the arena, his bronco still bucks. The clock has stopped on the rider, but it’s just starting for the pick-up men. The pick-up men consist of three burley rodeo junkies, firm-handshake type fellows. Their grips are sturdy for a reason, though. These are the brutes in charge of rescuing fallen bronc riders. It’s up to these gentlemen to corral furiously bucking broncos. They spend more time in the arena than any athlete, animal or clown. Their work is behind the scenes, yet right in front of our faces. “It’s not just chasing a horse around the arena,” pick-up man Dalton Ward said. For years — at least 20 — Bobby Marriott and Billy Ward have held their ground as the WYO’s go-to pick-up men. But when Ward retired in 2014, it meant filling a role that seemed unfillable. Because of Ward’s skills and experience, along with safety issues and performance flow, the WYO board decided to replace the veteran pick-up man with not one, but two people in 2015. The board utilized Marriott and Ward, their stock contractor and other respected
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peers within the industry to find applicants who would fit both the event and the community. “The pick-up men are critical links,” board member Billy Craft said. “Not only from the safety aspect for the athletes, both man and animal, but also the flow of the performance and the team effort required for the 16 hours each day outside of the performance that makes an event what it is. We take this very seriously.” For the third year, in 2017, Marriott will be joined by Duane Gilbert and Dalton Ward, who just so happens to be Billy Ward’s son. While Dalton Ward may be relatively fresh to the WYO Rodeo crew, his handshakes are as firm as his father’s. The La Grange native has been joining his dad at rodeos his whole life. On a visit to Odessa, Texas, 12-year-old Ward was given the opportunity to pick up at a kid’s day rodeo with his father and fellow National Finals Rodeo pick-up man Paul Peterson. He’s been doing it ever since. When it comes to working the WYO Rodeo, Ward has spent enough time around it to know that it’s a no-nonsense gig. And that’s why he appreciates it. “I was kind of raised around the WYO Rodeo, so I have a good idea about it,” he said. “But to me, it's the committee that makes it special. They are up in the morning for slack, same as everyone else, and helping out doing whatever is needed: sorting and
loading timed-event cattle during the rodeo or helping feed. No other committee I know works that hard.” As far as the rodeo goes, the younger Ward says it’s not about him as much as it is the unit. “My favorite advice from my dad was, ‘A good pick-up man can make his partner look good,’” he said. “Work as a stock-man and read the horse. Work as a team to help each other. You can’t do this job yourself.” Craft said he hopes the trio will stick around. The goal is to develop longstanding relationships with the pick-up men. Then, he said, it makes the event better every year. Ward doesn’t plan on hanging up his saddle anytime soon. “When a horse bucks in a circle around you, and you never get out of a trot and get your work done in five strides,” he said. “Might be as cool to me as it gets. I love that part.” So when those nights in July roll around, as fans shuffle into the bleachers and the sun lazily settles over the horizon, the WYO Rodeo will get underway. But for a group of three men, they’ll be reaching the pinnacle of a tireless week of work. “Pick-up men are without a doubt the most unsung heroes and work horses of rodeo,” Craft said. These gents deserve the firmest of handshakes.
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Stock Contractors FROM STAFF REPORTS Rodeo Week is known for its star entertainment from professional cowboys and cowgirls to renowned clowns and pickup men. Yet their jobs wouldn’t be possible without the livestock they work with, run from and rope. For more than 20 years, Sankey Pro Rodeo has been an important part of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo as the stock contractor. The company, which focuses on livestock, event production and spectator experience, has made a name for itself in the rodeo circuit. Sankey Pro Rodeo co-owner Ryan Sankey has said it takes a lot of work to pick which stock will make an appearance at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, which is part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association silver series in the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. “We have the understanding that the WYO is putting on a world-class event and that it needs the best of the best for stock,” Sankey said. Early each year, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo submits an approval application to the PRCA that delineates rodeo dates, events and prize money. At that time, the rodeo board begins working with Sankey Pro Rodeo to establish how many broncs, bareback horses and bulls will be needed for each event, Sankey said. Throughout the spring, Sankey Pro Rodeo staff work with rodeo organizers on production issues such as what the specialty act will be, the physical layout of the rodeo and event scheduling. For example, there can’t be any wagon tracks in the arena prior to steer wrestling, so events and acts need to be scheduled accordingly. Entries for the Sheridan WYO Rodeo close weeks in advance. At that time, PROCOM, the arm of the PRCA that handles rodeo entries, chooses and organizes contestants. Sankey Pro Rodeo uses the PROCOM list to determine how many of each type of stock animal will be needed for each night. The Sankeys then send their list of which animals are going to the Sheridan WYO Rodeo to PROCOM, which randomizes the list and assigns competitors to stock. Sheridan WYO Rodeo board member Zane Garstad said the WYO Rodeo’s success is due to Sankey’s stock, expertise and professional production. Sankey and crew will once again team up with the Sheridan WYO Rodeo to provide quality entertainment and livestock this July.
A bucking horse gets the best of saddle bronc rider Alex Wright.
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Bull fighters FROM STAFF REPORTS
After 87 years, the WYO Rodeo may feel like a constant to Sheridan residents. Behind the scenes, though, the come and go of rodeo organizers, volunteers, cowboys, cowgirls, roughstock and others create the high-quality production that spectators watch. Two of the rodeo’s unsung but vital cogs — the bullfighters — will again join the rodeo team in the arena. Joe Butler worked his first Sheridan WYO Rodeo in 2015. He’d never been to Sheridan before that, but the WYO participant is not a rookie when it comes to bullfighting or rodeo. The Oklahoma native who now calls Apple Valley, California, home has worked professionally for more than a decade. He got his start while on the rodeo team in junior college. He team roped and calf roped before he decided to start riding bulls. Next thing he knows, he’s fighting bulls in practice.
Joe Butler and Nathan Jestes protect a cowboy after his ride. Courtesy photo | Eva Scofield
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“I never thought I’d get into bullfighting and make bullfighting my career,” he said. “But since then I fell in love with it, and it’s what I do for a living now.” Nathan Jestes calls Douglas home, so he isn’t unfamiliar with the WYO and its people. In fact, Jestes learned the bullfighting trade under WYO Rodeo regular Al Sandvold, who fought bulls at Sheridan’s biggest event for years. Jestes was born and raised in Colorado, but attended Montana State University to study aviation. While he was working at the airport near the school, he met Sandvold and later attended some of the rodeos Sandvold was working. “I got interested from there,” Jestes said. “So Al took me to MSU rodeo practices every Monday and Wednesday and taught me how to do it.” Now, Jestes has been bullfighting for about eight years, earning his professional card in 2010.
