Tracey Goodman…. Rodeo on a baseball field.

Tracey Goodman at Fort Smith

Caraway, Ar. IPRA. July 3rd.
This was the first time we have ever been to this “arena”. Although you can’t really call it an arena seeing as how it’s on a baseball diamond! 🙂 You can look at it like this…the 1st and 2nd barrel is running OVER the pitchers mound! The ground was good considering this is the same place where the boys slide into home plate. A 14.9 was winning it from the night before by Heather Moore. Biscuit had been on top of his game at Searcy, Ar.’s great Lucky Dog Barrel Race the day before. Friday at Searcy we pulled 5th in the 1D out 260 horses and my mare had ran good too. We were all feeling good, a little worn out but ready to rock and roll. As soon as we got to the rodeo, I saddled up and headed up to the pen because we had to park a long ways from there. A nice little warm up and taking it easy, they call our name. Biscuit does his same little “dance” where he scares most of the spectators and then I send him down the alley way to do his job. He laid down a really nice run that ended in us placing 3rd with a 15.1. I was very pleased with the whole weekend! It’s so nice to be able to step up on a horse that I feel confident he is gonna work for me every trip!

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Tana Poppino…Rodeo Life can be a Roller Coaster

July 27, 2010 – Rodeo, like life, can be like a roller coaster. Up one
day and down the next. Everything looked great on the 4th. Then the bottom
fell out. A good friend of ours was killed in a car wreck, and a trip to
the vet revealed that Amigo needs the rest of the summer off. The only good
news was that we found that Goose’s stifles were sore, so we treated
those, and he needed several days off. I flew home for the funeral.

Horses are one thing, and they are a very important part of my life and
job, but losing a good man is another thing. Whitney Marlon was my
husband’s right-hand man at Cowboy Rigs, a good friend, and most
importantly, a husband and father of four. He will be greatly missed.

I flew back to Cheyenne where my good friends, Brandie and Shawn Halls,
have been graciously taking care of my horses. I jumped in the trailer with
Jeanne and Brenda Mays and headed out to Nampa. I worked Goose when we got
there and he worked great. Maybe things were back on track.

The next morning, Goose took the wind out of my sails and ducked the second
barrel. We drove all day to Cheyenne where we ran twice the next day in
slack. He ducked again the first run. Our other run was really ugly. No
time to lose, we drove back to Salt Lake and Spanish Fork. Back to the
practice pen for me and Goose. Things seemed to be better.

We ran in the perf at Salt Lake where Goose jumped the second barrel. The
bright spot, I figured was that I managed to keep him on the right side of
the barrel. At least that’s what I told myself. No time to worry, we
jumped in the truck and raced to Spanish Fork to run in the slack after the
perf. Making it just in time, Brenda and Jeanne were placing. Our run was
better, but not up to par.

The last few days, Jeanne and Brandie have been helping me get my act back
together. Life, no matter what goes on, comes back to good friends and how
much they mean to us.
Great friends don’t let you stay down, they pick you up, dust you
off, kick you in the butt, and help you get back on track. I thank God for
putting awesome friends in my life.

It’s off to Deadwood to watch Marty, my husband, rope. It will be
nice to get to spend a couple of days with him. It gets lonely on the road
when you are away from your family.

Tana Poppino

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An offer that Savanah Reeves couldn’t refuse: Lindsey Sears offered her friend and fellow barrel racer the choice of her best horses for last year’s NFRs.

Lindsey Sears

CHEYENNE, Jul 27, 2010 (Wyoming Tribune-Eagle – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) — Savanah Reeves will never forget last August.

For how tough it was on this Cross Plains, Texas barrel racer but also for how humbled she felt.

It was then that Reeves had to put down her horse, Moon. She was devastated. She didn’t want to rodeo the rest of the year.

Until her good friend and fellow barrel racer Lindsay Sears made her an offer.

Sears had been in Reeves’ position and wanted to do what she could for her friend. Sears also knows that chances to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo don’t come that often, and Reeves was in a position to do that.

So Sears gave her the choice between her two horses, Martha and Mo, to ride the rest of the year.

