springville sierra rodeo 2011

The Biggest Little Rodeo in the West!Springville Sierra Rodeo 2011 -2-

As one of the sport’s best-known person-alities, Randy Corley has enjoyed two sides of rodeo, that of competitor and announcer. And while he had limited success in the arena himself, he has obtained mega-success outside it describing the action. Success that sends more honors and awards his way each year. Randy won another “Announcer of the Year” award at the 2003 National Finals Rodeo

Corley began his rodeo career as a bare-back and bull rider at amateur rodeos over twenty years ago. While he enjoyed the thrill of competing, he always had an interest in announcing that eventually won out.

“I decided I could probably talk about it better than I could do it,” Corley said.

Randy announces approximately 35 rodeos a year, and offers his expertise to several radio and television broadcasts. Corley and his wife, Michelle, have four grown children, Amanda, Kassi, Cole and Brittany, and Michelle tends the family’s ranch in Washington while he is away.

Randy Corley World Champion

Rodeo AnnouncerWhereAs: This year 2011 the Springville Area is celebrating 158 years of Historical Reflections and Western heritage; and

WhereAs: History tells us as early as the 1830’s here among the rolling hills, the first cattle were introduced to Tulare County; and

WhereAs: Rodeo is a natural and important event, held in a community that is rich in natural wonders and beauty, pro-vides family-style good old-fashioned Western fun-filled days; and

WhereAs: This special three day PRCA event provides entertainment, a variety of food, fun, dancing; and

noW, Therefore, be iT resolved: We, the Springville Sierra Rodeo Committee, say “Howdy” and therefore proclaim April 22nd, 23rd & 24th 2011 to be a celebration of 63 years of Springville Rodeo and call upon the people of Springville, our neighbors to the East- Upper Tule; our neighbors to the West - Porterville; our neighbors to the South - Tule River Indian Reservation, our neighbors to the North - Beautiful Balch Park; and Our Tulare County friends of Western History, to join us as we celebrate our Cowgirl and Cowboy heritage.

Springville, CaliforniaCounty of Tulare – State of California

ADOPTED this day, April 22, 2011Springville Sierra Rodeo Committee

Originally started at the Springville Sierra Rodeo when the bad guys buried their stolen loot from the stagecoach robbery; kids 12 and un-der were encouraged to dig up the loot and keep what they found. This tradition continues at the rodeo performances on Saturday and Sunday sponsored by the Springville Chamber of Commerce, Citizen’s Business Bank, & Suncrest Bank where 200 or so silver dollar coins are scattered in the arena each day and kids 12 and under dig ‘em up and keep their treasure. A favorite with the kids.

The “Hide Race” is part of the fun begining at 5 p.m. on Saturday, in advance of that night’s PRCA Rodeo Performance.

The Biggest Little Rodeo in the West! Springville Sierra Rodeo 2011-3-

We Welcome Our Special Guests and Entertainers!US Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, Miss Rodeo California Brittany Slaton,

Springville Rodeo Flag Drill Team, Donnie Landis the Rodeo Clown, Darrell Diefenbach & Donnie Castle Bullfighters, and Music by Chaparral

U.S. Marine Corps Mounted Color GuardPerformances in theRodeo Parade andthe Rodeo

Rodeo time in Springville is accompanied by the ever-popular parade through downtown Springville from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 23rd. Cowboys, clowns, floats, music and more are part of the fun. Highway 190 is closed during the parade.

Rodeo Parade Downtown Springville

2-3 p.m. on Sat., April 23rd

Donnie LandisKeeping the cowboys safe and the crowd entertained!

Brittany SlatonMiss Rodeo California 2011

Music by Chaparral

David Cantrell & Montie Montana Jr. on the Spring-ville Sierra Rodeo Stagecoach. Stagecoach will appear at the rodeo and in a number of Parades in California promoting the Springville Sierra Rodeo.


Friday, April 22nd7 PM “Barrels and Bulls”Motorcycle Barrel Race

8:30 PM Country Music with “Chaparral” 9 PM Queen’s Coronation Dance

Location: Rodeo Grounds

Saturday - April 23rd 8 AM Back Country Horseman

Cowboy Breakfast at Rodeo Grounds 2 PM Rodeo Parade Downtown Springville

5 PM Local Events

Hide Race & Silver Dollar Dig

6 PM - P.R.C.A. RODEO Grand Entry9 PM Dance at Rodeo Grounds

Sunday - April 24th 8 AM Rodeo Grounds Open

8 AM Back Country Horseman Cowboy Breakfast at Rodeo Grounds

10 AM Cowboy Church ServicesNOON Pre-Rodeo - Packing Contest

Silver Dollar Dig2 PM P.R.C.A. RODEO Grand Entry“Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day”

RODEO RESERVED SEATS $20 RODEO GENERAL ADMISSION

Adults $15; 6-12 $8; 5 and under FreeReserved Seats $20, All Ages

All 3 PerformancesFree admission For US Military Personnel in Uniform

Barrels & Bulls and Dance - Friday, April 22$15, Adults; $8, Children 6-12; Dance Only (after 9 p.m.), $5

Save $3 on Pre-Sale Rodeo Tickets at The Hamburger Stand in Springville, Allen’s Boot & Saddle Shop in Porterville,

or by visiting www.rodeo49.comFREE PARKING AT THE RODEO GROUNDS

Special Prizes Each Day!Justins, Resitol Hat & Gift from Lowe’s

$100.00 Gift Certificate from Springville Inn

15 miles east of Porterville on Hwy. 190

Springville Sierra RodeoSchedule of Events

Springville Rodeo Grounds

www.Rodeo49.com

Our history is still kickin’!


to rally the rodeo and Western in-dustry around a cause that touch-es too many of our competitors, fam-ilies and friends. And this means you, cowboys—are you Tough Enough to Wear Pink?

We encour-age all ticket holding spectators to wear pink on Sunday at the Springville Sierra Rodeo or visit our booth sponsored by the Ro-deo Board and purchase some-thing pink from a selection of items such as a shirt, hat, scarf or bandana. All funds from the sales of these items will be donated to a local organization to help detect and provide treatment for breast cancer victims.

On Sunday, April 24th the Ro-deo Board Tough Enough To

In open rodeos, cowgirls compete in the timed riding events such as barrel racing, and most profes-sional rodeos do not offer as many women’s events as men’s events.

But, on Sunday, April 24, 2011 at the Springville Sierra Rodeo in the beautiful Sierra Foothills, we can all compete in the same event, “Are You Tough Enough to Wear Pink?”

The objective of the Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign launched in 2005 by Wrangler is

The word rodeo is from the Spanish rodear (to turn), which means roundup. In the beginning there was no difference between the working cowboy and the ro-deo cowboy.

The advent of professional ro-deos allowed cowboys, like many athletes, to earn a living by per-forming their skills before an au-dience. Many rodeo cowboys are still working cowboys and most have working cowboy experience.

It wasn’t until the advent of the Wild West shows that cowgirls came into their own. By 1900 women were competing with the men in riding, marksmanship and trick roping.

The growth of the rodeo brought about another type of cowgirl, the rodeo cowgirl. Women competed in all events, sometimes against other women, sometimes with the men. In today’s rodeos, men and women compete equally together only in the event of team roping.