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WHERE TRADITIONS RESIDE By Mike Dunn
In many ways, rodeo is part of the American fabric. Rodeo features the best characteristics of America and its citizens. It requires toughness and a competitive spirit, but it also requires skill and respect. Rodeo competitions bring community members together while drawing spectators from other parts of the world. It celebrates victories and perseverance. “It captures a way of life that all of us who call Wyoming home love,” said Tia Troy, public relations and media manager for the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “We choose to live here because of our lifestyle, and in a way, rodeo perfectly sums that up.” Rodeos, like the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, have one boot in the country's past, celebrating the foundation of the American West. When the West was still wild, cowboys and cowgirls competed by showing off their skills working with livestock. The skills performed by the ranchers of yesterday can still be seen in the events that make up rodeos. According to the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, rodeo as we know it didn’t exist until the late 1800s. But the sport’s roots run deep into history when the Spanish settled in the U.S. and became cattle ranchers. The word “rodeo” comes from a Spanish word that roughly means roundup, which is what the ranchers often would
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have been doing. According to the PRHF, the skills of the Spanish vaqueros were eventually passed along to the American cowboy as frontier territories expanded. Rodeos in Sheridan have existed almost as long as the town itself. The first accounts of local professional rodeo in the Sheridan area date back to 1902. According to Kim Ostermyer with the Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library's The Wyoming Room, rodeos like the PK Ranch Rodeo and the Bot Sots Rodeo drew thousands. Eventually, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, established in 1931, became Sheridan's biggest annual event. “We have to remember there has been a horse influence on our town since the earliest days,” said Tom
A bull rider takes a moment by himself behind the bucking chutes during the final night of the 2016 Sheridan WYO Rodeo.
Ringley, Sheridan County commissioner and Sheridan WYO Rodeo emeritus board member. “People established ranches (in Sheridan) and used horses and cattle. It was just a natural thing to evolve — not just in Sheridan, but in other parts of the West.” Quality American values, like honesty, respect and dedication, are found in the sport and those who participate, Ringley said. “Rodeo is all about that,” Ringley said. “There is a competition element, but there is also a respect element.” The Sheridan WYO Rodeo itself has no shortage of American and Western celebrations. Local performers sing the national anthem before every performance, the Indian Relay Races celebrate
Native American customs and culture, the Sheridan Drum and Bugle Corps wears clothing similar to 19th-century soldiers while playing traditional songs and Army veteran Dana Bowman parachutes from hundreds of feet above the arena to bring in a massive American flag. Additionally, more than 25 states across the nation hold major rodeos, and many competitors come from across the country and the globe to participate in the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. Troy said rodeo continues to be a draw for tourists who want a taste of America's past. “Rodeos tell Wyoming's and our country's story,” Troy said. “That's a part of why they are so special.”
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RODEo
Learn the rules for each event in which professional cowboys and cowgirls will compete for a share of prizes. FROM STAFF REPORTS The annual Sheridan WYO Rodeo showcases four days of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association action. Here is a breakdown of the events in which fans will see some of the top cowboys and cowgirls from around the country compete for a share of prizes.
Bareback riding
Bareback riding is one of rodeo’s roughest and most demanding events. The cowboy must attempt to remain on the back of a bucking bronco while grasping the leather rigging with only one hand. The rider is disqualified if he touches anything with his free hand. If the cowboy fights through the eight-second ride, he is scored on his spurring technique, bucking strength of the horse and the form and skill used in completing the ride.
Steer wrestling
The steer wrestler has quite the task to complete in this event, and the fact that the best cowboys in the business often accomplish the task in less than 10 seconds makes it that much more impressive to watch. Cowboys must run down a speeding steer on horseback, dismount their horse directly onto the back of the steer, take it by the horns and flip it on its back. Timing, technique, strength and leverage are all vital in securing a top time.
Steer roping
One of rodeo’s rarer events (as it must be performed in a large arena), a mounted cowboy must rope a running steer about its horns — which are protected with horn wraps reinforced with rebar — position rope slack over the animal’s right hip and, angling his horse to the left for leverage, bring the bovine to the ground When the steer is lying on its side and the rope is taut, the cowboy must dismount his horse and tie any three of the steer’s legs. As in tie-down roping, the steer must remain tied for six seconds.
Saddle bronc riding
Saddle bronc riding comes straight from the traditions of the Wild West. Early cowboys had to break horses for use on the ranch. Naturally, this evolved into competition between the ranch hands as to who was the better breaker. In this event, the cowboy places his feet over the bronc’s shoulders and synchronizes his spurring action with the bronc’s
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EVENTS bucking style while trying to hold on for eight seconds. As in bareback riding, the cowboy is scored on his spurring technique, the bucking strength of the horse and the form and skill used throughout.
Team Roping
This is rodeo’s premier team sport — an event where teamwork is an absolute necessity. Two cowboys — a header and a heeler — must work in tandem to rope a running steer. The header, as the name implies, is responsible for roping the steer around the horns, neck or a combination of the two to turn the animal into position for the heeler. It is the heeler’s duty to rope both hind legs of the steer. If only one leg is caught, a five-second penalty is assessed. If the header does not allow the steer to get the allotted head start, the team is assessed a 10-second penalty.
Tie-down Roping
Tie-down roping, formerly known as calf roping, is a timed event in which a mounted cowboy runs down and ropes a scrambling calf. After roping the calf, the cowboy dismounts, catches the animal, flips it on its back and ties any three legs together with a string he carries in his teeth. The calf must remain tied for six seconds to receive a score.
Barrel Racing
In barrel racing, a cowgirl and her horse race against the clock. Horse and rider enter the arena at full speed, race around three barrels positioned in a clover pattern, then race back to the finish line. The fastest time wins, and times are recorded to 1/100 of a second. Racers are penalized five seconds for each barrel knocked over during the run.
Bull Riding
Arguably rodeo’s most popular event, bull riding is a rather straightforward competition that pits a cowboy against an angry 1,500-pound bull. The rider sits astride the bull in a chute and when the chute opens he must remain atop the bull for eight seconds by holding a rope looped around the animal’s midsection. As in bronc riding, the cowboy must not touch the bull with his free hand and if he lasts eight seconds he will be judged on technique, skill and bucking strength of the animal.
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MORNING SLACK FROM STAFF REPORTS
Rodeo Week is known for its action-packed nights, but for anyone who can’t get enough, the days also offer some fun events. Beginning Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. contestants will compete in rodeo slack events such as barrel racing, team roping, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. Approximately 25 contenders will participate in each event to determine their placing for the day. “There are numerous top cowboys and cowgirls competing and the action is excellent,” WYO Rodeo board member Zane Garstad said. Sheridan’s rodeo slack is known to attract top contenders. For most of the rodeo slack events, the top 10 finalists will
advance to performing that night. The other 15 will compete again later that morning. “For the true rodeo fan, this is pure rodeo action and exciting to watch,” Garstad said. The slack events are free and open to the public. All events take place at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds and will run Wednesday through Saturday mornings starting at 9 a.m. daily.
