News and Notes from the Rodeo Trail, Feb. 22
The Wrangler Network will be live streaming rodeo action from San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 23-27. Coverage of the four semifinals performances of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo will start at 7 p.m. (CT) Feb. 23-25, and at 7:30 p.m. (CT) Feb. 26. On Feb. 27, live coverage of the Xtreme Bulls event begins at 1 p.m. (CT) and the final round of the rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. (CT). Fans can watch by going to www.wranglernetwork.com.
The contract personnel for the 2016 National Circuit Finals Steer Roping have been announced. T.C. Long is the announcer, Eva Chadwick is secretary, Bonnie Cusimano and Martha Martin are the timers and Derek Barton is the music director. The event takes place April 29-30 in Torrington, Wyo.
Michael Louis Cusimano, a former PRCA bareback rider and judge, and husband of PRCA timer Bonnie D. Martin Cusimano, passed away Jan. 13 in Sallisaw, Okla. He was 65. Cusimano rode bareback horses in the PRCA for several years, and was one of the first professional judges for the PRCA. He was employed by the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission for 31 years as a race horse identifier, and was also known for his Western art.
Warner (Rocky) Rockne Rogers, a PRCA Gold Card member and former steer roper and timed-event competitor, passed away Feb. 12. He was 82. Rogers grew up in Laramie, Wyo., and Fort Collins, Colo. He served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Rogers went back to school after his stint in the military and received a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He owned a veterinary clinic in Cheyenne, Wyo., for many years.
Four-time PRCA Clown of the Year Justin Rumford was the victim of theft at the San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo, and authorities are asking for the public’s help in recovering the items. The theft took place between Feb. 7-12 at the Foster Communications Coliseum, and included Rumford’s buckle for winning the 2012 PRCA Clown of the Year Award, as well as a custom-made belt and a red football jersey with Rumford’s name on the back. Anyone with information on the location of these items should call the sheriff’s office at 325.655.8111 and ask for Sergeant Investigator Corey Speck.
According to an economic impact report, the 2015 Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days rodeo boosted the local economy by about $28 million – $5.3 million in food, $3.7 million in overnight accommodations, $7.6 million in entertainment, including ticket sales and $10.8 million in retail purchases. CFD CEO Tom Hirsig said the rodeo drew visitors from all 50 states and 31 countries.
California Rodeo Salinas and Pendleton Whisky will be hosting the Pendleton Whisky Tasting April 1 at the Rodeo Room at the Salinas Sports Complex. The event starts at 6 p.m. and will include a hosted bar, full steak dinner prepared by The Grower’s Pub, whisky tasting, a swag bag, music and more. The cost is $75 per person and tickets can be purchased now at www.carodeo.com or by calling 831.775.3100.
The National Junior High Finals Rodeo is moving to Lebanon, Tenn. – 30 miles east of Nashville – and local officials in Wilson County are hoping to see a $10 million economic impact for the region. This is the first time that the event has been held east of the Mississippi River, and 50,000 visitors are estimated to populate the area during the June 19-25 event. About 150 volunteers are needed for the rodeo to assist with participant registration and livestock check-ins. For information on being a volunteer, contact Leadership Wilson Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Folsom at WilsonCoVolunteers@gmail.com.
The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture Rodeo Team will host two-time World Champion Steer Wrestler Dean Gorsuch for a bulldogging clinic March 4-6 in Curtis, Neb. NCTA Rodeo Coach Bridger Chytka said Gorsuch will demonstrate the basics for rodeo athletes – from chute preparation and horseback technique to bulldogging style. Students of any age may apply for the three-day clinic by pre-registering with Chytka at 308.367.5284.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“My week started off pretty good there in Jackson (Miss.), but then I went to Belton (Texas) and got whacked pretty hard. When I got to San Antonio I was pretty sore and not wanting to get on, but if you want to get on at the Xtreme Bulls you have to get on at the rodeo, too. So I went ahead and toughed it out and got on my bulls, and thankfully I stayed on one of them.”
-WNFR bull rider Aaron Pass explaining the ups and downs of his event to rodeo radio host Rob Matthews
Courtesy of PRCA