LAS VEGAS – From development of his blog to covering and promoting rodeos, Ted Harbin has been busy chasing his dreams.
On Wednesday, Dec. 1, Harbin, a regular contributor to Rodeo Attitude, was honored with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Media Award for Excellence in Print Journalism during an awards banquet in conjunction with the PRCA annual convention and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
“For me, the awards come every day that I get to tell stories about the people of rodeo,” said Harbin, 43, of Maryville, Mo. “I’m very blessed to do what I love for a living, and I wish everyone else could have that opportunity.
“I’m also blessed with a tremendously family, primarily my wife, Lynette, who has been my biggest supporter since the day I met her.”
Harbin owns Rodeo Media Relations, a company that promotes rodeo and its people. He has worked with several contestants this year, including NFR qualifiers D.V. Fennell and Justin McDaniel in bareback riding; saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer; and tie down roper Tyson Durfey.
(Photo - Ted Harbin of Maryville is given the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s 2010 Media Award for Excellence in Print Journalism by Kendra Santos, the communications director for the PRCA. (PHOTO BY LYNETTE HARBIN) )
Harbin also has served as media director for Dallas-based Carr Pro Rodeo; the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo; the Will Rogers Stampede in Claremore, Okla.; the Dayton (Iowa) Championship Rodeo; bull rider Cord McCoy and two of his Professional Bull Riders events, in Ada, Okla., and Atlantic, Iowa; as well as several other events. Harbin uses more than 25 years experience in traditional media to help in promotion.
“Another aspect of the business is freelance writing,” said Harbin, who covered rodeo for newspapers for many years before creating Rodeo Media Relations. “No matter if I’m writing a news release or producing a feature story for a magazine, I’m just telling other people’s stories. The stories are already great; I’m just the medium to help get them out to everyone.
“I’ve been blessed to have incredible outlets, like Rodeo Attitude, who have done an outstanding job promoting rodeo.”
Harbin writes regularly for Rodeo Attitude, The Kansas City Star and Women’s Pro Rodeo News, but in 2010, he’s also written for Western Horseman, Ketchpen Magazine, Persimmon Hill and several other periodicals and websites. This fall, he created a website, twisTEDrodeo.com, which provides a variety of rodeo stories.
“I created the blog because I think there are so many great storylines out there that just aren’t being told,” he said. “My goal is to have twisTEDrodeo.com serve as the place to go on the web where you can enjoy the behind-the-chutes information on rodeo.” Rodeo Attitude carries Ted's blog as a column on their home page.
It’s all a matter of passion for the longtime journalist.
“I’ve been able to be around some of the best writers in rodeo, like Joe Kusek in Billings, Mont., and Ed Knocke in Dallas,” Harbin said, noting both writers have been honored with the PRCA print journalism award award. “Bryan Painter in Oklahoma City is one of the greatest rodeo storytellers I’ve ever met, and he owns a buckle just like this. I’m honored to be recognized with them.”