Martha is Sears’ phenomenal horse that led her to the 2008 world title. Mo is right behind Martha on the pecking order.

The gesture knocked Reeves to the floor.

“It was amazing,” she said. “Most people don’t go out of their way to help people like that, especially competing against one another. It definitely showed what type of person she really is.” Once Reeves got over the initial shock of that act, it took her a couple of days to make her decision.

She decided to ride Mo.

“That just made our friendship grow to what it is now,” Reeves said. “That just does not happen every day. It just shows what an irreplaceable friend she is.” There are few, if any, world champions who would make this offer to a competitor. Let alone an offer that includes your moneymaker. (read more)

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Spencer Turner.. Checks in with a Rodeo Update.

Hello Rodeo Fans!

Date, Rodeo Name and Location
Last Friday I went to a rodeo in Ottawa, KS

Which horse did you draw?
I drew a horse branded H9

Stock Contractor?
The contractor in Ottawa was Grand River Rodeo Company out of Grand River, Iowa

How was your horse in the chute?
Well I knew he wasn’t going to be good, after guys asked me what I had drawn, they all made sure to tell me to tie him in…
So I took their advice and tied him in the chute, he didn’t give me too much trouble, but he did test the rope a little.

Did you learn about the horse before hand?
I have seen the horse over the years but have never been on him nor have I really paid attention to him a lot. It’s been awhile since I have been to any Grand River Rodeos. I made some calls to a buddy who I know has been on him, and he told me what to expect and what kind of rein to give him. He said that he has a couple of trips, one is outstanding and bucks good around a big circle to the right, the other isn’t good and is around to the left.

Tell us about your ride, did you feel strong, did the horse perform the way you thought it would?
The horse did rear out of the chute and kind of hit me on the gate post, then he went back into the chute and bucked a couple times, then ran me down the gate. After all that, he bucked OK, for a couple jumps, until he came to the fence. I felt good on him, considering I haven’t been on a bronc in awhile. After he came off the fence he wasn’t that good. He covered a lot of ground and was long and fast and didn’t buck, it was more of a run buck. I did spur him pretty good though, considering he wasn’t bucking that good. Before the rodeo I was going through my gear (which I haven’t done since I rode last, a couple months ago) and I realized that I hadn’t repaired my spur since the last bronc ride where the horse threw a fit in the box and smashed my boot and bent my spur into a pretzel.  I made some calls to guys I knew where at the rodeo who where Farriers, who I might have their horseshoeing tools, like hammer and anvil, which I could fix my spur. I had no luck with that. While I was making calls, my buddy Roy reached into his gear bag and said “well I have these new ones if you want to try them”. They were a different style bronc spur with a different shape. A friend of ours makes them, and a couple of the top PRCA cowboys have been riding them. Roy has had them for a couple weeks but hadn’t rode them yet cause he wasn’t sure about them. So I didn’t have much choice and I figured, why not. They worked well and I really liked how they felt. When I got home I ordered a pair. They felt good even though the horse wasn’t bucking all that well. He didn’t buck well and I did ask for a reride, but the judges declined. It was extremely hot all day there and the heat index was around 112 degrees, and there wasn’t much wind where we were to cool things down that evening. None of the horses really bucked liked they usually do. Sometimes I don’t understand why things happen but I know that the Lord has plans for everything. I wanted a reride and was declined but I still placed 3rd and won some money. So it all worked out in the end.

Comments about the rodeo? Committee, hospitality, etc.
I have been to this rodeo several times over the years and have done good there. The committee is nice and have provided food for us, and in years past they have given out Jackets or Buckles to the winners.

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Fitness tips from a rodeo champ

When it comes to barrel racing, timing is everything—just ask Tammy Fischer. The record-breaking rodeo champion beat out her closest competitor by a mere fraction of a second at the 2009 Calgary Stampede. When Fischer competes again at this year’s event (July 9 to 18), she plans to win—and being in the best physical shape of her life will certainly help get her there. Here are a few of the fitness tips that have helped to get Fischer where she is today.