Slack events are free and open to the public, starting at 9 a.m. daily. Rowdy Parrott competes in steer wrestling during the Sheridan WYO Rodeo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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Courtesy photo | Eva Scofield
2016 BAREBACK RESULTS 1. R.C. Landingham, 85 points on Sodoku, $5,225 2. Shane O’Connell, 83.5 points on Fun Haver, $4,005 3/4. Bill Tutor, 83 points on Pay Day, $2,437 3/4. Anthony Thomas, 83 points on Lone Ranger, $2,437 5. JR Vezain, 82.5 points on Bad Moon, $1,218
6. Brian Bain, 82 points on Black Tie, $870 7. Teddy Athan, 81 points on Fun Haver, $696 8. Clayton Biglow, 80.5 points on Music, $261 8. Kelly Timberman, 80.5 points on Twister Sister, $261
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Information from prca.com
2016 STEER WRESTLING RESULTS FIRST ROUND 1. Dean Gorshuch, 3.7seconds, $2,100 2. Cody Cabral, 4.7, $1,826 3/4/5. Will Stovall, 5.0, $1,278 3/4/5. Will Stovall, 5.0, $1,278 3/4/5. Will Stovall, 5.0, $1,278 6. Olin Hannum, 5.1, $730 7. Timmy Sparing, 5.2, $456 8. Sean Santucci, 5.4, $91 8. J.D. Struxness, 5.4, $91
SECOND ROUND 1. Dean Gorshuch, 3.5, $2,100 2/3. Troy Brandemuehl, 4.4, $1,689 2/3. Josh Clark, 4.4, $1,689 4/5. Billy Bugenig, 4.8, $1,141 4/5. Nick Guy, 4.8, $1,141 6/7/8. Cody Pratt, 5.0, $342 6/7/8. Jon Herl, 5.0, $342 6/7/8. Chance Howard, 5.0, $342 6/7/8. Timmy Sparing, 5.0, $342
AGGREGATE (two head) 1. Dean Gorshuch, 7.2, $3,150 2. Nick Guy, 9.8, $2,739 3. Timmy Sparing, 10.2, $2,328 4. Olin Hannum, 10.3, $1,917 5. Sean Santucci, 11.3, $1,506 6. Cody Kroul, 11.7, $1,095 7. Blair Jones, 11.9, $684 8. Jon Herl, 12.4, $273
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2016 STEER ROPING RESULTS FIRST ROUND 1. Rocky Patterson, 10.9 seconds, $1,992 2. Scott Snedecor, 11.1, $1,648 3. Trey Sheets, 11.6, $1,305 4. Vin Fisher Jr., 11.8, $961 5. Marty Jones, 12.4, $618 6. Shorty Garten, 13.2, $343
SECOND ROUND 1. JoJo LeMond, 9.6, $1,992 2. Tony Reina, 10.1, $1,648 3. Guy Allen, 10.7, $1,305 4. J. Tom Fisher, 10.9, $961 5. Chance Kelton, 11.3, $618 6. Brent Lewis, 11.6, $343
1. Rocky Patterson, 49.1, $3,984 4. Tony Reina, 55.8, $1,923
THIRD ROUND 1. Leo Campbell, 9.8, $1,992 2. Troy Tillard, 10.4, $1,648 3. J.P. Wickett, 10.8, $1,305 4. Cody Lee, 10.9, $961 5. Kim Ziegelguber, 11.1, $618 6. JB Whatley, 11.4, $343
AGGREGATE (four head) 2. Chet Herren, 49.7, $3,297 5. Roger Branch, 56.7, $1,236
FOURTH ROUND 1. Chet Herren, 10.1, $1,992 2/3. Marty Jones, 10.6, $1,477 2/3. Guy Allen, 10.6, $1,477 4. Trent Mills, 11.7, $961 5. Delon Parker, 11.9, $618 6. Roger Branch, 12.0, $343
3. JB Whatley, 51.7, $2,610 6. Trent Mills, 57.2, $686
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2016 SADDLE BRONC RESULTS 1. Joe Lufkin, 85.5 points on Hermit, $4,596 2. Chanse Darling, 85 points on Show Biz, $3,524 3. Jesse James Kirby, 83.5 points on Blues Man, $2,604 4/5. Joey Sonnier III, 82.5 points on Bridal Shower, $1,378
4/5. Chet Johnson, 82.5 points on Lady Killer, $1,378 6/7. Doug Aldridge, 80.5 points on Black Box, $689 6/7. Sterling Crawley, 80.5 points on Sheridan WYO’s Tango, $689 8. Jesse Wright, 79 points on Sacred Mountain, $459
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2016 TEAM ROPING RESULTS FIRST ROUND 1. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 4.5 seconds, $2,517 2. Ryan Reed/Dalton Pearce, 4.6, $2,188 3. Lane Ivy/B.J. Dugger, 4.7, $1,860 4. Tyler Wade/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 4.9, $1,532 5/6. Zac Small/Wesley Thorp, 5.0, $1,039 5/6. Cody Snow/Dugan Kelly, 5.0, $1,039 7/8. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 5.2 $383 7/8. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 5.2, $383
SECOND ROUND 1. Colby Lovell/Travis Graves, 4.0, $2,517 2. Pace Freed/Logan Medlin, 4.3, $2,188 3. Aaron Tsinigine/Kinney Harrell, 4.5, $1,860 4/5. Nick Sartain/Gage Williams, 4.7, $1,368 4/5. Jr. Dees/Matt Zancanella, 4.7, $1,368 6 /7. Jake Cooper/Tyler McKnight, 4.8, $711 6 /7. Garrett Rogers/Jake Minor, 4.8, $711 8. Ty Blasingame/Shad Chadwick, 4.9, $109 8. Erich Rogers/Cody Petska, 4.9, $109
AGGREGATE (two head) 1. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 10.1, $3,775 2. Garrett Rogers/Jake Minor, 10.2, $3,283 3. Ty Blasingame/Shad Chadwick, 10.3, $2,790 4. Ryan Reed/Dalton Pearce, 10.4, $2,298 5/6. David Key/Travis Woodward, 10.6, $1,559 5/6. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 10.6, $1,559 7/8. Jr. Dees/Matt Zancanella, 10.7, $574 7/8. Jake Cooper/Tyler McKnight, 10.7, $574
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Information from prca.com
2016 TIE DOWN ROPING RESULTS FIRST ROUND 1. Cody McCartney, 9.3 seconds, $2,486 2. Dennis Luetge, 9.5, $2,162 3. Cody Collins, 9.6, $1,837 4/5. Cade Swor, 9.8, $1,351 4/5. Braxton Laughlin, 9.8, $1,351 6/7/8. Dillon Holder, 9.9, $540 6/7/8. Cooper Martin, 9.9, $540 6/7/8. Quay Howard, 9.9, $540
SECOND ROUND 1. Jesse Clark, 7.9, $2,486 2. Westyn Hughes, 8.0, $2,162 3. Cooper Martin, 8.7, $1,837 4. Stetson Vest, 8.8, $1513 5. Marshall Leonard, 9.0, $1,189 6/7. Marcos Costa, 9.2, $702 6/7. Blane Cox, 9.2, $702 8. Jordan Ketscher, 9.3, $216
AGGREGATE (two head) 1. Cooper Martin, 18.6, $3,729 2. Cade Swor, 19.2, $3,243 3. Marshall Leonard, 19.4, $2,756 4. Taylor Santos, 19.6, $2,270 5. Marcos Costa, 19.7, $1,783 6. Roger Nonella, 20.0, $1,297 7. Westyn Hughes, 20.4, $810 8. Cody Collins, 20.8, $324
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Courtesy photo | Eva Scofield
2016 BARREL RACING RESULTS 1. Ivy Conrado, 17.22 seconds, $4,809 2/3. Becky Fuson, 17.31, $3,486 2/3. Sherry Cervi, 17.31, $3,486 4. Jackie Schau, 17.39, $2,404 5. Kim Schulze, 17.40, $1,923 6/7. Tillar Murray, 17.44, $1,322 6/7. Nellie Miller, 17.44, $1,322 8/9. Jodee Miller, 17.45, $1,021