Wear Pink booth will be open pri-or to the start of the rodeo. Let’s all bunch up at the booth and sup-port this worthy cause.

Plan on spending a wild, wooly and exciting weekend at the Springville Sierra P.R.C.A. Ro-deo and this special Sunday event designed to bring awareness to our communities for this most critical competition in the fight to cure breast cancer! Let’s all join each other in Springville, wearing pink to support this worthy cause and the families of our commu-nities fighting this disease. Due to all the research that has been done, women now diagnosed with breast cancer are likely to survive for at least 20 years! (Cancer Re-search UK).

Are you Tough Enough to Wear Pink? Cowboy Up to

the Cause in the Sierra!

Cowboy Up to the Cause on Sunday, April 24


born April 2nd in Porterville. Daughter Dottie m a n a g e s t h e P r e m i u m O u t -lets near Palm Springs and is a former S p r i n g v i l l e r e s i d e n t . E x - w i f e J o n i , a l s o a S p r i n g v i l l e r e s i d e n t , joined Montie in a brief run at man-aging that l i t t le cafe in downtown S p r i n g v i l l e w h i c h s e e m e d l i k e a g o o d i d e a a t t h e t i m e . G r a n d k i d s B r a d y & C r y s t a l l i v e i n R o s w e l l , New Mexico, and s ister Linda who r e c e n t l y a p p e a r e d o n T V ’ s P a r k s & Recreat ion, l ives in Northr idge , C a l i f o r n i a a n d t h e w h o l e t r i b e got together recent ly for Crysta l ’ s H i g h S c h o o l G r a d u a t i o n . A f e w y e a r s a g o , M o n -t ie authored “Cowboy Cuis ine” a col lect ion of favor i te rec ipes f rom W e s t e r n e r s l i k e G e n e A u t r y , R o y Rogers, Dale Robertson, Larry Ma-

han, Jim Shoulders, Benny Reynolds, S t e f a n i e P o w e r s , H a r r y C a r e y J r . and more than 200 other contributors from 5 continents. The Western Horse-man cal ls i t the “Ult imate Cowboy Cook Book!” M o n t i e i s a 4 - u p s t a g e c o a c h d r i v e r , t e a m r o p e r , p i l o t , a n d a l l - a r o u n d W e s t e r n e r w i t h c o l o r -

M o n t i e M o n t a n a J r . , a s t h e y say out West , “has been down the r o a d . ” G e t t i n g a r i d e o n a h o r s e a t t h e ag e o f t h re e d ay s o l d , and p e r f o r m i n g i n a r o d e o a t t h e a g e of three, gave him a good start in h i s o v e r 7 0 y e a r s o f W e s t e r n e n -tertainment. Montie speaks with a unique “Cowboy Philosophy” of his m a n y h u m o r o u s e x p e r i e n c e s a s a Western per former and show pro-ducer, while taking a wild bunch of Cowboys and Indians a l l over the w o r l d i n B u f f a l o B i l l ’ s W i l d W e s t Show. The show last appeared in Prai-r i e C i t y , O r e g o n i n M a y 2 0 0 9 . Montie has appeared on the Grand

Rodeo Parade Grand Marshal

Montie Montana Jr. Is Honored As 2011

Grand Marshal

Montie Montana Jr. is the 2011

Calgary Stampede 1941

It All Started Early...Montie at One Year Old!

‘ O l O p r y , G u n s m o k e , m o s t o f the major rodeos in the U.S. and Can-a d a , a n d h a s t a k e n B u f f a l o B i l l ’ s W i l d W e s t S h o w t o 2 6 c o u n t r i e s . He was a Deputy Sheriff of a Mounted P o s s e , t h e l a s t C a v a l r y O f f i -cer in the U.S. Army, and has received m a n y a w a r d s f r o m a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d f o r h i s m a n y c h a r i t a b l e appearances and accomplishments in-c l u d i n g b e i n g a p p o i n t e d a “ V i s i t USA Ambassador” by the U.S. Depart-

ment of Commerce, and he’s been a s p e a k e r f o r G o v e r n o r s , A m b a s s a -dors and Sultans. He received an award at the National Cowboy Symposium in Lubbock Texas in September, 2008. M o n t i e w a s r a i s e d i n W e s t e r n S h o w B u s i n e s s , p e r f o r m i n g w i t h h i s D a d , M o n t i e M o n t a n a , M o t h -er, Louise and Sister, Linda, at rodeos all over the US and Canada, and rid-i n g w i t h M o n t i e S r . i n t h e R o s e Parade half a dozen times. In 2005, M o n t i e J r . t o o k h i s w h o l e f a m i l y a n d p e r f o r m e r s f r o m B u f f a -lo Bill’s Wild West and two Springville Sierra Rodeo Queens, to ride in the Rose Parade once again when their t h e m e w a s , “ C e l e b r a t e F a m i l y . ” Montie appeared with his folks at one of the first Springville Sierra Rodeos, and always liked the town, so in 1988, he pulled up stakes in the San Fernan-do Val ley, where he ’d l ived al l his l i f e a n d m o v e d t o S p r i n g -vi l le . His daughter Kel ly i s a lso a Springville resident, working at Riv-er Is land Real Estate and has her o w n F i t n e s s C e n t e r . S o n J e s s i s the best t r i ck roper in the fami ly and a great handy man and also a Springvil le resident. Granddaughter A m b e r B e r i n g , a n d G r e a t G r a n d -son Karson Bering are from Springville and a new Great Granddaughter, Kalynn, was


Roping NixonLemore Naval Air Station 1960

First Rodeo 1938 AT Age 3Pacific International Exposition Portland, Oregon

Montie Montana Senior & Junior 1951

Grand Ol’ Opry 1964

Montie Montana Jr.Rodeo Parade Grand Marshal

Rose Parade 1950’sMontana Family,Roy Rogers & Dale Evans

ful stories about the Old and the new West. With this background and hav-i n g d o n e a n u m b e r o f v o i c e - o v e r commercials and announcing thou-sands of Western events, gives Montie the billing as “The Voice of the West.” M o n t i e w r i t e s a w e e k l y c o l u m n f o r t h e P o r t e r v i l l e R e c o r d e r t h a t they cal l “Building a Bridge to the 19th Century.” M o n t i e ’ s s h i p p e d o v e r 5 0 h e a d o f h o r s e s o v e r s e a s , t r a i n e d local horses in Sweden, Belgium, Ma-l a y s i a , Bra z i l , E n g l a n d a nd Ja p a n f o r u s e i n W i l d W e s t S h o w s a n d has a number of stories on “how they d o i t ” o v e r s e a s . H e ’ s a g r a d u -ate of the Univers i ty of Cal i fornia w i t h a d e g r e e i n A n i m a l S c i -ence, which he refers to as his “B.S.” H e ’ s m a n a g e d a h o r s e r a n c h , h a u l e d h o r s e s o v e r a m i l l i o n miles, competed in and produced Cut-t ing Horse contests , produced the Stagecoach Stampede, The Master’s Ro-d e o , A m e r i c a n I n d i a n P o w W o w , t o o k a M e x i c a n C h a r r e a d a t o J a -pan, produced the Royal Horse Guards a n d a j o u s t i n g t o u r n a m e n t a t t h e H e n l e y R o y a l R e g a t t a a n d w a s E x e c u t i v e P r o d u c e r f o r t h e I n t e r -national Cowboy and Indian Congress. Montie was the Grand Marshal of the Azusa Golden Days Parade in 2009,

Grand Marshal of the Lakeport Pa-r a d e i n 2 0 1 0 , a n d a n n o u n c e d t h e EquestFest on RFD-TV for the 2010 Rose Parade. He’s now the producer of the Equestfest which airs on De-cember 29th each year with al l the e q u e s t r i a n r i d e r s o f t h e R o s e P a -rade. Montie helps with the marketing of the Springvil le Sierra Rodeo un-der the watchful eye of Frank Schlitz. He s p e a k s a l i t t le of 1 2 l a n-g u a g e s g a i n e d f r o m h i s t r a v e l s , but t he m a i n one i s hu mor, t h at i s e a s y t o c ome b y w at c h i n g t he polit icians. Truly an all-around per-for me r t h at pr e s e nt s t he We s t at its’ best!


