Ep. 40 - February 2020 Rodeo Updates Part II
Buckle up - we are talking about rodeo, world records, arena records and advocacy! The Texas winter rodeos are in full swing and we talk about controversially barrel racing footing, young horses doing big things, Sage Kimzey’s broken ankle, and the world and arena records that were broken. The team also touches on hot topics in the advocacy portion of the podcast, chatting about Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar anti-dairy industry speech and the New York rodeo protests.
Lecile Harris
The rodeo world mourns the passing of Lecile Harris, a PRCA barrel man who was also well-known for his role in the television show Hee Haw. He is in the Mississippi Radio Hall of Fame, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Hall of Fame, 1992, 1994-1996 PRCA Clown of the Year and later this year is being inducted into the PBR Hall of Fame. After exhibiting flu like symptoms, he passed away in his sleep while working at the Dixie National Rodeo.
“I just watched him on ProRodeo TV,” says Katy Lucas. “It’s crazy to think that I just watched this guy on TV.”
PRCA Launches Online Entry System
With the trial run happening last May at an Extreme Broncs event, the website will link to a map of the rodeo grounds, ground layout, rules, etc. It’s not rolled out completely yet but they are looking to have it added. This is really exciting for rodeo as we continue to try to advance in the world of rodeo.
A lot of the competitors loved the online system when it rolled out in Canada and host Katy Lucas would know as she was working there when it first started. It also saves time for contestants who no longer have to call back during grace period for the shuffle of the best layout. Competitors utilized the opportunity to check how everyone else entered and what they were wanting for more strategy.
Tim O’Connell Ties World Record at San Angelo
This past weekend in San Angelo, Texas, Tim tied the world record in bareback and subsequently win the Cinch shootout. A three-time World Champion bareback rider - it’s no surprise that he would continue his domination.
San Antonio Rodeo
Finishing up on the 22nd of February, there’s some excitement in the bullriding. Sage Kimzey rode a bull he’s ridden before, Powder River Rodeo’s Hot Pursuit, but the bull had an off day scoring a 67 point ride. What happened after the ride is that the bull fell on top of Sage and broke his ankle!
Unlike mainstream sports where contestants are out for the rest of the season with an injury like this, Sage is projected to be back in two to three weeks. With the rotation of his fibula means that surgery was his only options. Daylon Swearingen replaced him in the PBR Global Cup competition.
A more positive San Antonio update, Dustin Byrd and Levi Tyan broke the arena record in team roping with a 3.5 second run. Byrd was actually riding Yahtzee who was formerly owned by Trevor Brazile, Brandon Webb and Kaleb Driggers. Driggers actually won the American in 2014 on him and also rode him at San Antonio just a few steers later.
Kathy Grimes and her horse Issy went down during the barrel racing which led to some controversy on social media.
“The judges did promise it would be addressed. It’s hard to understand that with today’s knowledge and equipment that we can’t keep the ground together for ten runs at an indoor arena. Thank you for your concerns,” said Kathy in a Facebook post and video that showed the ground falling out from under her horse in slow motion.
They said by the semi-finals it will be fixed so hopefully we will see that.
J.W. Harris Announces PRCA Retirement After 2020
A nine-time NFR Qualifier, bull rider JW Harris announced that 2020 will be his last year. It’s been cool to see these PRCA contestants announce when they are finishing but he did say, “most likely” so there is a chance that he could come back. At 34 years old, he is older on the bull riding spectrum and is lucky to have stayed relatively healthy throughout his career.
He’s hoping to make the 2020 NFR which would be his 11th qualification.
Fort Worth Stock Show
Jimmie Smith won the Jerry Ann Taylor best dressed award at Fort Worth and ended up second in the barrel racing. The annual Jerry Ann Taylor Best Dressed Award is a $5,000 cash award given to the best dressed cowgirl at the Fort Worth Stock Show finals and a secondary award is also given out at the National Finals Rodeo. Jerry Ann Taylor was a 1986 National Cowgirl Hall of Fame honoree that was a flamboyant trick rider and roper known for her amazing style.
Jimmie Smith finished 16th in the world last year and was the Resistol Rookie of the Year award. She is hoping to be at her first NFR this year and could do a double win in the Jerry Ann Taylor Best Dressed Category.
Someone who has done a good job in the Jerry Ann Taylor Best Dressed Award is 2014 World Champion Barrel Racer Fallon Taylor. That year she had fans design outfits and so she picked the Top 20 finalists to make either run in outfits but also throughout Cowboy Christmas for autograph sessions and appearances.
“She’s so impressive,” says Rachel about Fallon and her marketing and fan engagement skills, “she’s a powerhouse!”
Resistol Rookie of the Year
In case you aren’t familiar, the PRCA Rookie is a cowboy competing in his first year as a full member of the organization. Keep in mind that cowboys start on a permit before being a full-fledged member, they have to win $1,000 at a PRCA sanctioned event to “level out” and fill their permit. They can then apply for their rookie card.
The PRCA Rookie of the Year is the cowboy who wins the most money in that first year. There is a lot of strategy that we have discussed in previous episodes about utilizing a second permit to finish out the current season so that you can start the next season with a full year on your official rookie card.
Last year, Haven Meged was the first rookie to win the world title in the tie down roping since Joe Beaver won it in 1985. Thus the term, “The House That Joe Built,” that we discussed during the NFR.
Carolyn Vieter Inducted
The first woman inducted into the Rodeo Legends Category for the Montana ProRodeo Hall and Wall of Fame, a former Miss Rodeo America and WPRA president, Carolyn Vieter was also the Miss Rodeo America judge when Katie, Rachel and Lisa were at the pageant in 2016. Kind, stylish and iconic in the world of rodeo, we wanted to give her a hearty congratulations from the team!
One of the challenging questions that she asked during the pageant was, “Name a disqualification in a roping event in the WPRA that is not in the PRCA.”
Since we don’t remember what we said, we chatted about it on the podcast three years later about those answers. The team discussed hard tying on the heel side for team roping in the WPRA, in the breakaway it’s not catch-as-catch-can and you have to have a bell catch, and then in WPRA tie-down roping you don’t have to clear all four legs when you flank the calf prior to tying.
Equine Coronavirus
There was a confirmed case of Equine Coronavirus in Arizona but, don’t panic, it’s not the same as coronavirus in humans. Primarily an intestinal virus, it’s passed from fecal-oral meaning if your horse eats poop. Most horses just need supportive veterinary care, death is not common - practice good hygiene.
Current PRCA World Standings
Industry & Advocacy
Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar Speech
A known supporter of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), Joaquin Phoenix used his Oscar speech platform as an opportunity to bash the dairy industry and challenge the world that we don’t need to have dairies anymore. The ALF is labeled a domestic terrorist group by the FBI as they have been known to break in to farms, releasing animals and killing animals.
“He is not a Carrie Underwood-PETA status activist,” says Katie, he’s ALF which is next level. He’s never said that he supports domestic terrorism but he supports ALF. Our friend Carrie Chestnut Moss also known as Dairy Carrie is a great advocate for the rural lifestyle and, specifically, the dairy industry. Check her out here.
New York Legislation to Ban Rodeo
A little history lesson, back in the day there were big famous rodeos in Madison Square Garden.The formation of organized rodeo began in 1935 when contestants walked out of a rodeo performance at Madison Square Garden to protest unqualified judges and unjust prize money. The current legislation coming forth, almost 75 years later, says no tie down roping, no sharpened spurs and no electric cattle prods. The spreading of poor myths is heartbreaking as those rules are already in controlled rodeo rulebooks.