Monthly Archives: August 2009

Joe Beaver. Trevor Brazile. Fred Whitfield. Just to rope in the same go-round with the legendary trio would send a few jolts of nerves through the best of cowboys. But for 19-year-old Tuf Cooper, it’s just another day at the rodeo arena.

“I grew up around them,” said Cooper, the 2008 PRCA tie-down and overall rookie of the year. “I have the most respect for all of them. They are all great guys and great ropers.”

Cooper will compete against Brazile (his brother-in-law) and Whitfield in the tie-down roping event this week at the 22nd annual Farm-City Pro Rodeo, which begins Wednesday and runs through Saturday in Hermiston.

A native of Decatur, Texas, Cooper shared the 2008 FCPR tie-down roping title with Jeff Chapman of Athens, Texas, after both posted a time of 17.8 seconds on two head. Cooper is looking forward to defending his title.

“Last year was my first time in Oregon,” Cooper said. “It was awesome. I love the Northwest and the fans are great.” (read more)

Courtesy PRCA

Updated: August 11, 2009, 2:13 PM ET

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Brandon Beers keeps inching toward a spot in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo without getting any closer to knowing who he might rope with if he makes it to the Thomas & Mack Center.

Beers paired with Ryan Motes, Aug. 5-8, to win the Sikeston (Mo.) Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, a Wrangler Million Dollar Tour silver-tier event presented by Justin Boots and finish third in the Lawton (Okla.) Rangers Rodeo .

But that partnership is over now…..(read more)

By Dwayne Erickson

Mike Johnson, undoubtedly the world’s most consistent calf roper in pro rodeo history, has clinched a spot in the Wrangler Canadian Tour finale set for the Calgary Corral Oct. 2-4.

And the 45-year-old Oklahoman has moved into eighth place in the Canadian standings in his bid to qualify for the November Canadian Finals Rodeo at Edmonton.

Johnson, who has worked 17 Canadian rodeos this year, cashed second with an 8.2-second run on the weekend at Dawson Creek, B.C., the 10^th of the 11 Tour rodeos that lead to the Calgary event.

He’s now second in the Tour standings with 343 points, enough that he can’t be moved out of the top 10 at the closing tour rodeo at Armstrong, B.C. on the Labor Day weekend.

Johnson also caught last money hole at the other weekend rodeo in Olds, boosting his weekend income to $2,256. That pushed his Canadian season’s earnings to $13,828.

Johnson, the 2004 Calgary Stampede $50,000 champion, has amassed nearly $2.2 million in earnings over a 28-year career and has qualified for the year-end world championships an event record 23 times.

He is currently 26^th in the world standings with nearly $34,000 to his credit, about $10,000 shy of the top 15, who qualify for the December Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at Las Vegas. (read more)

By Al Camp
Chronicle staff

     OMAK – A pair of local adopted brothers found their way to the winner’s circle on the same night of the Omak Stampede rodeo and World-Famous Suicide Race.
     Frances Marchand, 18, became only the second rider to get a full eight-second ride in bulls Aug. 8 after three days of rodeo. He posted a 71 that stands second to Garrett Faulhaber’s 72-point ride on Thursday night…(read more)

By Heartland News

SIKESTON, MO (KFVS) – It was a muddy night for cowboys on the opening night of the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo.

Tuesday night storms left the rodeo grounds very muddy.  That made things very nasty, especially for the steer wrestlers who had to wallow in the mud.  So much for those nice clean western shirts and jeans.  As far as walking, cowboys were up to their ankles in the soupy mess.

Someone who didn’t mind the muddy track was rodeo clown Rick Young….(read more)