1958 Frank Negus1959 Joe McDonald1960 Carmah Hodges1961 Clem Simpson1962 Art Griswold1963 Jack Fees1964 Bill Radeleff1965 Eda Spees1966 Vernon Gill1967 Perry Marlin1968 Mark Borror1969 Edith Crook1970 Bud Lyman1971 Jim Vaughn1972 Monte Gifford1973 Owen Rutherford 1974 Clyde Simpson1975 Laurence Anderson1976 Evelyn Snider1977 Lawrence Unser1978 lra Spees, Jr.1979 Dan Hanggi1980 Bud Hauert1981 Esther Lowe1982 Claude Brown1983 Darwin Griswold1984 Dorothy Dye1985 Verne Long

Prior Year Springville Sierra Rodeo Queens & Grand Marshals1950 Coeta Gifford Reiger1951 No Queen announced1952 Judy Williams Putnam1953 Barbara Rowland Reynolds1954 Deanna Talbot1955 Jackie Root1956 Nancy Diffenbough Sims and Rose Cooper Taylor1957 Claudia Haulman1958 ]udy Bayless Cole1959 Lynne Woods Weisenberger1960 Linda Cooper Benjamin1961 Mary Ann Beaver Lindsay1962 Christine Frymire Focke1963 Terry Strader Harris1964 Dion Schwuist1965 Karen Kerleyjaney1966 Christine Kibler Brown1967 Shelley Rose Keplinger1968 Cinda Baker Morley1969 JoWayne Brown Lyons1970 Karen Nalbandian Waggoner1971 Linda Gill Scott1972 Vicki Forest Haley1973 Karen Long1974 Darnell Grant Trueblood1975 Julie Lewis Robinson1976 Tammy Lusby1977 Christy Chesser Harmon1978 Marlou Dens1979 Maureen Cummings Goodin

1980 Liz Hudspeth Changala1981 Kris Mims1982 Tracy O’Leary1983 Diane Mahert Schuh1984 Susan Ash1985 Staci Sammann Wilkins1986 Timmy Schoer1987 Beth McCarter1988 Chrisi Cheney1989 Tonia Williams1990 Kristy Davis1991 Stephanie Manlove1992 Tanya Castaneda1993 Jennifer Turk1994 Michelle Goodrich1995 Krissey Aubuchon1996 Emily Faria1997 Bethany Todd1998 Cathy Cooksey1999 Renee Prescott2000 Diana Prescott2001 Jennifer Schlitz2002 Megan Moody2003 Kassi Corzine2004 Laura Smith2005 Jamie Changala2006 Corey Ann Duysen2007 Sydney Coletti 2008 Leah Herron2009 Sonnie Shew2010 Jade Bell

Springville Sierra Rodeo Queens Grand Marshals1986 Herb & Goldie Brown1987 Dick & Maxine Vernon1988 Hazel Marlin1989 Ken & Clara Rutherford1990 Pete & Johnnie Stephens1991 Jack & Verla Everett1992 Dale & Betty Gill1993 Virginia Radeleff1994 Phil Brown1995 Cliff Fitton1996 Floyd Elliott1997 Bud Feagins1998 J. B. Gibson1999 Milly Gann2000 Tom Walker2001 Bud Gililland2002 Ken Fox2003 Fred Collison2004 Jim Bodley2005 Bill Murphy2006 Ed Mountain2007 Emmy Kibler2008 Thomas N. Baker2009 Bill Johnson2010 Don Abbott


Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls

Coming from diverse backgrounds Cowboy Girls are the real thing. Here is both the grit and glory of world-class trick riding cowboy work. Performing on network TV and in rodeos, Olym-pic exhibitions and NFL half-time shows. The Cowboy Girls have traveled to 15 countries and have been in print in the Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Wash-ington Post and Cowboys & Indians magazine. Their repertoire of tricks includes vaulting on and off horses that are at a full gallop, dangling precariously from their Western saddles with their heads just inches from the horses’ hooves, and standing tall in the saddle while proudly waving American flags. It’s not all fun and games, though, for these young women from diverse backgrounds. There’s hard work too, and the girls experi-ence all aspects of ranch life, from herding and roping cattle to catching and breaking mustangs and young horses. The Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls are taught the simple truths that values come through the disciplined pursuit of a goal and that self-esteem needs to be earned. The Cowboy Girls put on a great exhi-bition and add excitement and fun to the Springville Sierra Rodeo.

Located in Exeter, Ca., Riata Ranch enhances the lives of young people through equestrian educational programs & performances. These programs utilize traditional Ameri-can Western values of hard work, character development, responsibilty, respect & pride to acheive the highest level of collaboration between horse & rider.

Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls to appear in Springville Sierra Rodeo. The legacy of Tom Maier continues on with the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls and Jennifer Welch who has taken over the reins of this group of talented Cowboy Girls renowned for their trick riding.


Thank You Drill Team Leader Jennifer Murphy

For All Your Hard Work!

Springville Sierra Rodeo Women’s Flag Drill Team

Welcome to the P. R. C. A.

We’re proud of the young women who dedicate many hours of hard work and training to prepare for the rodeo and parade each year. Be sure to give them a big hand!

Back Row: Frank Wittich - VFW, Kenny Walker- at large, Steve Ladrigan - Back Country Horsemen, Jerry Hall, Secretary - VFW. Middle Row: Dennis Corzine, President - At Large, Tom Cole - Back Country Horsemen, Mike Brown - At Large, Frank Schlitz - At Large, Tim Shew - Lions Club. Front Row: Dianne Shew, Vice President - Women's Club, Sandy Oates, Treasurer - Women's Club.

