Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine - Winter 2022-23

It’s Time For the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

he time has finally come for the super bowl of rodeo, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 2022! Cowboy Lifestyle Network is beyond excited to be back in Las Vegas and we hope you are too. Within the pages of this magazine, you will find stories of triumph on the road to the NFR, businesses that participate in the magic of Cowboy Christmas, the best concerts to attend while you’re in town and so much more!

Cowboy Lifestyle Network is taking over Las Vegas this December 1-10, 2022. Taking place at the good ole Thomas and Mack Center, fans and athletes alike are more than ready for the 10-day super bowl of rodeo. The National Finals Rodeo has been taking place in Las Vegas for 36 years. There’s something truly magical about this time of year in Las Vegas. It’s everything from people stopping in their tracks for the National Anthem played every evening at the Thomas and Mack Center to the athletes competing with everything they have to get to that world championship. If you’re experiencing it for the first time, then we hope to give you all of the ins and outs that you need to know about while you’re there.

TOP 3

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO TIPS

Catching a live performance at the Thomas and Mack Center should be a bucket list item for everyone to do at least one time. If you’re a veteran attendee of the NFR then you know how crazy the experience can be but if you’re a firsttimer, you’re going to want to check out some important tips on what to know before you go and what to experience while you’re there.

Plan to Leave Early and Stay Late

Even though the Thomas and Mack Center is only a few minutes away from the Strip, you are going to want to plan on leaving early from wherever you’re staying to get there. The traffic getting in and out of the Thomas and Mack is hectic, to say the least. We recommend checking with your hotel to see if they offer a shuttle service, otherwise, you will have to catch a cab or an Uber. If you plan on taking an Uber or Taxi back, you should know that there are separate lines at the Thomas and Mack and they can get pretty long when everyone heads home. We recommend stick ing around for another drink or two to let the crowds thin out.

Ladies, Leave Your Bags at Home

While we totally understand that your outfit isn’t complete without the new bag you just bought at Cowboy Christmas, do not bring it with you! Below we have laid out the bag policy for the Thomas and Mack Center. You will not be able to bring in anything larger than what’s stated about you’ll have to figure out what to do with your purse and everything in it at the door. Take our word for it, you don’t want to go through that!

NFR BAG POLICY

List of bags that will be accepted for entry and will be subject to search:

• Bags that are clear plastic or vinyl and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”

• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (Ziploc bag or similar)

• Small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand

• Diaper bags, with a thorough search

• Medical bags & Devices, with a thorough search

• Approved WNFR Merchandise Clear Bags (20” x 20”)

Just Say no to Scalpers

While it might be really tempting to buy that cheap extra ticket from the scalpers out front, do not do it. You should only buy tickets from a trusted, proven source. With that being said, make sure to check online to see which NFR performances are already sold out before making plans to purchase tickets.

BOSS OF GLOSS

BREAK THROUGH TECHNOLOGY PROVIDING THE ULTIMATE LOOK AND FEEL, KEEPING YOUR HORSE GLOWING FOR DAYS. Discover the new secret…

HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

Every year as thousands of fans flock to the lights of Las Vegas, Nevada for the National Finals Rodeo, we think it’s important to look back to see how far we’ve come in order to fully appreciate where we are. Let’s take a trip down memory lane from the very beginning of the first NFR to today!

The very first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) took place in Dallas at the Dallas State Fairgrounds December 26-30, 1959, featuring competition in bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping and bull riding. Steer roping finals have been held separately since the first year. The top 15 cowboys in each event were invited to the finals in Dallas. The Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) figure for prize money won by cowboys in 1959 was $3,137,245, and the top 69 con testants at the end of the year had the chance to compete for an additional $57,500 at the first NFR.

1959

The average winners this year included John Hawkins (bareback riding), Mark Schricker (steer wrestling), Les Hirdes and Julius Boschi (team rop ing), Alvin Nelson (saddle bronc riding), Olin Young (tie-down roping) and Bob Robinson (bull riding).

The average winners of the inaugural event were Jack Buschbom (bare back riding), Willard Combs (steer wrestling), Jim Tescher (saddle bronc riding), Olin Young (tie-down roping) and Jim Shoulders (bull riding).

1962

In 1962, the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) moved the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) to Los Angeles, California. Here, the event was held at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Team roping was added as an NFR event this year.

1965

After just two years in Los Angeles, the decision was made in 1964 to move the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) to the State Fair Arena (also known as the Jim Norick Arena) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The first NFR in Oklahoma City took place the following year in 1965. There were 47,027 fans.

The average winners were Dennis Reiners (bareback riding), John W Jones Sr. (steer wrestling), Billy Darnell and Bronc Curry (team roping), Bill Marti nelli (saddle bronc riding), Jim Bob Altizer (tie-down roping) and Ron Rossen (bull riding).

1967

Barrel racing was added to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) action in 1967. Frances Smith took the win home in the only women’s event that year.

The other average winners were Clyde Vamvoras (bareback riding), Walt Linderman (steer wrestling), Bucky Bradford Jr. and Ace Berry (team rop ing), Larry Mahan (saddle bronc riding), Glen Franklin (tie-down roping) and Freckles Brown (bull riding).

1974

It wasn’t until 1974 that the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) was televised consistently. From 1974 through 1986, the event was telecast through syndication; and in 1987, ESPN began broad casting the event. From 2011 to 2013, the event was televised live; and from 2014-2019, it was broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Now, the Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV televise the event live, as well as stream it on the Cowboy Channel Plus app.

NFR average winners in 1974 included Jack Ward Jr. (bareback riding), Bob Marshall (steer wrestling), Jim Wheatley and John Bill Rodriguez (team roping), Joe Marvel (saddle bronc riding), Ronnye Sewalt (tie-down roping), Colette Grave Baier (barrel racing) and Sandy Kirby (bull riding).

1979

Still in Oklahoma City, the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) moved downtown to the Myriad Convention Center in

1979 to allow for more growth. In the new facility, attendance reached 117,070 fans, an increase of more than 70,000 compared to the first NFR in Oklahoma City.

The 1979 average winners were Bruce Ford (bareback riding), Jack Hannum (steer wrestling), Jesse James and Allen Bach (team roping), Tom Miller (saddle bronc riding), Roy Cooper (tie-down roping) and John Davis (bull riding).

From1981-2000,therewasalsoAmericanfreestylebullfightingat theNationalFinalsRodeo(NFR).Thefirstwinnerofthebullfight ingcompetitionin1981wasMilesHare,andthelastwinnerofthe bullfightingin2000wasMikeMatt.

1985

Despite considerations to build a new $30 million arena at the State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) was moved to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1985. Las Vegas Events and its president at the time, Herb McDonald, guaranteed the rodeo a prize fund of $1.8 million to the contestants and $700,000 to the contrac tors. At the first NFR in Vegas, there were 142,000 fans.

The average winners of the first Vegas NFR included Chuck Logue (bareback riding), Ote Berry (steer wrestling), Jake Barnes, David Motes and Clay O’Brien Cooper (team roping), Bud Pauley and Monty Henson (saddle bronc riding), Mike McLaughin (tie-down roping), Janet Powell (barrel racing) and Ted Nuce (bull riding).

2001

A landmark sponsorship agreement was made in 2001 with Wrangler making them the title sponsor of the event. Since then, the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) has been known as the Wrangler NFR.

The 2001 Wrangler NFR average winners were Clint Corey (bareback riding), Rope Meyers (steer wrestling), Speed Williams and Rich Skelton (team roping), Scott Johnson (saddle bronc riding), Jerome Schneeberger (tie-down roping), Kappy Allen (barrel racing) and Blue Stone (bull riding).

2020

Amidst a global pandemic and with restrictions on gath ering in Nevada, the Wrangler NFR was moved to the newly built Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas in 2020. With recent energy surrounding breakaway roping in the rodeo industry, the women’s event was held in the same facility over the course of three mornings correspond ing with the Wrangler NFR. Jackie Crawford took home the first Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping title.

The other average winners in 2020 were Jess Pope (bareback riding), Jacob Edler (steer wrestling), Erich Rogers and Paden Bray (team roping), Ryder Wright (saddle bronc riding), Shane Hanchey (tie-down roping), Hailey Kinsel (barrel racing) and Colten Fritzlan (bull riding).

2021

After a year of change in regards to the Wrangler NFR, the event was moved back to Las Vegas and the Thomas & Mack Center in 2021. There were 169,539 fans, and the overall payout climbed to a record $13.3 million. The Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping was held in the Orleans Arena.

The most recent Wrangler NFR average winners include Jess Pope (bare back riding), Will Lummus (steer wrestling), Buddy Hawkins and Andrew Ward (team roping), Brody Cress (saddle bronc riding), Caleb Smidt (tiedown roping), Jordan Briggs (barrel racing), Josh Frost (bull riding) and Sawyer Gilbert (breakaway roping).

This year, the Wrangler NFR will once again be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, but the Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping will now take place days before the NFR at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center. For more information on the 2022 NFR, visit nfrexperience.com!

2022

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

NFR Performance Schedule

Kick back and relax as you enjoy two hours of the best sport on dirt. With en tertainment openings every night by renowned country artists and explosive pyrotechnics, a live NFR performance is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. Every performance starts promptly at 5:45 and goes on until 8 pm each evening.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS

RODEO — FIRST PERFORMANCE

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: Pendleton Whisky

■ Opening Entertainment: Vegas Night | National Anthem: Eastin Corbin

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

— FIFTH PERFORMANCE — TOUGH

ENOUGH TO WEAR PINK NIGHT

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: Montana Silversmiths

■ Opening Entertainment: Chancey Williams | National Anthem: Will Jones

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS

RODEO — SIXTH PERFORMANCE — RESISTOL ROOKIE NIGHT

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: Resistol

■ Opening Entertainment: Ben Gallaher | National Anthem: Wyatt McCubbin

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS

RODEO — SEVENTH PERFORMANCE

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Opening Entertainment: Steve Amerson | National Anthem: Jim McCloughan

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8

Shopping

In addition to Cowboy Christmas, there are several other shopping market places that you can find around town. You can find the full list below. All vendor shows are free and open to the public!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS

RODEO — SECOND PERFORMANCE

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: Coors

■ Opening Entertainment: Luke Bryan | National Anthem: Glen Templeton

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS

RODEO — THIRD PERFORMANCE

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: Hesston by Massey

Ferguson

■ Opening Entertainment: Lainey Wilson | National Anthem: Dan Smalley

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS

RODEO — FOURTH PERFORMANCE —

MEMORIAL NIGHT

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: Polaris Ranger

■ Opening Entertainment: Adrian Brannan | National Anthem: Presley Seal

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS

RODEO — EIGHTH PERFORMANCE —

CANADIAN NIGHT

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: Durango Boots

■ Opening Entertainment: Joe Nichols | Anthem: Candace Muir - USA, Corb Lund - Canada

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS

RODEO — NINTH PERFORMANCE

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: RAM

■ Opening Entertainment: Heath Sanders | Anthem: Drake Milligan

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

— TENTH PERFORMANCE — WRAN

GLER NATIONAL PATRIOT NIGHT

■ 5:45 p.m. — 8 p.m.

■ Performance Sponsor: Wrangler

■ Opening Entertainment: Gold Night | Anthem: Maggie Minor

THE COWBOY CHANNEL COWBOY CHRISTMAS

■ Open daily December 1 — 10 | 9 a.m. — 4 p.m. | Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls

CINCH WESTERN GIFT SHOW

■ Open daily December 1 — 11 from 9 a.m. — 6 p.m. ■ South Point Exhibit Hall

COWBOY MARKETPLACE GIFT SHOW

■ Open daily December 1 — 10 from 10 a.m. — 5 p.m. ■ Mandalay Bay Convention Center

Country Christmas

■ Open daily December 1 — 11 from 10 a.m. — 5 p.m. ■ Rio Las Vegas SCHEDULE

OF EVENTS

DAILY EVENTS

OUTSIDE THE BARREL WITH FLINT

RASMUSSEN ■ 12:15 p.m. — 1:15 p.m. ■ The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas | Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls

Ariat Rodeo Live Stage

Free Admission/Open to the Public

COWBOY REVIVAL WITH HOST SHANE

MINOR AND ALECIA DAVIS ■ 11:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.

