OKLAHOMA CITY – The word has spread across rodeo circles that this weekend’s Oklahoma City ProRodeo will be the final PRCA event in the historic Jim Norick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. It’s just one of the reasons that nearly 500 cowboys and cowgirls put their names in the hat to be part of[...]

Oklahoman has a mix of experiences at historic Jim Norick Arena OKLAHOMA CITY – The date is engrained in his mind, but Cord McCoy doesn’t remember much of it. It was late September 2004, and McCoy was competing at the State Fair Rodeo in Oklahoma City. It was the biggest ProRodeo in his home state,[...]

OKLAHOMA CITY – Freckles Brown had already distinguished himself as one of the best bull riders in rodeo by the time the National Finals Rodeo came to town in 1965. Six years before, h qualified for the first four NFRs – three in Dallas and one in Las Angeles – and earned the 1962 world[...]

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legendary Oklahoma statesman Clem McSpadden wore many hats in his time on Earth. Mostly, though, those chapeaus were in a cowboy shape, because that, deep down, who McSpadden was. He went from roper to rodeo announcer to serving others, first as a representative at the Oklahoma Capitol, then as a U.S. congressman[...]

OKLAHOMA CITY – The new paint still had a fresh smell the first time the Duvall brothers made their way into State Fair Arena. The grand opening in the storied complex was the 1965 National Finals Rodeo, the championship event developed by the Rodeo Cowboys Association, now known as the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Within[...]

LAS VEGAS – The two years he spent at Clarendon (Texas) College taught bareback rider Weston Timberman a lot about life, gave him experiences to cherish and prepared him for a career in professional rodeo. He continued his education over the past two weeks during his inaugural qualification to the National Finals Rodeo, where the[...]

LAS VEGAS – Looking at the final numbers, Cole Franks had a fantastic run at the National Finals Rodeo. He led the aggregate standings most of the way, only to be surpassed on the final night by world champion Dean Thompson, but Franks still produced at a high rate over the 10-day championship. He finished[...]

LAS VEGAS – The big, bad gray gelding, Virgil, was named the Bareback Horse of the National Finals Rodeo. Jess Pope can testify to the incredible power the two-time bucking horse of the year possesses. Pope rode the C5 Rodeo horse for 87 points to close out his fifth straight NFR during Saturday’s 10th round[...]

LAS VEGAS – There’s a lot to being a rodeo cowboy. It’s not just riding or roping. It’s being a businessman, knowing how to plan a schedule and take care of all the little things that come with it. It’s being a driver, someone who travels tens of thousands of miles to get from one[...]

LAS VEGAS – Wyatt Casper didn’t have a lot of time to reflect, but he knew he’d just done something special. He closed out his fifth National Finals Rodeo with an 85.5-point ride on Kirsten Vold’s Captain Hook. Though he didn’t place in the 10th round, he did finish the rodeo with a cumulative score[...]