MAKING A LIVING, ONE BUCK AT A TIME

Companies Provide Livestock for Championship Rodeo

Kansas City, Mo.: (October 9, 2008) The bulls may not be running on Wall Street, but they’ll be running in Kansas City’s Kemper Arena on October 24-25.

Bucking bulls and horses, that is, provided for the Dodge Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo hosted by the American Royal.

Nearly 100 of the leading cowboys and cowgirls in the Prairie Circuit – made up of all pro rodeos in Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska – will compete at the Finals Rodeo.

The bucking livestock will be provided by the six pro rodeo livestock contractors located in the Prairie Circuit. Those animals are an integral part of rodeo and have their own personalities and reputations.

With years of Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) experience behind the six companies, each has a fascinating history. Following is a synopsis of each business.

Frontier Rodeo – Roxbury, Kansas Jim Crowther and Jerry Nelson have teamed up to create this partnership. Crowther had been putting on amateur rodeos in Kansas for thirty years and raising bucking bulls for that long. When Crowther bought livestock from Nelson in 2002, a friendship was born and the two bought their PRCA card in 2004.

Frontier Rodeo livestock to watch for at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo: Bull: Dark Shadow is a four year old black white faced horned bull that Crowther raised on his ranch. He’s “pretty outstanding,” says Crowther, and was only ridden once this year, for 90 points. The bull weighs 1,300 pounds. Brand: 451

Rumford Rodeo and Circle A Ranch – Abbyville, Kansas Bronc Rumford, part owner and manager of the rodeo company, is the third generation of Rumfords to be involved in the rodeo industry. His children and grandchildren are also involved in the business. The company received its PRCA card in 1985. In addition to pro rodeos, Rumford Rodeo and Circle A Ranch also produces high school and college rodeos.

Rumford Rodeo & Circle A Ranch livestock to watch for at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo: Bareback horse: Full House. Rumford says, “That horse is a money horse. If they (cowboys) ride him decent, they’ll earn a check on him.” Full House is a horse that Rumford raised out of a mare selected to buck at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR.) His brand: 586

Mo’ Betta Rodeo Company - Apache, Oklahoma Mo’ Betta might be more familiar as a shirt company instead of a rodeo company! Maury Tate started the clothing company in 1987 and the rodeo company followed nearly fifteen years later. Tate, a former rodeo contestant, won the 1989 Prairie Circuit tie down roping championship.

Mo’ Betta Rodeo Company livestock to watch for at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo: Bull: Elvis. This black and white spotted bull has bucked off every rider in his career. Maury says Elvis’ usual bucking pattern is to “spin right there at the left of the gate.” His brand: 368.

Rafter H Rodeo Livestock Co. – Tahlequah, Okla. Dell Hall, owner, started providing livestock for rodeos in 1961, his first year of college at Northeastern State at Tahlequah and hasn’t quit since. He started riding bulls when he was 14 years old mainly because “everybody else did, kinda for that reason more than anything.” He was an all-around hand, competing in bull riding, bareback riding, and steer wrestling before he got his Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) stock contracting card in 1975.

Rafter H Rodeo Co. livestock to watch for at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo: Bareback horse: Little Eva. “She’s probably one of my best bareback horses. They (cowboys) like to come and get on her,” Hall says. She was raised on the ranch, and lives up to her name. “She’s pretty chunky-made. She probably weighs 1200 pounds but she’s all put together right there on the ground.” Her brand is 4x; she is a four year old.

David Bailey Pro Rodeo – Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma When he was 10 years old, David Bailey could be found working in the sale barns, opening and closing gates. His parents owned two livestock sale barns, and as his dad, George, a cattle buyer, ran across bulls he thought would buck, he bought them for David, who started providing livestock for amateur rodeos in 1960. He got his PRCA card in 1988.

David Bailey Pro Rodeo livestock to watch for at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo: Bull: Super Cool. Very few other bulls have had the storied career that Super Cool has had. Twice he has been selected as the NFR Bull of the Year, and at 200 attempts, he has been ridden less than five times. This year is his farewell tour; the Prairie Circuit Finals will be the last rodeo he is bucked at. His brand: 508.

Beutler & Son Rodeo Company – Elk City, Oklahoma Bennie and son Rhett are the third and fourth generation of the Beutler family to be involved in rodeo. Bennie’s grandfather Elra drove ten or twelve head of bucking horses and steers to town in 1929 and for $100, put on his first rodeo. Now, nearly eighty years later, the Beutler name is synonymous with rodeo and Beutler bucking horses and bulls can be found at rodeos across the Prairie Circuit.

Beutler & Son Rodeo Company livestock to watch for at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo: Saddle bronc: Golden Chances, a yellow horse, was raised on the Beutler ranch. Bennie says, “He’s been to the NFR seven or eight times and he’s kind of a money horse.”

See the animal athletes of pro rodeo in Kansas City October 24-25! The Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo features the top livestock versus the best cowboys and cowgirls in Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. Rodeo performances take place at 7 pm on October 24 and 25. Josh Turner will be in concert following the October 25 rodeo performance. Turner’s hits include “Long Black Train.” 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.)