EAGLE, Colo. – Carr Pro Rodeo has been an established piece of the pie for the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo for several years.
The pie just got a little tastier.
“Pete Carr has been bringing the best animals in the world to Eagle for a long time,” said announcer Andy Stewart, now in his second year calling the action of the rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 24-Saturday, July 27, at the Eagle County Fairgrounds. “Now that he has Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo along with Carr Pro Rodeo, rodeos like Eagle get that much better.”
Carr acquired Classic this past April and has been atop the rodeo world as the largest livestock producer in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. All told, he owns 31 animals that were selected to perform at the 2012 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The greatest of those will be in Eagle.
“I’m combining two of the best crews in rodeo to form one of the greatest rodeo companies,” said Pete Carr, the owner of the outfits. “I’m excited about the new opportunities that are ahead for the company. I want committees to know we have a lot to offer them. We’re going to have unprecedented resources for all the rodeos, which will benefit everyone involved: committees, sponsors, contestants and spectators.”
Nearly 400 of ProRodeo’s most decorated contestants are scheduled to be part of this year’s championship. The numbers continue to grow, but that’s because they know they can expect great things to happen in the mountain air.
“Pete Carr is there, and he brings all the great horses that we all want to get on,” said Casey Colletti, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Pueblo, Colo. “The cool thing about Eagle is that everything bucks so well there that you never know what’s going to win.”
In 2013, the firms will produce 34 rodeos in 13 states and have some of the greatest animal athletes in the sport. That’s a big reason the big names in the sport will find their way to Eagle in July.
“Pete’s got a heck of a string put together,” said saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell, a four-time NFR qualifier from Boxholm, Iowa. “There are not a lot of people that can match him anymore.”
Sundell has earned more than $55,000 on Carr livestock this year, including the $50,000 top prize for winning the championship at RodeoHouston, riding Pete Carr’s Classic’s Big Tex for 90 points.
“It’s awesome when you have a good horse underneath you, because you know something good is going to happen,” he said.
If history tells a tale, it should be an outstanding rodeo again. Great bucking beasts just add to the excitement. Take Grass Dancer, for example, the 12-year-old buckskin mare has been to the NFR four times. At Eagle in 2009, she matched moves with Ryan Gray for a world record-tying 94 points.
“Eagle is a pretty special place, even if we’re just talking about the atmosphere,” Carr said. “The animals just love the weather there. It’s really cool for us as well when you figure we’re a Texas livestock company. Getting to go to Eagle in July from this kind of heat in Texas is a nice change for all of us.”