■ The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas ■ Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

■ Ariat Rodeo Live Stage

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

RMEF CALCUTTA

■ 10:00 a.m. — 10:45 a.m.

■ The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas | Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls

■ Ariat Rodeo Live Stage

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public NFR TAILGATE PARTY

■ 1:30 p.m. — 4 p.m.

■ The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas | Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls

■ Ariat Rodeo Live Stage

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

YETI JUNIOR WORLD FINALS

■ 9 a.m. — 3 p.m./4 p.m.

■ Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls

■ Wrangler Rodeo Arena — RMEF Hunter & Outdoor Christmas Expo

BULLFIGHTERS ONLY LAS VEGAS CHAMPIONSHIPS

■ December 2, 3 & 8-10 1:30 p.m. | Resorts World Las Vegas

■ Ticket Required | More at BullfightersOnly.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

ARIAT WORLD SERIES OF TEAM ROPING

■ December 3 -11 | South Point Arena & Equestrian Center

■ Free admission/Open to the Public

WRANGLER NFR AUTOGRAPH SESSION

— TIE-DOWN ROPERS

■ 11 a.m. — 1 p.m. | MGM Grand — Main Lobby

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

■ First come/first served; contestants depart at 1 p.m.

BFO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

■ December 2, 3 & 8-10 1:30 p.m. | Resorts World Las Vegas

■ Ticket Required | More at BullfightersOnly.com

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4

MISS RODEO AMERICA PAGEANT –CORONATION PERFORMANCE PRE SENTED BY LAS VEGAS EVENTS

■ 9:45 a.m. — Doors open | 10:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m.

— Coronation Performance

■ 11 a.m. — 1 p.m.

■ The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas — Cowboy Christmas Village (2nd Floor)

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

■ First come/first served; contestants depart at 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7

WRANGLER NFR AUTOGRAPH SESSION

— BULL RIDERS

■ 11 a.m. — 1 p.m. | Treasure Island — Gilley’s

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

■ First come/first served; contestants depart at 1 p.m.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8

ANNUAL PRO RODEO LEAGUE OF WOMEN STYLE SHOW & LUNCHEON

■ 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. | South Point Grand Ballroom

■ Hosted by The South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa

■ To benefit the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund

WRANGLER NFR AUTOGRAPH SESSION

— BAREBACK RIDERS

■ 11 a.m. — 1 p.m. | New York–New York — Brooklyn Bridge

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

■ First come/first served; contestants depart at 1 p.m.

BFO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

■ December 2, 3 & 8-10 1:30 p.m. | Resorts World Las Vegas

■ Ticket Required | More at BullfightersOnly.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9

35TH ANNUAL PRO RODEO HALL OF FAME GOLF TOURNAMENT

ALL IN BARREL RACE

■ Start times vary by day

■ The Orleans Arena

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

■ Specialty Events

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1

BENNY BINION’S WORLD FAMOUS WRANGLER NFR BUCKING HORSE & BULL SALE & PRCA PERMIT HOLDER OF THE YEAR CHALLENGE

■ Doors open at 8 a.m.

■ South Point Arena & Equestrian Center

■ Ticket Required ($25) | Tickets available at South Point Box Office

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

STACE SMITH WORLD BRONC FUTU RITY FINALE

■ Doors open at 9 a.m.

■ 10 a.m. — Finale starts; Featuring top 4 & 5 year saddle bronc horses in North America

■ South Point Arena & Equestrian Center

■ Ticket Required ($25)

WRANGLER NFR AUTOGRAPH SESSION

— BARREL RACERS

■ 11 a.m. — 1 p.m. | Golden Nugget — The Grand Event Center Foyer

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

■ First come/first served; contestants depart at 1 p.m.

■ South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa — Grand Ballroom

■ Ticket Required

GOLDEN CIRCLE OF CHAMPIONS —

CLINIC AND BANQUET

■ 11:30 p.m. — 3 p.m. | Tuscany Suites & Casino

■ Honoring children and families fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses

MONDAY,

DECEMBER 5

WRANGLER NFR AUTOGRAPH SESSION

— TEAM ROPERS

■ 11 a.m. — 1 p.m. | Resort World Las VegasWrangler Dawg House

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

■ First come/first served; contestants depart at 1 p.m.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6

WRANGLER NFR AUTOGRAPH SESSION

STEER WRESTLERS

■ 7 a.m. — Registration and breakfast | 8 a.m. — Shotgun start

■ Awards luncheon following the tournament

■ Las Vegas National Golf Club (1911 E. Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89169)

■ To purchase a team, please call 719-528-4732Bali Hai Golf Club (5160 S. Las Vegas Blvd.)

WORLD OF RODEO REUNION & GOLD CARD GATHERING

■ 10 a.m. — 2 p.m. | The Orleans — Second Floor

■ Featuring Western celebrities, rodeo champions and legends

■ Live music, panel discussions, and more

■ Ticket Required

WRANGLER NFR AUTOGRAPH SESSION

— SADDLE BRONC RIDERS

■ 11 a.m. — 1 p.m. | Harrah’s — Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux

■ Free Admission/Open to the Public

■ First come/first served; contestants depart at 1 p.m.

BFO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

■ December 2, 3 & 8-10 1:30 p.m. | Resorts World Las Vegas

■ Ticket Required | More at BullfightersOnly.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10

BFO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (FINALS)

■ December 2, 3 & 8-10 1:30 p.m. | Resorts World Las Vegas

■ Ticket Required | More at BullfightersOnly.com

NFR Athlete Index

If you’re a lifelong rodeo fan then this information might not be new to you, but we are all about educating new fans so we want to include the ins and out’s of what goes down during the ten days of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Let’s start with the athletes. Athletes work all year round, October-September, trying to get a spot in the top fifteen in their event. They work their way through the ranks by attend ing PRCA-sanctioned rodeos and winning money that goes towards their year-end total, which determines who gets a ticket to the NFR in Decem ber. Check out the top 15 athletes headed to the NFR in each event below. All qualifiers include qualifying for the 2022 finals

TIE-DOWN

1. Shad Mayfield

$203,508.08 | Clovis, NM

4x NFR Qualifier 1x World Champion

2. John Douch $166,728.88| Huntsville, TX 2x NFR Qualifier 3. Haven Meged $156,027.42 | Miles City, MT 4x NFR Qualifier 1x World Champion 4. Caleb Smidt $149,515.91 | Bellville, TX 8x NFR Qualifier 3x World Champion 5. Shane Hanchey

$132,782.47 | Sulphur, LA 12x NFR Qualifier 1x World Champion 6. Zack Longbloed $125,251.30 | Iowa, LA First Time NFR Qualifier 7. Tuf Cooper $124,381.92 | Decatur, TX 14x NFR Qualifier 4x World Champion 8. Cory Solomon $123,325.68 | Prairie View, TX 9x NFR Qualifier 9. Marty Yates $122,271.56 | Stephenville, TX 9x NFR Qualifier 10. Tyler Milligan

$118,707.62 | Pawhuska, OK 3x NFR Qualifier 11. Riley Webb

$117,505.40 | Denton, TX

First Time NFR Qualifier 12. Ty Harris

$114,895.40 | San Angelo, TX 4x NFR Qualifier

13. Hunter Herrin

$114,770.56 | Apache, OK 12x NFR Qualifier 14. Macon Murphy $105,793.39 | Keatchie, LA First Time NFR Qualifier

Kincade Henry $101,945.89 | Mount Pleasant, TX First Time NFR Qualifier

TEAM ROPING (HEADERS)

Kaleb Driggers $227,877.85 | Hoboken, GA

NFR Qualifier 1x World Champion

Clay Tryan $144,663.14 | Billings, MT

NFR Qualifier 3x World Champion

Andrew Ward $124,618.63 | Edmond, OK

NFR Qualifier

Coleman Proctor $110,691.37 | Pryor, OK

NFR Qualifier

Tanner Tomlinson $107,368.21 | Angleton, TX First Time NFR Qualifier

Dustin Egusquiza $106,022.46 | Marianna, FL 5x NFR Qualifier

Rhen Richard $99,278.90 | Roosevelt, UT

NFR Qualifier (Tie Down & Team Roping)

Tyler Wade $98,572.98 | Terrell, TX

NFR Qualifier

Jr. Dees $96,045.09 | Aurora, SD

NFR Qualifier

Cody Snow $91,842.70 | Los Olivos, CA

NFR Qualifier 1x World Champion

Lightning Aguilera $90,421.44 | Athens, TX First Time NFR Qualifier

Riley Minor $89,022.28 | Ellensburg, WA 11x NFR Qualifier

Clay Smith $88,851.56 | Broken Bow, OK 8x NFR Qualifier 2x World Champion

Chad Masters $87,443.82 | Cedar Hill, TN 15x NFR Qualifier 2x World Champion 15. Jake Orman $85,067.18 | Prairie, MS First Time NFR Qualifier

TEAM ROPING (HEELERS)

1. Junior Nogueira $227,877.85 | Presidente Prudente, SP 9x NFR Qualifier 1x All Around Cham pion 1x Team Roping World Champion 2. Jake Long $130,331.68 | Coffeyville, KS 12x NFR Qualifier 3. Buddy Hawkins $123,076.33 | Columbus, KS 5x NFR Qualifier

4. Jade Corkill $110,855.24 | Fallon, NV 13x NFR Qualifier 3x World Champion

5. Logan Medlin $110,691.37 | Tatum, NM 3x NFR Qualifier

6. Patrick Smith $107,368.21 | Lipan, TX 13x NFR Qualifier 2x World Champion

7. Travis Graves $106,736.86 | Jay, OK 14x NFR Qualifier

8. Jeremy Buhler $100,214.32 | Arrowwood, AB 4x NFR Qualifier

9. Levi Lord $97,443.12 | Sturgis, SD 2x NFR Qualifier 10. Trey Yates $95,010.73 | Pueblo, CO 3x NFR Qualifier 11. Joseph Harrison $92,115.14 | Marietta, OK 6x NFR Qualifier 12. Wesley Thorp $91,842.70 | Throckmorton, TX 7x NFR Qualifier 1x World Champion 13. Brady Minor $89,022.28 | Ellensburg, WA 13x NFR Qualifier 14. Brye Crites $86,409.74 | Welch, OK First Time NFR Qualifier

Jonathan Torres $82,967.95 | Ocala, FL First Time NFR Qualifier

STEER

WRESTLING

Stetson Jorgensen $134,660.59 | Blackfoot, ID

NFR Qualifier

Tyler Waguespack $123,872.85 | Gonzales, LA

4. Will Lummus

$119,780.94 | Byhalia, MS 5x NFR Qualifier

5. Hunter Cure $109,529.28 | Holliday, TX 6x NFR Qualifier 2x World Champion

6. Ty Erickson $107,784.30 | Helena, MT 7x NFR Qualifier 1x World Champion

7. Tristan Martin $104,552.72 | Sulphur, LA 2x NFR Qualifier

8. Dakota Eldridge $104,097.60 | Elko, NV 9x NFR Qualifier

9. Kyle Irwin

$98,354.21 | Robertsdale, AL 6x NFR Qualifier

10. Tanner Brunner $96,270.55 | Ramona, KS 4x NFR Qualifier

11. Jesse Brown $91,713.07 | Baker City, OR 3x NFR Qualifier

12. Rowdy Parrott $84,861.43 | Mamou, LA 3x NFR Qualifier

13. Dirk Tavenner $84,532.00 | Rigby, ID 2x NFR Qualifier

14. Timmy Sparing $81,312.40 | Helena, MT First Time NFR Qualifier

15. Nick Guy $78,021.37 | Sparta, WI 7x NFR Qualifier

Reiner $160,970.51

R.C. Landingham $130,523.57

Hat Creek, CA 4x NFR Qualifier

7. Leighton Berry $130,193.53 | Weatherford, TX 2x NFR Qualifier

8. Tim O’Connell

$129,562.63 | Zwingle, IA 9x NFR Qualifier 3x World Champion 9. Tanner Aus

$127,132.05 | Granite Falls, MN 7x NFR Qualifier

10. Cole Franks

$116,426.33 | Clarendon, TX 2x NFR Qualifier 11. Tilden Hooper $113,188.28 | Carthage, TX 9x NFR Qualifier 12. Orin Larsen