Sponsored by: Gillespie Ag Service

Introducing Our 2011 Springville Sierra Rodeo Board of Directors

Left to RightBack Row: Jada Lindegren, Jenna Hesselink, Annalyn Sanders, Chancie Cathey, Becky MurphyMiddle Row: Patsy Anderson, Siarra Ritter, Lasey Tucker, Andrea White, Sonnie Shew, Sarah Hughes, Theresa Sheridan, Kaylee LashnitsFront Row: Jade Bell, Katie McCaulley, Elizabeth BrownNot Pictured: Jamie Giefer, Tristan Mallory, Jennifer Murphy (Coach)


Our Lovely 2011 Rodeo Queen Contestants

This year’s Queen Contest is sponsored by Generations Photography & Evans Feed

Farewell To Springville

Jade Bell 2010 Springville Sierra

Rodeo Queen

Elizabeth Brown

I have had such a wonderful time this past year rep-resenting Springville as the 2010 Springville Rodeo Queen. It seems as it was only yesterday I was get-ting ready for the competition. Since it was my job and honor to represent Springville and the sport of ro-deo, I traveled everywhere I could! I attended the Ba-kersfield Stampede Days Rodeo as my first appear-ance. My next stop was the Woodlake Lions Rodeo where I rode in the parade as well as the grand entry. Parades have to be the best part about being Rodeo Queen. My favorite parade was the Veterans parade in Porterville. Everyone knows red, white, and blue repre-sents the men and women who fight for our country, so it couldn’t have been any better to ride an all white horse decked out in red and blue! I also rode in the St. Pat-rick’s day parade in Visalia. It’s cute to hear all the young kids commenting about how pretty your horse looks and waving back at you with a huge smile on their face. Not only did I attend events with my horse, but I also went to events without him as well. I attended flag day in Porterville where we all honored old glory. I next vis-ited the World Ag. Expo in Tulare. There I walked around mingling with anyone and everyone I could, telling them all how great the Springville Rodeo is! Also, I went to

Springville’s concerts in the park and helped serve ice-cream and root beer floats. One of my favorite events that I went to without my horse was the Apple Festival. I walked around with Alley, Springville‘s first rodeo princess, and It was a blast! Together we took pictures with Smokey Bear, ate, and did some shopping. My favorite rodeo I attended this past year was the Salinas rodeo. It was their 100th anniversary. I stayed a total of 6 days there and rode in 3 parades, 4 grand entries, and ran as fast as my horse could in one queen’s salute where I saluted the crowd. Being your 2010 Springville Rodeo Queen was 100 times better than I ever thought. I’ve experienced things that I will cherish forever and I would like to thank a few people for that. First, I’d like to thank everyone on the rodeo board. If it wasn’t for them, none of this would have been possible. Second, I’d like to thank Kassi Corzine for doing everything she has done for me. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have gone to every-thing I went to. She sure made everything easy! Last, but not least, a big thanks to my family and close friends. They all supported me and have done more than they needed to. Because of them, my dream came true! I would like to wish the best of luck to our lovely 2011 Rodeo Queen and Princess Contestants. Thank you ev-eryone for allowing me the opportunity of a life time!

Springville Sierra Rodeo!

Taylor Cross


Two running for 2011 Springville Sierra Rodeo Queen

Elizabeth Brown of Porterville attends Harmony Magnet Academy. She is active in Student Council, Volleyball, Key Club and the Link Crew. Currently carrying a GPA of 4.2, Elizabeth is an after school tutor. She plans to attend Cal Poly then UC Davis after high school. Elizabeth is a member of the Springville Rodeo Drill Team and the Porterville Canterbelles. She would like to be Miss Spring-ville rodeo Queen because it has always been a dream of hers from the time she was small. She started attending this contest as a little girl and looked up to the contestants. She feels that representing Springville would be a great opportunity to step up and become a positive role model for the town and the rodeo she has been involved in for many years.

Taylor Cross of Tehachapi attends Valley Oaks Charter School. She is active in volleyball as well as various clubs such as Habitat for Humanity. She has received many academic and sports awards. Taylor has participated in various horse shows and received the high point year end award for western equation at the Bear Valley Horse Show. Past titles include Jr. Miss Rodeo Tehachapi and Miss Rodeo Stampede Days 2010. She would like be Miss Springville Ro-deo because she enjoys the sport of rodeo and wants to be a role model for young girls.

Coming to you from Hollister, Brittany Slaton is a 21-year-old graduate from Gavilan College, where she achieved her Associates Degree, as well as a Certificate in Commu-nications. Brittany plans to attend San Jose State University, where she will pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Communications. For the past two years, she has been a sales associate with Boot Barn. Her goal is to one day work for Wrangler apparel in their communications department.

Involved in 4-H and high school rodeo, Brittany accredits much of her success to the lessons and values she learned through these wonderful organizations. In high school rodeo, she competed in barrel racing, pole bending, girls cutting, and the queen contest. Upon graduating, she contin-ued her support as the CHSRA Special Needs Chairperson. She is now a mem-ber of the Salinas Circle for Children, where she raises funds for children with special needs. Her fundraiser will donate a portion of its proceeds to this amazing organization. Brittany has been competing in the rodeo queen industry for six years. She has had the privilege of representing some of the finest rodeos in the state: Bakersfield Stapede Days Rodeo, Clovis Rodeo, and the California Rodeo Salinas.Her hobbies include showing reining hors-es, photography, baking, and dancing. For the next year, as Miss Rodeo California 2011, Brittany has the honor of promoting the professional sport of rodeo, as well as her state at rodeos and equestrian events all across the country. She could not be more excited for this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Miss Rodeo CaliforniaBrittany Slaton


Emily BaezeTaylor Brown Amelia Griffen

Emily Baeze of Porterville at-tends Sequoia Middle School. Ac-tive in volleyball, choir and dance, she likes to participate in the Junior Rodeo and Gymkhana. She was 2009 SGA Princess and the 2010 Springville Rodeo Princess runner up. She loves rodeo and being in-volved with horses. She would like to show that love by representing her favorite rodeo as Princess.

Amelia Griffen of Fresno at-tends Kastner Intermediate School. She is a teacher assistant and in-volved in Girl Scouts and 4-H. She works at a summer camp at Cop-perwood stables and enjoys Gym-khana events. She is the current 2011 Coarsegold Rodeo Princess. She would like to represent Springville as their Princess because she thinks it is such a beautiful community and it would be an honor to be a part of it.

Sierra Zimmerman is from Porterville and attends Burton Middle School. She is active in 4-H and a volunteer with the Forest Ser-vice cleaning trails. She is active in Canterbelles and likes to work cattle. She was 2009 Miss Glennville Rodeo Princess. The Springville Rodeo is her hometown rodeo and she has always dreamed of representing the community she lives in.

Four young girls running for Rodeo Princess

Sierra ZimmermanTaylor Brown of Strathmore

attends Strathmore High School. She is involved in Varsity soccer, cheerleading and FFA. She likes 4-H and is a member of the Junior Fair Board. She participates in horse shows and is President of the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Youth Associa-tion. She has won many awards in horse shows. She would love to be Springville Rodeo Princess because she loves rodeo and horses so much. It has been her dream since she was a little girl.

Farewell to Springville Rodeo Princess Although this is my farewell let-ter as your 2010 Springville Rodeo Princess, I feel it’s not really goodbye, because the Springville Rodeo will hold a special place in my heart for-ever. It was my honor and privilege to represent this very special rodeo. One of my very first trips was to the Stampede Days Rodeo in Bakersfield as Jade Bell and I rode in the grand entry. Then I went to the Glennville Round-Up where I rode in the parade and also rode in the grand entry. Another favorite, which I’ve been to many times before, the Hot August Nights Bull Bash, where I got to represent the rodeo and watch some awesome bull riding. Shortly after I headed over to the Tehachapi Rodeo, and saluted the crowd in their grand en-try. My next stop was not far from home, at Porterville’s Flag Day ceremony, where Jade and I help fold the old flag and watched the new one be flown. Stay-ing close Jade and I attended the Apple Festival for two days walking around

Alley Henry2010 Springville Rodeo Princess

and spreading the word of our great rodeo. On day two of the Apple Festival I was volunteered, along with Jade, to complete in the famous apple pie eating contest. And I won! Then more recently, Jade and I got all dressed up in green for the St. Patrick’s Day in Visalia. As my reign comes to an end I would like to thank the Rodeo Board for all of their hard work and putting on such a great rodeo! I would also like to thank Dianne Shew, Sandy Oates, Kassie Corzine, and Leah Herron for giving their time and help into putting on such a great pageant. And finally I’d like to thank my parents and spon-sors in helping me throughout my time as Springville Rodeo Princess. I wish good luck to all of the Queen and Princess Contestants, they are all great girls. It was a great pleasure to represent the Biggest Little Rodeo in the West, it was everything and more that I expected it to be and it’s an experience I will never forget.


