Spur'N Conversations

Well the books have officially closed on the 2006 PRCA regular-season and the field is set for yet another exciting Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Rodeo Attitude once again has asked my opinion on each one of the championship races. Before we do that let's discuss the format of the Wrangler NFR. It is a ten round competition featuring the top fifteen cowboys and cowgirls in their respective events. The top fifteen contestants are determined by money earners in each of the seven events contested in a PRCA rodeo with the top money winners earning the right to qualify for the Super Bowl of Rodeo. Really and truly it is any ones ballgame in each event, as Cody Hancock would prove in the year 2000 when he would go from 15 coming in to the National Finals to first. Each go-round pays $16,022 for first place in the round; however, they do pay six places in each go round for a total of $51,683 per round. Plus to the contestant who over the ten performances has the fastest times or the highest scores from each performance will receive an average check of $41,088. The average also pays down eight positions for a total of $155,048 in each of seven events. If you factor in all of that in most races any of the contestants could come out a champion.

That said now I will give you my opinion on who has the best chance in each event category starting with the All-Around Cowboy. The All-Around Championship unlike all the others it is given to the cowboy who wins the most money throughout the year in two or more events and if you ask me it is really only a two man race between three-time all-around champion, Trevor Brazil, and the PRCA's all-time money leader, Joe Beaver. They are the only two cowboys to qualify for the Wrangler NFR in two events each respectively qualifying in the tie down roping and the team roping. The 2005 and reigning All-Around Champion, Ryan Jarrett, is currently in third place in the All-Around race but unlike last year he has only qualified in one event this year. Trevor has a huge lead over Joe, but Joe is the more experienced of the two with 20 previous qualifications to the National Finals. As to which one I think will come out on top, I think Trevor Brazil will be your 2006 All-Around Champion Cowboy.

In the bareback riding there are several contenders for this year’s championship but as to who I think has the upper hand? Well that is the number one man going into the National Finals, Will Lowe. If he succeeds this will be his third world championship in this event, just two away from tying the record which stands at five held by legendary bareback rider, Bruce Ford. Speaking of the Ford family, there will be three contestants at this year’s National Finals with that last name, all three being cousins. Two qualified in the bareback riding. Royce is currently fourth in the standings and is the son of Bruce Ford. Heath is thirteenth in the bareback standings. The third Ford, Jarrod, qualified in the bull riding. Among the competitors for the bareback championship I thank the biggest threat to Will Lowe is Andy Martinez who has been very consistent this year. In my opinion the championship will once again go to Will Lowe if he can keep doing what he has done all year.

In the steer wrestling there are a number of competitors in my opinion that stand out. Dean Gorethge has the lead but there are several contestants behind him that are looking to take it from him. Sean Greenfield and Jason Lahr to name a few but I think the reigning world champion, Canadian Lee Graves, who is currently in 7th position is certainly capable of sneaking up and taking it once again this year. If I had to pick one now it would be him. I think the average is going to tell the tale in this one because it is so close. Whoever wins the average has the best chance to win the world championship this year.

In the tie down roping Cody Ohl has the lead at this point and also has an NFR record of 6.5 seconds. With a who’s who of tie down roping competitors following close behind him it is really hard to predict a winner at this point. Trevor Brazil is right behind him followed by Blair Burk and then reigning All-Around champion Ryan Jarrett with Fred Whitfield close on his heels. To be honest, any of the top fifteen guys could win this one; it just comes down to whoever makes the least amount of mistakes throughout the entire NFR. My pick to take this event, though, is long shot, Monty Lewis.

In the saddle bronc riding we are staring at the possibility of history taking place. Dan Mortensen who is currently number two in the world standings. He is currently tied at six world shaping ships with legendary bronc rider Casey Tibbs. If Mortensen wins he will be the only man in pro rodeo history to have seven saddle bronc world championships. On the other hand the man sitting in the number eight position, the legendary Billy Etbauer has five championships to his credit and last year alone won well over $100,000 at the NFR. The man currently in the lead, Cody Demos, has something to say about that and we can never count him out, but in my opinion Etbauer has the advantage even though he is so for back. He is my pick to win it all this year.

