This past month has been saddened with many losses in our circles of Ropers Sports News. Don Reynolds, father of long-time General Manager of RSN, Stephanie Anderson, passed away at age 87. Don was such a big help to us here at RSN over the years in times of emergencies, even offering us an office within his packing business, M&R Company, Lodi, Calif. In 1986 during a big flood in our area, he helped us move in and out of town and let us use his office as our homebase until it was safe to come back to our office location. He was always a great one to confide in whether it be fun or business. I owe him much for loaning me his daughter over the years to run my businesses. He trained all his daughters well. Don enjoyed duck hunting and fishing. He had been in the packing business with his cousin Rocky since the 60’s. Rocky passed in 2013. The Reynolds cousins were very generous to youth organizations including FFA, 4-H and high school rodeo.
Digger Howard is another of my good friends who passed and left the team roping world with a huge void. Digger was so instrumental in many innovations in team roping over the years and brought many ideas to the arena along with many laughs. A very giving and kind person who loved helping out many people and organizations with a special love of youth events.
We were also sad to learn of the passing of Dr. Ruth Haislip of Acampo, California. Ruth made the Wrangler National Finals more than once despite her busy schedule at her small animal practice.
Denny Gentry informed me at presstime of the passing of roping pioneer, Jesse Odom. Jesse along with partner Richard Mayfield, created the Pot of Gold Roping which was held in Arizona each year. Jesse would have been 90 this month.
Dr. Richard Galley of Texas also passed in March. You may remember his informative column “Vet’s View” which appeared in this publication.
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On a more positive note, California has been getting much needed rain throughout the state as well as snow in the Sierras. Also, California has been showing its strength in the PRCA standings. Bareback rider R. C. Landingham of Hat Creek, Calif., has been doing real well and is sitting in the top five. Teddy Athan of Acampo, Calif., another name in the top 20 along with Clayton Biglow and George Gillespie IV. Clayton is from Clements, and George has now transplanted to Montana but California will still claim him.
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Bareback riders were becoming scarce in the PRCA a couple of years ago and now it seems like some new names are coming along out of the college ranks. Many new names will be appearing in the standings of all events mainly due to the absence of many of the ERA rodeo members. The first ERA rodeo will be held in Redmond, Oregon, and as you read this it will already be over.
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RodeoHouston is over and Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill took the honors in the team roping. Second was Jo Jo Lemond and Jim Ross Cooper with Clay Smith and Paul Eaves capturing third. Fourth was the team of Billy Bob Brown and Garrett Jess. Congrats to Mary Burger for earning her second title in the barrel racing at this huge rodeo.
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One of my favorite events of the year is the Timed Event Championship held at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma. This year’s event was sponsored by Cinch and Paul David Tierney set a new arena record to win the three-day event for his second time. He is following in the footsteps of his father who won this same event four times. Paul David battled it out with Trevor Brazile, who has claimed the title of this event a record seven times. Brazile ended up as the reserve champion. Be sure to read the full story in this issue.
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The George Strait was also in March and George and his great staff put together another great event and awarded this year’s winner with a generous payout. Dustin Egusquiza and Kyle Lawrence were the new names in the winners circle this year, taking home $213,000 plus new trucks and trailers. Thank you George Strait for being such a huge supporter of team roping. See the full story within.
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The Mike Cervi Roping was again a huge success under the direction of George Aros. This year saw Garrett Rogers and Cory Petska take home all the money and prizes with Cody Snow and Quinn Kesler winning the second place spot. George Aros has done a good job in keeping this event going through the years. Dating back, this roping was originally titled the Tubac Roping held in Tubac, Arizona in the arena operated by Leon and Louise Cook. It was later moved to be held in conjunction with the Tucson Rodeo for some years and then moved to the Casa Grande Arena which is its present home.
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Next issue I will be reporting on the results of the first ERA rodeo from Redmond, Oregon. Many of the names we used to see and hear about in the PRCA standings will be competing there and I wish them all the luck in their new venture in the rodeo world. The start of anything new is always open to much talk from people who are either for or against it. I hope they do well as those who are involved are super athletes in the rodeo world. I hope we will be able to follow these men and women in their new adventure.
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The top 20 in the team roping in the PRCA has many new names in the line-up with the ERA contestants sidelined for the time being. I say sidelined for I am predicting that something will bring them back into PRCA competition before the end of the year. Rodeo is not that big of sport that we should be divided and I hope things can come around to where we can once again follow our leaders in the industry. Team roping isn’t the only event that has a lot of names off the roster. All of the events are missing the names we are used to seeing in the PRCA standings.
In the team roping, we see that Clay Smith and Dustin Bird are dominating the top positions along with Matt Sherwood and Koltin Schmidt.
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The spring rodeos in California always bring many of the top names to the west coast and along with those rodeos are some great ropings like the Broc Cresta Memorial held in conjunction with the Red Bluff Rodeo. The roping will be on April 12 the at the Four Star Ranch in Cottonwood, Calif. Our thanks to the Davis family for all they do to make this happen.
Another great roping in the spring is the James Pickens, Jr. Foundation Charity Roping held April 19th in conjunction with the Clovis, California PRCA Rodeo. This roping along with the Cresta Roping will attract many big names in the team roping business. It will be interesting to see if the ERA contestant list absence from these rodeos affects the entries at these two prestigious ropings. I feel the ropers will come, because the payoff in these ropings is great and without PRCA rodeos to use for income, they will have to go to every jackpot they can to follow the money.
Good luck ropers, barrel racers and rodeo contestants, and safe travels to all.
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