PRCA Cowboys Bring American Bucking Stock to Australia

(March 17, 2021) - St. Patrick’s day may be one of four-leaf clovers and luck, but the birth of a beautiful bucking horse colt in Australia wasn’t a story of luck, it was the story of hard work, passion and dedication to the sport of rodeo. Astro Bells, a bucking horse from Pickett Pro Rodeo, flew to Australia after being bred to a son of 2020 World Champion Top Flight. Astro Bells is also a sister to Top Flight and Uncapped, and is out of a 2020 National Finals Rodeo daughter sired by Night Jacket.

Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association bronc rider Anthony Thomas long held dreams with good friend Jack Morris to bring the legendary bucking stock of America to their homeland of Australia. Thomas has long been a force in the bronc riding arena.

The birth of a colt is even more exciting for the opportunity to watch as this colt sires offspring to be used in Australian pro rodeo. Thank you to Anthony for sharing on his social media about this great event and an exciting future for rodeo overseas!

Dona Kay Rule Test Positive for COVID-19 and is OUT of the 2020 NFR

(December 3, 2020) - Rumors broke early Thursday morning of Round 1 of the National Finals Rodeo. Barrel Racer Dona Kay Rule, who enters the NFR sitting in third place, roughly $19,000 behind leader Britany Pozzi Tonozzi, tested positive for COVID-19 and, per the supposed PRCA restrictions, will not be allowed to compete.

Posted at 10:45 am PST on Dona Kay Rules official instagram. Click to see more comments.

In a post on Instagram, Dona thanks fans for their support and to let us know that she feels healthy with zero symptoms. Called up is Jessie Telford of Idaho who was sitting #16 in the world standings. Here’s a post she made around 8:49 PST on Instagram. Click the link below to see more of the commentary.

Here’s the rumors we know:

• All the contestants were required to take a test.

• It’s known that if they test positive, they are out for the remainder of the NFR.

• Random athletes will be tested each day of the NFR.

This poses a number of questions in regards to what is happening in the WPRA and PRCA for the NFR. An inconsistency across the board and lack of transparency to fans could prove detrimental during an event so many hoped to see happen.

That Western Life Podcast

National Finals Rodeo Update - Round 5

Las Vegas, Nevada (December 11, 2018) - The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is in full swing in the bright light city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Every year, the rodeo community convenes on the city to showcase western heritage in a variety of ways; youth rodeo competitions, team roping competitions, permit challenges, rookie recognition, leather working, fashion, and the latest in equine and bovine technology. Halfway through the 10 heated rounds of the Super Bowl of Professional Rodeo, there have been numerous big stories to share!

Barrel Racing Heats Up

Heading into the NFR, two-time qualifier Hailey Kinsel and her dynamite six year-old palomino mare “Sister,” named the 2018 American Quarter Horse Association Barrel Horse of the Year, were on track to coast to a gold buckle. Nothing comes easy at the National Finals Rodeo, however, and the random draw order of go on the ground has proven an equalizer for the contestants.

Winning Round 1, Kinsel started the way every racing fan expected; first. She blasted onto the ProRodeo season in 2017 when she won RFD-TV’s The American and a chunk of the million-dollar qualifier incentive. That run was the most money ever won in a single barrel race at the time. She then beat the Thomas & Mack barrel racing record at the 2017 National Finals at a blistering 13.11 seconds; a whopping 2 tenths of a second faster than the previous record set that finals.

Bottom of the ground proved costly for Kinsel and Sister, placing her out of the money in Round 2 and 3, and then a knocked barrel in the 4th Round meant she was dropped in the average. With a field of amazing horses knocking on the door for the world title, it seemed that she may not be able to recover for a large enough chunk of the NFR average money.

Chasing her most notably is Nellie Miller who is riding another horse named Sister, a blue roan quarter horse from the state of California. Miller was the 2017 World Champion and her Sister was the 2017 AQHA Horse of the Year. Consistency is key and she qualified for a the NFR on a limited number of rodeos. Sister’s consistency shows her as one of the biggest threats in the NFR race as she should garner a large chunk of the average money.

In March of 2018, Oregon’s Amberleigh Moore’s mare “Paige,” who set the NFR arena on fire at her NFR debut in 2016 almost knocking off Mary Burger for the World Title, was pulled out injured after Houston Rodeo. The off time almost proved costly as Moore entered the NFR in the 13th (out of 15 potential spots) position. The Thomas & Mack is nicknamed “Paige’s Play Pen” for a reason though as the Darkelly mare came in rested and hungry to compete.

Placing second, second, first and third in the first four rounds of the NFR, she had earned $83,346.15 and was leading the average, which pays out $67,269.23 for first place. This moved her to second in the world, just over $5,000 behind Kinsel. Round 5 proved to be the Achilles Heel and with a knock of the first world, she dropped herself in the average and moving Moore to a projected 4th place including average payout.

