News and Notes from the Rodeo Trail, Oct. 16
ProRodeoLive.com will broadcast the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo Oct. 19-21 in Duncan, Okla., beginning at 7:30 p.m. (CT) each day.
The PRCA has announced its 2017 media awards. The PRCA Excellence in Broadcast Journalism Award recipient is CBS Sports Network. Accepting on behalf of CBS Sports Network is Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President of Programming, and Greg Trager, Vice President of Programming. CBS Sports Network and the PRCA have partnered to bring live coverage of the biggest events in rodeo for many years, including the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER. In addition, CBS Advanced Media has worked with the PRCA in providing the platform for ProRodeoTV. The PRCA Excellence in Print Journalism Award recipient is rodeo journalist Neal Reid. Reid has covered the WNFR for more than a decade for outlets such as ESPN, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Events, and several rodeo print publications. The PRCA Excellence in Photography Award recipient is PRCA photographer Roseanna Sales. Sales provided quality images for the various PRCA media outlets at such large rodeos as the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up, the Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo and the Wrangler Champions Challenge Finale in Sioux Falls, S.D. These awards will be presented at the PRCA Awards Banquet at the South Point Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Dec. 6.
Bobby Mote, the four-time world champion bareback rider, recently announced his retirement. “I know what it takes to win a world championship and I’m not willing to do whatever it takes anymore,” Mote said in a released statement. “It is time for me to walk away from bareback riding.” Last week, Kanin Asay, a five-time qualifier for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, announced his retirement. Asay earned more than $1 million in his PRCA career. “I was tired and exhausted of it,” Asay said in the Cody (Wyo.) Enterprise. “I didn’t even want to get ready.” In retirement, Asay, 31, plans on raising bulls.
For the first time, three PRCA rodeos in Colorado – the Greeley Stampede, Rooftop Rodeo, and Larimer County Fair & PRCA Rodeo – have partnered to recognize one contestant from the combined rodeo series that earned the most points in 2017 for the Rodeo 34 Award. The recipient of the inaugural Rodeo 34 Award is barrel racer Sydni Blanchard. She will receive a $3,000 gas and grocery gift card, among other prizes. Blanchard will be recognized Oct. 28 during the RAM Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo in Loveland, Colo. The new alliance, named after the highway that connects the three rodeos, was created to help promote the sport of rodeo. Points were given to the Top 10 contestants of each rodeo event at all three rodeos. The points were determined on placing with first place earning 10 points through 10th place earning one point. To be qualified for the award, contestants were required to compete in all three rodeos.
Imogene Veach Beals, 96, of Colcord, Okla., passed away Oct. 10 at home. Born July 5, 1921, in Trenton, Mo., she was the daughter of Monroe Veach and Alta Brown Veach. Imogene’s father, Monroe, was the original founder of Veach Saddlery Company of Trenton in 1919. The original business is still family owned and operated today. Imogene and husband Charley were owners/operators of Veach Saddlery Company in Tulsa from 1945-1984. She was a former board member of the Rodeo Historical Society in Oklahoma City at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Veach was honored with the prestigious Tad Lucas Memorial Award from the Rodeo Historical Society. A celebration of her life will be held Oct. 28, from 1-4 p.m. at Countryside Bible Church near Colcord, across the road from Derek Clark’s home at 19460 E. 530 Road, Colcord, OK. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rodeo Historical Society at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., Oklahoma City, OK 73111 or Talbot Library & Museum, 500 S. Colcord Ave., Colcord, OK 74338. To sign the online guest book go to www.wassonfuneralhome.com.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“This is awesome. I couldn’t dream up a better scenario.”
– Saddle bronc rider Brody Cress told the ProRodeo Sports News after adding the All American ProRodeo Finals title Oct. 14 to the California Rodeo Salinas, Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days and Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up crowns he won this past summer.
Courtesy of PRCA