Troy Brandenburg with Brandenburg Equine Therapy is back! He talks to us about the NFR and dealing with 10 Rounds of Competition….Part I.

Troy Brandenburg

Troy Brandenburg of Brandenburg Equine Therapy took the time to talk to OTRR about keeping horses healthy and happy during ten rounds of the NFR…..This is Part I, stay tuned next week for Part II.

Troy, I know you went out to work at Vegas this year. You have been going out to Vegas for a while now. I remember reading about you working on Brandie Halls horse Slim when she set the arena record. What was Vegas like this year for you?
 

 This year was very different for me compared to past years.  This year I was not as focused on the Rodeo events as I was with other avenues of my business.  Lately, I have been pulled more into the Personal Barns of the individuals verses the side lines of the Rodeo Grounds.   Typically Vegas is the High Point of the Year’s Work.    But this year it was just part of my year’s journey.   Moreover, I was not capable of being in Vegas for the full ten rounds.    So, I was only there to help few clients for half the Finals.

 
 
What are some of the common soreness issues you see at the NFR?

Ten Showings in Ten days tends to takes its toll on both horse and rider.   Probably the biggest issue would be mental fatigue and general all over body soreness – feet, legs, backs, shoulders.   There is just no time to rest for anyone.   

 
After 10 hard rounds for these horses, what do you see later in the week that is more prevelant than earlier in the week in these roping, steer wrestling and barrel horses?
 

Roping & bulldogging horses tend to handle the pressure better than the barrel horses.   But let’s be honest,  the roping and bulldogging horses don’t have to deal with the Vegas Alley Way.   We all know how tough it is on our horses just before race time and how easily gates and holding pens can become an issue.   Now imagine trying to immobilize that pony in a small, dimly lit, confined holding alley while being able to see the lights and hear the clamor from the arena.   The culmination of this and ten days, really takes its toll –  Mental Alley Anguish can really set in.  And how about the ground?   Honestly it would not matter how great the ground was, ten days of running takes its toll on the body.   Now the roping & bulldogging horses take their hits as well.  These riders become really pressured by the clock and don’t take as much time to set/position their horses.   In the end the horses take harder hits than they normally would. 

Do you work on these horses more than once a day? 

In the past I have.   But that depends upon the horse & what problems they have been presenting.   Otherwise, I like to look at the horses every day, use my pulsating magnetic blanket, and a good thorough stretch.

Stay tuned next week for Part II!!! To learn more about Troy and Brandenburg Equine Therapy please click here.

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Crown Royal Celebrates the Crowning of Three-Time World Champion J.W. Harris

Crown Royal Rider and PRCA World Champion bull rider, J.W. Harris presents Cindy Schonholtz of the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund with $10,000 on behalf of Crown Royal for the Crown Royal Riders’ incredible performance at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Crown Royal Rider J.W. Harris started the 10-day event ranked in eighth place, but after his best National Finals Rodeo (NFR) to date, Harris clinched his third consecutive PRCA Gold Buckle, the first time since Don Gay won three straight in 1979 – 1981.
 
The 24-year-old bull rider cemented his fate as the world champion Friday night with his 89.5 ride on Insaniac, and finished Saturday with the best average of the 15 bull riders competing.  
 
To thank his fellow Crown Royal teammates for their support all year, Harris will gift each with a bottle of Crown Royal XR in a specially embroidered bag to toast the extra rare occasion for becoming only the second rider ever to win three straight titles.
 
“This was by far the best that I have ever competed at the finals,” said Harris.  “To come here with the support from all the other guys after welcoming our first child into the world was really special.  It was important that I do something for them to say thanks.”
 
Harris along with his Crown Royal Rider teammates participating in the National Finals Rodeo – Wesley Silcox, Cody Whitney, Clayton Williams and Steve Woolsey – also had a special mission during the finals, to score 90+ point rides. For every 90+ point ride clocked, Crown Royal promised to donate $2,000 to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund (JCCF).
 
At the end of the finals, the Crown Royal Riders scored three 90+ rides, with Harris’ 94.5 ride as the gold standard. Due to the number of stellar rides by all of the riders, Crown Royal donated $10,000 to the JCCF in a check presentation Friday night.
 
On behalf of Crown Royal, Harris presented  JCCF’s Cindy Schonholtz with a $10,000 check to support the organization’s mission of lending a helping hand to injured professional rodeo athletes and their families.

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Trip to NFR pays off for Alberta’s Cassidy brothers

 

Cody Cassidy is on his way home today after grinding out the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo’s 10-night marathon.

He plans to make a pit stop at a Cabela’s store in Lehi, Utah. It sells all sorts of hunting paraphernalia from clothes to trail cameras and guns.

Cassidy, a guide and outfitter when he isn’t rodeoing, said he’ll probably get rid of about $3,000 after already spending $3,000 here on a safe to store his guns.

The 29-year-old Donalda, Alta., steer wrestler can afford it.

He won $79,134 in this desert oasis by tossing 10 steers in a total time of 48.7 seconds.

