The last time I’d visited with Christina Richman was during the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. That was two months ago, and she was caring for her rascally partner, a barrel horse named Stitch. Since then, the pair has done quite well. In fact, as her friend Sandy Gwatney termed it, Richman[...]

Matt Bright got out of his pickup, stretched a bit, then walked back to open the door to his camper. That’s where he stopped. With his hand on the door, Bright’s head slumped a bit. He stormed back to the front of the truck, grabbed his phone and headed to the Will Rogers Roundup Club[...]

One of the great things I get to do in my job is take a rodeo neophyte and explain my passion for the sport. That happened last Thursday while announcer Scott Grover and I visited with Mike Collier during the Good Day Tulsa segment on Tulsa’s Channel 8 as we promoted the Will Rogers Stampede[...]

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Over his eight-year career, Jared Keylon has reached many of his goals while riding bareback horses. During Sunday’s final performance in Claremore, Keylon crossed another one on his list. The cowboy from Uniontown, Kan., matched moves with Rafter H Rodeo’s Roany Pony for 75 points to win the 66th edition of the[...]

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Tie-down roper Will Howell is young, but he’s got the confidence of a crafty veteran. That was quite an advantage Saturday night during the second performance of the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo, where Howell posted an 8.6-second run to move in to second place in the four-day rodeo. He’s the closest[...]

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Jesse James Kirby wants to feel the bright lights of Las Vegas as a first-time saddle bronc rider at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Jacobs Crawley wants to return to ProRodeo’s championship event. They both made positive moves on Friday during opening night of the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo, posting identical[...]

The summer season is coming soon. Rodeos in the Prairie Circuit are in full swing. Congrats to Jeanne Anderson, who won last week in Abbyville. Next week is chocked full of rodeos in our region: Fort Smith (Ark.), Hugo, Ada, Bennington, Strong City, Licking (Mo.) and Conway (Ark). There will be lots of opportunities for[...]

The 66th edition of the Will Rogers Stampede began Thursday morning with a full day of slack. I haven’t received any results yet, but here is a quick photo so you know it’s coming.

Spending this past weekend on the Carr Pro Rodeo ranch gave me a new perspective of just what it takes to care for the amazing animal athletes that are part of our sport. Much of the heavy lifting belongs to the man in charge of the day-to-day operations; at Carr Pro Rodeo, that is Jeff[...]

Scoot is a beautiful palomino who performs really well. Jeff Collins says you can head and heel on him, and he’s easy to work with. Ted is nearly 45 years old and hasn’t been horseback since he was 16. But I stepped up on Scoot like I meant business, even if I damn near overshot[...]