The Des Moines Register is enhancing its Website by featuring local business experts. "Business Edge's expertise in a range of topics will help us connect readers and promote conversation among entrepreneurs, executives and others," said Lynn Hicks, executive business editor.

Recently I was asked to join the group of local experts based on my experience building a successful eCommerce company and to publish information on the Des Moines Registers Blog.

Many of the folks involved have played a key role in helping us build our business. Feel free to reach out to any of the resources as they can be extremely benefitial to your success.

I need to apologize to you for the delay in frequent postings. Things have been a total blur since the NABA Finals (Jan.) in Memphis.

Over the last few weeks we've been hitting the road with the mobile unit attending events in

• Dubuque, Iowa -Wisconsin Wrangler Division
• LaMoni, IA - NABA/WPRA
• Trenton, Mo - NFPB/BOA
• Lavern, Mn - NFPB/BOA
• Fort Madison, IA - Iowa High School Finals

We've been extremely busy this year with on-line orders coming in from around the world.

The big project at hand right now is planning for the National High School Rodeo Association Finals in Farmington, New Mexico. We'll be hitting the road on July 15th and returning July 29th. We will have a huge selection of (SADDLE BARN, PHOENIX PERFORMANCE VESTS, FAST BACK ROPES and others)rodeo gear on hand and will have several of our manufactures reps on-site to answer questions. We will also be offering a safety seminar conducted by Phil Smith of Phoenix Performance Products on Sat. July 19th and Sun July 20th.

From what I can tell, although painful for most, fuel prices sure haven't kept contestants at home. All the events we have attended have had equal or higher number of contestants than previous years. Everyone I spoke with was annoyed at the prices, however no one mentioned staying home. I can say for us it has kept us closer to home for now. We are circling the tri-state area and we'll make the run out west for the NHSRA Finals and play it by ear after that.

Better run for now....

SPUR IT UP!

Congrat's to "Big Ron Craver the Cowboy Saver" and Todd Crase of White Buffalo/Extreme Bull Riding Tour for their recent induction into the Iowa High School Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Intermission @ the Rodeo....

It's kind of hard to keep a secret when they stick out like a little yellow Mobile Showroom!

We are thrilled to announce the latest expansion for the company, a Mobile Showroom.

Although some~what ahead of our projected plans, we were presented with a unique opportunity to purchase this vehicle from J & P Cycles here in Iowa and could not pass up the chance.

If you can imagine something better than this, well let's just say J & P Cycles found a way to create it (bigger, badder and went through CMT Trick My Truck). I can assure you we are excited beyond words to be the second owner and hope that we are as equally blessed with success as is J & P Cycles.

We would like to thank Josh Norton and our new partners at West Bank for recognizing the opportunities that exist in the rodeo industry and supporting a growing Iowa company such as ours. Additionally a special thanks goes out to Marty Baddeloo, Adam Steen and Mike Lathrop for their hours of hard work to make this happen.

First stop....the IFR.

See you down the road!

Spur It' UP!!!

On Thursday and Friday we will be closed while we complete our relocation to our new facility in Des Moines, Iowa. We will re-open on Monday November 12th.

Our new address is;

US RODEO SUPPLY COMPANY
5039 NE 14th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50313

• 1-877-728-4766 Toll Free
• 515-266-0800 International Direct
• 515-266-0875 Fax

Over the weekend I had a unique opportunity to be a guest of TCM - Transition Capital Management at the 2007 Annual Governors Pheasant Hunt.

This year the SIOUX LAND Chapter of Pheasants Forever hosted the event in Orange City, Iowa.

I must say the group did an absolutely fantastic job hosting the event. The people involved went above and beyond to welcome all of us from the moment we arrived, through the completion of the hunt on Saturday.

If anyone questions what State to go Pheasant hunting (ie: South Dakota or Iowa), there is no doubt in my mind I would vote hands down IOWA. The habitat the group lined up was world class and the land owners all agreed to reserve the ground for us, so no hunters had been in since the season opened.

Our group limited out, as did most of the other teams of 5 (I think there were 55 hunters) in less than a half day of hunting. I have not seen this level of bird counts in the last 5-6 years for-sure. Over all I think we saw close to 50-60 roosters on one section of ground....it was a blast!

I was able to spend sometime with Governor Chet Culver and was impressed with how "real" of a guy he is. Very open and approachable and I became convinced he is a "get it done" kind of guy. Over the years I have met several politicians and most seemed removed and rather distant from reality. It was exciting to share our story and the growth of the rodeo industry and to learn that Iowa also has some very exciting facility development projects in the works on the scale of San Antonio. I hope to learn more about these and be able to share some of the details.