8/9. Taylor Langdon, 17.45, $1,021 10. Kara Posch, 17.50, $841 11. Jill Welsh, 17.57, $721 12/13/14. Trula Churchill, 17.58, $480 12/13/14. Loni Lester, 17.58, $480 12/13/14. Calyssa Thomas, 17.58, $480 15. Sammie Bessert, 17.6, $120 15. Ashley Day, 17.6, $120
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2016 BULL RIDING RESULTS 1. Tyler Smith, 89 points on Big Tex Rocks, $4,399 2. Jordan Spears, 86 points on Oklahoma Bell, $3,372 3. Ty Wallace, 85.5 points on Ruff Em Up Truck, $2,492 4. Garrett Smith, 84.5 points on RMEF Team Elk, $1,613 5. Newt Brasfield, 83.5 points, $1,026
6. Denton Fugate, 83 points, $733 7. Joe Frost, 76 points on Southern Wine, $586 8. Jeston Mead, 75 points, $219 8. Cole Melancon, 75 points, $219
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Veterans find solace, in rodeo By Che Chelsea helsea e Coli Colli After a nearly year-long deployment in Iraq, Tony Larsen found solace in an old sport. It wasn’t that he had a bad deployment, in fact Larsen said just the opposite. Larsen just found that his love for rodeo helped release pent up energy while he adjusted back to civilian life. “Rodeo was definitely a way to kind of help that integration back into society,” Larsen said. The 35-year-old steer wrestler served from 2004 to 2005 after drilling with the Wyoming National Guard through his career at Sheridan College. While deployed, he towed howitzers and provided static security to the interim Iraqi president, vice president, prime minister and minister of defense. Larsen said when he came home, he faced bouts of social anxiety and stress from reintegration and adjusting to life back in the U.S. He said while deployed, he was constantly on alert and tuned
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in to his surroundings, always armed and expecting something to happen. “I think that everybody deals with a certain amount of that when they come home,” Larsen said. After exiting the military, rodeo gave him an opportunity to travel within the U.S. to places like California, Nevada and Washington — places Larsen said he wouldn’t normally have traveled to on his own. Maybe more importantly, rodeo gave Larsen an outlet. “I guess (rodeo) kind of let my mind loose and just helped me become a part of society again,” Larsen said. “…You’re just geared differently when you’re in a combat zone. And when you come home you just have to shut that off and it’s very hard to make that switch sometimes.” In returning to rodeo, Larsen was returning to a sport he grew up watching his dad and uncle participate in; a sport he started
practicing for when he was 16 and that earned him a scholarship to SC. After deployment, Larsen attended the University of Wyoming. He said during what would have been his last year of school in Laramie, he got the opportunity to rodeo full time and ended up competing in about 75 rodeos. Around 2010, Larsen made the Mountain States Circuit finals and in 2014 and 2016 he made the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit finals. Larsen has competed in the Sheridan WYO Rodeo twice but hasn’t qualified in recent years. Larsen said both the military and rodeo instill a sense of family. Larsen was deployed with his brother, Lane, and said it wasn’t unusual to see members of other families deployed together. Moreover, he said, many of the people deployed together had grown up side by side. “Rodeo’s no different,” Larsen said. “I mean there’s actual family that compete together and there’s your quote unquote family.” Sheridan native Lt. Col. Terry Jenkins, who’s served two tours with the Wyoming Army National Guard, the first in Iraq with Larsen, the second in Kuwait from 2009 to 2010, said while he doesn’t know that there’s truly a connection between rodeo and the military, there’s definitely parallel values. “I think the standards to be the best that you can in whatever you’re doing is definitely a shared trait with both communities and organizations,” Jenkins said. Jenkins no longer rodeos but was active in the sport for about 35 years, starting when he was about 6 years old and working his way through high school, amateur associations and professional rodeo. He said Wyoming cowboys have a history of supporting conflicts from the Spanish American War to the War on Terror. “The rodeo agricultural world is very supportive of the armed forces,” Jenkins said. “I think it’s just that mindset, you know, when we get a mission or there’s something that has to be done we go and do it; it’s just the way we were raised.” He said appreciation is shown through the efforts of all rodeos to recognize veterans. Larsen also said rodeo stands apart in its recognition of veterans and noted the flyovers, flags and fallen and active soldier tributes. “I don’t think there’s a more patriotic sport, period,” Larsen said. Jenkins said rodeo’s veteran recognition fills him with a sense of pride, a similar pride to rodeo recognition.
“I think the rodeo world is very honorable and very proud of their heritage and I think you see that same thing in the military,” Jenkins said. And with both rodeo and the military having deep roots in American culture, Jenkins is hopeful for a long road ahead. “I hope that people understand that rodeo is a heritage out there that we can maintain here in the state of Wyoming,” Jenkins said. “…It’s part of our history in this country, and of course the military has been here since the founding of the country, and I hope both of them get to continue on into the future for years to come.”
