News & Notes from the Rodeo Trail, May 30
Wranglernetwork.com will livestream the Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks PRCA Rodeo at 6 p.m. (PT) June 3, and at 2 p.m. June 4. ProRodeoLive.com will have coverage of the Bennington (Kan.) Pro Rodeo, June 1-3. The rodeo begins at 8 p.m. (CT) each day.
T.V. “Tommy” Jones, a PRCA Gold Card member and rodeo announcer from Cheyenne, Wyo., passed away April 17. He was 80. Jones announced several steer roping events, and was the track and chuck wagon announcer at Cheyenne Frontier Days for many years. His famous phrase, “Thunder from the North” was heard for more than 20 years at the Cheyenne Frontier Days night shows. He announced rodeos all over the United States.
When the 2017 Ute Stampede unfolds in less than two months, there will be some noticeable changes at the Juab County Fairgrounds in Nephi, Utah. New bleachers have been installed that increase the capacity of the stands from 10,000 to 11,500. Additionally, new bucking chutes have been installed. The new bucking chutes now have a right and left-hand delivery with a total of eight new chutes – four on each side. “They were older bleachers that needed to be replaced,” said Kyle Garrett, a director on the Ute Stampede committee. “We tore out the old bucking chutes and put in new bucking chutes and now we can roll with the right hand and left deliveries. Before, all we had was a left-hand delivery for eight bucking chutes. That used to work 30 years ago, but anymore it doesn’t because everybody wants the right and left-hand.” This year’s Ute Stampede is scheduled for July 13-15.
Northwest College (Powell, Wyo.) rodeo coach and PRCA Gold Card Member Del Nose won his third Rodeo Coach of the Year award for the Big Sky Region earlier this month. Nose, who coached 2011 World Champion Bull Rider Shane Proctor, saw his team finish the 2016-17 season ranked fourth in the nation and top in their region – a noteworthy accomplishment as NWC is a two-year school up against four-year universities. Winners for each region’s coach of the year award are decided by the coaches and two students from each school within that region. Nose won the Big Sky Region’s Coach of the Year award in 2010 and 2014, and was the runner-up for the national Coach of the Year award in 2014 as well.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“I wasn’t expecting it – I was pleased and surprised, but I was more focused on the kids.”
– Northwest College (Powell, Wyo.) rodeo coach Del Nose talking to the ProRodeo Sports News about winning Rodeo Coach of the Year award for the Big Sky Region recently.
Courtesy of PRCA