“If somebody told me before I left home that I’d win $40,000, I’d have been happy,” he chuckled. “Shucks, this is about twice as good.”

Cassidy went into Saturday night’s closing round with an outside chance of winning a world championship, but that didn’t happen.

Nebraska’s Dean Gorsuch managed to hang in with a time of 4.8 seconds that allowed him to split first in the aggregate for $40,673. That boosted his NFR earnings to $93,774 and his income for the year to $186,477.

Still, Cassidy was all smiles after splitting fifth three ways with a 4.2-second run, worth $2,848 and cashing third in the aggregate for another $28,810.

“They’d only been 4.4 and 4.6 on him and I didn’t think I could win the round or even be second on him. But, I knew he was a chance to place if I did my part right,” Cassidy said. “He hugged up on me and I had to ride on his back for a couple of jumps until I got my hands on him and that was my main concern.

“He was a bigger steer, I’m kind of a skinny guy and sometimes that doesn’t go hand in hand.”

Overall, Cassidy put together a career-best $155,567 year to end up fifth in the world standings.

Older brother Curtis won the closing round with a time of 3.7 seconds that returned $17,512 and capped a $56,302 NFR. He ended up No. 2 in the world with $166,775.

“A really good way to end the week,” he said after a disappointing turn of events that saw him miss three steers earlier in the week.

“I wasn’t expecting to win the round, at best a second and hopefully a third or fourth. But I got a helluva start, rode up there, got that steer’s head and I knew he was real good to throw once you get hold of him.”

The brothers were aboard the family’s legendary horse Willy and Curtis was the second last bulldogger out. It was only fitting that both placed and Curtis won the round because it was the 24-year-old brown gelding’s last appearance in a rodeo arena. (read more)

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2010 NFR! Sherry Cervi breaks the arena record….. *Video*

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Branquinho, Cervi, and the DeMoss Brothers among the Winners in the Seventh Round of the 2010 NFR

LAS VEGAS — Luke Branquinho took the top spot in the world steer wrestling standings Wednesday night, winning for the second straight round and the third time in the first seven at the National Finals Rodeo.

The two-time world champion from Los Alamos, Calif., had a winning run of 3.3 seconds and earned $17,512 to push his season total to $143,667. Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Ore., was second in 3.4 and earned $13,840 to move into second place in the world standings with $130,035.

Curtis Cassidy of Donalda, Alberta, dropped out of first place, remaining at $129,915 after failing to finish in one of the six money spots. He was 11th in 4.8 seconds.

“It was really exciting, especially when you’re last out and 3.4 is winning the round,” Branquinho said. “I wasn’t trying to beat 3.4. I was just trying to back in there and make a good run. Luckily for me, I had the steer that won the first and fourth rounds, so I knew I had a chance.”…(read more)

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Jesse Wright still riding high despite injuries to foot

Late NFR invitee piling up money in saddle bronc riding

Jesse Wright missed qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo by $468, but he received the last spot three weeks ago after ninth-ranked Rod Hay withdrew with an injury.

Then in Thursday’s opening round, Wright, 21, of Milford, Utah, was bucked off and suffered a fracture and severe ankle sprain to his left foot.

Yet the NFR rookie has not only competed in every saddle bronc ride at the Thomas & Mack Center, he has finished fourth or better in each of the last four go-rounds, including a win Monday before a crowd of 17,008.

He won $56,908 in the regular season and has nearly matched that in four nights by winning $50,841 in the Finals. With five nights to go, he has moved to fifth in the world standings.

“It is still sinking in,” he said after scoring 89.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Lunitic Fringe, the best score of the 52nd annual NFR.

“This feels really good.”

Certainly better than his ankle. On Saturday, he had to hop off the dirt on his right foot, though that has now progressed to a limp.

“It just hurts when I have to put pressure on the ball of my foot and the bottom of my foot,” he said. “When it’s in the stirrup, it doesn’t hurt that bad.” (read more)

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Three brothers are roping to Cooper standards

Tuf Cooper

*(Photo Credit)

LAS VEGAS — When the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo kicked off last week, there was lots of talk about the sons of legendary roper Roy Cooper becoming the first trio of brothers to qualify in tie-down roping.

The three Decatur cowboys have more than lived up to their billing.

Their success began Thursday when Clif Cooper won the first round (time of 7.9 seconds). It continued Saturday when Tuf Cooper turned in the fastest third-round time (6.9). If that wasn’t enough, Clint Cooper tied for first in the fourth round Sunday (7.1).

Though none of the brothers finished in the money in a highly competitive fifth round Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center, they still were a big hit with fans.

Tuf Cooper, the youngest of the three brothers, turned in a speedy 7.9, only a tenth of a second away from earning a check. The three-time NFR qualifier is ranked second in the average and No. 2 in the world title race behind Trevor Brazile of Decatur, who tied for first in the Round 5 with a 6.9.