$111,658.89 | Inglis, MB 8x NFR Qualifier 13. Clayton Biglow $109,819.65 | Clements, CA 7x NFR Qualifier 1x World Champion 14. Ty Breuer

$104,194.54 | Mandan, ND 6x NFR Qualifier 15. Garrett Shadbolt

$103,949.10 | Merriman, NE 2x NFR Qualifier

SADDLE BRONC

1. Sage Newman

$253,190.84 | Melstone, MT 2x NFR Qualifier

2. Stetson Wright $193,119.85 |Milford, UT 7x NFR Qualifier 5x World Champion (3 - AA, 1 - BR) (1 - SB) 3. Brody Cress

$182,644.59 | Hillsdale, WY 6x NFR Qualifier 4. Ryder Wright $161,920.04 | Milford, UT 7x NFR Qualifier 2x World Champion 5. Lefty Holman $149,979.30 | Visalia, CA 2x NFR Qualifier 6. Zeke Thurston

$143,838.02 | Big Valley, AB 8x NFR Qualifier 2x World Champion 7. Logan Hay

$139,440.41 | Wildwood, AB First Time NFR Qualifier 8. Layton Green

$138,993.14 | Meeting Creek, AB 3x NFR Qualifier 9. Kade Bruno

$137,725.99 | Challis, ID First Time NFR Qualifier 10. Kolby Wanchuk

$131,135.93 | Sherwood Park, AB 2x NFR Qualifier 11. Wyatt Casper $123,801.89 | Miami, TX 3x NFR Qualifier 12. Kole Ashbacher $117,542.72 | Arrowwood, AB First Time NFR Qualifier

13. Chase Brooks

$113,991.70 | Deer Lodge, MT 5x NFR Qualifier 14. Dawson Hay $111,717.59 | Wildwood, AB 3x NFR Qualifier 15. Tanner Butner $103,739.32 | Daniel, WY First Time NFR Qualifier

BULL RIDING

1. Stetson Wright $320,598.78 | Milford, UT 7x NFR Qualifier 5x World Champion (3 - AA, 1 - BR) (1 - SB) 2. Josh Frost $228,556.82 | Randlett, UT 3x NFR Qualifier 3. Jeff Askey $183,996.42 | Athens, TX 5x NFR Qualifier 4. Garrett Smith $141,658.03 | Rexburg, ID 4x NFR Qualifier 5. Tristen Hutchings $127,983.18 | Monteview, ID First NFR Qualifier 6. Trevor Kastner $123,539.66 | Roff, OK 7x NFR Qualifier

Maverick Potter $116,064.69 | Waxahachie, TX First Time NFR Qualifier 8. Trey Kimzey $113,186.06 | Strong City, OK 2x NFR Qualifier 9. Ky Hamilton $112,651.28 | Mackay, QL 3x NFR Qualifier 10. Jared Parsonage $112,313.62 | Maple Creek, SK First Time NFR Qualifier 11. Trey Holston $108,892.49 | Fort Scott, KS First Time NFR Qualifier

JR Stratford $107,060.77 | Byers, KS First Time NFR Qualifier

Creek Young $100,670.20 | Fort Scott, KS

NFR Qualifier

Lukasey Morris $100,667.39 | Union City, OK First Time NFR Qualifier

Reid Oftedahl $97,943.89 | Raymond, MN First Time NFR Qualifier

1. Martha Angelone $109,230 | Stephenville, TX 3x NFBR Qualifier

2. Erin Johnson

$72,241 | Fowler, CO 3x NFBR Qualifier 3x WPRA Breakaway World Champion 3. Lari Dee Guy $68,287 | Abilene, TX 3x NFBR Qualifier | 8x World Champion (Breakaway, Team Roping, All-Around)

4. Taylor Munsell $67,891 | Alva, OK 2x NFBR Qualifier

5. Taylor Hanchey $65,690 | Carmine, TX 2x NFBR Qualifier & 2x NFR Qualifier (Barrel Racing)

6. Shelby Boisjoli $64,512 | Stephenville, TX

3x NFBR Qualifier

7. Jordi Edens $64,245 | Gatesville, TX

First Time NFBR Qualifier

8. Joey Williams $63,678 | Volborg, MT

2x NFBR Qualifier

9. Rickie Engesser $58,862 | Spearfish, SD First Time NFBR Qualifier

10. Cheyanne Guillory $56,749 | Gainesville, TX 2x NFBR Qualifier

11. Beau Peterson $56,096 | Council Grove, TX First Time NFBR Qualifier 12. JJ Hampton $54,997 | Stephenville, TX 3x NFBR Qualifier 17x World Champion (Breakaway, Team Roping, Tie-Down, All-Around) 13. Cadee Williams $54,172 | Weatherford, TX First Time NFBR Qualifier 14. Samantha Fulton $49,303 | Miller, SD First Time NFBR Qualifier 15. Josie Connor $49,266 | Iowa, LA First Time NFBR Qualifier

BARREL RACING

1. Jordon Briggs

| Tolar, TX

6. Shelley Morgan

$110,460.92 | Eustace, TX 4x NFR Qualifier 7. Sissy Winn $101,848.16 | Chapman Ranch, TX First Time NFR Qualifier

8. Margo Crowther $96,870.71 | North Fort Myers, FL First Time NFR Qualifier

9. Emily Miller-Beisel $93,964.76 | Weatherford, OK 4x NFR Qualifier

10. Kassie Mowry

$92,553.30 | Dublin, TX

11. Bayleigh Choate $90,892.81 | Fort Worth, TX First Time NFR Qualifier

12. Brittany Pozzi

Tonozzi

$88,431.79 | Lampasas, TX 16x NFR Qualifier 2x World Champion

13. Jessica Routier $86,863.10 | Buffalo, SD 5x NFR Qualifier

14. Lisa Lockhart

$84,870.91 | Oelrichs, SD 16x NFR Qualifier

15. Leslie Smalygo

$84,453.00 | Skiatook, OK First Time NFR Qualifier

AVERAGE WINNERS & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER

So we know that the top 15 contenders from each event make it to the NFR, but who gets the World Championship title?

Good question! Each night of the NFR, there will be an average win ner for the night and a “Gold Buck le” awarded for each event, every night. Average titles allow athletes to earn money throughout the week, adding to their total. Who ever has the most accumulated at the end is the World Champion. In some cases, we have seen athletes come, not win any averages, and still come out the champion. It really depends on how tight the competition is and who is bringing their A-game. Who do you think will be bringing home the World Champion Title?

Meet Artist Don Woodard

Artist Don Woodard has become well recognized for creating his “Fine Art in Wood.” His unique style of creating artwork allows him to blend his very detailed wood carving skills along with his fine painting skills, which is being well received by art collectors.

The National Museum of Wildlife Art located in Jackson Hole, WY, included his artwork titled, “Bighorn View” in their 2022 Summer Exhibition, “Above the Clouds: Art of the Alpine”. Don says the art work was inspired from a hike he took while in Rocky Mountain National Park, located in Colorado. “I was on a hike to take a photo of the West side of Longs Peak with Forest Canyon in the foreground. Once I reached my destination, much to my surprise, there was a number of Bighorn Sheep in the area. They didn’t seem to mind me for a while, as I was walking around them taking pic tures, then one of them had enough of me, and started scratching the ground with his head down. He didn’t need to “say” any more, I left the area immediately.”

Julia Spencer, assistant curator of education at the museum recently sent Woodard a nice note stating, “Our summer exhibit, Above the Clouds, has been a huge success. People loved “Bighorn View” and I saw numerous visitors

enjoy the surprise of realizing that your piece was three dimensional as they got closer. It’s such a beautiful and unique piece!”

Many of Woodard’s artworks are inspired from adventures and mis-adventures that he has experienced personally, leading pack-horse trips into the Rocky Mountain Wilderness. As the Olaf Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center states, ”Award winning artist and sculptor Don Woodard combines carving and color to produce visual and functional art with western and wildlife themes. Like Olaf, Don’s art is influenced by events and situations experienced first-hand.”

Don states that “A couple of years ago, Ripple Creek Lodge, a ranch I have worked with for many years asked if I could assist taking four gentlemen to a remote wilderness fishing camp. After a four-and-a-half hour ride we reached our camp site, then helped the guys set camp. They didn’t want to keep their horses for the week, so the other wrangler and I led the nine horses back through the wilderness for another four-hour ride. On the way back to the ranch we had one horse that insisted on going to the left side of a tree while all the other horses went to the right side of a tree. The image of “Pack-Horse Ro deo” became clear in my mind and it was fun to create, once back in my studio.”

Don states that he is very happy to create commissioned artworks, depict ing your memories, your stories, and your photos. All he needs is one or more photos to create an image. He will create a sketch for your review, then once accepted he will create your personal “Fine Art in Wood.”

THE CHIP LINK SYSTEM

Four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Ty Harris recently ex perienced the process of The Chip Link System for his horses.

“Getting the chip put in was really easy and my horse barely moved. I was really impressed with how simple it was to get him chipped,” said Harris.

Harris knows firsthand how compli cated it can get trying to keep track of each horse’s data while competing at the top levels of rodeo in tie down roping.

HOW A SIMPLE MICROCHIP BECOMES THE KEY TO UNLOCKING SAFETY & TRANSPARENCY FOR PERFORMANCE HORSES

hen Brad Bolen started training horses over 30 years ago, he never would have guessed the challenges horsemen face on a day-to-day basis.

“You have to keep track of sometimes four pieces of paper for each horse as you travel, and when you have over 120 horses in your care like I do, it is easy to forget one of them, or let one expire and not know it,” said Brad Bolen, CEO and founder of Lip Chip LLC.

Challenges such as this one are the reason that the multiple grade winning stakes race horse trainer founded Lip Chip LLC.

“Everyone just complained about how we couldn’t keep everyone from either forging paperwork or cheating in other ways, but no one cared to do anything about it,” said Bolen.

This was the catalyst that started the journey that has now become the Chip Link System, powered by Lip Chip LLC. The system starts with a simple low frequency microchip placed in either the superior upper mandible (or lip) placement, or the nuchal ligament. Once a horse is microchipped, the Chip Link System includes a superior Bluetooth integrated scan ner that reads the microchip, and easily links to your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

The unique 15-digit identifier assigned to each microchip becomes a key to unlock data stored for each horse on the user’s smart device. When a horse is enrolled in the Chip Link System, the authorized user enrolls each horse with ownership information, mark ings, emergency contact information, photos of their current health paperwork, and four identification photos. This information is accessed from a smart device each time a horse’s microchip is scanned.

Other features of The Chip Link System include a daily health check for horses implanted with a thermal microchip, pre-registration for upcoming shows, rodeos, or race meets, and faster check-ins for equine venues, making long trailer lines a thing of the past.

“We move through many states and hit rodeo after rodeo, and it can be a lot to keep up with. I like the fact that my horses have all their paperwork and contact info ready and on my phone. It is much easier to keep track and to know when I need to have a new coggins or health certificate pulled,” said Harris.

Harris returns to Las Vegas for the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, this time as a Lip Chip Ambassador.

“I’m excited to not only be able to use the technology, but also be a part of the Lip Chip team. We are both West Texas based, and we have the same concerns for our industry. It’s nice to be part of something that is working to solve some of our industries problems and make life better for the horsemen and our horses,” said Harris.

The Chip Link System will be available in a barn near you in 2023. For more information visit www. lipchipllc.com.

NFR RODEO ATHLETE Q&A

WENDA JOHNSON

With 2022 being her third, consecutive year qualifying for the NFR, Wenda has high hopes to make this year her golden ticket to being the World Champion. Currently sitting number three in the standings, Wenda will need to make solid runs every night for a shot at the top. Check out the Q & A we did with Wenda below on what her journey has looked like heading into her third National Finals Rodeo.

