News and Notes from the Rodeo Trail, June 22
The Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo has announced its 2015 Hall of Fame class, headlined by two multiple-time world champions. Steer wrestler John W. Jones Jr., who won world titles in 1984 and 1988-89, joins 1942 and 1955 Team Roping World Champion Vern Castro, as well as rodeo timers Nell Henderson and Jan Smith. Jones won the all-around title in Ellensburg in 1983, and captured steer wrestling titles there in 1984 and 1987. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1996. Castro won the Ellensburg all-around title three times (1947-48 and 1950) and won the steer wrestling in 1947, as well as the tie-down roping in 1950. Henderson is a Tonasket, Wash., native who was a timer at the Ellensburg Rodeo from 1989-2012. Smith – a Brewster, Wash., native – timed at the rodeo from 1986-2012. The induction banquet is Sept. 3 at Central Washington University’s SURC Ballroom.
All rounds of the Greeley Stampede, including the PRCA Division 2 Xtreme Bulls, will be webcast on rodeobroadcastnetwork.com. A link will be available at greeleystampede.org as well. The Xtreme Bulls event will take place June 25 at 7 p.m. MT, while the Greeley Stampede begins June 28 at 1 p.m. MT.
ProRodeoLive will broadcast the final weekend of the Reno Rodeo, June 25-27, with PRCA rodeo announcer Chad Nicholson anchoring the coverage. Fans can listen by logging on to www.prorodeolive.com.
In the June 5 episode of “Jeopardy!,” Wrangler was included as an answer to a trivia question under the “Jeans” category. The clue was “appropriately, this brand of Western jeans sponsors the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association,” and one of the contestants responded correctly with “What is Wrangler?”
Feather River College’s Jesse Segura was selected as the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s 2015 Coach of the Year. Segura received the award at the College National Finals Rodeo at the Casper (Wyo.) Events Center June 17. Feather River has had student athletes qualify for CNFR every year since the program was started under Segura’s direction 10 years ago. Segura is no stranger to college rodeo, as he won the NIRA’s men’s all-around championship in 2003 while competing for Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo.
The Red Bluff (Calif.) Round-Up committee put together an auction package which was sold for $31,000 during the rodeo’s Tough Enough to Wear Pink night last month. The money was donated to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital and Mercy Foundation North to benefit the services associated with breast cancer detection and treatment. The package contained an assortment of both donated and purchased items. The Red Bluff Round-Up Association purchased custom-made pink chaps, a custom-made belt buckle, a set of custom spurs and spur straps and a $200 Boot Barn gift certificate. Donated items included a Resistol hat certificate donated by Wayne Brooks, Bob Tallman and Resistol Hats; a Justin Boots gift certificate donated by Justin Boots; a Boot Barn goodie bag donated by Boot Barn; a Wrangler Jeans certificate donated by Wrangler; and a case of Purple Cowboy Wine.
A Nevada National Guardsman marked the end of a one-year deployment in Afghanistan with a surprise Father’s Day weekend homecoming with his wife and six children at the Reno Rodeo June 19. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Glen Spadin of Sparks, Nev., was greeted by hugs from his children when he suddenly emerged from behind two horses during a Patriot Night ceremony on the arena floor arranged by the rodeo, Nevada Army National Guard and his wife, Maja. His son and five daughters weren’t told about his arrival home beforehand, and they reacted with a mixture of shock and excitement.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“I’ve never done a dang thing at this rodeo. I’ve always wanted to do good here but have never even made the (championship) round. I want to win here and get that set of Silver Spurs that you can tell your grandkids about.”
-Saddle bronc rider Heith DeMoss telling Guy Clifton of the Reno Gazette-Journal how badly he wants to win the Reno Rodeo.
Courtesy of PRCA