Though Tuf Cooper is only 20, the NFR is a familiar place because he grew up attending annually and watching his eight-time world champion father and other relatives compete. He’s also a nephew of 2008 world champion Stran Smith and a brother-in-law to Brazile.

“Having their experience has really helped out, and just by stepping into that arena, something sets in that just makes you want to rope,” Tuf Cooper said.

It is Clif Cooper’s first time to qualify for the NFR and he wowed fans by winning the first round.

The Cooper brothers also have stood out during the traditional NFR awards ceremony that’s conducted nightly at the South Point Hotel. After each performance, round winners in every event head to the South Point where they go on stage, receive a belt buckle and address fans.

After watching his two brothers honored at the South Point, Clint Cooper said he became inspired to step up his game.

“Shoot, after Clif won the first round with his 7.9 and then Tuf won with a 6.9, I was thinking, ‘Please God, I need to get to that South Point somehow,’” Clint Cooper said. (read more)

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NFR Wrap up- Round 5

LAS VEGAS — Saddle bronc rider Jesse Wright earned his first National Finals Rodeo victory with an 89.5 on Lunitic Fringe during the fifth round on Monday.

“That horse is awesome,” Wright said. “I hadn’t been on him, but my brother and a lot of my friends had. They all said that they wished everybody would have a go at him, and they were right. The horse is like a rocking chair. Anybody could get in time with him.”

Wright, of Milford, Utah, who has placed among the top six in four of the five rounds, advanced to his first NFR as an alternate for Rod Hay, who could not compete due to a leg injury. Wright is competing despite a broken bone in his left ankle.

“I hope I can keep coming every year now,” he said.

Cody Wright, Jesse’s brother, did not place among the top six riders but maintained his world standings lead with $150,133. Cody and Jesse Wright are tied for first with $50,841 apiece in total NFR earnings.

In bareback riding, three-time world champion Will Lowe of Canyon, Texas, notched his first NFR win since round 10 in 2007 with an 87 on Street Dance.

“You go a while without getting one and you’re thinking ‘Is it ever going to come back around?”‘ Lowe said. “But there are 15 guys who are out there trying their hardest, and they’re the best bareback riders in the world. So, when you think about it, it’s not uncommon to go a little while without getting a round win.”

Steven Dent of Mullen, Neb., leads the world standings with $169,499. Dent, who took over the top spot from the injured Ryan Gray on Saturday, did not place among the top six in round five.

Dent was tied for first in the NFR aggregate standings, but Justin McDaniel of Porum, Okla., placed fifth on Good Time Charlie in the fifth round and took over the aggregate lead with 420 points, one better than Dent.

In tie-down roping, Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, and five-time world champion Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas, tied for first with times of 6.9 seconds. Ohl also tied for first in the fourth round. (read more)

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Tana Poppino checks in after her fall in Round 4 of the NFR

 

Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 – Trust in the Lord and lean not to the front of your saddle, especially when your horse is smoking a run!  I guess I blew the average last night, not what I wanted to do at the NFR, but if you ain’t trying your guts out, you’ll never win big. I’m so proud of Amigo, he finished the pattern without me last night. Thanks for all the well wishes. I promise to do better tonight!

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Barrel racers turn on the jets in 4th Round

The barrel racers shifted into high gear for Sunday night’s fourth round of the National Finals Rodeo.

Two-thirds of the lineup — 10 of the 15 finalists — posted times under 14 seconds in what is believed to be a record set of times. It might have been 11 of 15, if Oregon’s Branda Mays hadn’t knocked down a barrel for a five-second penalty.

Oklahoman Angie Meadors matched the fastest time of the week with a 13.68 and there were two 13.69s from Sydni Blanchard of New Mexico and Kelli Tolbert, from Utah. Nanton’s Lindsay Sears scratched out a three-way split of fourth at 13.78 with two-time Canadian champion Lisa Lockhart and California’s Christina Richman.

Oddly enough, two of the world’s more prominent barrel racers — Texan Brittany Pozzi and New Mexico’s world standings leader Sherry Cervi — couldn’t break into the sub 14-second zone. Poizzi was 14.02 and Cervi 14.06, 12th and 13th on the night.

Oklahoma’s Tana Poppino threw a scare into the crowd when she fell off her horse going around the second barrel. But she left the arena unaided after retrieving her horse.

Sears, who has placed in each of the past three rounds, has earned a fifth-best $23,255 and remains second in the world standings, about $43,000 behind Cervi.

Cassidys Shut Out

It was an empty night for the Cassidy boys in the steer wrestling.

Both got out of the box late and paid the price. Canadian champion Curtis took a no time, while Cody turned down his steer in 4.8 seconds, finishing the round tied for 10th.

Curtis lost his lead in the world standings, overtaken by South Dakota veteran Todd Suhn, who picked up sixth money in the round to hike his earnings for the year to $122,127.

Cassidy, at $121,018, has now lost any chance of placing in the aggregate and winning the world championship after missing two steers in four rounds. Cody, on the other hand, is fifth in total time with 20.2 seconds and could make some waves. (read more)

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