• This will be Wenda’s third NFR qualification and she’s heading as number three in the standings. Her team of horses includes Macgyver Moonflash “Mac” (9-year old bay gelding) and Steal Money “Mo” (6-year old bay gelding) owned by High Point Barrel Horses.

Q: CAN YOU TELL OUR AUDIENCE

A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?

A: I am originally from Arizona, where, along with my sisters and friends, spent as much time as possible on the back of a horse. We were raised in the city but were fortunate enough to have some land and pasture to keep our own horses and even board some additional outside horses. With the support of my parents, this environment ignited my love for horses and provided a foundation that developed my horse manship skills in and out of the arena.

Q: HOW DID YOU INITIALLY BECOME INVOLVED IN BAR REL RACING?

A: At an early age my parents hauled and entered me in local gym khanas and playdays, which eventually evolved into showing in the AQHA then competing at barrel races and High School/College Rodeos.

Q: WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A FULL-TIME RODEO ATHLETE AND A FULL-TIME MOM?

A: My life is full of many great things! I strive to balance my home life as a wife and mother, my professional life as a Nurse Practitioner working part-time in the Emergency Department, and competing on horses at a high level along with so many other things.

As I balance each aspect of my life, my personal re lationship with God adds purpose and understanding

to my journey, and I am grateful for each mo ment on this Earth!

Q: IS THERE ANY THING SPECIAL THAT YOU DO PERSONALLY FOR YOURSELF OR YOUR HORSES HEADING INTO THE NFR?

A: Regardless of what competition I attend, I strive to keep the same regimen and schedule for myself and the hors es year-round. Keeping myself and the horses in shape both mentally and physically is the highest priority, with so much in between. However, it is a balance and overall it is important to me to enjoy the experience and create memories while doing something that I love.

Q: WHAT ACCOM PLISHMENT ARE YOU THE PROUDEST OF TO DATE?

A: Being a wife, mother, Nurse Practi tioner, and competing in barrel racing at a high level.

Q: WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE ASPIRING BARREL RACERS?

A: Horsemanship and humility are essential in the competition pen because it promotes awareness and accounta bility for ourselves. Find a coach that helps improve horsemanship and your perception of horses. Also remember that our horses are trying their best to do what we ask, so treat them kindly and give them the respect that they deserve.

Minimizing resistance in all aspects of barrel racing is the key to progression.

LOGAN HAY

Get to Know First-Time NFR Qualifier Logan Hay

Logan Hay comes from a long line of rodeo athletes so it’s no surprise that he has made his way into the top 15 of the best saddle bronc riders in the country. Cowboy Lifestyle author, Hannah Crandall dives into what Logan’s life looked like growing up and what it’s been like getting the golden ticket to the National Finals Rodeo 2022!

Q: WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN SUCH A SUCCESSFUL RODEO FAMILY, AND HOW DID THAT AFFECT WHAT YOUR DREAMS AND GOALS HAVE BEEN?

A: We’ve been going to rodeos since before I can remember before I could walk, so I’ve always been in the rodeo community. Even when we were little, maybe 10 or 11 years old, we would pack up for the wintertime, just homeschool for the winter months, and go to rodeos with my dad; and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I played hockey when I was little, but ever since I was old enough, I knew I always wanted to be a bronc rider.

Q: WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD LIKE ON THE RODEO ROAD?

A: Me and my little brother, Dawson, had lots of friends in rodeo and that was always the most exciting time for us when we got to go rodeo. We played hockey as well, and we really liked hockey, but we were always more excited to go to rodeos. I remember when we were growing up, we would play with the Wright brothers, it was pretty cool to grow up with those guys and look at us now. Back then, we were all just little buddies, 5 and 6 years old and now, we’re all rodeoing together.

Q: WHEN DID YOU GET ON YOUR FIRST BRONC, AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU GETTING STARTED?

A: I was about 17 when I got on my first bronc set, which is a little later than most people get on their first bucking horse. We were pretty small though, and my dad wanted to make sure we were big enough and ready before we got on. I got started in December of 2013 at a rodeo school, and our first rides were ugly. The first horse I got on, rolled on me, and then my brother Dawson went over the head of his horse and got stepped on. I think that’s just how everyone gets started though. In your first hundred broncs, you pretty much get in a wreck every other ride so it’s a pretty hard sport to get started in. There are very few people that start out and just pick it up really fast.

Q: WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO SEE DAWSON ALREADY FIND SO MUCH SUCCESS AND DEVON (YOUR YOUNGEST BROTHER) FIND HIS PLACE?

A: Dawson has been to the NFR twice already. He’s had a lot of success, and it’s pretty cool this year to be able to go to the finals with him. I also travel with my cousin Ben Anderson, and it’s really cool to

rodeo together with family. A lot of times, guys take it for granted but when you stop and think about it, it’s pretty special to be able to share all these moments with your family. Hopefully, Devon will be up here riding with us in a couple of years as well.

Q: WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR CLOS EST RODEO FRIENDS OR GUYS YOU TRAVEL WITH, AND WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE ON THE ROAD WITH THEM?

A: I’ve traveled with Ben since my rookie year, and we’ve kind of hopped around with some other people, but he and I have been together through it all. We get along really well, and all of us Canadians are really good buddies. To have this many Canadian riders with a chance at the World Championship is pretty crazy. This year is actually a record with six Canadians qualify ing for the NFR, and we’re all such great friends so it makes it that much cooler.

Q: WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO HAVE BEEN SO CLOSE TO QUALIFYING FOR THE NFR PREVIOUSLY, AND HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU REALLY DIG IN AND GET IT DONE THIS YEAR?

A: Last year, I missed it by $1,500, which was a bit of a stinger for sure. There were, you know,

120 different rides that went through my head think ing about how I could have done something different but I tried to not think about that for too long. I only let it burn for about a week, and then I just started focusing on the next year and really making sure that wasn’t going to happen again.

I set a goal at the beginning of the year to start in the top 15 and never break that. Then, I broke my ankle at the end of March. I was still in the top 15 when that happened, and it took me a couple of months to get rolling again but once I entered the top 15 again in July, I never fell back out.

Q: WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THIS SEASON, AND HOW DID YOU STAY FOCUSED? WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE HEADED TO VEGAS COME DECEMBER?

A: This year has been pretty special for me. I won the Calgary Stampede, which I’ve actually been watching since I was little. My dad won it four times, and that is definitely the biggest win in my career, and it’s definitely my favorite rodeo. That’s a rodeo that lots of people will tell you is their favorite in the world, maybe besides the NFR, which I haven’t been to yet. The atmosphere there is unbelievable, so to win that was amazing.

Then, I also set a world record this year at the Hardgrass Bronc Match, which is arguably the best bronc match in the world as well. I’m truly excited to be going to my first NFR, but I don’t think it will really set in until I get on the first bronc that I’ve actually made it.

Q: WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR MOST MEMORABLE RIDE?

A: It has to be winning Calgary this year. I was in the final four with my brother, my cousin, and our good buddy, which was pretty crazy. For all four of us to be in the final four was unreal. I was the first guy out, so I knew I had to make a good ride. I laid it all out there, and that has to be my favorite, most memorable ride.

• This will be Logan’s first NFR qualification, following in the footsteps of his younger brother, Dawson Hay who ranked number 14 this year, barely making the cut off the top 15.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIONS OR TRADITIONS BEFORE YOU RIDE?

A: I don’t eat chicken before I ride. My dad used to do that, and it just stuck with me. I will not eat chicken before I ride. That’s probably the only superstition I have though.

Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG ATHLETE?

A: Just keep chasing your dreams, and get on and practice as much as you can. The bulk of kids nowadays seem to not be practicing as much. All of us Canadians, for example, pretty much started about the same time, and we practice three or four times a week. Honestly, a big key is to just get on all the time and keep in mind that rodeo mode is a big thing.

I would just say to practice every chance you can and don’t get discour aged when you’re competing in a very discouraging sport. You can go a month or three without winning a dime, and it can make you feel like you’re not riding well, but you’ve got to keep your hopes up and keep bat tling because it will come.

Q: WHEN NOT RODEOING, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME?

A: I ranch with my dad, and I like to hunt and fish as well. Then in the wintertime, I like skiing and stuff like that. But most of the time when I’m not on the road, I’m typically helping my dad on the ranch.

Q: WHO WOULD YOU SAY HAS BEEN THE MOST INFLUEN TIAL IN GETTING

YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?

A: I’d say, my dad. Right from the beginning, he’s helped me, Dawson, my little brother, and lots of Canadian bronc riders. He raises bucking horses as well, so that’s been a huge bonus. We got to get on horses right in our backyard, and we practiced all the time. He pushed us to practice all the time, and we’re a lot better at it because of that. What better coach to have than an eight-time Ca nadian champion or 20-time NFR qualifier? There’s not much better to learn from, and just having him and the bucking horses he raised really helped us.

Logan’s Sponsors

THE RISE OF RANDALL KING

Country Singer Making a Name in the Red Dirt Music Scene

Texas Country artist Randall

King has been a favorite of Red Dirt fans since his first single debut in 2016. Draw ing inspiration from country legends such as George Strait and Merle Haggard, King is bringing the tra ditional country sound back to our stereos. Randall grew up in the small town of Hereford, Texas, moving to Lubbock for college in 2009. While attending Texas Tech for a business degree, he fell in love with coun try music and decided to become a musician himself. Two years later, he decided to transfer to South Plains College and switched his business degree to music production. Now, for the 4th year in a row, King is taking the stage at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. “Everything is flashy and cowboy. I just love it. We bring a party that no one is expecting! We love to take people by surprise!” Randall will be performing December 8th-10th at the NFR Buckle Ceremony at the South Point Showroom as well as an acoustic show on December 4th at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country.

The acoustic show, labeled “Tonk Fest” is the start of a new brand King is working on that he plans to soon turn into a full fledged country festival. Tonk Fest will be a special night with a few special guests that King has deemed “a show you don’t want to miss with myself and some country a** SOBs!”

Randall has kept busy since the beginning of 2022 with 140 shows on his calendar for the year, but espe cially in March when he hit three major musical mile stones within a matter of a week; King released his first full length album, Shot Glass, under his new label deal with Warner, his new record hit #1 for the coun try genre charts on iTunes for seven days straight, and he made his Grand Ole Opry debut. He’s got no plans of slowing down anytime soon either. The Nashville recording artist is about as straightforward as it gets. Randall states that he is who is, despite what anyone else wants. He claims that his music is the same way. The singer-songwriter pulls lyrics from “the three stages of heartbreak” and never strays from keeping his personal stories within each song.

King hints at a new “honkey tonk with attitude” of his secret 5 song EP called Honkey Tonk Bullshit that was released at NFR 2021 and is currently in the works to turn into a bigger project to come out at a later date. Honkey Tonk Bullshit is only available for purchase in person at Randall King merchandise tables during each concert. Streaming not available.

CODY JOHNSON

ELLE KING

KOE WETZEL

NFR is known to draw people from all over the country to its display of athleticism by cowboys, the glitz and glam of the cowgirls, epic concert lineups and of course, the Las Vegas lights. This year is no different as resorts, casinos and arenas around the city will be hosting an incredible list of headliners. The only problem? Deciding which event to attend each night!

Personally, we’d go big or go home with Georgia Straight and Aerosmith to kick things off! You can never go wrong with a double dose of “Cody” either, grabbing tickets at The Chelsea and Michelob Ultra Arena, where there’s truly not a bad seat in the house. Head over to the Mirage Resort and Casino for an amazing lineup almost every night of NFR.

From amazing headliners to traditional Las Vegas shows, restaurants, rodeo events and simply experiencing the Cowboy Glamor that is NFR, there is something for everyone on all ten days of this year’s National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas.

Sunset Swings

Step Back To The Past

Feel the Difference: Sunset Swings are Pendulum swings that provide a calm and relaxing motion. Spend quality time relaxing and visiting with loved ones and Friends, special times that are irreplaceable.