Pictured at right is Janell Colby of Mitch-ell’s Jewelers in Porterville, holding the All-Around Champion buckle for the Springville Sierra Rodeo. This buckle and eight others for all of the rodeo events will be on display at Mitchell’s Jewelers at 200 North Main in Porterville, until the rodeo starts on Friday, April 22nd.

All the championship buckles are made by Gist Silversmiths of Placerville, a company celebrating its 44th anniversary this year.

Gary Gist’s association with professional rodeo goes back to his youth, when he became one of the youngest participants ever at the National Finals Rodeo, competing with his father in the team roping event, where he finished in second place in 1964. With his personal experience, he knows he can create

Janell Colby with the All-Around Champion Buckle.

Springville Rodeo award buckles are made for champions by Gist Silversmiths of Placerville

Our contestants wish to thank our kind and generous sponsors!Mitchell’s Jewelers, Konda Farms, Generations Photography &

Evans Feed & Livestock Supply.

a quality buckle that every cowboy would be proud to wear. What once was a one man shop now has more than 95 employees occupying a 23,000 square foot facility.

Gist has designed buckles for Presidents Reagan and Ford, and professional entertain-ers including George Strait, Reba McEntire, Hank Williams, Jr., Kenny Stabler, singing duo Brooks and Dunn, and others. Each buckle is worth approximately $180,with the all-round buckle being worth more than $1,000.00. This is just one more way that the Springville Sierra Rodeo has proven to be a first class event.


Records, as they say, are meant to be broken, and no cowboy in ProRo-deo has shown that to be true more than Trevor Brazile. After putting to-gether arguably the greatest season in the history of the sport, the 34-year-old from Decatur, Texas, now stands alone atop the all-around heap. Brazile amassed a mind-boggling record $507,921 in earnings en route to winning a record eighth all-around gold buckle and the second Triple Crown of his illustrious career. He broke the all-around tie with ProRo-deo Hall of Famer Ty Murray after winning the all-around championship by a record $314,158 over second-place Curtis Cassidy and set a num-ber of other records in the process. “It’s special,” said Brazile, who now has 14 world titles. “It doesn’t bring me back to 2009 or 2010, it brings me back to going to junior rodeos and high school rodeos and college rodeos. The dreams I had and just getting out here and being able to realize them this year. I can’t tell you what a feeling that is.” Brazile joined ProRodeo Hall of

Unparalleled excellence Brazile wins record eighth all-around world title, second Triple Crown by Neal Reid

Famers Jim Shoulders (1956-58) and Everett Bowman (1935, 1937) as the sport’s only multiple Triple Crown winners, and he and Bowman are the only two cowboys in history to win Triple Crowns with different event combinations. Brazile’s 2007 trifecta came in the all-around, calf roping and steer roping, and he substituted a team roping heading gold buckle for the steer roping crown this year. In fact, Brazile could have won the sport’s first Grand Slam had he per-haps entered more steer ropings dur-ing the season. He finished second to World Champion Rocky Patterson, but won the most money at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping in early November and had the highest earnings-per-entry av-erage among steer ropers this year. He is just the third cowboy in ro-deo history to win world champion-ships in four different events – along with Bowman (AA, SW, CR, SR) and Bill Linderman (AA, BB, SW, SB) – and is the first to win gold buckles in all three roping events. TREVOR BRAZILE

EIGHT TIME WORD CHAMPION


His $211,509 in Wrangler Nation-al Finals Rodeo earnings shattered the previous record – which he also owned – of $149,099 from 2008 and made him the first PRCA cowboy to cross the $500,000 mark in single-season earnings. Brazile’s Las Vegas winnings also netted him the inau-gural Ram Top Gun Award, which in-cluded the keys to a 2011 Ram 3500. How did he earn that much mon-ey in Las Vegas? Winning the calf roping average and finishing sec-ond in the team roping average propelled him to the lofty total. “That Ram Top Gun Award helped my NFR as much as anything, be-cause if you look back at however many times I’ve been out here, I bet I’ve only been the high money winner twice,” Brazile said. “A lot of that is because I come protecting leads. A lot of times I’ve had good regular seasons and I come protecting leadings, but when you throw a new Dodge truck out there for the high money win-ner, it kind of presents dual goals out here. It helps you win money and win championships, so I love the award.” The records keep going from there. Not only did he team with 2005 World Champion Heeler Patrick Smith to win his first team roping world cham-pionship, but Brazile and Smith set earnings records in the process. They

pocketed $120,419 in team roping money during the 10-day rodeo to be-come the first team ropers in ProRodeo history to earn $200,000 in a season. Brazile finished with $201,392, while Smith ended with the over-all team roping record of $202,189. Their money totals broke the previous team roping single-season earnings record of $189,568 set by Matt Sher-wood and Randon Adams in 2008. The team roping gold buckle had been the lone championship miss-ing from Brazile’s career resume, and he and Smith remedied that by roping aggressively and consis-tently for the entire competition. “When I won the team roping, that was something they weren’t expect-ing me to do at all,” said Brazile, who did not lead the heading standings during the season until the end of Round 10. “Then that put even more pressure on me in the calf roping; I’d already done it where they didn’t ex-pect me to, I sure couldn’t screw it up where they thought it was a lay-up.” What makes Brazile’s feats even more impressive is the fact that he missed roughly 40 days during the season while nursing an injured right elbow. He sat out from early May until the third week in June, but returned with a vengeance. Brazile won the team roping and calf

roping in Innisfail, Alberta, in his first rodeo back, put more than $10,000 into his bank account. The assault was on. “I had an urgency when I was com-peting this year,” Brazile said. “When you can’t swing a rope, you know there is going to be some time off involved. You don’t want to think the worst, but I mean it’s scary. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. It’s like a sur-geon not being able to use his hands.” Brazile said this season and Wran-gler NFR tested his mental toughness, which is widely regarded as one of the

cowboy’s greatest strengths. That men-tality, coupled with hundreds of hours in the practice pen and a make-or-break approach to the Finals, helped push Brazile to his current heights. “Oh, there are guys with lots more natural ability than me,” Brazile said. “My greatest attribute is that I know where my blessings come from and I just try to be a good steward of the blessings that I’ve got, the tal-ent that I’ve got. I know I want to sit back one day and know that I didn’t leave anything out there. I want to be able to watch the National Finals one day and know that I went all out and there wasn’t anything that I didn’t put my heart and soul into.” Now that he’s cemented himself among the all-time greats in the sport’s history, what is next for the talented roper? Simply put, more winning. “I feel like I’m in the prime of my career,” Brazile said. “I don’t know where you go from here, but win-ning never gets old. The thing that motivates now is the same thing that motivated me when I was ju-nior rodeoing. I love what I do. “You minus the travel, and you can’t find a happier guy. I love getting up and playing cowboy every day, getting to go rodeos in front of the greatest fans in the world. Who wouldn’t love this?”