LEFT: Lt. Col. Terry Jenkins with other Sheridan natives while serving in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2005. Standing from left, Staff Sgt. Max Morris, (then) 1st Lt. Terry Jenkins, Staff Sgt. Tony Larsen. Front, Spc. Lane Larsen. Courtesy photo | Terry Jenkins
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First People’s Powwow FROM STAFF REPORTS
What has quickly become a favorite event of Sheridan’s Rodeo Week, the First People’s Powwow will take place Wednesday through Friday at the Sheridan Inn.
On Wednesday of Rodeo Week, from 2-4 p.m., join organizers on the lawn at the Sheridan Inn around a teepee for a multicultural blessing, smudging and prayer service. The afternoon will also include traditional Native American dancing, drumming and flute music by performers from the Crow Reservation led by Truman Jefferson Ropes Good. On Thursday, from 2-4 p.m., another multicultural blessing, smudging and prayer service will take place followed by traditional music and dancing from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation led by Benji Headswift. On Friday, from noon to 3 p.m., the First People’s Powwow and barbecue picnic will take place. Immediately following the Sheridan WYO Rodeo parade, all Native American attendees and participants are invited to gather on the lawn at the Sheridan Inn. On Friday, the Sheridan Trolley will run a loop throughout the event from Grinnell Plaza to the Sheridan Inn. The barbecue lunch will be served outside and will cost $10 per person.
Six-year-old Blake Iron holds still as his mother wipes off his face during the Crow powwow at the Historic Sheridan Inn.
LEFT: Crow women walk past the teepee during the Crow powwow at the Historic Sheridan Inn. TOP RIGHT: Dancers step to the beat during the Crow powwow at the historic Sheridan Inn. BOTTOM RIGHT: The drummers sing at the drum circle during the Crow powwow Wednesday at the Historic Sheridan Inn.
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Pony Races FROM STAFF REPORTS
From Lazy 3S Rodeo Company out of Fort Pierre, South Dakota, comes the fiercest ponies the rodeo has seen. Due to popular demand, the Wild Pony Races will return for the third year as the Sheridan WYO Rodeo’s specialty act. Though the participants look cute, these kids are tough as nails. No older than 12, and weighing in at a max of 100 pounds, three team members face wild, mature animals. “By the time it was over they (the crowd) were all standing. It was crazy… The tenacity of these kids is nothing short of phenomenal,” said Rodeo Board member Billy Craft. Team and pony break out of the shoot and into the arena. The object is to get one of the kids on the pony’s back for two jumps. It’s vital that the team works together. First the anchor, who is holding a rope attached to the pony, has to try to gain control of it while the mugger helps still the pony enough for the rider to get on the pony’s back. Each team is timed. “We were actually dumbstruck by the enthusiasm of the crowd,” Craft said. The event will take place all four nights of the rodeo with Saturday night featuring the championship round. Sheridan’s Will Albrecht, left, and Caden Moreland try to control their pony during the wild pony races at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo on July 15, 2016, at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
Joe Hayden, left, tries to control a pony while teammate Coy Thar attempts to hop on for a ride during the wild pony races at the Sheridan WYO Rodeo on Friday, July 15, 2016, at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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Boot KickOff FROM STAFF REPORTS Starting off the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, the Boot Kickoff will take place at Kendrick Park July 11 from 4- 7 p.m. The kickoff is free and open to the public. An all ages event, activities will include stick horse races for children 8 years old and younger, as well as the Chamber Ambassador’s Challenge. Additionally, as the name implies, the evening will include multiple boot kick competitions. “We take ‘kickoff ’ literally,” said Ryan Koltiska, the director of marketing and communications at the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber Bucks will be awarded to first-, second- and third-
WYO Rodeo Junior Princess Mariah McFaul leads Stetson Tillery, 4, around the barrel for the children’s stick horse races during the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Boot kickoff at Kendrick Park.
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place winners in each of the boot kick age groups. A popular event, spots are limited to 20 competitors in each age bracket so Chamber organizers recommend signing up early. Bring your own boots or borrow a pair supplied by event staff. During all of the fun and games food and drinks will be available and to wrap up the night, live music will be featured in the band shell. The Boot Kickoff is a great way to start off Rodeo Week with a family friendly event, Koltiska said. After the kickoff event in the park, the Black Tooth Brewing Company will host an after-party. Stop by the brewery for live music and grub from local food vendors. Trolley rides will be offered for free between the Boot Kickoff in Kendrick Park and the brewery.
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Pancake Breakfast FROM STAFF REPORTS
Friday is arguably the busiest day of Rodeo Week with activities that take participants from a pancake breakfast at 6 a.m. to the street dance that ends at 2 a.m. Saturday. To keep attendees going, they’re going to need breakfast. Bright and early at 6 a.m. July 14 Kiwanis Club members and volunteers from Girls State and local Boy Scout troops will help cook pancakes and serve attendees of the annual pancake breakfast. The Kiwanis pancake breakfast has been a part of Rodeo Week for more than 40 years. The group annually serves more than 2,000 people in the three-hour time window with more than 25 buckets of pancake batter, 2,100 slices of ham, 18 containers of instant coffee and 75 gallons of orange juice. “The breakfast adds excitement to the rodeo,” Chairman of the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast Dr. Rod Bisbee said. “People will meet there with friends and it’s a fun thing to do. Everyone seems to enjoy the event.” Grinnell Plaza will be filled with hungry locals and visitors from all around the world partaking in a decades-old Sheridan WYO Rodeo tradition. “They get to see everyone and it’s fun to eat outside,” Kiwanis Club secretary Judy Taylor said. “Some people tell me ‘I never eat pancakes at home, but they always taste better outside.’” Attendees get the chance to sit with strangers and strike up a conversation with people that they may not have met otherwise. “So many people come because they enjoy the [community atmosphere] and the meal is good,” Bisbee said. He added, “Everybody wants pancakes.” Breakfast tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 years old and younger. During the breakfast the Sneakers & Spurs Rodeo Run will take place on Main Street at 8 a.m., followed by the Beds Along the Big Horns Race at 9 a.m.
Greta Johnson serves pancakes during the Kiwanis pancake breakfast held on Grinnell Plaza on Friday morning. The event is from 6-9 a.m. and includes pancakes, ham, coffee and orange juice.
Rick Deans pours pancake batter onto a griddle during the Kiwanis pancake breakfast.
From left, 6-year-old Gabby Koval and 4-year-old Izzy Coval eat breakfast during the Kiwanis pancake breakfast. The event serves more than 2,000 people from 6-9 a.m. Friday morning.