The solid frame which provides a secure movement without lateral motion have no pinch points along with 2” precision sealed steel bearings to ensure a smooth and relaxing motion with no maintenance. 530-526-4833, 530-528-2847 www.sunset-swings.com

ROOTS N’ BOOTS IT’S MORE THAN A RODEO

Since its inauguration in 2011, Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek has become an integral part of Queen Creek, Arizona’s ranching and agricultural community. Beginning as a two-day event with an estimated 8,000 guests, Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek has expanded to become one of the fastest-growing event extravaganzas in Arizona! Now boasting five days of non-stop action, Roots N’ Boots proudly welcomes well over 22,000 spectators to Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre where the festivities take place each year. In addition to their signature event taking place March 16-19, 2023, Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek has added yet another event to their annual roster, Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek Cowboy Christmas!

Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek Cowboy Christmas 2022

For its inaugural year, Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek is hosting Cowboy Christmas in Queen Creek! Hosted at Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre locals can enjoy a new shopping experience in addition to catching the last two performances of the National Finals Rodeo, streamed live from the Cowboy Channel. This fun will be taking place on December 9th and 10th, 2022 and you will be able to shop all the vendors on the 45,000 sq. ft. arena floor and enjoy the multitude of food trucks located on the Paseo. The NFR performances will be streamed onto the big screen in Arena 1.

This event will be free to the public, including entry and parking. This event will be serving as an exciting lead-in to the Roots N’ Boots signature event in March. You can learn more about attending this event at RootsNBoots.org/cowboy-christmas.

About Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek 2023

Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek activities will begin on March 15th and will run until Sunday, March 19th. Each day is packed to the brim with activities for the entire family to enjoy. Some of the activities include a carnival, rodeo dances, horsemanship clinics, petting zoos, Mutton Bustin’, live music entertainment, and even a cornhole tournament! Presented by Banner Ironwood Medical Center, Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek has been brought to life once again by the dedicated, Friends of Horseshoe Park Event Committee. Months of planning go into bringing the best-of-the-best family fun entertainment to Queen Creek, Arizona for this yearly extravaganza.

QUEEN CREEK

Schedule for Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek 2023

Wednesday, March 17

• 7:00pm – 9:00pm: All Women’s Rodeo (Free Entry)

Thursday, March 16

• 5:00pm – 8:00pm: Pony Rides & Free Petting Zoo

• 5:00pm – 11:00pm Dance Hall & Bar open

• 5:00pm – 11:00pm: Carnival and Vendors

• 5:00pm – 9:30pm: Rodeo Gates Open

• 6:00pm – 11:00pm: Community Roping by Heart Cry Church

• 7:00pm – 9:30pm: Chutes N’ Bulls PRCA Bull Riding

• 8:00pm – 11:30pm: Youth Dance

Friday, March 17

• 8:00am – 8:00pm: Pony Rides & Free Petting Zoo

• 9:00am – 10:00pm: Vendors Open

• 9:00am – 1:00pm: Special Kids Rodeo

• 10:00am – 4:00pm: Antique Tractor Show

• 3:00pm – 11:00pm: Carnival

• 3:00pm – 12:00am: Dance Hall and Bar Open

• 5:00pm: PRCA Gates Open

PRCA Rodeo Action

Rodeo action will kick off on Thursday night with Roots N’ Chutes, a bull riding only event featuring PRCA bull riders and some local youth bulls riders as well! Friday night is the first full rodeo with all eight events, followed by full performanc es on Saturday and Sunday as well. Make sure to check out the full schedule below on when the gates open and when the rodeos kick off each night. This is an open-seating event and event-goers are encouraged to buy tickets ahead of time because this event will sell out of seats!

Fun for the Whole Family

While the PRCA Pro Rodeo brings action to the rodeo arena each year, Roots N’ Boots is more than just a rodeo! With an impressive lineup of vendors to shop from, there is something for everyone at the Cowboy Marketplace. In addition to the vendors, there is also a carnival to be enjoyed by the whole family.

Another highlight of the Roots N’ Boots celebration is the Special Kids Rodeo. The

Special Kids Rodeo is a free event for children aged 5 through High School with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This event is chock-full of fun, hands-on activities for kids to explore with everything from touching and learning about different types of livestock feed, cowboy tools, and tack to participating in rodeo event games, there is plenty to look forward to at this year’s Special Kids Rodeo!

There are also the Ranch Dressing and Kids N’ Kritters events. Ranch Dressing is an event for the whole family as long as you are aged 12 and up. In teams of three, you have to put your skills to the test by dressing a goat. That’s right…a goat! For winning, you even get a beautiful custom rodeo buckle. The Kids N’ Kritters event is fun for kids aged 3-11 who want to get out for some western-themed fun. This event features mutton busting, stick horse racing, dash for cash, learning to rope, clownin’ around sack race, and ribbon pulling. If you have an older teen (12-19) then Roots N’ Boots has some thing for them too! Xtreme Teen includes events on foot such as goat roping, a chicken challenge, and the piggyback hustle. You can learn more about all of these events on their website at RootsNBoots.org.

• 7:00pm – 9:30pm: PRCA RODEO

• 8:00pm – 12:00am: Dance Featuring CrossRoad

Saturday, March 18

• 9:00am – 12:00pm: Kids N’ Kritters, incl Mutton Bustin’

• 9:00am – 10:00pm: Vendors

• 10:00am – 12:00am: Dance Hall & Bar Open

• 10:00am – 4:00pm: Antique Tractor Show

• 11:00am – 11:00pm: Carnival, Pony Rides, Free Petting Zoo, AgTivities Booth

• 12:00am – 4:00pm: Cornhole Tournament

• 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Ranch Dressing

• 1:00pm – 4:00pm: Xtreme Teen Rodeo

• 5:00pm – PRCA Gates Open

• 7:00pm – 9:30pm: PRCA RODEO

• 8:00pm – 12:00am: Dance Featuring the Harry Luge Band

Sunday, March 19

• 8:00am – 10:00am: Pancake Breakfast

• 9:00am – 10:00am: Cowboy Church

• 10:00am – 6:00pm: Vendors Open

• 10:00am – 6:00pm: Carnival, Agtivities, Pony Rides, Free Petting Zoo

• 10:00am – 6:00pm: Cowboy Mounted Shooting

• 11:00am–6:00pm: Dance Hall & Bar Open

• 1:00pm: PRCA Gates Open

• 3:00pm – 5:30pm: PRCA RODEO

• 6:00pm – Event Closed

The Rail Three Custom Leather Work by

Made in the USA hits a new level of authenticity when you purchase a handcrafted item from the ladies at Rail Three Ranch. Mother-daughter duo Sammi Jo Beebe and Pecas Sonora Beebe not only create, design, and produce beautiful, high-quality leather products, but they are also essential day help on their family’s cattle ranch in rural Arizona.

Sammi Jo started this story way back in 1997 inside her garage in Oklahoma, where she crafted an early version of the iconic leather flower well known today. Her creativity and dedication, along with a young Pecas’s assistance, helped grow an idea into a reality, and they eventually moved into a shop on their Oklahoma ranch. But Arizona was calling the Beebe family’s name, so they made the move and eventually settled about an hour and a half southeast of Phoenix in a dry,

saguaro-filled piece of country outside of Florence, Arizona.

The Rail Three Ranch Leather Shop sits in the city of Florence on the main drag. The address takes you to a historic adobe building built in 1889. Florence, which has deep roots in agriculture dating all the way back to the Hohokam people, continues to serve this purpose. As more people move to the cities and fewer people farm or raise animals, small towns like Florence continue to see a reduction in local business, so enti ties like the Rail Three Ranch Leather Shop and the actual Rail Three Ranch are essential to the local economy. Pecas says the ranch is what keeps them in Florence.

Their shop and ranch aren’t the only ways they contribute to their local economy. Back in 2018, Shad, husband, and fa ther to the ladies behind the brand, started a Ranch Rodeo, which welcomes people from the area to enter as a competitor

Ranch Cowgirls for Cowgirls

along a photo album full of their leather work, found the right people to show it to, and the following year landed a spot in the show.

Preparation for the big event takes a lot of time, starting early in August, but the real prep gets going in the “burrr” months, as Pecas puts it. Septem ber, October, and November are when the throttle is pushed into high gear, and all their products are made in mass but by hand. Pocketbooks, jewelry cases, wallets, door signs, halters, bridles, and more are in production for all the shoppers who join them at Cowboy Christmas.

A true family business, the ladies in the leather shop can are often found out on the ranch along with the cowboys. As true stewards of the land, the ranch is only stocked with half the amount of cattle the land could carry in case of drought, but even that number requires many men (and women) hours to do the work. When mother nature provides, they will run more cattle, requiring even more time. On the flip side, the men of the ranch, including Shad and Carly, Pecas’s fiance, and the other assortment of help on the ranch, can often be found at the leather shop, helping with the heavy items like breast collars and the loading of the trailer for the next show. Every year these gentlemen drive the ladies to Vegas, help them set up their large NFR booth, and break it all down at the end of those ten days.

Pecas, who took on a more prominent role in the shop after graduating from high school, helped to evolve the brand and brought the company online into the digital space. Not only do these ladies make beautiful leather products, but their social media is also nothing short of entertaining. Join them on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look at the shop in all states of organization or lack thereof, peaks at the beautiful Arizona countryside, and don’t forget the numerous reels where they poke fun at current circum stances and even themselves. If you cannot make it to Vegas to meet these gals in person, their online store is easy to use and carries a wide variety of items. Watch for shop updates after big events where you can pick up what other people missed out on.

or just to enjoy a nice winter day in Arizona, watching ranchers and cow boys compete. This event was a way to bring notoriety to the storefront, which had recently opened in the area, and to get ranchers together for a fun day of friendly competition and camaraderie. Typical rodeo events aren’t seen at this competition, but instead, events mimicking ranch chores like team tying, stray gathering, and bronc riding are featured. A small booth is set up with the leather products from the shop, but most of Pecas’ time is spent helping her dad put on the event.

An event looked forward to by many, including the Beebe family, is the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada, but more specifically, Cinch Western Gift Show at SouthPoint. Heading into their 10th year of selling their wares at this legendary trade show, Sammi Jo and Pecas are seasoned veterans in this space. When Shad was participating in the team roping ten years ago, Sammi Jo and Pecas had time to kill, and what better way to do that than to shop? With her true entrepreneurial spirit, Sammi Jo brought

What makes western items like the ones you get from Rail Three Ranch exceptional is not just the beauty and style but also the inherent longevity those items bring. Whether you splurge on a large custom pocket book or a small wallet, a bridle, or a breast collar, you can be guaranteed that item will last. Maybe your grown children will turn it over in their hands, admiring the attention to detail in the choice of colors in the embroidered mountains on a pocketbook or smile in recognition at the age of the flowers on the headstall as they pull it over their horse’s ears. Either way, buying from a company like this isn’t just supporting one person. It’s supporting a family with deep roots in the western lifestyle and the community in which they reside. When you retract the lens further, it’s one small family doing all they can to keep the world of the west alive.

If you’re heading to the NFR, be sure to check out the Rail Three Ranch booth at SouthPoint. But if you can’t make it to Vegas, you can still shop with them at www.railthreeranch.com. Follow along on all their adventures at www.instagram.com/railthreeranch. Also, hot off the presses, the ladies were given a spot at the WRCA Finals in Amarillo, which is one more way to shop with them!

DISCOVER NAVAJO NATION: CANYON DE CHELLY

Let’s explore the beautiful and historic, Canyon de Chelly! Actually pronounced “canyon d’shay”, the name “Chelly” is based on the Navajo word, “Tséyiʼ”, which means “can yon” (literally “inside the rock” < tsé “rock” + -yiʼ “inside of, within”). Canyon de Chelly was not only home to the Navajo, but also the previous Ancestral Puebloans (or Anasazi) for nearly 5,000 years which is longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted anywhere on the Colorado Plateau. Still today, Na vajo families make their homes, raise livestock, and farm the lands in the canyons. As we dive deeper into the Navajo culture and explore everything they have to offer, we want to remind everyone to be respectful when travel ing and always read up on local and regional updates for the area you will be visiting.

About Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly is located at 5,500 feet above sea level and has canyon walls that stretch 1,000 feet down or up depend ing on if you’re looking up or down. Spring can be cool and windy with highs ranging from 50 to 70 and lows of around 35 degrees. It is encouraged to not travel the canyons during any kind of bad weather as you could run into dust storms and canyon flooding. If you’re traveling in the summer, it will be hot and dry with highs ranging from 85 to 100 and lows of around 50 degrees. Fall is often warm and often wet with highs from 60 to 80 and lows of around 40 degrees. If you are mak ing travel plans for the fall, you can expect lightning, thunderstorms, and flash floods so please check the weather before making the trip. Winters are cold and breezy with highs from 40 to 60 and lows of at least 18 degrees. It isn’t uncommon for the canyon walls to see at least 1-4 inches of snow and freezing nighttime temperatures.

It’s time to explore the Navajo Nation! With endless opportunities for traveling and learning about the local culture, Canyon de Chelly is one to add to your bucket list.

What to do While You’re There

The first thing we recommend starting with is the Canyon de Chelly Welcome Center, it is free to enter and you can pick up a park map and browse the park store. The Welcome Center and parking lot gates open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day so make sure to plan accordingly.

If you aren’t big on hiking, then we have the perfect way for you to see the park. Take a scenic drive on the two paved rim drives which lead to over looks that provide breathtaking views of the canyon below. We recommend allowing two hours to visit the three overlooks on the North Rim Drive. This route is best for morning photos. If you want to do the South Rim Drive, we recommend planning for two hours with stops at six overlooks. This route is best for afternoon photos and it’s important to note that the overlooks are open year-round.

Recommendations

Based on Time

• 2 Hours – Visit all 6 overlooks on South Rim Drive OR all 3 overlooks on North Rim Drive.

• 1/2 Day – Visit all 9 overlooks on South and North Rim Drive OR take a half-day canyon tour.

• 1 Day – Visit all 9 overlooks on South and North Rim Drives PLUS take a half-day canyon tour OR join an all-day canyon tour.

• 2 Days – Visit all 9 overlooks on South and North Rim Drives PLUS join an all-day guided tour and visit our sister parks nearby at Navajo National Monument or Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site.

Hiking & Camping

If you’re looking for a hike to get a better view and history of the can yons, you can participate in a ranger-led program that includes hikes and talks starting in August. You can check the Welcome Center for the cur rent activity schedule. You can also plan on camping if you want to spend more than a day taking in the culture and beautiful landscape. Camping at the Cottonwood Campground is first-come, first-serve and there are no showers or hookups. Call the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department at 928-674-2106 for details.

Guided Canyon Tours

Enjoy a tour into the canyon by vehicle, horseback, or hiking. There are private companies registered with the Navajo Parks and Recreation Depart ment (NPRD) that provide phe nomenal canyon tours within the park. Please contact the companies directly for prices, reservations, and availability. Reservations are recommended from March to October. Use of private vehicles, ATVs, UTVs, or motorbikes for tours is not permitted. A listing of Tour Companies is available at the NPRD office at the entrance of the Cottonwood Campground. Call 928-674-2106 for more information.

DIY Horseshoe Boot Rack

With winter in full swing, it’s the perfect time to break out your Forney welder and create a simple do-it-yourself project from the comfort of your own garage. Follow these steps to create a unique horseshoe boot rack to display your favorite boots for winters to come!

You will need 12 horseshoes, 1 steel round bar, flap discs, cut off wheel, angle grinder and a Forney welder. Before you begin, make sure you are working in a safe welding environment and wearing the proper PPE to protect yourself against dangerous arc flash and sparks.

START YOUR PROJECT BY LAYING 6 horseshoes side by side, and tack weld them together to keep them in place. Before welding, we suggest using the end of your welding table or a long ruler to make sure they’re lined up nice and straight.

NEXT, SET THEM TO THE SIDE AND GRAB 3 additional horseshoes- these will act as one side of the supporting edge. Line them up so that they are all touching at the base, and tack weld together. Repeat this step with the remaining 3 horseshoes to finish constructing the supporting edges.

LET’S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER! LINE UP YOUR first edge on one end of the 6-horseshoe base at a 90-degree angle, with the opening of one horseshoe facing down. You can use a magnet to help with this, but eyeballing works too!

Once everything is lined up appropriately, you can tack weld the supporting edge to the base. Repeat that step with the other edge.

NEXT, GRAB YOUR ROUND BAR- THIS WILL ACT as the support beam. Begin by measuring the distance from one edge to the other. Then mark the round bar and cut to size. We suggest using a pair of boots as a reference point to make sure the heels of your boots fit comfortably on the support beam.

ONCE YOU’RE SATISFIED WITH THE WAY everything lines up, weld the round bar on each side. Reinforce all your tack welds to make the bond is nice and strong. We suggest using a flap disc or chipping hammer to clean up the welds for a more appealing look.

THAT’S ALL THERE IS TO IT! YOU’RE now the proud owner of a custom horseshoe boot rack. You can customize your project by giving it a fresh coat of paint or keep it as is.

FOR A FULL STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL, VISIT FORNEY’S YOUTUBE PAGE OR THE ASKFORNEY.COM BLOG

A RECAP OF LONGMIRE DAYS WITH AMERICA’S FAVORITE SHERIFF

Growing up in the 70s and 80s I watched too much television but thankfully, I also read too many books. Since I was immersed in these fantasy worlds, a dream of mine was to walk through these worlds and the locations I became so familiar with. Places like Walnut Grove from Little House on the Prairie, the Batcave from Batman or Hazzard Square, or the Boar’s Nest from The Dukes of Hazzard. Maybe I could have visited The Shire and had a beer with Bilbo from The Hobbit, or gone with the Pevensie children through the Wardrobe into Narnia.

This summer I was able to live some of that dream by attending Longmire Days 2022 which is a celebration of the writings by author Craig Johnson, as well as the Netflix show based on his writings titled “Longmire”.

Longmire Days started in 2012 in Buffalo, Wyoming. It originally started with the author, Craig Johnson, signing his books in front of the Busy Bee Restaurant. For the last 11 years (including a pause for Covid), it has grown from a small, localized event, to now drawing up to 15,000 fans from around the world. Consult a map of Wyoming and notice that Buffalo is not neces sarily the most convenient location to get to from just about anywhere. There are approximately 4,600 full-time residents, causing this to significantly tem porarily increase the town’s population. Over the years, many of the actors featured in the series have made an appearance and interacted with the fans. Some of the activities during the festival include a parade, horseback riding,

tea with celebrities, book events, and a Cowboys versus Indians softball game.

Longmire Days is not all fun and games though, the proceeds from the auction and raffles held during the event support the Longmire Foundation. According to the website,

“The mission of the Longmire Foundation is to facilitate the Johnson family’s vision of community involvement and support based on the Long mire principles of honesty, integrity, and compassion.”

The Foundation ensures that they give back to those that need it most and that they will always be a source of hope. Past recipients of donations from the Longmire Foundation include the National Indigenous Women’s Re source Center, Johnson County Search and Rescue, K9s for Warriors, and the St. Francis Animal Shelter. The Longmire Foundation is also a Platinum sponsor for The Longmire Night Rodeo.

Longmire Days 2022 occurred August 18 - 21, 2022 and the entire event is centered around the town of Buffalo, Johnson County, Wyoming, which is the model of the fictional town of Durant in Absaroka County in Wyoming. Reading the books is like a map of Durant (aka Buffalo). Don’t try to find Absaroka County on the map; it doesn’t exist. On each license plate in Wyo ming, the first number on the plate is the county designation. There are 23 counties in Wyoming, and each number is associated with one of those coun ties. In both the books and the series, Absaroka County is county number 24.

• Lede and Left: The Occidental Hotel and lobby

• Above Left: Craig Johnson discussing the vehicles and firearms of Longmire at one of the ancillary events of Longmire Days.

• Above Right: The Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum

About Longmire Days

The love of the fans was evident at this year’s Longmire days. Craig Johnson is always the main celebrity at Longmire Days and this year, Robert Taylor, the actor who played Walt Longmire was in attendance. Both Craig and Rob are very accessible to all the fans throughout the entire event. I can only imagine the hundreds of pictures that were taken with them and the number of autographs they each signed. As a fan, it is always fun to attend events that feature a celebrity, but it is a cherry on top to meet and interact with them. Both of them are such great guys and from the banter between them, it is evident they are great friends.

My daughter Micaela attended Longmire Days with me

and we were enthralled when we first entered the town. She is also a Longmire fan and is very familiar with the books and the layout of the town as described in the books. In fact, she was rereading Craig’s first novel “The Cold Dish” while we were there to familiarize herself with the characters and the geography.

First Stop: Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum

The first place we stopped was the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum, which is a wonderful mu seum detailing the local western history. Fictionally, the Absaroka County Sheriff’s department is housed in the building, which is a former Carnegie Library. Currently, the museum features detailed exhibits recounting the history of Johnson County and the Johnson County War. In addition to the main building, there are additional facilities including the Carriage House, Tipis, and a log cabin on the property. My daughter and I visited the museum several times including a quiet afternoon when we perused their extensive books for sale.

Second Stop: The Occidental Hotel

A stop at the downtown area to visit the historic Occidental Hotel was equally amazing. It is like stepping into a western movie. They have an extensive collection of historical photos and artifacts throughout the entire first floor. In addition to the hotel’s rich history which is evident by even a brief visit, the Hotel sports two restaurants, the Busy Bee and The Virginian, and the bar which serves pub food. It is clear that the bar at the Occidental is the center of Buffalo nightlife. While we visited, there was live music every night, and the bar was always packed. It was a great place to grab a Rainier Beer (the official beer of Longmire).

Third Stop: Bucking Buffalo Supply Company

Visiting downtown would not be complete without visiting “Longmire Campaign Headquarters”, the Bucking Buffalo Supply Company. This large store on South Main Street is packed with Long mire memorabilia and has a myriad of western wear and Buffalo souvenirs. Buffalo’s downtown alone was worth the trip.

The four days we were in Buffalo were chock full of events designed for the fans. Buffalo became a showpiece for the event, having side events hosted everywhere from the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum to the Buffalo High School, the bandshell in the park, and the Bomber Mountain Civic Center. We attended a presentation by Craig and a representative from the Cody Firearms Museum discussing the guns of Longmire. The actual guns from the show are currently on display at the museum in Cody. Wednesday evening and Sunday afternoon we attended the Longmire Days Rodeo at the Johnson County fairgrounds in Buffalo. The Jim Gatchell Museum hosted an event on the history of Johnson County with dramatic readings by Craig & Rob. The Conversation with Celebrities event is always a big hit. On Friday night, they held a live auction with real auctioneers in the garden of The Occidental Hotel. There was Longmire memorabilia, custom-made knives and figures, and Rainier beer swag. Rounding everything out was a Street Dance on Saturday night, and a VIP Pig Roast at the TA Ranch on Sunday. All of these events would not have been possible without the army of volunteers helping with every aspect of the events.

As of today, Craig Johnson has written 18 Walt Longmire novels, 2 novellas, and 2 collections of short stories. The television network A&E created the show Longmire because they wanted a show that featured heroes, and debuted on June 3, 2012. From the outset, the show had a strong following for the 3 seasons on A&E. A&E decided to not renew Longmire for a 4th season. The story would have ended there if it was not for The Longmire Posse headed by the late Pamela Nordick. Pamela’s nephew, Adam Bartley, plays The Ferg on Longmire, so she has a direct connection. Through a series of social network campaigns, and Longmire Stampedes, The Longmire Posse was successful and the show was picked up by Netflix which aired the first episode of season 4 on September 10, 2015. Longmire finally completed its 6th season run on November 17th, 2017. To date, Longmire is still in the top 20 shows on Netflix and it is the only one that is not still in production. The power of Longmire fans is amazing!

Q&A

THE LONGMIRE SERIES

Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Longmire mysteries, the basis for the hit Netflix original series Longmire. He is the recipient of the Western Writers of America Spur Award for fiction, the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award for fiction, the Nouvel Observateur Prix du Roman Noir, and the Prix SNCF du Polar. His novella Spirit of Steamboat was the first One Book Wyoming selection.

