American Royal Rodeo Personnel Announced

By Courtesy of the Prairie Circuit
Posted Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kansas City Draws the Best

Kansas City, Mo.: (September 23, 2008) - The rodeo industry’s best contract personnel have been hired to work the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo at the American Royal in Kansas City in late October.

Headlining the crew are co-announcers Tim Fuller, Tulsa, Okla., and Scott Grover, Minneapolis, Kans. The tandem is no stranger to the Prairie Circuit Finals; last year, they announced the rodeo together. This is the fifth year Fuller has worked the finals; for Grover, this is his second year.

Specialty act Tommy Lucia and his cowboy monkey Whiplash will be on hand to entertain fans at the rodeo, which will be held October 24-25 at Kemper Arena. Whiplash the cowboy monkey has been featured on nationwide TV commercials. Lucia is a three time Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Specialty Act of the Year award winner. He is from Weatherford, Texas.

Bullfighters Wacey Munsell, Ulysses, Kans., and Sam Gress, Hutchinson, Kans., were selected by the bull riders in the Prairie Circuit to act as “cowboy matadors.” They will step in after each eight second buzzer to give the bull riders time to scramble to safety. This is Munsell’s second year at the Prairie Circuit Finals, and Gress’ second year.

Haley Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla., will take care of secretary duties, and timers Kate Rumford, Abbyville, Kans., and Tammy Braden, Welch, Okla. will run the stopwatches at each of the performances.

Serving as pickup men at the rodeo will be Butch Braden, Welch, Okla., and Rex Bugbee, Medicine Lodge, Kansas.

The American Royal will host the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo for the second consecutive year. The Circuit Finals Rodeo is the championship for pro rodeo in the Prairie Circuit, which consists of all pro rodeos in Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. The top twelve cowboy and cowgirl competitors in each event at the end of the season compete at the Circuit Finals in Kansas City.

This year’s Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo will be held at the American Royal in Kansas City’s Kemper Arena on October 23-25. Two rodeo performances are open to the public: October 24 and October 25, both at 7 pm. The American Royal will host a private rodeo performance for Bayer Animal Health on October 23 and for Kansas Power and Light on October 25 at 1 pm. Tickets are available at the gate or online at www.AmericanRoyal.com (click on the rodeo button.)

About the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kansas City:

The American Royal will host the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo October 24-25, 2008 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City. There, Prairie Circuit cowboys and cowgirls will compete to earn a berth at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo (DNCFR), held annually every March in Pocatello, Idaho. Two competitors from each event: the year end champion and the aggregate champion, will go on to represent the Prairie Circuit at the DNCFR.

About the Prairie Circuit:

The Prairie Circuit is made up of the 45 rodeos in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska that are sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Cowboys and cowgirls must win the finals held in the circuit to qualify to compete at the DNCFR.

About the PRCA’s circuit system:

In 1975, the PRCA recognized the need for an award system for cowboys who chose to compete closer to home because of family and professional commitments.

The Association created the PRCA’s circuit system, consisting of 12 geographic regions that include as few as one state or as many as 13. Each PRCA cowboy in the United States chooses a home circuit at the beginning of the year or is assigned to one that corresponds with his home address. Cowboys compete for points throughout the year and points earned within his circuit are applied toward the standings of his respective circuit.

Each circuit’s top cowboys in each event qualify for that circuit’s “Finals” at the end of the season. After all 12 circuit finals are completed, the top regular-season cowboys in each event and the winners of the circuit finals qualify for the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, held in Pocatello, Idaho.