Western Trade Show is popular feature of Springville Sierra Rodeo

Bunch up at the Tough Enough To

Wear Booth on Sunday before the rodeo to buy your “pink” hat, shirt

or bandana!

Some of Our Vendors - Stop By & See ThemSaturday & Sunday

Mike Ellis - Western Decor and Old Wood SignsIgnacio Vasquez - Western Hats and AccessoriesPatty Dycus aka Patty Wagon - Toys, Sunglasses, Chil-drens Jewelry, Novelties and Lite Up Toys etc.Jerry & Bart - Hand Forged Knives, and Swords, Leath-er Goods, Belt Buckles, Belts and moreLisa Anthony - Eenty Wickless WarmersMarie and Scott Midgley - Western Home Decor, Rhinestone Flipflops, Horseshoe Art and moreSusie Ray - Etched Wood and GlassDebbie Stengel - Note Cards & Leather ItemsRanae Clark - Jewelry and moreConnie Lindval - Hand Made Soap, Lotions, & CandlesAndrea Sheer - Purses and more

A popular feature of the Springville Sierra Rodeo is the Western Trade Show, with a selection of vendors offering items of interest to rodeo attendees.

Look for their booths just outside the arena and enjoy shopping while you’re at the rodeo!

If you would like a booth next year, contact information for the Springville Sierra Rodeo Trade Show is available at www.rodeo49.com.


Section Two - Springville Sierra Rodeo Program


It’s always an honor when the US Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard can join us at the Springville Sierra Rodeo and we’re glad to have them back again this year.

The unit was formed aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow in 1967 and designated an official Mounted Color Guard by Headquarters Ma-rine Corps in 1968. This is the only remaining Mounted Color Guard in the Marine Corps today.

This elite military unit has per-formed throughout the Western United States, traveling as far as Memphis, Tenn. The Mounted Color Guard has received numerous na-tional awards including Overall High Point Champion and Class Champion from the California National Asso-ciation of Paraders from 1980-1985, 1989 and 1991 to 1997, and Overall Outstanding Equestrian Group from 1987 to 1989.

The Mounted Color Guard no lon-ger competes due to military regula-tions.

In January 1985 the Mounted Color Guard made its first appearance in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Since January 1990 the Mounted Color Guard has participated in the Tourna-

United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guardment of Roses. The Mounted Color Guard has been given the extreme honor of the first military unit to lead the parade in 1990, 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2002.

The Mounted Color Guard has also participated in events such as the Fiesta Bowl, Super Bowl Parades and Military Finals Rodeos. This unit is active with public schools and par-ticipates with the DARE Program and Good Citizenship Programs. The unit also sponsors and provides training for the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Mounted Col-or Guard in Sturgis, South Dakota.

The Mounted Color Guard rides wild mustangs of Palomino color ad-opted from the Bureau of Land Man-agement’s Adopt a Horse and Burro Program. The mounts are gentled and trained by the Marines.

The BLM honored this unit by por-traying it on the first edition of the BLM’s Wild Horse Trading Cards.

The Mounted Color Guard mem-bers are active-duty marines who volunteer their time evening, week-ends and holidays and perform these duties in addition to their regular duties.

United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard

Cowboy Up in the Sierra, 63 Years & Still Going Strong!


usually thoroughbred going back to great sires such as Three Bars, Easy Jet or Bold Ruler. Should you want a cow horse you need quar-ter horse bloodlines perhaps go-ing back to the great Doc Bar, King Fritz or Poco Lena.

Well, if you want them to buck. That’s right, you want them to buck. Then you need a bucking horse in their bloodlines.

Four Star Rodeo has built its rep-utation for bucking horses on the progeny of “Super Star” one of the company’s great bucking horses who has been the sire or grand sire to many of the horses in the herd.

To be a really good horse, wheth-er it be race horse, cow horse or bucking horse, they have to like what they do. That’s what makes them great, you can’t make a horse buck if he or she doesn’t want to.

NO BULL ABOUT IT... Four Star Rodeo Company has tough bulls. Stock contractor and former bull rider Jeff Davis puts 20-some years of experience into providing the right kind of livestock that will

match up with the rodeo’s contes-tants and has earned a top repu-tation with rodeos for doing just that.

Davis has primarily worked as a rancher but rodeo is in his blood. A calf roper in high school, Davis joined the PRCA to work the pro circuit. Tragically, his career was cut short when a bull stepped on and broke his leg at age 21.

While rodeo is not without its risks, the selection of a stock con-tractor is an important decision the Rodeo Committee must make each year and this year Four Star Rodeo Company made the cut.

While cowboys may be the obvi-ous stars of the rodeo arena, it is the stock contractor who supplies the livestock that either breaks or makes an event. The health and performance of the bucking ani-mals often spell the difference be-tween failure and success of a com-munity rodeo.

The cowboy may be first class, he also must rely on a strong show-ing by the animal as 50 percent of

Four Star Rodeo Company of Cottonwood, Calif., known for hav-ing some of the top bulls and buck-ing horses in professional rodeo, is providing stock for this year’s Springville Sierra Rodeo.

For nearly two decades Four Star Rodeo Company has been produc-ing rodeos throughout California, Oregon and Nevada. The company provides the livestock for more than 50 rodeos per year including the California Cowboys Pro Ro-deo Association Finals, Senior Pro National Finals, Indian National Finals, California High School Ro-deo State Finals, Silver State Invi-tational Rodeo and the All Indian World Finals.

The company’s trademarks in-clude dramatic openings, top notch contract personnel, and of course award winning livestock (animal athletes).

Being athletic is usually found in your genes, the same is true in the animal world. Horsemen know that if you want a running horse, you look for running horse bloodlines,

Healthy stock important part of the Rodeo

the contestants score is determined by the performance of the horse or bull he has drawn.

Be ready for exciting, rockin’ and rollin’ rodeo when Four Star Rodeo Company comes to town.


Sunday, April 24 - 1 p.m.Packing Contest

Sponsored by Crop Production

ServicesFor a little fun and an added attrac-

tion during the Springville Rodeo this year, The Back Country Horsemen will be doing a packing contest sponsored by Crop Production Services. Some of the many local packer/guides will have a little friendly competition while giv-ing those interested an idea of the skill involved in putting your camp on a pack animal and heading down the trail. The only difference being these buckos will be doing it against the clock, against quality competition, and the load must pass close inspection after crossing the finish line. The judges will make sure the pack is balanced, the animal protected from any sharp or rough edges, and the load well tied.

To be a good packer a fellow must be able to perfectly balance one side of a pack against the other, put together a whole camp as tight as a jigsaw puzzle, and tie it on a not always willing animal. It must then be able to stay in place for hours and miles, up and down hills, crossing rivers, and bouncing off trees and rocks. EASY!!

So enjoy the rodeo and our little pack-ing excursion while giving your favorite team some loud backing.