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Sneakers and Spurs FROM STAFF REPORTS
A popular way to get active during Rodeo Week, the Sneakers and Spurs race takes runners through downtown Sheridan. Starting the morning of July 14, the 5K (3.1 miles) run starts on Grinnell Plaza taking runners through historic downtown Sheridan, even utilizing trails in Kendrick Park before coming back down Burkitt Street. Taking place before the parade, four to five blocks of the run will be lined with parade goers. If runners like to have throngs of fans cheering for them, the Sneakers and Spurs race is meant for them. A safe and manageable race, 500 or so people participate annually. Everyone from babies in strollers to 80-year-olds can be seen crossing the finish line. For those who aren’t quite convinced they want to run 3.1 miles, organizers reassured everyone that the T-shirts always
make it worth it. Another bonus is that the race is chip timed for accuracy. Every race number has a small chip that logs when each runner starts and finishes. Registration is $25 through July 8 and includes an event T-shirt. Registration from July 8-14 is $30 — and T-shirt availability isn’t guaranteed. To sign up stop in at The Sport Stop or see sheridanwyorodeo. com. Check-in on race day will start at 7 a.m. and the race will begin at 8 a.m. at Grinnell Plaza and Main Street. All proceeds from the race will benefit the Sheridan High School cross-country team.
Participants take off down Main Street during the Sneakers and Spurs race in downtown Sheridan.
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Service Directory
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Beds Along the Big horns FROM STAFF REPORTS
By the time Friday rolls around during Rodeo Week, spectators might need to recuperate. Luckily a handful will be able to stay in bed without missing out on the action. Following the Kiwanis pancake breakfast, Main Street will be swarmed with activity for the Beds Along Big Horns bed race. A quirky event, the bed race involves co-ed teams of six — four runners and two on the bed — hurdling down the street. Whichever team crosses the finish line first wins the grand prize of $500.
Most racers are from the community, sponsored by local businesses. Teams can sign up through sheridanmedia.com or pick up forms at the Sheridan Media office. The entry fee is $45 per team. The race kicks off at 9 a.m. In 2016, Kane Cattle Company’s team took a first-place finish for the fourth year in a row (pictured below). The team included Nathan Berg, Colin Eisenman, Nate Kane, Dan Sessions, Maddy McClure and Molly Ligocki.
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2016 Parade Winners Participants in the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Parade are judged based on the category of entry, Incorporating the theme, creativity and whether the group followed the parade rules. The following are the winners from the 2016 parade.
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A Time to strut your stuff FROM STAFF REPORTS
At 10 a.m. July 14, after the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast and the Beds Along the Big Horns race, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Parade will take over Main and Gould streets. While every year the rodeo hosts Patriot Night, a night where everyone is encouraged to wear red in honor of military personnel, the SWR will pay extra tribute to America this year with the theme “Star-Spangled Rodeo.” Sheridan WYO Rodeo board member Linda St. Clair said she offered the choice of parade theme to the event’s sponsor — Century 21 BHJ Realty. “As parade sponsors for many years, the entire crew at Century 21 BHJ Realty, Inc. has been very supportive by distributing and collecting parade entry forms to those who do not have access to the Internet and by distributing parade numbers during Rodeo Week,” St. Clair said. She added that the realty company historically participates in the parade with a fun and interesting entry that reflects the theme. “So I thought they might like to help with the theme,” St. Clair said. “Indeed, Marie Lowe came through with the 2017 theme, Star-Spangled Rodeo.” Along with this year’s theme the marshals will be the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard out of Fort Riley, Kansas. Established in 1992, the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard provides a link to America’s historic past. Troopers and horses of the unit are outfitted in the uniforms, accouterments and equipment of the Civil War period. Soldiers are
detailed from the ranks of units assigned to Fort Riley and receive instruction from the manuals used by Civil War cavalrymen. From privates to officers, the men and women of the color guard recreate the spectacle of the American horse soldier. They demonstrate horsemanship for rodeos, community events, parades, school groups and official ceremonies. Entry prices for groups and floats are based on category: commercial, political, horse, float, novelty and band and drill divisions. Commercial entries are $100 per unit (vehicle), political entries are $150, horse-related entries, youth organizations, band and drill units and tax exempt entries are free and community floats are $25. Novelty floats are $10 for individuals and $20 for groups. Cash prizes will be awarded in each category from $25-$100. Those interested in signing up have until June 30 and can go to sheridanwyorodeo.com for entry forms. In order for everyone to enjoy the parade St. Clair asks for spectators to follow safety rules. “We just as always ask people to have control of their child and ask them not to approach moving vehicles or the horse… If they’re (the horses) spooked at all it could be very bad,” she said. As for participants in the parade, they’re reminded not to throw anything from floats or units and instead to walk up to the audience when handing out candy and trinkets. The parade will start on Main Street from the First Street bridge, move west toward Works Street and turn onto Gould Street before making its way back to First Street.
Native Americans ride horses around the turn during the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Parade in downtown Sheridan.
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Duck Races FROM STAFF REPORTS
Dylan Wright pushes stranded ducks off of rocks so they continue downstream in Big Goose Creek, as part of the annual Kiwanis Duck Race.
A popular Rodeo Week event, the Sheridan Kiwanis Club will once again host the duck races. According to the group’s website, the Kiwanis Club is focused on helping youth “one child and one community at a time.” The duck races act as a fund raiser with the proceeds benefiting Sheridan children, event chairman Dr. Rodney Bisbee said. Priced at $5, a total of 1,000 rubber ducks will be numbered and sold for the races. On the day of the event, the ducks are tossed into the creek in Kendrick Park where they head to the finish line. The owners of the first three ducks to make it across win cash prizes: $500, $200 and $100. If poor weather occurs the race will be moved to the Kendrick Park swimming pool, however this has only occurred a few times in the history of the event. Ducks can be purchased at the WYO Theater or from Kiwanis Club members. Additionally, the ducks can be purchased on the day of the race. For more than 25 years this event has been a prominent tradition during the week of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. The duck races start at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 14.
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Carnival FROM STAFF REPORTS Outside of the excitement and thrills of the rodeo arena, the annual Rodeo Week carnival is one of the most anticipated features of summer in northeast Wyoming — allowing kids to be kids and letting adults pretend for just a little bit. Set to take place Wednesday through Saturday, July 12-15, beginning at 5 p.m. each day at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds, the carnival will feature various rides and games provided by North Star Amusements of Cody. Carnival organizer Charlie Jorgenson has said carnival-goers will be able to purchase food such as burgers, ribs, brats, kettle corn, cotton candy and a variety of other carnival foods if they need a breather from the rides and games. He also noted that the festive atmosphere of the carnival is one the entire family can enjoy together. The wide array of activities and entertainment options make it the perfect way to enjoy a warm summer night following a hectic day of other rodeo-related festivities. The carnival will run each night until midnight. Entry wristbands cost $30. Wednesday night is “Buddy Night” and carnival-goers can get two wristbands for $40.
