Justin Boots Championships set for Omaha, Neb.
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is proud to announce that the Justin Boots Championships will be held in conjunction with the Ak-Sar-Ben’s River City Roundup, Sept. 24-26, at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. The Justin Boots Championships, which follows the Justin Boots Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., Sept. 11-13, and concludes the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots, is scheduled to be televised on ESPN2.
"The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is pleased to announce that the Justin Boots Championships in Omaha will be the crowning event of this year's Wrangler Million Dollar Tour," said PRCA Commissioner Karl Stressman. "Wrangler's support of this sport is unparalleled, Justin Boots is the presenting sponsor of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour, and the River City Roundup Committee has a longstanding tradition of success when it comes to hosting a premier PRCA event. When you put the PRCA, Justin Boots and the River City Roundup on the same team, and feature the best contestants ProRodeo has to offer, it makes for a winning combination. The PRCA is very proud and excited to be a part of that."
The Justin Boots Championships is a three-performance, elimination-style rodeo. All 96 contestants will take part in the first two rounds, with the top eight finishers in the average standings in each event moving on to the semifinal round, where all previous times and scores are discarded. The top four finishers in the semifinals then advance to the finals, where once again all previous times and scores are dropped, allowing every remaining competitor an equal chance at winning the Justin Boots Championships.
With more than $750,000 to be distributed at the Justin Boots Championships, the event will undoubtedly have a significant impact on PRCA World Standings, which determine qualifications for the $5.75 million Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which will run Dec. 3-12 in Las Vegas.
“We are extremely proud to be the title sponsor of the Justin Boots Championships, during Ak-Sar-Ben’s River City Roundup, which caps off the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots,” said Randy Watson, president and CEO of Justin Brands. “Justin’s relationship with the PRCA, the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, Justin Sportsmedicine — in fact, everything we do — acknowledges the sport of rodeo and the people who live the Western lifestyle. This legacy of giving back to the sport of professional rodeo was started by John Justin more than 50 years ago and is proudly carried on today.
“For more than a decade, the River City Roundup has been a significant contributor to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund through donations from the annual Buckaroo Bash, and it is these longstanding relationships which help Justin Boots continue to impact the success of the sport and its athletes.”
The City of Omaha, Ak-Sar-Ben’s River City Roundup and the PRCA held a press conference March 4 to make the announcement.
“In addition to celebrating our community’s heritage, this event attracts thousands of visitors to our city and is another opportunity to showcase Omaha,” said Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey. “With this year’s newest addition of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour’s Justin Boots Championships, I am confident the River City Roundup will continue to be a major attraction for residents and visitors.”
Rodeo and concert tickets, ranging from $17 to $54, will go on sale July 18 at 10 a.m. at the Qwest Center Omaha box office. Concert artists will be announced in early April. For more information on ARCR, visit www.rivercityroundup.org or call 402.554.9600.
RodeoHouston heats up as field emerges for semifinals, March 18-19
HOUSTON - Some of ProRodeo's top stars, such as eight-time World Champion Fred Whitfield, eight-time World Champion Speed Williams, seven-time World Champion Clay O'Brien Cooper and two-time World Champion Bobby Mote, have earned spots in RodeoHouston's semifinals, set for March 18-19 at Reliant Stadium. The Texas rodeo, which began March 3, boasts 19 performances and a total purse of more than $1.4 million. A bracket-style format is used to advance top contestants to its Super Series Championship on March 21. At stake in the championship round is a $50,000 paycheck that traditionally catapults the event winner to the top of the PRCA world standings.
Whitfield, a Texas tie-down roper, clinched his berth in the semifinals with a 7.7-second run on March 8 in Super Series II. Texas team ropers Williams and O'Brien Cooper finished first in Super Series I with a time of 18.9 seconds on three head. Oregon bareback rider Mote advanced as the top money earner from Super Series I with $5,250. Many more will battle for the remaining semifinal spots as Super Series III, IV and V are held through March 17.