Clowns are part of the Rodeo FunAtypical business day

for Donnie Landis includes getting Mario, his trained flea, to jump from a high dive into a bucket of water, cantering his rare, wild Cantabeatalope across a rodeo area while the steed’s giraffe-like neck swivels around to give him a 360 degree vision, and set his over-sized “mousetrap” in hopes of catching a Brahma bull during the rodeo bull riding event.

Landis, a second generation rodeo clown, takes his business responsibilities as seriously as a bank president or a grade school teacher. His work preparation begins long before he enters the rodeo arena. Each act takes careful, precise planning and all props and parts must be in perfect working order. His execution of business is pure seriousness, although he is dressed in a funny hat, clown make-up with a big red nose and baggy britches.

Donnie Landis has been in the rodeo world all his life. His father, Bill Landis, was a bullfighter and rodeo clown, and also produced rodeos for a time. His mother was a rodeo secretary.

When asked what the secret is to his present day success, Ladis doesn’t hesitate. “I was lucky.” Because of dad, I learned from the ‘old school’ where a rodeo clown had to do everything - fight bulls, have comedy acts, entertain and save lives.”

During the bull riding, his serious attitude only intensifies. He is there to assist in keeping the bucking bulls from injuring the cowboys. No doubt his ability and attitude are the reasons he was picked by the top 20 PRCA bull riders to be the barrel man at the National Finals Rodeo three times.

Adrenaline surges through Landis as he helps save a cowboy from a snuffy bucking bull and he accomplishes feats he doesn’t realize he is capable of performing. When an audience laughs and cheers when he goes through the antics of his well-synchronized comedy routines and he knows it is only his efforts that bring about the delight of the crowd, he knows he doesn’t want to do anything else. AND THAT IS NO BULL!

Donnie Landis Rodeo Clown “Extraordinaire”

Laughter, Lifesaving, and a Lot of Bull!


Bullfighters Darrell Diefenbach and Donnie Castle

Following his father’s footsteps, Darrell began fighting bulls at the age of 17 in his native Australia. After gaining experience in his homeland, he came to the United States in 1994 to fight profession-ally. It wasn’t long before the rodeo world was taking notice of the bullfighter known as “The Thunder from Down Under.” Darrell has earned some of the highest honors in bullfighting. He was named the 1996-97 Australian Bullfighting Champion and was selected as

Darrell Difenbach - Bullfightera Wrangler National Finals bullfighter seven times. In 2007 and 2008, the PBR bull riders selected Darrell to join the Dickies Dura Bullfighters team to protect them at the PBR World Finals and at the Built Ford Tough Series events in the 2009 season. When he’s not fighting bulls, Darrell makes his home in Azle, Texas., and used to live in Porterville, California. Donnie Castle has made several appearances at the Springville Sierra Rodeo in the past.


Calf Roping

TREVOR BRAZILE2010 WORLD CHAMPION

of the box. When the calf reaches its advantage point, the barrier is released. If the roper breaks the barrier before the calf reaches its head start, the cowboy is assessed

LIKE SADDLE bronc riding and team roping, calf roping traces its roots to the working ranches of the Old West.

When calves were sick or injured, cowboys had to rope and immo-bilize them quickly for veterinary treatment. Ranch hands prided themselves on how quickly they could rope and tie calves, and they soon turned their work into infor-mal contests.

As the sport matured, being a good horseman and a fast sprinter became as important to the com-petitive calf roper as being quick and accurate with a lasso.

In today’s modern rodeo, the mounted cowboy starts from a box, a three-sided, fenced area adjacent to the chute holding the calf. The fourth side of the box open into the arena. The calf gets a head start de-termined by the length of the arena. One end of a breakaway rope bar-rier is looped around the calf’s neck and stretched across the open end

a 10-second penalty.When the cowboy throws his loop

and catches the calf, the horse is trained to come to a stop. After rop-ing the calf, the cowboy dismounts,

sprints to his catch and throws it by hand, a maneuver called flanking. If the calf is not standing when the cowboy reaches it, he must allow the calf to get back on its feet, then flank it. After the calf is flanked, the roper ties any three legs together with a pigging string a short, looped rope he carries in his clenched teeth during the run.

While the contestant is accom-plishing all of that, his horse must pull back hard enough to eliminate any slack in the rope, but not so hard as to drag the calf. When the roper finishes tying the calf, he throws his hands in the air as a signal that the run is completed.

The roper then mounts his horse, rides forward to create slack in the rope, then waits six seconds to see if the calf remains tied. If the calf kicks free, the roper receives no time.

The PRCA now calls this event Tie Down Roping. Go figure.

Sponsored by Farmer’s Tractor & Supply


Barrel Racing Sponsored by Finance & Thrift

THE COLORFUL cowgirl’s Barrel Race is a full-fledged part of the rugged, action-packed, sport of rodeo. Fast, exciting and easily understood by the novice fan, the cloverleaf patterned Barrel Race provides a thrilling feminine contrast to the slam-bang action that characterizes big league rodeo. In Barrel Racing, more than any other rodeo contest, horse and rider coordination are vital to suc-cess.

Cowboys will often borrow steer wrestling or roping mounts and win. But take a Barrel Racer off her own horse and it’s a different story. The contest is that exacting, and competition is that close. A Barrel horse is a talented, highly conditioned animal athlete and a Barrel Racer with a good horse stands to win as much money as any PRCA cowboy. Many competitors make over $100,000 in a year.

A relatively recent addition to professional rodeo, barrel racing got it’s start at neighborhood gymkhanas and horse shows and has developed into a highly competitive event. The barrel race is sanc-tioned by the W.P.R.A. the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Watch how close they come to the barrel when they’re making their turns. They want to be close to cut down on the time, but not too close because a knocked over barrel is a 10 second penalty, and that almost always puts them out of the competition. SHERRY CERVI

2010 WORLD CHAMPION BARREL RACER


SPEED IS the name of the game in steer wrestling. With its modern world record sitting at 2.4 seconds, steer wrestling is the quickest event in rodeo. The cowboy’s objective is to use strength and technique to wrestle a steer to the ground as quickly as possible That sounds simple enough. But anything that sounds that easy has to have a catch to it, and the catch here is the steer generally weighs more than twice as much as the cowboy trying to throw it.

The need for speed and precision make steer wrestling, or “bulldog-ging” as it is commonly known, one of rodeo’s most challenging events. As with calf ropers and team ropers, the bulldogger starts on horseback in a box. A breakaway rope barrier is attached to the steer, then stretched across the open end of the box.

The steer gets a head start that is determined by the size of the arena. When the steer reaches the advantage point, the barrier is re-leased and the bulldogger takes off

Steer Wrestling Sponsored by Southern California Edison

DEAN GORSUCH2010 WORLD CHAMPION

in pursuit. If the bulldogger breaks the barrier before the steer reaches its head start, a 10-second penalty is assessed.

In addition to strength, timing and balance are skills cultivated by the successful steer wrestler. When the cowboy reaches the steer, he slides down the right side of his galloping horse, hooks his right arm around the steer’s right horn, grasps the left horn with his left hand and, us-ing strength and leverage, wrestles the animal to the ground. His work isn’t complete until all four of the animal’s feet face upward.

But that’s still not all there is to it. In order to catch up to the running steer, the cowboy uses a “hazer,” an-other mounted cowboy who gallops his horse along the right side of the steer, keeping it from veering away from the bulldogger.