Carnival Outside of the excitement and thrills of the rodeo arena, the an.................................................................................................................................
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Get WYO’d e with som
Whisky
Sheridan WYO Rodeo to launch whisky with Bighorn Spirits FROM STAFF REPORTS The imagery of cowboys sipping whisky seems as old as the West itself, and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and Bighorn Spirits hope to continue that tradition. The Sheridan WYO Rodeo announced in April that it is partnering with Bighorn Spirits to introduce WYO Rodeo Whisky, a premium Canadian whiskey aged for 12 years in oak barrels. Frank Maestri, co-founder of Bighorn Spirits, said his grandfather had purchased the whisky before his death, hoping that the whisky market would pick up. “Now we’re going to put his booze into bottles,” Maestri said, adding the alcohol industry is in his family. The whisky, for example, has been housed in barrels for years in California, where the Maestri family owns and operates FrankLin Distillers Products. Another relative founded Casa Maestri Tequila in 2008, producing tequila from Mexico. WYO Rodeo board President Nick Siddle said the idea got started when he and Maestri began talking about sponsorships and partnerships for the rodeo. “We started talking about two months ago and I threw out the idea of a product we could co-brand,” Siddle said in April. “He jumped on it and said, ‘Let’s do something.’”
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Made for sipping and cocktails, this ultra premium whisky will be available for special order through the Wyoming Liquor Commission this June. Tastings will be scheduled throughout Sheridan WYO Rodeo week at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds and local liquor stores. Bottles will be on retail shelves in July. Maestri said his goal is to be in all western states in the next five years. His wife, Kirsten, said the co-branded product is good for both her family’s company and the rodeo. “This allows us to work with a name with great quality already behind it,” Maestri said of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. Siddle added that the product will keep the Sheridan WYO Rodeo name in front of consumers throughout the year and help build the name. “The Sheridan WYO Rodeo is all about preserving Western culture and expanding our local economy,” Siddle said, adding that more merchandising opportunities may also arise. Frank Maestri said he hopes to utilize the popular “Get WYO’d” phrase associated with the rodeo for his whiskty as well.
Anyone need a WYO and coke?
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‘til the last Tailgate closes FROM STAFF REPORTS
With a week packed full of bull riding, barrel racing and cattle roping, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo will wrap up the fun with the annual tailgate party. Hosted at the Big Horn Equestrian Center, polo and rodeo fans alike can enjoy a relaxing day taking in “the beauty of the Bighorns,” WYO Rodeo Board member Linda St. Clair said. “It’s a great way to put a cap on a fun week,” she added. Clearwater’s Gonzalo Teves, white, swings at the ball against Titos’ Francisco Lanusse, black, during the Polo H Club polo game at the Flying H Ranch in Big Horn.
A free event for the public, the party will consist of a few polo matches. At 2:30 p.m., after the 1 p.m. Eatons’ Cup, cowboys from local dude ranches will saddle up and play polo their way — using brooms and a volleyball. Next the WYO Rodeo Cup, sponsored by Alliance Tire, will begin at 3 p.m. With food and beverage vendors, great entertainment and a peaceful setting, St. Clair encourages people to relax and wind down. This year’s event will take place July 16.
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boot scootin’ at the Street Dance FROM STAFF REPORTS
Western tradition meets celebration during Rodeo Week. Bringing music and festivities to downtown, the Street Dance gives rodeo fans a chance to kick back and relax Friday and Saturday nights. Among a surplus of events during the week, the annual dance lets spectators take over Main Street for a few hours each night. Starting at 6 p.m. downtown will be overrun as the area is transformed with a food court, stages and of course an area to dance. “People can just go and relax… with plenty of room for everyone,” Street Dance organizer Brad Townsend said. As always, the event will be held between Alger and Brundage streets downtown. With live music kicking off at 9 p.m., dancers can enjoy a variety from classic rock to country. On the south end of the street
Revelers mingle during the street dance Saturday on Main Street.
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the Dakota Country Band from Rapid City will be playing. Taking over the north side will be Skippy and the T-Bone of Logan, Utah. Townsend reminded people that the street dance operates as a family event, where kids are welcome to join their parents for the festivities. (Minors will be given a different wristband than those older than 21.) For those who might not be dancing all night, Grinnell Plaza will hold a variety of food vendors selling favorites. Others can busy themselves with a game of butt darts, always a street dance favorite. Along with the food and entertainment, alcoholic beverages are available for those old enough to drink. Representatives of the Rainbow Bar, The Mint Bar and Beaver Creek Saloon produce and coordinate the event. After about 6 p.m. both Friday and Saturday, the area will be closed down for the dance with security at all gates. ID is required for those wishing to drink. “We try every year to make sure we don’t have any underage drinking. …We want to make sure it’s safe and fun for everybody. That’s what it’s all about,” Townsend said
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Rodeo BY CCHELSEA HELS HE LSEA EA COLI
Chet Johnson n que questioned uesttio ione ned d his hi fu futu future ture re iin n sa sadd saddle ddle le bronc bro ronc n ridrid iding after a horse kick to the head landed him in the intensive care unit for three days with a fractured skull. But after his six-month recovery, he said there was no question to it, he wanted to get back in the saddle. A fractured skull isn’t the only injury Johnson has suffered during his rodeo career; his list of injuries includes broken bones, torn tendons and a separated shoulder. While rodeo is not alone in the frequency of injury — football players commonly suffer from knee injuries and ligament sprains and basketball players feel the pain when it comes to sprained wrists, fingers and ankles — rodeo does stand apart in the types of injuries it sees and recovery methods used. Justin Boots Sports-medicine Team program manager Doug Olle said his team sees a lot of injuries similar to those that occur in football, baseball and other sports, but the injuries are usually more high-impact like those in NASCAR. “We have a saying in rodeo that, ‘It’s not if you’re gonna get hurt…but it’s how bad you’re gonna get hurt,’” Olle said. He said on site the team does its best to patch athletes up so they can go back out and compete. He said unlike the National Veteran rodeo competitor Chet Johnson competes in rodeos across the nation.