I would like to thank the Governor for being involved in a top notch organization (Pheasants Forever) and showing his support for the environment, hunting and habitat development. Also, a special thanks to Ross Harrison with the Iowa DNR for extending the invitation to several Young Iowa Entrepreneurs.

Met some great new friends.

Here is to a successful hunting season!!!

Spur It' Up!

PS: THANK YOU to every land owner involved in the hunt; as well as all others that allow non-paid hunters access to your land!

It feels like forever since I have had an opportunity to update our Blog. The last 30 days have been a total blur.

Although I can't share exactly everything that we have in the works...I can officially announce that we are relocating to Des Moines. Over the past month we have been aggressively working to remodel a 7500 sq ft (yes we have grown a wee bit) location just off I-35/I-80. Over the next few weeks we will wrap up our move and settle into our new building. I'll keep you posted.

We will be located at 5039 NE 14th St , Des Moines, IA 50313 between The Leather Factory and Red Wing Boots, just down from the new Shopper Supply location.

So for those traveling, we think this will be a perfect opportunity for you to stop in and see us.

More to follow....

SPUR IT UP!!!!

Be sure to click over to Buckin' Junction to check out the "one of a kind" living sign created by Liz for US Rodeo Supply. Love it!

Also, I wanted to extend a sincere thank you to Adam Steen with TCM-Transition Capital Management once again for highlighting us in his interview with Sherry Borzo over at DSM Buzz. Both of these businesses are doing great things to help businesses grow. Definitely worth spending the time to download the interview and listen in. Thanks Sherry....GREAT STUFF!

I happened to run across an interesting article about a new Rodeo Catastrophic Injury Registry. To check out the details you may want to visit this link.

To share your specific information please go directly to: http://www.sportmed.ucalgary.ca/rodeo

The mission of the Catastrophic Injury Registry is to collect and analyze world wide injury incidents to rodeo and bull riding participants, that will help to prevent catastrophic injuries in future rodeo and bull riding event participants.

I have yet to read through everything, however appears to be funded in part by the University of Calgary as well as Friends of Pro Rodeo.

It will be extremely valuable information that can help guide us on the creation of Next Generation protective rodeo equipment....so....please, please, please if you or someone you know has experienced a life changing injury while competing in the sport of rodeo....go check it out and provide your details.

Spur It' Up!

Today I had the unique opportunity to be a guest CEO at an event hosted by Business Horizons (a program of the Iowa Association of Business & Industry Foundation)  at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.

The program is a week long opportunity for high school students from across the state of Iowa to become Young Entrepreneurs.

As of today;

the students have:

§         created a product (out of junk and duct tape)

§         formed a company

§         written mission & vision statement

§         participated in team building activities

§         heard from a variety of speakers

§         run their own business for 1½ years of a 2½  year business cycle and seen 5 quarterly reports.  (We use a computer simulation that takes them through a 2 ½ year business cycle and mid way through the experience a small recessionary period.  They make quarterly decisions on price, production, R&D, marketing, and capital investment.)

§         At this point of the week they are in the process of writing a business plan and marketing plan they will present to potential investors on Thursday.  They are also writing a media rationale and producing an infomercial they will present on Thursday.

It was an exciting opportunity to share our story with over 100 students from across the state. What amazed me most was the imagination and creativity with their product development in such a short amount of time out with literally JUNK and duct tape to work with.

I tried to focus on how important it is to understand and recognize on the front end of starting a business which you plan to create, a "Lifestyle" or "Enterprise" Business. I happened to choose Enterprise by way of growing a lifestyle and then scaling it.

Both are equally as challenging, however growing an Enterprise Model Business is extremely capital intensive and most lack the resources to "start out" as an Enterprise. It seems to me that in todays marketplace it makes sense to build a very solid "lifestyle" business and evolve into an Enterprise once you have proved your model works.

Raising capital is much harder and longer than you ever can plan for, so in my opinion it makes sense to focus on what you can be the "BEST" at and eliminate all the other noise and distractions. Once you have a solid "profitable" business model,,, investment money in all flavors will be chasing you....trust me I feel it first hand right here in Iowa.

One might ask....

"How in the world is the sport of Rodeo and US Rodeo Supply Company being featured at a Young Entrepreneur Conference at Simpson College"?

Systematic Connectivity

Thanks to everyone involved for allowing us to be your guest. I enjoyed it and welcome you to come see us in Truro, Iowa if/when you decide to jump into business. I'd welcome the opportunity to provide "What not to Do".

Spur It' Up!!!