Tip: Evaluate your lifestyle

While Fischer, 41, is one the highest-rated in barrel racing—a rodeo event that requires horse and rider to circle three barrels in a clover-leaf pattern—she hadn’t actually seen the inside of a gym until 2007. “I didn’t think I needed to work out,” she says from her home in Ledbetter, Texas. “When I first graduated from college, all I ever did for exercise was ride horses. But once you do something for so long, the muscles that you use get used to it and the rest of your body suffers as a result.” This revelation, combined with an unwanted 15 pounds that she had gained with age, pushed Fischer to start taking her health more seriously.

Tip: Consider a personal trainer

Twice a week, Fischer works out with personal trainer Alex Selvera, who focuses on core strength and balance—two essentials for horseback riding.(read more)

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Calgary Stampede Rodeo: AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHS!

For some GORGEOUS photos of the Calgary Stampede Rodeo click HERE

You won’t be disappointed!

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Money doesn’t change everything – Calgary Stampede

It’s said the $100,000 jackpots the cowboys and barrel racers win at the Calgary Stampede change lifestyles.

They will, to a degree, again this year.

But not this week.

Texas barrel racer Savanah Reeves didn’t have much time to celebrate her $112,500 conquest.

She went out for dinner with Canadian counterpart Lindsay Sears after the rodeo, but the two, who finished one-two on $1-million Sunday, had to be at the airport to catch a charter to Nampa, Idaho, three hours after the Stampede rodeo ended.

They competed early Monday morning in the Snake River Stampede’s slack, which accommodates the overflow of timed-event entries.

Reeves and Sears, who earned $37,000 at Calgary, sent their top horses — Thunder and Martha — to Cheyenne, Wyo., for the Frontier Days rodeo, where they will run in the slack today.

They had their backup horses waiting for them in Nampa, and there wouldn’t be more than 50 spectators in the stands, compared with the thousands who watched them in Calgary.

Spanish Fork, Utah, and Salt Lake City were on the itinerary for Wednesday and Thursday.

Reeves probably won’t be able to sit down and reflect on her good fortune at Calgary until after the regular season ends in late September.

Taking things to the extreme, when Charlie Sampson won the $50,000 bull-riding bonus at the Stampede in 1985, he still had the dog-eared cheque in his wallet three weeks later while working the Heritage Days rodeo at Strathmore.

Things have changed since then. Rodeo earnings for the most part are directly deposited into contestants’ bank accounts.

On The Road Again (read more)

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Tana Poppino talks with OTRR… Final part of our series!

When at the NFR do you keep your horses at the Thomas and Mack or do you keep them off the grounds?
I never like to keep my horses in little stalls so I keep them off site.

How do you mentally get ready for the July 4th rush? Cowboy Christmas can log a lot of miles, how do you prepare for that?
When we leave for Reno (third week of June), I plan to be gone until at least the first week of August when we go back to our circuit for Dodge City. I spend several weeks trying to get stuff caught up at the house, and I make a list of stuff to do and things to pack.  There always seems to be more that I can get done before I leave.  Once we get on the road, it’s just business. You take it one day, one run, at a time.

When you are off the road and have a break how much time off do you give your horses, or do you continue to ride daily?
I like to give them a break for a couple of days, but I keep them in shape. They need to have a couple weeks off from competition every so often, with two horses that’s much easier for me to do. I try to keep them fresh, but in top shape.

Of all of the horses you owned is their one you share or shared a special bond with that isn’t like any of the other relationships you have had with your horses?
Twister, my palomino that I rode growing up, and Amigo have very similar personalities. Both of them are/were tough, competitive, and the boss hoss. They each have a piece of my heart, but Goose is growing on me, too. When you spend as much time as we do with our horses on the road, you develop that special bond that you are talking about.

Who helps you up and down the road, lets give a shout out to your sponsors!
My husband, Marty, makes it possible for me to go. He encourages me and helps me with my horses, and my truck and trailer. My son Brodie is my biggest fan and encourager. Thanks to Cowboy Rigs, Total Health Enhancement, EquiPride,  Professionals’ Choice and Rodeo Promotions have supported me through both the good and down times. Each of these companies are made up of wonderful people who have been great to me. I would also like to thank all those lift me up in prayer and cheer me on. The rest of my family shouldn’t be left out either, Mom, Dad, my brothers and their families, and Jean and Leonard Poppino, the best mother- and father-in-law in the world.

