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Rodeo adds more riders, quicker turnaround
Published 5/29/2010 in Beef Empire Days
By MIKE KESSINGER
mkessinger@gctelegram.com
With a little different setup, the Beef Empire Days PRCA rodeo will bring in 550 competitors to this year's event. It will be a field of more than 40 additional riders compared to last year.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Tanner Houston, Weatherford, Okla., battles a steer to the ground Wednesday during a run in the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo slack steer wrestling event at the Finney County Fairgrounds arena.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Mary Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla., turns her horse around the second barrel Wednesday while competing in the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo slack barrel racing at the Finney County Farigrounds arena.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Rochelle Miller, Scott City, heads toward the final barrel Wednesday during the barrel racing event at the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo slack in the Finney County Fairgrounds arena.
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Brad Nading/Telegram A team from Midwest Feeders move a lassoed calf past the chalk line Thursday while competing in the calf branding category of the Beef Empire Days Ranch Rodeo at the Finney County Fairgrounds arena.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Blaine Louis, Rose Hill, flies off "T Bone" during a run in the bull riding event of the 2009 Beef Epire Days PRCA Rodeo's Friday evening performance at the Finney County Fairgrounds.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Ty Rumford, Abbyville, Ks., moves from his horse to a steer on a run in the 2009 Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo slack steer wrestling event at the Finney County Fairgrounds arena.
"One of the major changes we're having this year is instead of having two run on timed events, we're having one," Rodeo President Will Johnson said. "It gets the riders in and out quicker so they can take off for the next rodeo."
The PRCA event will start with the slack competition on June 9 and will end June 12. Instead of having slack run two days it will all be held on one. Johnson said it will make for a long day, but they will have up to 219 runs on Wednesday and he believes it should be done around 7 p.m.
One of main attractions to the rodeo will be world champion Trevor Brazile. The three-time overall world champion will compete in calf roping, team roping and single-steer roping. Along with Brazile, the rodeo will have several other world champions competing.
"We've slowly been increasing in numbers the last five years," Johnson said of the competitors. "We've certainly never had a jump like this, it's a pretty good jump. There has been a year when we've had 40 more than the year before. We're very satisfied with the group that is coming in."
The rodeo will have its longtime stock contractor Korkow Rodeos returning with its animals. The event also will host the Cheyenne Dandies, who bring their world-famous act to the Beef Empire Days Rodeo once every other year. The group of young women is known for drill formation on horseback while riding at full speed.
Another specialty act this year will be clown Timber Tuckness. A veteran rodeo personality, Tuckness will be out in one of the barrels during the bull riding competition each night. He also will have a few routines mixed into the evening events. Tuckness has been involved in the PRCA for more than 20 years.
"He's really a funny guy," Johnson said.
The rodeo's nightly events start at 7:05 each night, beginning June 10. The slack competition starts at 9 a.m. on June 9. When it is complete in the morning, there will be a one-hour break and a single steer roping competition will be held. The events held at the rodeo will be break-away calf riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, steer roping, team roping, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding.
Tickets are $7 for General Admission, $12 for bench back and $16 for bucket seats. The Rodeo Stimulus Package will be for competition on June 9 when a family of four will be admitted for $10. It is for General Admission seating only.
Tickets are available in Garden City at the Crazy House, Out West and the BED rodeo office. Orders may be made by phone at 276-1000, or (866) 294-BEEF.
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