Robert: I have read all the novels, novellas, and short stories. My family looks forward to receiving an email from you on Christmas for your annual Christmas story. I have watched the Longmire series more times than I can count, I have been at many of your speaking events, and I just attended Longmire Days for the first time. In short, I am a BIG fan. But, who is Walt Longmire?

Craig: In essence, he stands in opposition against injustice, a vertical figure in a horizontal landscape. I’ve often referred to the beauty and vastness of the American West as pulling at the corners of your eyes, and I think Walt is a part of that. When I first started writing crime fiction, everything in the genre was noir--gritty, urban, alcoholic, divorced detectives, just not the folks I knew in law enforcement. I thought, what if you wrote about the sheriff of the least populated county in the least populated state in the country, a contemporary man who harkens back to Roy Rogers and Gene Autrey—not perfect, but a guy who tries.

Robert: In addition to him being an imposing figure, he is well-read, a musician, and extremely intuitive and smart. How did his character transpire?

Craig: One of the big misperceptions about cowboys is that they were only dumb, itinerant, agricultural workers, when, in fact, most people

of that period were self-educated. Heck, one of the most referred to books as being read by the cow boys in Louis L’Amour’s novels is Plutarch’s Lives. It also helps that Walt’s a big guy and, between being an offensive lineman at the University of Southern California and a Marine Investigator in Vietnam, he reads and he remembers what he reads, which makes him a formidable adversary.

Robert: Walt is surrounded by a great cast of characters, most importantly a number of strong women. How is that important in the construction of your novels?

Craig: Having spent the majority of my life in the company of men in education, sports, and the workplace, I find women vastly more intrigu ing. I think men are at their best when they’re interacting with women, they’re also on their best behavior, which creates a conflict. Writing novels is somewhat like conducting a choral group, and those female voices are important to telling any story. Besides, with a wife, two daugh ters, and a granddaughter, strong women are the only type of women I know.

Robert: Why is Walt’s hometown Durant in Absaroka County, and not Buffalo, in Johnson County, which is the town you use as a model?

Craig: I wanted to give the novels a certain amount of literary license, that I’m not exactly writing documentaries. I’m not the first author

to give themselves a little breathing room in that manner. Mostly it’s the history and social aspects that I like to change, but Absaroka is Johnson County. I was having lunch with the Wyoming Office of Tourism, and they were telling me how much they loved the books, and I asked them why? They said that even though Absaroka County is fictitious I use all the businesses, landmarks, roads, and trails so that it’s easy to tell the tourists where they are. I’ve always found it’s easier to remember the truth, even when writing a novel.

Robert: How did the TV show come about?

Craig: Warner Brothers came knocking on the door of my literary agent in New York. They were looking for strong characters, not particu larly crime fiction, not western, but strong, com plex characters. She tossed them The Cold Dish, the first book in the Longmire series, and they asked her if she had any other books she wanted to give them. She told them, “Not until you read that one.” Here we are six years after ceasing production, and Longmire is still one of the top ten to twenty shows streaming on Netflix on any given week.

Robert: Longmire Days in Buffalo, Wyo ming, just celebrated its 10th anniversary (includ ing a pause for COVID). It seems like it has come a long way. Can you go into more detail about the events that take place?

Craig: Every year we invite the actors from the TV show to Buffalo, Wyoming along with about fifteen thousand of their closest friends. The first one was something of a FEMA disaster in that the banks and ATMs ran out of money, the restaurants and grocery stores ran out of food, and our one tower couldn’t support the extra fifteen thousand cell phones. People were walking around holding their phones in the air and looking at the little blue circle of death.

Robert: A New York Times Bestseller and a successful TV show on NETFLIX, why do you think your stories are so appealing?

Craig: I think there’s an honesty to the char acters, an intelligence, humor, and decency that reflects the contemporary American West, that’s not to say there aren’t any rough edges in the stories or the dialogue, but I think that’s honest, too. Walt’s pretty capable and a good guy—decent is the term I always use. I think that makes him easy to root for, and with the situations I put him in in the high plains of Wyoming, he needs all the help he can get.

Digging into the Max® Multipurpose Tool Kit by Forrest Tool Company

What is the Max® Multipurpose Tool Kit?

Iwant to start by giving you a little background on the tool itself. If you’ve been looking for a does-it-all tool to add to your collection, then you can stop looking. Unlike other bulky tool kits that take up valuable space, this tool comes with eight commonly used tools all in one light weight, easy-to-carry, and stow case. One of the things we love most about the MAX® is that it is proudly manufactured in the USA and is a standard piece of equipment on Army Light Tacti cal Vehicles. Now that you have the basics, let’s dig a bit deeper!

The MAX® Ax is great for splitting firewood for a campfire, wood stove, or relaxing fireplace at home. You can also use it to fell trees for wood, or buck logs and trees that have fallen on the trail or path that you’re following. The handle of the ax is made out of composite polyglass, making it light and easy to get the job done.

STRIKING SURFACE

The MAX® Hudson Bay ax head has a striking surface that is opposite of the ax blade. This works in a pinch as a hammer if you need to mend fences or other structures on the ranch. It is also perfect for driving tent stakes, anchors, spikes, or anything else you need to secure to the ground. Stash away that hammer, the MAX® has you covered!

PICK

The MAX® pick is an excellent tool for busting up rocky soil before moving it or breaking up stuck-together material such as feed, hay, or ice, for spreading. If you want to loosen up some stubborn ground before planting, this is your tool!

RAKE & HOE (MCLEOD)

The McCleod rake and hoe attachment is the perfect combo tool! Its primary purpose in fire control is to cut fire breaks in the land to prevent/manage the ability of wildfire to spread. It’s also great for campsite preparation. You can use the rake side to collect kindling and clear brush, then turn it around to level space for the tent, firepit, and camp furniture.

MATTOCK

The mattock, when attached, turns the MAX® into a Pulaski, which is a primary tool for fire control efforts. The mattock attachment cuts through roots and soil like butter and is great for digging out a trench quickly or removing tree stumps and roots around your property.

BROAD PICK

The MAX® broad pick is ideal for tearing through tough, wet soil such as clay or silt that won’t loosen up the way rocky or dry soil will. It’s great for narrow trench work if you need to lay wire or conduit. It also works great as a pry-bar to lever heavy objects that need to be moved, whether you need to pull some boards from a fence or building, or you are trying to shift boulders or large logs to other locations. The MAX® broad pick is one of those tools that is handy in any situation you put it in.

SHOVEL

The MAX® shovel is a key element in our kit. With a full-size shovel blade, it makes recovery efforts a breeze. You can use it to dig your vehicle out when it high-centers, gets stuck, or to dig a quick latrine if you catch yourself in a bind. At 34 inches, it’s not quite a full-length shovel, but it’s longer than most camp shovels. The shovel, combined with the polyglass ax handle provides an ergonomic grip that’s shaped to be strong wherever you’re applying force.

FORREST TOOL Company has been creating rugged and military-grade tools for more than 25 years. It was important to them from day one to provide their customers with a product that could not only withstand the toughest conditions but also be proudly made in America. When you make the purchase on your Forrest Tool, you are making a one-time investment in a tool that will last a lifetime. Made in America, trusted by the military, you can’t go wrong with this allin-one tool.

Eight

Having a versatile, rugged and well-made multi-purpose tool on hand is a must for property maintenance. Whether it’s making quick work of a tree to lay a new fence-line, uprooting stone and clearing out irrigation ditches or simply splitting firewood, the importance of a quality tool cannot be over stated.

Forrest Tool Company’s The MAX® tool Is perfect for throwing in your pack, in the back of your ATV or mounting to your truck so that the right tool is always on hand.

Cozy

Southwestern

Using natural and warm color tones makes a home feel welcoming and cozy. While white has been the main color in many homes over the past few years it’s slowly trending out and we’re seeing a lot more natural colors with pops of color in the home decor such as this Secoya Blanket or rugs like The Island Area Rug.

Trending Styles for The Modern Western Home

India started this business because she was having trouble finding decor to match her vision of a modern western style, a growing trend in the western decor space that speaks to the millennial audience. Being a millennial herself, India no ticed a gap in the marketplace for western home decor that was chic and stylish enough that her friends would want to use it in their homes. And that’s how Western Home Designs was born. India’s goal is to provide home decor ac cents that are a blend of that traditional western flare with modern touches that feel fun, fresh, and full of character.

When it comes to this modern approach to western home decor, few brands are getting it right. The truth is “modern western” spans far beyond home decor into cat egories including fashion, baby, furniture, artwork, and more. Want to see some “modern western” in action? Here are some of the top styles Western Home Designs is seeing for 2023 that are sure to steal your attention, too.

Depth and Texture

By using unique shapes, different depths of shelves, and decor, Marijka Hunsaker shows us how much personality you can give to a room by adding depth and texture. She utilized this small half bath to perfection from the decor to the design of the room. Learn more on how to make small rooms feel bigger here.

Black and Brown

We know, we know, your mom told you black and brown don’t go together. Well, the general consensus lately is that’s not entirely true when it comes to home decor. Some of our favorite designers, decorators, and influencers have been pairing brown and black in their homes this year and it’s beautiful. This black Diamante Blanket with natural wood headboard and leather throw pillow is the perfect example of using black and brown together in the same room.

Boho and Airy

Boho style has been around since the 70s but what happens when you mix boho and western?

Magic! One of the most popular home decor trends in the western industry today is adding that touch of boho style into your home. With light neutrals, complemented by bold darks and different textures, you can achieve this look in your own home as well. The Achuar Blanket featured here is just one example of how you can add in that bold color for the perfect mix of western and boho.

Moody With Aztec

Another trend on the rise is using mirrors like this hexagonal 3D framed mirror to add to the mood in a room. You can also use black as an accent color in your home like Marijka Hunsaker did here with this beautiful dresser that was a DIY project, it’s a perfect touch of the modern western style. You can find more western DIY ideas on Western Home Designs Pinterest.

Cowboy-Approved Holiday Recipes

Welcome back to another edition of Krysta’s Kitchen! I hope you all know

Recipe

• Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Mix your cream cheese, goat cheese, bacon/panc etta, and red pepper together in a bowl. You might need to warm up your cream cheese to make sure it’s easily spreadable. This can be done the day before and refrigerated until you’re ready to bake.

• Make sure your puff pasty is completely thawed out. Unfold one sheet and gently spread half of your filling on the dough in an even layer.

• Starting with the end closest to you, roll the dough into a log and gently cut the log into 10 slices, about ½ inch thick each. It’s okay if they smoosh a little, just reshape them before laying them flat on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

• Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet

• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.

•

BEEF WELLINGTON

Recipe

Tenderloin Prep

•

•

•

• If the butcher prepared the beef for you, it shouldn’t have any silver skin or a lot of fat on it. If it still has some, make sure to trim that away before searing. Additionally, have the butcher tie it with butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals. Season generously all over with salt and pepper.

• Heat a large skillet over high heat until smoking hot, then add the olive oil. Once hot, sear the tenderloin on all sides for about 2 minutes per side. Resist the urge to move the meat around, you want to get a really good crust on it so it will seal in all the juices.

• Remove the seared tenderloin from the pan and cut off the twine. Brush it on all sides with the mustard while the meat is still warm. Set aside.

Make Your Mushroom Pâté

• You can use a food processor for this, but a good ole fashioned knife does the trick as well. I chopped all of the mushrooms into pretty small pieces. The goal shouldn’t be to taste the mushrooms themselves, they really just give the meat a great umami flavor to the beef. I had several anti-mushrooms eaters at my table and none of them complained!

• Finely chop your shallots, thyme leaves, and garlic and combine them with your mushrooms.

• In the same pan used to sear the tenderloin, heat the but ter and olive oil until melted.

• Add your mushroom mixture and season with salt and pepper. Cook them on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid then con tinue to cook the mushroom mixture for an additional 4-5 minutes to brown the mushrooms.

• Remove from the heat and let cool.

Wellington Assembly

• Lay out two large pieces of plastic wrap, slightly over lapping each other. You want them long enough to have 1-2 inches on each side of your tenderloins and enough to wrap all the way around it at least once.

• Lay out your prosciutto in slightly overlapping rows to form a square that will be large enough to wrap the tenderloin in.

• Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the pro sciutto, then place the tenderloin on one end.