The hazer can make or break a steer wrestler’s run, so his role is as important as the skills the bulldog-ger hones. The hazer usually receives a fourth of the payoff if the steer wrestler places.

Cowboy Up in the Sierra!


Team RopingSaturday Sponsored by Porterville Rock & RecycleSunday Sponsored by Webb & Son Construction

TEAM ROPING, the only team event in professional rodeo, requires close cooperation and timing be-tween two highly skilled ropers - a header and a heeler.

The event originated on ranches when cowboys needed to treat or brand large steers and the task proved too difficult for one.

The key to success? Hard work and endless practice. The partners must perfect their timing, both as a team and with their horses.

As in calf roping or steer wrestling, the team ropers start from the boxes on each side of the chute from which the steer enters the arena The steer gets a head start determined by the length of the arena.

One end of a breakaway barrier is attached to the steer then stretched across the open end of the header’s box.

When the steer reaches its advan-tage point, the barrier is released and the header takes off in pursuit, with the heeler trailing slightly fur-ther behind. If the header breaks the barrier before the steer completes its

head start, the ropers are assessed a 10-second penalty. The header ropes first and must make one of three legal catches on the steer - around both horns, around one horn and the head, or around the neck. Any other catch by the header is considered il-legal and the team is disqualified.

After the header makes his catch, he turns the steer to the left and exposes the steer’s hind legs to the

heeler. The heeler then attempts to rope

both hind ~ If he catches only one foot, the team is assessed a five-second penalty. After the cowboys catch the steer, the clock is stopped when there is no slack in their ropes and their horses face one another.

Another aspect vital to the event is the type of horse used by the rop-ers. The American Quarter Horse is

the most popular among all rodeo competitors, particularly team rop-ers. Heading and heeling horses are trained separately for their special-ties.

Heading horses generally are taller and heavier because they need the power to turn the steer after it is roped. Heeling horses are quick and agile, enabling them to better follow the steer and react to its moves.

TREVER BRAZILE (HEADER) & PATRIC SMITH (HEELER)2010 WORLD CHAMPIONS


Sponsored by The Springville InnSaddle Bronc Riding

SADDLE BRONC RIDING is ro-deo’s classic event, both a comple-ment and contrast to the wilder spectacles of bareback and bull riding.

The event requires strength to be sure, but it is as much about style as anything: grace and precise timing are mandatory.

Saddle bronc riding evolved from the task of breaking and training horses to work the cattle ranches of the old West.

Many cowboys claim riding saddle broncs is the toughest rodeo event to learn because of the techni-cal skills necessary to master it.

Every move the bronc rider makes must be synchronized with the movement of the horse. The cowboy’s objective is a fluid ride, as opposed to the wilder and less-controlled ride of bareback riders.

Among the similarities shared by saddle bronc riding and bareback riding is the rule that riders must

CODY WRIGHT2010 WORLD CHAMPION

mark out their horses on the first jump from the chute. To prop-erly mark out his horse, the saddle bronc rider must have both heels

on the animal’s shoulders when it makes the first jump from the chute. If the rider misses his mark, he receives no score.

While a bareback rider has a rigging to hold onto, the saddle bronc rider has only a thick rein attached to his horse’s halter. Using one hand, the cowboy tries to stay securely seated in his saddle. If he touches any part of the horse or his own body with his free hand, he is disqualified.

Judges score the horse’s bucking action, the cowboy’s control of the horse and the cowboy’s spurring action. While striving to keep his toes turned outward, the rider spurs from the points of the horse’s shoulders to the back of the saddle. To score well, the rider must main-tain that action throughout the eight-second ride.

While the bucking ability of the horse is quite naturally built into the scoring system, a smooth, rhythmic ride is sure to score better than a wild uncontrolled one.


Bareback Bronc RidingBAREBACk BRONC riding, it

has been suggested, offers a sensa-tion about as enjoyable as riding a jackhammer, pogo stick-style, using only one hand. And that’s the easy part. The bareback rider’s real chal-lenge is to look good while he’s being punished.

Bareback riding, simply, is the most physically demanding event in rodeo, its toll on the body im-mense.

Muscles are stretch to the limit, joints are pulled and pounded mer-cilessly, ligaments are strained and frequently rearranged. The strength of the broncs is exceptional and chal-lenging them is often costly.

Bareback riders endure more pun-ishment, suffer more injuries and carry away more long-term damage than all other rodeo cowboys.

To stay aboard the horse, a bare-back rider uses a rigging made of leather and constructed to meet PRCA safety specifications. The rigging, which resembles a suitcase handle on a strap, is placed atop the

BOBBY MOTE2010 WORLD CHAMPION

horse’s withers and secured with a cinch.

As the bronc and rider burst from the chute, the rider has to “markout”

his horse. In other words, he must have both spurs above the horse’s shoulders until the horse’s feet hit the ground after its initial move from

the chute. If the cowboy fails to do this, he is disqualified.

As the bronc bucks, the rider pulls his knees up, dragging his spurs up the horse’s shoulders. As the horse descends, the cowboy straightens his legs, returning his spurs over the point of the horse’s shoulders in anticipation of the next jump.

But it takes more than sheer strength to make a qualifying ride and earn a money-winning score. A bareback rider is judged on spur-ring technique, the degree to which his toes remain turned out while he is spurring and his “exposure,” or willingness to lean far back and take whatever might come during his ride.

Sponsored byMcDonald’s


RODEO COMPETITION, in the be-ginning, was a natural extension of the daily challenges cowboys confronted on the ranch - wrestling steers, roping calves, breaking broncs.

But intentionally climbing on the back of a 2,000- pound bull? There‘s nothing natural about that. Most people, in fact consider that a fool-hearted act.

The risks are obvious. Serious in-jury is always a possibility for those fearless or foolish enough to sit astride an animal that weighs a ton and is usu-ally equipped with dangerous horns.

But cowboys do it, fans love it and bull riding may rank as rodeo’s most popular event. Bull riding is dangerous and predictably exciting, demanding intense physical prowess and supreme mental toughness.

Like bareback and saddle bronc riders, the bull rider may use only one hand to stay aboard during the eight-second ride. If he touches the bull or himself with his free hand, he receives no score. But unlike the other roughstock events, bull riders are not required to mark out their animals.

While spurring a bull can add to the

Bull Riding

J.W. HARRIS2010 WORLD CHAMPION

Sponsored by M. H. Bowles Racing

cowboy’s score, riders are commonly judged on their ability to stay aboard the twisting, bucking ton of muscle and rage. Balance, flexibility, coordi-nation, quick reflexes and, perhaps above all, a good mental attitude are the stuff good bull riders are made of.

To stay aboard the bull, a rider uses a flat braided rope, which is wrapped around the barrel of the bull’s chest just behind the front legs and over its withers. One end of the bull rope, called the tail, is threaded through a loop on the other end and tightened around the bull. The rider then wraps the tail around his hand, sometimes weaving it through his fingers to further secure his grip. Then he nods his head, the chute gate swings open and he and the bull explodes into the arena.

Every bull is unique in its bucking. A bull may dart to the left, then to the right, then rear back in fury. Some spin, or continuously circle in one spot in the arena. Others add jumps or kicks to their spins, while others might jump and kick in a straight line, or move side to side while bucking.

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