In the team roping it is my opinion this one is too close to call and we will not know a winner until the final go round. It is my opinion the team has the experience is Speed Williams and Clay O'Brien Cooper. There are a number of championships between these two men although they came with different partners. Jake Barnes and Clay o Brian Cooper combined as a team for seven world championships which was a record until Rich Skelton and Speed Williams came along and not only won eight world championships but won them consecutively. In my opinion, these two were the best team of all time. They went their separate ways in 2006 so I am very much looking forward to watching Clay O'Brien Cooper and Speed Williams just to see if with all that experience if they can once again earn a world chain kinship and I think they can do that.
In the barrel racing I see three ladies that stand out. Mary Burger, who is currently second in the standings and Britney Pozzi, who is currently number one, but I am going to go with reigning World Champion, Kelly Kaminski, to do it once again on her hoarse Rocky. Once again it will come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes and who can leave all the barrels standing throughout all ten performances.

Now onto my favorite event the bull riding which is my field. The biggest question is will Matt Austin be healthy enough to defend his championship. In the early years of rodeo several men had back to back championships but in the last two decades only Blue Stone, who won in 2001 and 2002, has accomplished this. Will Matt do it remains to be seen and in my opinion it all comes down to how healthy Matt Austin is coming into the finals. He has the lead but Wesley Silcox is also currently out with an injury and it is still questionable whether he and Matt will even be able to compete this year due to those injuries. Sonny Murphy will be making his first appearance at the National Finals Rodeo he is currently sitting in the second position but it will be interesting to see how well he handles the pressure of being at his first ever NFR with riders including Dustin Elliott, B. J. Schumacher, Bobby Welch and all the rest of the field is breathing down his neck. It will be great to see Fred Boettcher make another appearance at the NFR after a series of injuries have kept him out for a couple of years. With all of these great bull riders this year it is hard to choose a winner but if Matt Austin does ride and is somewhat healthy it will be hard for anyone to catch him.

Who will win the championships we will all have to turn to ESPN and ESPN 2 for coverage of this year's Wrangler National Finals Rodeo to find out.

FYI 2006 Wrangler NFR Pay Offs
Each of the 10 full go-rounds: $51,683 (in each of seven events)
1ST …… $16,022 (per man in team roping)
2ND …… $12,662 per man in team roping)
3RD …… $9,561 (per man in team roping)
4TH …… $6,719 (per man in team roping)
5TH …… $4,135 per man in team roping)
6TH …… $2,584 (per man in team roping)

Average Payout: $155,048 (in each of seven events)
1ST …… $41,088 (per man in team roping)
2ND …… $33,335 (per man in team roping)
3RD …… $26,358 (per man in team roping)
4TH …… $19,381 (per man in team roping)
5TH …… $13,954 (per man in team roping)
6TH …… $10,078 (per man in team roping)
7TH …… $6,977 (per man in team roping)
8TH …… $3,876 (per man in team roping)

Just thought I would let everyone know that I have gotten my new vest in. I switched from a Ride Right Master Pro Vest to the Phoenix Model 2020 Pro Max Leather Vest. I must say I am very happy with the vest.

I got one custom made with two color leather. It is black with Gator hide print leather over the shoulder straps and one the front pockets. It is a tall Medium and it fits perfect. The vests outer shell is top quality leather with a zippered front and a velcro cover that protects the zipper from getting a lot of dirt in it during use.

The one thing that I really like is that on the inside of the vest is has an elastic band that pulls the vest close to your body and really gives it a great fit. Also the inner protective material can be removed so that in the case that your vest gets torn it makes so it can be repaired pretty easily. Also so if you happen to add a sponsor you can get it added to the vest at most any place that does embroidery. All you have to do is take out the padding and they can get at the areas to do the logos.