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Football Foot Fo otba baall l League Lea eagu guee or National Natio attiona n l Basketball Bask Ba sket etba balll Association, Ass ssoc ocia iati tion on,, rodeo athletes don’t have contracts. To earn a paycheck, they have to ride, and many times that leads to competing injured. “We do the best that we can to help them ride, to take care of them without hurting themselves worse,” Olle said. “These guys got to get out there and throw their rope in the shortest amount of time or ride their bull or ride their horse and (get) the best score,” he added later. A quick turnaround and unique events that require straddling, wrestling and roping also mean different types of recovery gear for athletes. Johnson, who will be competing in this year’s Sheridan WYO Rodeo, said while knee injuries are common, cowboys can’t use a normal knee brace because it’s too thick to wear while riding in a saddle. He said a special knee brace is required. Olle said otherwise, many of the methods used in treatment are similar to other sports trainers’ methods and include body stretches, athletic tape and
physical therapy modalities. He said the time line for recovery is usually just a little quicker. Olle said the unique component of rodeo injuries is the live arena in which all action takes place. Unlike any other sport, play doesn’t stop when an athlete is hurt. “Well if I get someone hurt in the rodeo arena, play is not dead,” Olle said. “I still have a live animal out there I have to deal with.” But care doesn’t end behind the chutes. Olle said Justin’s helps to set athletes up with trainers and physical therapists to continue their rehab. He said locally, he’s worked a lot with Sheridan Orthopedic Group and Sheridan Physical Therapy. He said a networking
system of doctors across the country makes it easy to connect athletes with health care providers. Beyond that, Johnson said the team also teaches athletes how to care for their injuries. “That’s one of their biggest things, I feel like, is they’re really good at teaching you how to deal with certain injuries,” Johnson said. “And then you kind of take it yourself in the long run.” Johnson said he’s questioned continuing with rodeo a few times, especially during his head injury, but ultimately he loves the challenge and the people. “Rodeo’s also a lifestyle and your best friends are here doing it with ya and it’s a big family,” Johnson said, “and it’d be pretty hard to step away from that family.”
Local competitor Chet Johnson competes in the saddle bronc riding event for a winning score of 82.5 during the Sheridan WYO Rodeo last year at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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2017 Scholarship Winners Each year the WYO Rodeo awards three Sheridan County graduating seniors with a $1,000 scholarship to their school of choice. The Sheridan WYO Rodeo relies heavily on the volunteer efforts of community members. If it didn’t have the SPURS volunteer group, the rodeo would happen but not at the quality and ease it shows. SWR gives a special consideration to any student actively involved in helping with the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and
Coy Steel, Sheridan High School graduate, plans to attend Montana State University. Steel hopes to earn a master’s degree in civil engineering, eventually owning his own firm.
Anna Miech, Sheridan High School graduate, plans to attend the University of Utah. Her ultimate career goal is to become a doctor of neurology.
Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board of Directors would like to thank all participants who applied for this scholarship. Over the past 20-plus years, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo has awarded more than $80,000 to deserving Sheridan County students. “We are proud to be involved in the education of today’s youth,” said Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board Secretary Vicki Kane. “As a college education becomes ever more expensive, the
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the events of Rodeo Week, as encouragement to join the efforts of the SPURS. The WYO Rodeo Board of Directors is very proud to recognize all three of the scholarship winners this year are members of the SPURS. It is our hope Anna, Andrew and Coy will continue to volunteer and encourage future students to do so as well.
Andrew Boint, Sheridan High School graduate, will attend the University of Wyoming, with a major in agriculture business. Boint’s career goal is to work in the Wyoming agricultural Industry and live on his own small ranch.
WYO Rodeo is pleased to be able to help area seniors pursue their studies.” Apply for the 2018 Sheridan WYO Rodeo Scholarship at www.sheridanwyorodeo.com/scholarship. Applicants must graduate from a high school in Sheridan County in spring of 2018 and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.
Bob King Memorial Roping FROM STAFF REPORTS
Gathering ropers both local and from out of state, the Bob King Memorial Team Roping is known for its tough competition. Named in memory of the late Bob King of King’s Saddlery, the event has been a part of the WYO Rodeo for years. Starting Sunday, July 16, at 10 a.m., the event will include three different competitions: #10 Century Roping, National Nine Qualifier, The King 5 Steer. “Many local and visiting ropers participate in the roping and many not only enter because it is a high quality event, but also because of their friendship and/or respect for Bob,” said Zane Garstad, member of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo board. With King’s lifelong involvement with King’s Saddlery as well as the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, Garstad said rodeo officials are honored to have this event associated with the WYO.
Header Roger St. Clair tosses his rope around a steer during the Bob King Memorial Team Roping competition on Sunday, July 17, 2016, at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds. Mike Pruden | The Sheridan Press
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Security FROM STAFF REPORTS With more than 20,000 people gathering in town for the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, security is a top priority. To ensure that the week’s events run smoothly the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board hires a security company to help manage the crowds. “The most important thing to us is that everyone feels safe and secure at the rodeo,” Rodeo Board President Nick Siddle said. The security crew has people on duty 24 hours a day at the fairgrounds to ensure security. Siddle doesn’t predict any big issues though. The main problem is typically accommodating the number of cars that swarm the fairgrounds. Because the facilities are short on parking, the rodeo board utilizes the Sheridan High School parking lot. Shuttles run spectators back and forth between parking lots and the fairgrounds. The priority of safety and the regulations in place are all to maintain order so the rodeo can be an enjoyable event for everyone, Siddle said.
Security checks tickets of rodeo goers during the Sheridan WYO Rodeo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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Volunteers FROM STAFF REPORTS
With all the action that occurs over Rodeo Week it can be easy to forget all the effort it takes to make sure the events go off without a hitch. Volunteers power every event that takes place during Sheridan WYO Rodeo Week — from the boot kickoff to the tailgate party at the Big Horn Equestrian Center and everything in between. Organizations involved in the events include the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo board and many, many others. SPURS Volunteers work can be seen throughout the rodeo helping with everything from putting up banners on Main Street to carrying the flags in during the actual rodeo. “The reality is,” said volunteer coordinator Sam Summers, “that without the SPURS and without the volunteers it just would not happen.” Each year, approximately 150 people help with the WYO Rodeo. While some people feel under qualified to help put on a professional rodeo, Summers said there’s something for everyone. “There’s just a variety and a lot of different events that we need help with,” he said. While some volunteers help for a few hours or a few days, others have more of an involved job. The women who ride out with the flags are a prime example. “They have to practice. They have to do a lot of things our other volunteers don’t have to do,” Summers said. Other volunteers who are an asset to the rodeo performance are the kids from FFA and 4-H who help with the slack performances loading shoots. Many of these volunteers and others have been helping out for years. “We just have a lot of those long-term volunteers who have been around forever. It’s like a family affair for them,” Summers said. For those wanting to get involved, see sheridanwyorodeo.com.
Sheridan High School cheerleader Abigail James hands out magazines and run sheets during the first night of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo last year at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
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Sheridan WYO Rodeo 2017 CONTESTANT LIST
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CONTESTANT LIST
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