PART 2

Be sure to check out the Official Press Release from the PBR related to the World Cup. Looks like Brazil kicked some serious butt!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gold Coast, Queensland Australia (June 10, 2007) - When the dust settled on the Gold Coast Convention Center Sunday evening, the final night of the Professional Bull Riders' inaugural world cup event, the Jupiters Casino PBR World Cup, Team Brazil had beaten the bulls and the rest of the world, amassing 1,462 points on their way to the team championship title and bragging rights as the best bull riding country on earth. 

Brazil, host country for the PBR World Cup event next year, dominated this year's competition from the outset.  These men of steel never doubted they were going to win because, as stated by team captain Adriano Moraes, "We are solid."  The five-man team came to Australia's Gold Coast ready for the competition in peak health and fitness and they never looked back. 

It's another triumph for the history making three-time PBR World Champion, Moraes, and he couldn't be prouder of his team, and for the country of Brazil.  "I feel great," he said when presented with the $100,000 winning check from the winner-takes-all competition. 

"[It's] one more world championship and a good start to my future career as a coach.  I would like to thank the PBR for the opportunity to come to the ‘land down under' and show them the sport of bull riding, how good we are, and prove that we are the best in the world." 

For PBR World Cup contenders Canada and the U.S., it was a see-sawing night of competition which, in the end, resulted in the teams claiming the same positions they had on the two previous nights, second and third respectively.  Canada's final score was 1,268.50 points; the U.S. followed with 1,197.75 points. 

The only upset to the Jupiters Casino PBR World Cup's final night standings, which had stayed the same through the first and second nights of competition, was Mexico's move from fifth to fourth position ending with 1,139.25 points, and Australia dropping a spot to fifth place with 873.75 points.

The scoring format for bull riding's newest international competition, the six-round, three- night PBR World Cup required team captains to choose three scores, from a possible five, per round.   They were forced to decide on the spot at the time a ride was scored whether to keep it or let it go, hoping for a better score from an upcoming team member.

Three out of four of Mexico and Brazil's first four riders scored in the first round of the final night of the Jupiters Casino PBR World Cup, and were accepted by respective team captains, Rocky McDonald and Moraes, making the fifth ride for each country redundant, excepting that rider's chance to compete for the individual $5,000 bonus awarded to the rider posting the highest score each evening.

To start Brazil's evening, Moraes, in another interesting tactic from a weekend filled with strategic moves by the Brazilian team captain, gave the double thumbs up to his team's third scoring ride, 86.5 points from Guilherme Marchi on Matt Adam's Rodeo Company's Eight Mile, when still to come for the Brazilians was the highest scoring rider from Saturday night's competition, Valdiron de Oliveira.  De Oliveira bettered the accepted score from Marchi, riding Diamond J Rodeo Company's Tuxedo for 88.5 points, but Team Brazil could not make use of it.  Moraes was unrepentant, confident his team's lead was assured.

While Team U.S. scored only three of their five rides in the first round, it was Kasey Hayes' 83 points on Matt Adam's Rodeo Company's 327 that temporarily moved the U.S. into second position.  Brian Canter scored twice for his country in the first round, posting 82.5 points on JP Gill & Sons' Genesis Ransom, and later, filling in for injured Mike Lee, scoring 82.75 points on another JP Gill and Sons' bull, 030.

Team Canada collected scores on only two of their five rides in the first round, first 83 points from Justin Volz on Gary McPhee's How U Doin' and then 86 points from Scott Schiffner who rode George Hepenstall's Cream Puff.  It was however enough to put Canada back into the number two spot before the end of the round.

In disappointing form on their home turf, Team Australian posted only one score in the first round, evidence that the first two nights of competition had taken their toll on the Aussies. Tim Wilson was out from a back injury suffered Saturday night and favorite Brendon Clark had to ride with a broken thumb.  Jared Farley, Friday night's individual highest scoring rider, delivered for the home country posting 81.25 points on Hall Rodeo Bucking Bulls' Silver Back, a bull he had ridden the previous evening for 83.25 points. 

In round two of the final evening's competition, the bulls took charge, leaving battered and bruised riders in their wake.  With an indisputable lead by Team Brazil, all that was left for the rest of the world was to do their best.  And while they tried, the rankest bulls in Australia proved their might.

Mexico's Hugo Pedrero was the first rider in the sixth and final round to take a beating.  He scored 77 points on Kent Hansen's Big Dan with an offer of a re-ride, but the event doctor deemed him unfit to take it. 