For a list of the other contestants who have secured semifinals spots, and for additional RodeoHouston results, visit www.rodeohouston.com.
Pay-per-view television coverage of the March 18-21 performances of RodeoHouston is available through DIRECTV. For details, call 1.800.RodeoTX or go online at www.directv.com.
Brazile wins 2009 Wrangler Timed Event Championship
Six-time World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor Brazile extended his own record by winning his sixth Wrangler Timed Event Championship (WTEC) title, March 6-8, at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla.
Brazile, of Decatur, Texas, recorded a time of 313.4 seconds on 25 head to earn the $50,000 first prize. He also posted the second-fastest individual round of the event, taking down five head in 45.7 seconds in the second round, to earn an additional $6,000.
Brazile’s winnings do not count toward the PRCA World Standings.
Last year’s winner, Daniel Green of Oakdale, Calif., finished second and won a total of $35,000 including $10,000 for compiling the fastest round of the event (45.5 seconds) in the fourth round.
The WTEC, known to some as “The Ironman,” requires cowboys to compete in all five timed events – team roping heading and heeling, steer roping, steer wrestling and tie-down roping – over five rounds in three days.
This year marked the WTEC’s 25th anniversary, and the event was commemorated with appearances by former champions. The Lazy E Arena also paid tribute to the late Clem McSpadden, a ProRodeo Hall of Famer (1990) who announced the first 24 WTEC events.
Mauney shines in Montgomery
Bull riding was among the tightly contested events at the Southeastern Livestock Exposition Rodeo, which concluded March 5 in Montgomery, Ala. The nine cowboys who placed all scored 81 points or higher. JB Mauney won the rodeo with an 87-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo's Wild Berry. The Mooresville, N.C., cowboy collected $6,375. Stormy Wing and Jason McClain were close behind. Wing, of Dalhart, Texas, scored 86 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo's Lunatic and pocketed $4,888. McClain, of Lewis, Colo., posted a 85-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo's Buzz Saw and collected $3,613.
Rodeo Austin offers live pay-per-view Web cast coverage of each round
Fans across the world will be able to watch live pay-per-view coverage of Rodeo Austin on the Internet March 14-28. RodeoAustin.com is making the Web cast available for $6.99 per individual performance, or $75 for the entire rodeo.
Coverage of the junior livestock show, open show and horse show are available for free on the rodeo's Web site, www.rodeoaustin.com.
Wright documentary to premiere in Cedar City, Utah, on April 20
The 60-minute documentary Born to Ride: Cody Wright and the Quest for a World Title will premiere April 20 on the Southern Utah University campus (Cedar City) in a screening for Wright and 1,300 relatives, friends and community members.
Jon M. Smith, chairman of the communication department at SUU, produced the film with university staff and students taking part in tracking Wright's world championship 2008 season from Laughlin, Nev., in the spring through to its conclusion at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Veteran film actor Wilford Brimley narrated the film, and Dan Truman of Diamond Rio produced the soundtrack.
Wrangler NFR, Michael Gaughan inducted into Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame
The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, in its 25th year in Las Vegas as the sport's Super Bowl, and Michael Gaughan, who helped bring the Wrangler NFR there, will be inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame on June 5 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas
Gaughan has been a major figure in the Las Vegas resort industry for five decades and a longstanding supporter of the Wrangler NFR - he was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2007. Gaughan was also instrumental in bringing minor league hockey back to Las Vegas. He also operated a racing team which competed in NASCAR's Nationwide Series and Truck Series.
In its 24 years in the Thomas & Mack Center, the Wrangler NFR has had a non-gaming financial impact on the community of $700 million.
Upcoming PRCA Rodeos
March 9 RodeoHouston continues through March 21
March 16 Rodeo Austin (Texas) Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots, Gold Rodeo, begins
March 20 Florida Gateway Pro Rodeo begins
March 22 Xtreme Bulls, presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, Houston, Texas
March 26 Laughlin (Nev.) River Stampede begins
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