When you’re born in the Osage Country of Oklahoma, steer roping is just part of who you are. That’s Chet Herren in a nutshell, born in Pawhuska, Okla., 32 years ago and still working the rangeland. This weekend marks the sixth time in Herren’s career he has qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer[...]

Two seasons ago, Davis proved to be quite an impressive first-timer in the field of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The third-generation roper won the 10-round average in the championship’s return to this grand arena after an eight-year hiatus. It was quite a celebration for Davis, whose father, Jim Davis, won two Steer[...]

Snedecor’s career can be summed up in two-word phrases. Most of his life, it’s been rodeo cowboy. Since 2005, he’s been better known as World Champion. In fact, he’s earned the title twice (2005, 2008), but you can call him Champ any day. That’s the significance of the gold buckle. Not only that, he finished[...]

It’s been three years since Gasperson last qualified for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. In fact, he’s never competed for the championship in all the years its taken place inside this magnificent arena. That changes this weekend. In fact, the $1,100 the Texan earned the final weekend of the season moved him up[...]

In Amarillo, Texas, during the biggest steer roping of the regular season’s final week, Lee won the three-head average and $3,259. That pushed him over $60,000 for the season; he is one of four ropers to come into this weekend’s event with $60,000 in regular-season earnings, joining Trevor Brazile, Vin Fisher Jr. and Rocky Patterson.[...]

Is this the year the veteran makes his move toward that elusive gold buckle? Fisher certainly hopes it is. The 2011 season has been good to Fisher, a third-generation steer roper who is competing in his eighth Clem McSpadden National Steer Roping Finals. In fact, eight is the perfect number for the 30-year-old cowboy; that’s[...]

Brazile is the No. 1 man in rodeo. Not only is he the No. 1 money-earner this season, he is also the top gun in Steer Roping. That bodes well for the record-breaking 14-time World Champion. The last two times he wore the No. 1 back number at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping[...]

In addition to the top 15 cowboys, steer roping finals will feature the greatest horses GUTHRIE, Okla. – It takes a great horse to make a cowboy. No matter which rodeo event it is, each cowboy realizes the path to championships is on talented mounts. “There’s no event in rodeo where you need a great horse[...]

EDITOR’S NOTE: For the next few days, I will be running biographies on the qualifiers to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. I hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about the top 15 cowboys. ROCKY PATTERSON The Kansan is the two-time reigning World Champion Steer Roper for a reason: He earned[...]

Benette Barrington used a great word to describe her barrel racing mount, JL Dash Ta Heaven, during his first-round run at the American Royal Rodeo a little more than a week ago. “He was very fluent,” she said of the 6-year-old sorrel stallion, whose daddy, Dash Ta Fame, is a top breeding stud in barrel[...]