Discover your God-given talents, give your dream to God, work hard, trust Him, and never, never give up.

OTRR would like to give  HUGE THANK YOU to Tana for being a contributor to our website! Thanks again Tana and Good luck On The Rodeo Road!

Be sure and check back for Rodeo Updates from Tana Poppino!

 

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Spencer Turner…. The Pickup Man

(photo credit)

Hello Rodeo Fans!

I hope all is well with everybody!

So I was driving back from a rodeo last night (check back for updates from this weekend) and it was the middle of the night, and I was thinking about random things. Then I got to thinking about rodeo and all the different people it takes to put one on. I then began to focus on the Pickup Men. These men (and a few women) are constantly in the arena working. From picking up cowboys in the bucking horse events to running out calves and steers to being ready to shag out bulls in the bullriding. Their job description is a very long one and important one. If it were’nt for Pickup Men, the cowboys would have a hard time dismounting from bucking horses.

There are times when a rider gets bucked off and injured and without hesitation the Pickup Men rope the horse or bull and keep the animal a safe distance from the downed rider while they are tended too. More common than not Pickup Men have put there lives in danger to help fallen or hung up cowboys. There are many times where the Pickup Men can tell when something bad is about to happen and they react before it does and can prevent or help the situation from happening.  I have been competing in rodeo for 15 years, there has been alot of situations where the Pickup Men have helped me tremendously.

Over those years there has only been a few constant things that I have done, I always talk to the Lord before I ride, I thank the Lord after I ride even if I get bucked off or dont win, I always thank the stock contractor, and I always find the Pickup Men and shake their hand and say thanks.  These Men and a few Women travel up and down the rodeo road and put on just as many miles as a lot of competing cowboys. They haul several horses to always make sure they have a fresh horse to pickup cowboys with, they are constantly working from before the rodeo starts until the very end of slack. So this weekend or whenever you attend your next rodeo, be sure to look in the corner of the arena for the mounted cowboys usually wearing matching shirts and watch them work. And If you get a chance to talk to one be sure and tell them thanks for all the hard work they do that sometimes doesnt get noticed or appreciated.

Until Next time, be safe traveling up and down the rodeo road!! God Bless

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Calgary Stampede: What is means to be Cowboy Tough *Video*

(photo credit)

Hours away from competing in the saddle bronc competition, Sam Kelts walks over and takes a seat. “I hear you want to talk about injuries,” the 26-year-old says, smiling.  

“I’ve broken my leg, my wrist, my tailbone, my upper arm, had three shoulder surgeries, dislocated my shoulder four times — oh yeah, pretty much everything,” Kelts says.

“I’ve probably had a few more injuries than quite a few guys, but everybody’s had something. It comes with the territory.”

Watch a bucking horse try to throw off the Millarville, Alta., native and it’s clear what he means by that.

It’s why the four-man Canadian Professional Rodeo Sport Medical Team is one of the busiest teams you’ll find at the Calgary Stampede. Walk by their office — conveniently located beside the cowboy dressing rooms at the back of the rodeo grounds — and the activity never stops.

“It’s constant,” says Mark Lafave, president of the crew that consists of two athletic therapists, a chiropractor and a massage therapist.

“We’ve seen rib injuries, shin injuries, calf injuries, neck injuries, and lots of serious bruises. Some of these guys have been stepped on. But for the most part these are all old injuries, so we’re doing lots of back and neck adjustments, lots of taping, massaging.”

The Stampede is also equipped with on-site physicians and EMS. Lafave’s team is charged with taking care of all the non life-threatening cases.

He says they haven’t seen any major broken bones yet. The worst injury: steer wrestler Lee Graves popped a joint in his ribs during practice. And he’s still competing.

“These guys are tough — too tough for their own good,” says athletic therapy coordinator Brandon Thome. “It’s a special breed.”

“These cowboys will fight through pain to the point that it’s detrimental to their bodies,” adds Lafave. “They take it to the edge, and we’re here going, ‘Okay, let’s bring it back a little.'” (read more)

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