What do you think will happen in the barrel racing? Do you think Kinsel and Sister will start firing on all cylinders and gain top of the ground advantage in the draw? What about Miller and her Sister? Will consistency be key for the returning World Champion?

All Around Title - Richard Not So Undercover Anymore

Dark horse Rhen Richard from Utah is proving to not be so sneaky in the race for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s All Around cowboy. The only competitor entered in two events, team roping and tie-down roping, Richard has yet to win a round but has consistently placed in four of a potential 10 rounds (two runs a night for two events in five rounds). He’s earned a total of $35,467.94 in NFR payout already, second only to Trevor Brazile who, thanks to a second and first place win in two rounds, has earned $47,102.56. Brazile, a 23-time World Champion, kicked off the NFR by announcing his retirement from competitive rodeo to send more time at home with his family, is now leading the All Around race over brother-in-law Tuf Cooper, the 2017 World Champion and 2x Tie-Down World Champion.

If Richard continues to be consistent with times, he may be receiving a large check at the pay window for the NFR average.

Eliminator Pen Bucking Horses the Star of the Show

Thanks to diligent efforts by stock contractors and non profits like Bronc Riding Nation, the bucking horse may be the star of the 2018 National Finals Rodeo. In Round 3, every rodeo fan across the country new for a fact that Powder River would be at the Gold Buckle zone at the South Point Saturday night as long as Tim O’Connell, the reigning bareback World Champion and current number one in the world, stayed atop the 2017 Bareback Horse of the Year Craig at Midnight.

The large gray bucking horse, a product of Feek Tooke’s “Born to Buck” program, put on a show. Tim O’Connell laughed afterwards saying he only got a few jumps at the end of the ride where he got to earn points; Craig [At Midnight] was garnering all the points for the round! In rough stock, there are two judges with each judge awarding points out of a possible 25 for each the rider and the horse for a total of 100 points.

In Round 5, it was C5 Rodeo’s Virgil, another big gray bucking horse, that stole the show with Clayton Bigelow who went BIG for a 93 point, arena-record setting ride! The magnificence of these animals are just beginning to be showcased and we can’t wait to see the eliminator pen in the finals for another go!

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All of the information in this article is unofficial results and are not the product nor any relation to the official Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. All information belongs to That Western Life and Western Insights Media, LLC.

Ivy & Hawkins Have Their Cowboy Christmas Arena Record Style

Lane Ivy, a team roping header out of Adrian, Texas, and Buddy Hawkins II, a team roping heeler from Sedan, Kansas, decided to have their Cowboy Christmas arena record style this year!

"Cowboy Christmas" is a term used by rodeo fans to describe the lucrative number of professional and amateur rodeos held over the 4th of July weekend. Cowboys can move up significant placings in the Weatherguard World Standings of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, allowing them to strategically set themselves up for the sprint to be in the Top 15 to go to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December. The Super Bowl of rodeo, the WNFR is the place to be for any western enthusiast. 

On July 3rd, at the Eugene Pro Rodeo in Eugene, Oregon, Ivy and Hawkins smoked a 4.6 second run in Eugene, a place where a 5 flat is considered fast. The time was good enough for first overall with a new arena record. 

The following day, Hawkins and Ivy got to celebrate America's birthday with another arena record at the Molalla Buckaroo in Molalla, Oregon. Stopping the clock in a deadly 3.9 second run, they took the lead at another Cowboy Christmas rodeo. 

Watch Ivy/Hawkins Eugene Pro Arena Record here.

Watch Ivy/Hawkins Molalla Buckaroo Arena Record here. 

Ivy currently sits 36th in the world according to the PRCA Weatherguard World Standings but is sure to move after the books have officially closed on the Cowboy Christmas run. Hawkins currently sits 10th in the PRCA Weatherguard World Standings and is sitting pretty as we head into the final stretch of the year heading into the WNFR.

Team roping is the only true team event for Professional Rodeo where a header and a heeler work together to stop the clock. The header throws their loop first catching the horns, neck or a combination of both on a 350-500 pound Corriente steer. The header must then turn the steer to the left and, once that direction change has been made, the heeler tries to catch both hind legs. The clock stops when both horses are facing each other with their front feet on the ground, as signaled by a judge. Time penalties can be accrued with the breaking of the barrier (the head start for the steer) or by the heeler only catching one leg (+5 seconds). 

Follow Buddy Hawkins II Fan Page on Facebook.

That Western Life was founded in 2017 and promotes the western industry including rodeo sports, agriculture and ranching politics, western lifestyle, and the people that make this great nation what it is. Our thoughts and opinions are our own.