The Mexicans scored only once in the second round, and it was from a courageous Gerardo Venegas who rode three times for his country.  He rode in his own name first, and was offered a re-ride on Stuart Timm's Little Zorro, but declined.  He was out of the chute again, replacing team captain and colleague, Rocky McDonald on Kent Hansen's Booger Red.  When the bull failed to perform, Venegas received another re-ride on the same bull.   He accepted and eventually scored 80.5 points.

Stuart Timm's bull, Danger Mouse, literally collided head to head with Adrian Ferreiro, and left the Mexican bleeding from his face.  Ferreiro, who had been stomped on the cheek on Friday night, suffered further grazing to his neck. 

For the Australians, Ben Jones was the only man to score in the second round, posting an impressive 89.5 points on Matt Adam's Rodeo Company bull, Loco.

"I've got some hurt fellas out there," said team captain Troy Dunn at the end of the night.  "It's been hard for them, but I'm proud of them."

Team U.S. came within striking distance again in the second round when their first rider out, Willy Ropp, scored 86 points on Gary McPhee's Blue Jeans.  Unfortunately he was the only rider to score in the second round, dashing America's hope of a win.

It was Canada's Aaron Roy who cemented his country's second place finish, scoring 92.5 points, the highest of the night, on Frank Biddle's Rocky Road.  Roy took a serious shot from the livid bull, being stomped in the chest and face, but he won the night's individual highest scoring ride bonus of $5,000.       

Justin Volz came through again for Team Canada in the second round, posting 86.7 points on JP Gill & Sons' White Diamond. 

For Team Brazil the red hot Paulo Crimber scored a blistering 90 points on Gary McPhee's Bodacious.  And, while superstar Guilherme Marchi was unseated by the Jupiters Casino PBR World Cup winning bull, Gary McPhee's Matrix, it was their Robson Palermo who took the last scoring ride of the event on Frank Biddle's unpredictable Sand & Gravel Renato, scoring 89 points. 

Final event results are as follows:

Team Brazil:     1462 points     $100,000 winner
Team Canada:  1268.5 points
Team U.S.:       1197.75 points
Team Mexico:   1139.25 points
Team Australia: 873.75 points

HIGHEST SCORING RIDE BONUS WINNER - $5,000

Friday - Jared Farley (Australia) - 92.0 points
Saturday - Valdiron de Oliveira (Brazil) - 89.75 points
Sunday - Aaron Roy (Canada) - 92.5 points

BULL OF THE EVENT

Matrix of Gary McPhee's stock

OVERALL EVENT RESULTS:

Friday, June 8th

Round One Scores:
Brazil 257 points; United States 252 points; Canada 247.25 points; Mexico 168.75 points; Australia 86.50 points

Round Two Scores:
Australia 269 points; Brazil 257 points; Canada 254.75 points; United States 176.50 points; Mexico 174.25 points

Standings after the First Night:
Brazil 514 points; Canada 502 points; United States 429.25 points; Australia 355.50 points; Mexico 343 points

Saturday, June 9th

Round Three Scores:
United States  262.25 points; Brazil 258.75 points; Australia 258 points; Canada 251 points; Mexico 249.25 points

Round Four Scores:
Brazil 254 points; United States 172 points; Canada 169.50 points; Australia 89.50 points; Mexico 84.50 points

Standings after the Second Night:
Brazil 1026.75 points; Canada 922.50 points; United States 863.50 points; Australia 703.00 points; Mexico 676.75 points

Sunday, June 10th

Round Five Scores:
Brazil 256.25 points; Mexico 255.75 points; United States 248.25 points; Canada 169 points; Australia 81.25 points

Round Six Scores:
Mexico 206.75 points; Brazil 179 points; Canada 177 points; Australia 89.50 points; United States  86.00

Standings after Third and Final Night:
Brazil 1462 points; Canada 1268.50 points; United States 1197.75 points; Mexico 1139.25 points; Australia 873.75 points

About PBR:
More than 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on FOX, NBC, VERSUS and on a host of foreign networks across the globe. With approximately 500 hours of prime time programming annually PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air, in addition to attracting over one and one half million live event attendees each year with its multi-tiered event structure which includes the marquee Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler, the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Challenger Tour, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour, and the Discovery Tour, designed specifically for entry level contestants. The PBR is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., and has over 1,200 PBR bull riders compete in more than 300 PBR sanctioned competitions in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico.

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James Currier, CEO Ooga Labs presents at UC Berkeley College of Engineering

Hello to our friends in New Zealand! If you have more videos, be sure to add them to YouTube and tag them with usrodeosupply so we can find them and feature them on the Blog.

Thanks for sharing!!!

Spur' It Up!