Equine
The Rodeo Road is Heating up and about to Erupt
By Phillip Kitts
The month of April continued to be the big transition from the slow season, where a few big rodeos around the nation draw the dedicated cowboys and cowgirls who are deeply invested in making a bid at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. As the month gears up, many competitors get serious about competing in as many events as the rules will allow. Since Pro-Rodeo has a cap of 100 rodeos, cowboys focus on hitting as many big payout rodeos as possible with as many rodeos as they can that within their circuit system.
Many people are not really clear on the circuit system of Pro-Rodeo. In the effort to simplify it a bit more, here is how it breaks down. Pro-Rodeo is broken down into 12 circuits: Badland, which covers North and South Dakota; Montana Circuit; Columbia- covers part of Idaho, Washington and Oregon; California Circuit; Wilderness—Part of Idaho, Nevada, Utah; Turquois—Arizona and New Mexico; Mountain States-Wyoming and Colorado; Prairie— Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma; Texas Circuit; Great Lakes Circuit—Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan; Southeastern Circuit—Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and the First Frontier Circuit—Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine.
In addition to competing for a bid to the National Finals Rodeo, each competitor also focuses on attending enough “circuit” rodeos so they can qualify for their respective circuit finals. Each circuit holds a finals at the end of the season in which competitors can vie for a chance to claim their circuit championship in the event. To add to the bragging rights of being a circuit champion winner, they are invited to compete in Kissimmee, Fla., for the Ram National Circuit Finals. The “Ram Circuit Finals” is held in April and comes with a big payout to kick off the rodeo season.
To read more pick up a copy of the June 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Krista Lucas Wynn
The American Western Weekend on March 8-9 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, was a weekend full of rodeo competition that fans looked forward to for the past 10 years. The night of the American rodeo is something cowboys and cowgirls have worked hard for, in order to have a chance to win a $1,000,000 prize.
The top five from the 2023 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo were invited to compete alongside five contenders. The invitees were vying for a $100,000 paycheck for first place, and if a qualifier won their event and was the only qualifier to do so, he or she walked away with $1,000,000.
In the bareback riding, Kade Sonnier, Keenan Hayes, Jess Pope, and Tilden Hooper made it out of the long round of 10 to advance to the final four-shootout round. WNFR qualifier, Sonnier, made a 90.5-point ride on Agent Lynx to win the $100,000.
To read more, pick up a copy of the May issue of NTFR. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Phillip Kitts
The mystique and imagined glory of the rodeo road call many young people’s names. As they grow up, they watch the greats of the sport run from rodeo to rodeo and occasionally land on the television giving the perception of the rockstar lifestyle.
No, the glory of the rodeo road is not as grand as, say, the National Football League or the National Basketball Association, but being an athlete competing in front of the yellow chutes of Vegas is just as big a deal, and in every way, can be compared to competing in a Super Bowl.
However, things sure are different in the rodeo world. Let us take a minute and talk about what seem to be simple things in life that impact rodeo and rodeo athletes that in no way would make a difference to the big-money sports.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Garrett Metcalf, DVM
It is common for horse owners to have a horse with a wound or laceration at some point in their life. Sometimes small lacerations can be perceived as benign, inconsequential problems that do not need immediate veterinary attention and are managed by the owners or trainers initially. Unfortunately, these simple-looking wounds can involve very important anatomical structures that can lead to serious infections that can be life-threatening or, at best career-limiting, for the horse.
Large wounds tend to get all the attention from owners or trainers because when they occur they are so obvious and visually appalling that medical attention is sought almost immediately. Those types of large wounds can be devastating, but they often involve the upper body regions of the horse, which heal better and often don’t involve structures such as joints or tendons.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
-
Country Lifestyles1 year agoScott & Stacey Schumacher: A Growth Mindset
-
Equine8 months agoThe Will to Win
-
Country Lifestyles7 years agoStyle Your Profile – What your style cowboy hat says about you and new trends in 2017
-
Country Lifestyles4 years agoAmber Crawford, Breakaway Roper
-
HOME7 years agoGrazing North Texas – Wilman Lovegrass
-
Country Lifestyles7 years agoDecember 2016 Profile, Rusty Riddle – The Riddle Way
-
Outdoor9 years agoButtercup or Primrose?
-
Country Lifestyles8 years agoJune 2016 Profile – The man behind the mic: Bob Tallman