I am very excited to try it in Dec. at the Des Moines, IA event. The one other thing that is great about the vest is the light weight feel and how well I can move my upper body with it on.
Just thought I would let everyone out there in the market for a new vest know that the Model 2020 Pro Max Phoenix Leather Vest gets my approval!!! Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Nathan Owen

Nathan called me on Friday morning on the way into the office and said "Hey! Do you want to do something fun this weekend before things get too crazy around Christmas and we can't get away"? Well I thought perhaps it was a good idea...it's not like we've had much R N' R over the past 6 years. The business side has always taken priority. So I said "I'm all ears. What do you have in mind"?

Well it wasn't exactly what I thought he'd come back with. He said he wanted to go to a Paid Hunt Club for Pheasants. Now keep in mind we were both raised in a family where our Dad has been the Executive Director of The Mitchell County Conservation Board for almost 30 years (2008 will mark 30 to be exact) and all of us long standing members of Pheasants Forever. Paying to hunt? Perhaps to buy a license to go Elk Hunting in Colorado...but never just to get access to land. Not that it was forbidden, we were just raised with so much great public land that we didn't need to explore beyond that. So after a bit of guilt I gave in and agreed to give it a try.

Yesterday we went to Oakwood Sporting Resort just outside Sigourney, Iowa. About a 2 hour drive from Winterset on HWY 92. We couldn't have asked for better weather. Perfect morning just below freezing. Now keep in mind I was thinking Game Farm...like flocks of birds...bang, bang...couple hours...little walking and we'd be back on the road. I was pleasantly shocked. It was perhaps one of the best weekend hunting trips I'd been on in years.

We arrived around 8:30 to over 800 acres of exceptional habitat that pheasant hunters dream about. Beautiful rolling Iowa hillsides filled with top notch foodplots and brome grass. Way more than the 3 of us (Duke - Nathans Gordon Setter) could ever cover in just a day. We even had a chance to take a break in the clubhouse and watch a bit of the Extreme Bull Riding from Indianapolis.

As it turned out it was extremely enjoyable and well worth the few bucks it cost. We ended the day with 8 roosters (I won't mention how many we could have shot~we needed to visit the sporting clays first). We were back on the road heading home just after 3:30. Who knows, if there is enough interest we could make an annual USRodeoSupply.com Pheasant Hunt. If you are up for it...let us know and we'll get it booked and start planning.

Thought I'd share something definitely worth checking out. First is the book which can be purchased online at Amazon. The second is an excellent blog hosted by Josh Peter. For those of you that have had a chance to review the book, we'd sure like to hear your thoughts about it.

Matt,

Recently I purchased a pair of chaps for my 12 year old cousin. We were very pleased with the results and with your kindness. Because of Cade's size the chaps were custom ordered and you were very helpful on how I should measure Cade. He LOVES his chaps and we will continue to purchase our equipment from US Rodeo Supply. I am attaching a picture of Cade at one of his rodeos.

Thank you!
Kathy Dixon

Photo Provided By:
Jean LaRue> Studio LaRue Photography> Rienzi, MS 38865> studiolarue@frontiernet.net

Thanks Kathy! Ride hard Cade....thanks for your support. Let us know if there is anything we can help with!

The first person to respond and post the correct answer will get a free USRodeoSupply.com hat.

Who was the previous owner of this bull and what is he named? HINT: If you received a catalog, half of the answer is within.

A lot of you guys have met my oldest son Ethan, however thought I'd share his new dud's. He can't wait to get on some sheep and try it out. "Dad, when can we go mustin bus'n"? Wore the springs out on his RUFF N' READY Bull, guess its time to move up...

Hot off the press. Our latest edition of the US Rodeo Supply Company bull riding equipment catalog is now available by either downloading it or contacting us for a printed copy. Love to hear your feedback.

Swing over to our site to download a copy or fill out our online request form with your name and address for a print copy.

Hey Guys!

If you get a chance swing in and check out the chaps that will be awarded to the 2006 Extreme Bull Riding Tour Champion. They are amazing. Mike Gillum - Outlaw Outfitters sponsored the tour and made some kick butt hair on hide with decked out tooling. The picture really doesn't do them justice. If you are looking for some true custom bull riding chaps, give us a call and we can get you started!

Jon Bon Jovi & Chris LeDoux - Bang A Drum