News & Notes From the Rodeo Trail, April 17
Steer wrestler Benjamin “Rooster” Reynolds, who won the average at the 1995 National Finals Rodeo, passed away April 14. He was 61.
Rooster Reynolds was the son of ProRodeo Hall of Famer Benny Reynolds, who passed away in 2014.
Rooster grew up on a cattle ranch in small town Montana where he rode bulls and threw steers on their backs along with all the other traditional high school sports that kids do.
Rodeo, however, was where he excelled. Reynolds qualified for his lone NFR in 1995 and came in 13th in the world standings. He won the average with a 64.3-second time on 10 head and finished third in the world standings with $99,382. He earned $54,850 at the NFR alone in Las Vegas, thanks to winning Round 2 (4.8 seconds) and Round 8 (4.5 seconds).
Steer wrestlers Ote Berry ($117,987) and Rope Myers ($104,262) were first and second in the 1995 world standings.
In 1995, Reynolds’ best payoff in the regular season was $10,387 in San Antonio. Reynolds joined the PRCA in 1988 and earned $240,184 in his career.
Outside of rodeo, Rooster acted in plays, made a guest appearance on a TV show called Santa Barbara, and starred in a Busch Beer commercial.
The PRCA and Rural Media Group are pleased to announce an expanded schedule of PRCA rodeos on The Cowboy Channel, RFD-TV, The PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus, and The Cowgirl Channel. This expanded schedule will now total more than 900 PRCA performances annually over the three Rural Media Group television networks and the subscription based PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App.
“Showcasing our small to medium-sized PRCA rodeos with this national exposure really benefits these local communities,” PRCA CEO Tom Glause said. “Rodeo fans can now watch even more PRCA rodeo action, including local hometown rodeos, the PRCA Playoff Series rodeos, and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.”
Of the 900-plus PRCA rodeo performances being televised and livestreamed, 150 PRCA performances will be exclusively televised on The Cowgirl Channel, which launched on March 1.
The mutually agreed upon schedule of PRCA rodeos on the RMG Networks will run through the end of 2028.
“We hope that these local rodeos will now have the added incentive to plan and improve their rodeo production and marketing, and accordingly make every effort to reach their rodeo’s full potential,” said Patrick Gottsch, Founder and President of Rural Media Group. “They should know that the Rural Media Group and the PRCA are here to help them do that.”
The expanded schedule of PRCA rodeos on the Rural Media Group networks began this past weekend with the San Angelo (Texas) Cinch Shootout.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Darby Rodeo Association (DRA-501 (c)(3)) will host the Yellowstone Darby Xtreme Bareback (formerly the Yellowstone Darby Riggin’ Rally), at the Richard Cromwell Memorial Rodeo Grounds in Darby, Mont., June 3-4.
The PRCA-sanctioned event will attract many of the top-ranked bareback riders in the country, to compete for $60,000 in added money, which is the richest purse ever offered at a bareback event. Paramount Network’s original series, Yellowstone will be the presenting sponsor again this year.
The event will run over two days, with the qualifier taking place on Saturday, June 3 at 2 p.m., (MT) and gates open at noon with $10,000 in added money up for grabs. The top 10 qualifiers will move on to Sunday’s XTREME, where they will be joined by 20 of the world’s top PRCA riders, with $50,000 in added money on the line. Sunday’s performance will start at 6 p.m. and gates will open at 3 p.m.) and be televised live on The Cowboy Channel.
Last year’s event brought a world-record breaking ride to the valley as young bareback rider Rocker Steiner had a 95-point trip aboard C5 Rodeo’s Virgil. The then 18-year-old bareback rider was named PRCA’s Resistol 2022 Rookie of the Year in bareback riding and qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
“The Yellowstone Darby Xtreme Bareback event has quickly become one of the biggest events of the year, in the Bitterroot Valley,” said Caleb Bennett, Corvallis resident and 10-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “I look forward to this event each year. The competition is top notch and supporting the Darby Rodeo Association is a great way to give back to the community.”
In addition to two days of great competition, the DRA will host live entertainment on Saturday evening, following the qualifier. The entertainment will be included in the ticket price for Saturday’s event. Tickets for Saturday’s qualifier are $25. Tickets for Sunday’s event are $45. A combo ticket for both events can be purchased for $60. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.darbyrodeo.org/tickets-events.
The 2023 spring judging seminar registrations are open, form is below. All PRCA members are welcome.
Courtesy of PRCA