SILVERTON, Texas – Every cowboy knows he needs a good horse underneath him if he is to be successful.
The members of the Buck Wild Days Rodeo committee know that, too, which is why Pete Carr and his staff from Carr Pro Rodeo are producing the Silverton event for the third straight year.
“All the cowboys know they’ll get good stock when they go to one of Pete’s rodeos,” said Ken Wood, chairman of the annual rodeo, which is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16-Saturday, Aug. 18. “We know we’re able to get the best contestants because of it.”
Why?
The main reason is bareback riders and saddle bronc riders just want a chance to compete for the prize money. If a cowboy is matched with a good horse, it comes down to his ability to do the right things as the animal performs.
“We want our rodeos to be a riding contest, where the guy with the best spur ride wins,” said Carr, owner of the Dallas-based livestock company.
The cowboys appreciate it, too.
“You definitely want to go somewhere that you have a chance to win,” said Casey Sisk of Corona, N.M. “Pete’s got a great pen of bucking horses, the kind you like getting on.”
It doesn’t matter if the cowboy uses a bronc saddle or a bareback rigging. Contestants keep an eye out for rodeos that carry animals emblazoned with the Rafter C brand.
“Anytime I draw a Pete Carr horse, I know I will probably win money,” said Cody DeMers, a four-time NFR qualifier from Kimberly, Idaho. “That’s why I go to his rodeos.”
In 2011, Carr had 11 horses selected to perform at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, ProRodeo’s season-ending championship – eight bareback horses and three broncs. In that mix stalwarts like MGM Deuces Night, Dirty Jacket and recognized animals like Real Deal, the 2005 Bareback Riding Horse of the Year, and River Boat Annie, the 2007 reserve world champion bucking horse.
“Pete really strives to have the best horses he can get,” said Heath Ford, a three-time NFR qualifier who also serves as the bareback riding representative. “He spends money on them. He’ has one of the most solid pens going down the road.”
Fans in Silverton have taken note, too. What they’ll see in Wood Memorial Arena is great action from start to finish.
“Pete’s got an eye for good horses and is always trying to make his stock better,” said saddle bronc rider Isaac Diaz, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Desdemona, Texas. “Pete’s constantly worried about whether we’re happy, which is good. There are a lot of contractors out there who could care less if we’re happy. Pete’s the opposite. He does what he can to keep us happy.
“At most of the smaller rodeos we go to, you don’t have a chance to draw good. At least at Pete’s rodeos, you know you have a good shot of getting on something you can win on. Then it’s just up to you to ride well enough to do it.”