• Use the plastic wrap to help you roll the tenderloin in the prosciutto and mushrooms, wrapping it tightly to form a log. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll it up. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap closed, then place the tenderloin in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to help make sure it will all hold together.

• Preheat oven to 425°F.

• Make sure your puff pastry is completely thawed, you will need both sheets to make one large sheet. Roll out the thawed puff pastry with a rolling pin to give your self an extra inch or so on each side.

• Press the edges of the two sheets together with a little egg wash or water to seal. It should create a rectan gle large enough to wrap the prosciutto-wrapped tenderloin.

• Remove the tenderloin from the plastic wrap, then place it on the puff pastry.

• Roll it up first, then make sure you have enough on the ends to cover your roast entirely. I had extra pastry on the end, so I cut off the excess, and wrapped the ends like a Christmas present, tucking the ends under and brushing the beaten egg over the long edge to seal it all up. You don’t want a ton of overlapping pastry as you will end up with partially uncooked dough.

• IMPORTANT: Cut diagonal slashes every inch or so down the length of the pastry to allow steam to vent while the wellington is baking.

• Transfer the wrapped beef wellington to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with the remaining egg wash.

• Sprinkle the top with flaky salt or coarse sea salt.

• Bake until golden brown on the outside and the tender loin reaches 130-135°F on a digital meat thermometer for medium-rare doneness. This is typically around 40 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of your tenderloin. Remove from the oven and rest for at least 10 minutes before

For those of you who are just hearing about the Bucks for the Brave program, here’s a little backstory. Seven years ago, Record Rack learned what the importance and impact of being outdoors had on those who have put their lives on the line for their community and their country. They

RETIRED FIREFIGHTER WINNER

BUCKS FOR THE BRAVE

wanted to be able to provide these heroes with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that they may not have received otherwise. So, the Bucks for the Brave Program was born.

Over the last few months, families and friends had the chance to nominate their own heroes to win this all-inclusive, weekend hunting trip at

Lyn Dupree COAST GUARD WINNER

the Thumbtack Ranch in Batesville, Texas. Each year, five veterans (one in each branch of the military) as well as one retired law enforcement, one retired firefighter, and one retired EMT have the chance to win. This year is no different, we are excited to introduce to you the eight winners of this year’s Bucks for the Brave Heroes Hunt.

Our first winner is a 2nd generation Firefighter who served 38+ years in his com munity. He started out as a Police Officer and Paramedic, before entering the fire service. After 30 years, he retired as the Assistant Chief of the Denver Fire Department. He was also a member of IAFF Local 858 and helped create the department’s burn fund charity to help residents affected by the devastation of fire. His sons tell us he is a caring, grateful, and deserving Dad. His years of service are catching up to him and is now suffering the health effects the job can bring. Even though he is currently battling severe arthritis and cancer, he still misses his job every day. We want to fulfill this bucket list item for you, Gregory Taft. You are this year’s Bucks for the Brave Firefighter winner.

Our next winner was nominated by his daughter, who sees her Dad as a hero and a friend. He was a leader throughout his 27 years in the Coast Guard, who looked out for the growth and success of his crew mates. When he retired from the service, he started dedicating his life to the JROTC program at the local high school. He has transformed the program into a machine for the community, learning, fun, and the development of young leaders. He dedicated his life to serving others and sharing wisdom when he can, while also learning from those around him. His loyalty, in tegrity, and extremely sharp humor are written into his DNA, and show up in everything he does. He received multiple commendations and medals during his service, and we would now like to reward him as the 2022 Bucks for the Brave Coast Guard Winner. Congratulations Lyn Dupree!

Craig Spieker

RETIRED EMT WINNER

Our next winner has dedicated his life to serving. After leaving the Army, he joined the Police Force and retired in 2012. Rather than focusing on himself, he wanted to continue to serve his community. He became a firefighter and EMT and just last year, retired as Chief of EMS. He received 21 life-saving service medals, and the Presidential lifetime achievement award, amongst many others during his 30+ years of dedicated service to our country and the communities he lived in. This Hero continues to give back through the Guitars for Vets. He was a recipient and graduate of the program, and now is an instructor for this awesome program. He is also helping mentor and lead the next generation of first responders as the Associate Director of the Fire EMS Explorers program for his county. Craig Spieker, it’s our turn to thank you for your lifetime service. Congratulations on being the 2022 Bucks for the Brave EMT winner.

Ryan Smith

NAVY WINNER

Our next winner recently retired after 21+ years in the Navy, due to health injuries he suffered from his tours to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was a respected leader serving side by side with his brothers. He was boots on the ground in Iraq, leading a team of untrained sailors on a mission. He also helped run the world’s largest detainment facility and was instrumental in changing how we conduct detainee operations in a wartime zone. He received multiple commendations and medals throughout his service for his actions. He and his wife continue to give back through the Foster Care system. Despite having three children of their own, they are in the process of adopting twin boys and their older brother so they can have a better life. If that wasn’t enough, his family runs an animal shelter that helps save dogs from being euthanized and rescues cows, ducks, and whatever else you can think of. This man has a servant’s heart for sure. I think it’s time for us to give back to you Ryan Smith. Congratulations on being this year’s Bucks for the Brave winner representing the Navy.

Nick Moore

ARMY WINNER

Our next winner will represent the Army Veterans. The first thing that comes to mind about this hero is John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” On one of his deployments, he willingly jumped on top of a junior soldier, bring ing him to the ground, and took rounds to protect that soldier. This Ranger was part of an elite special operations unit that engaged in brutal street combat in pursuit of Iraq’s Most Wanted. He has lived a life in service, often secretly covering the front page of our newspapers

as a nameless ghost, winning the fight and bringing our own home. He was part of the team involved in the rescue of Private First Class Jessica Lynch. He led a platoon of Rangers against a heav ily fortified enemy to save US Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell and make sure no man was left behind. He is a humble leader, never wanting recognition for himself, and always puts his soldiers first. This man was awarded multiple medals for his actions including Purple Heart, 2 Bronze Stars, and Army Commendation Medal with valor. Due to his injuries, he has not been able to hunt for years. Nick Moore, we got your 6. Congratulations on being the 2022 Bucks for the Brave winner representing the Army.

MARINE CORPS WINNER

Our next winner received two Purple Hearts and Navy Commendation during the thankless war in Vietnam. During his two tours there, he was shot near his elbow, leaving it nearly immobile, has had to have both knees replaced and to this day, still carries shrapnel in his lungs. However, you will never hear him complain. He is a positive influence on those around him and has always worked hard and done whatever it takes to keep his family happy, healthy, and successful. He has four grandchildren under six years old, with another on the way. He has become their built-in full-time babysitter and he wouldn’t change that for the world. In the last few years, he has lost his two best friends and hunting buddies. His own health has made his opportunities to hunt become less and less. Well, James Harper, I can’t think of a better way to thank you for your service than to announce you as this year’s Marine Corp Winner. Welcome, Home Sir and welcome to the Bucks for the Brave family!

Ismael Villegas

AIR FORCE WINNER

Our next winner served a total of 10 combat deployments to Af ghanistan, Iraq, South America, and Africa. He joined the Air Force at the age of 18 and went straight into the Air Force Special Warfare as a Combat Controller. During his deployments, as a result of direct com bat, this Senior Master Sergeant incurred multiple injuries and has had to have more than 10 surgeries to repair the damage throughout his body. He received multiple medals in recognition of his heroism, including the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star with Valor, and a Purple Heart. He continues to serve the Veteran community as a strength and conditioning coach and mentor to future Special War fare Airmen. He always puts his fellow Veterans first before himself. Congratulations Ismael Villegas! You are the 2022 Air Force Bucks for the Brave winner!

RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT

WINNER

The weight of the badge. Not many can carry it, much less have the strength to do it for 31+ years. He received life-saving awards throughout his career, including one for rescuing a teenager that had rolled her car down an embankment into icy water during 9-degree weather. He fear lessly jumped in and held her head above water until additional help arrived to get her out. He successfully negotiated the release of a 13-year-old kidnapped girl being held hostage in a trunk. After multiple years as a police officer, he

transferred to the MI Dept of Natural Resources as a conservation officer where he received numer ous commendations. Unfortunately, this man’s career almost came to a halt when he was struck head-on while on snowmobile patrol. He was determined to persevere and he did. After recov ery, he was promoted to detective in the Special Investigations Unit working undercover to take down national criminal poachers. He also assisted in taking down illegal guns and drug trafficking. No matter where he was working, he strived to show the public a welcoming and positive image of Law Enforcement Officers. Thank you Michael Johnson for your life-long career protecting others. Congratulations on being this year’s Bucks for the Brave winner representing your brothers and sisters in blue.

Wow! What an amazing group of heroes. I speak for the whole team when I say that we are truly honored to be in the presence of this many American heroes in one place. I can’t wait to join these men on a trip of a lifetime, hear their personal stories, and watch this amazing group of people come together to celebrate them. A special thanks to Record Rack and their dedication to honoring America’s heroes and to the partners below that make the Bucks for the Brave Heroes Hunt possible each year. YOU CAN LEARN MORE AND READ ALL OF THE SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S HUNT AT SPORTMANSCHOICEFEEDS.COM

THE HORSE IS OUT OF THE BARN

15” h x 28” l x 5” w Bronze, Limited to 25 Like a runaway horse, this sculpture is symbolic of what the pandemic caused with all the unforeseen and related consequences.

FROM COWBOY TO SCULPTOR: Q&A WITH GREG KELSEY

From riding fenceline and bucking horses to being a master sculptor, Greg Kelsey has lived the life and tells the story of the west through his bronze sculptures.

KRYSTA: WHAT DOES YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LOOK LIKE FROM START TO FINISH AFTER YOU’VE DECIDED ON WHAT YOU WILL BE SCULPTING?

• Greg: I decide which idea is resonating the strongest - what just has to get out. I think about the piece in the round (3D) and work out a lot of the problems in my head. I’ll sketch a few rough thumbnails of form and shapes. I choose the scale of the piece and construct an armature and apply clay. Then I start carving the clay. To me, sculpture is a series of problems I get to overcome. I study the negative space around a piece while trying to anticipate the behavior of light on the texture of the surfaces I am creating. I’m always looking at form. Form is the most significant thing about sculpture: line, ges ture, and the power or peace you create with each. Sculpture has to own its space and survive with its surroundings. It’s a powerful combination when form and subject matter are both meaningful.

KRYSTA: HOW LONG DOES EACH SCULP TURE TAKE FROM START TO FINISH?

• Greg: There is no getting around surface area. Big pieces take longer, but small ones are not much faster (big hands/small sculptures). Size and com plexity determine the time. It could be a week to six months. Some problems can’t be worked out until you get an idea in the round. And it has to be ap pealing from all angles. Ideally, there are multiple pieces I am working on at one time. Often, answers to problems on one piece are answered while work ing on a different piece.

TRYIN’ TO COLLECT A BUCK

48” h x 20” w x 11” d Bronze. Limited to 15

For a cowboy, it’s all in a day’s wage. They ride fence, doctor cattle, and smooth out the kinks in the buckin’ sort. It’s a matter of doin’ what they’ve been called to do and tryin’ to collect a buck along the way.

Greg Kelsey is no stranger to the cowboy way of life and has successfully melded his love for the western way of life and art. He lives each day as it comes and tries to get the most out of it. That same intensity transpires in his Western-themed bronze sculptures, whether he’s portraying a wild bronc coming out of the chute, or cowboys during seasonal branding.

KEEPIN’ IT LIT

40” h x 26” w x 22” d Bronze. Limited to 15 The American West has fostered rugged individual ism, self-reliance, masculinity and independence, creating men that stand on their own. The western spirit is still tangible: the flames are stoked and the light lit.

KRYSTA: WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE TO SEND WITH YOUR ART?

• Greg: I enjoy creating pieces that re quire some discernment from the viewer. My subjects range from cur rent events to historic Western. I’d like to keep western history alive through my artwork - art provokes thought in a way that nothing else does. With contemporary cowboy pieces, I want to share the nuances that only those that live it know. The story of western life is worth being told in an authentic way. I hope my work will establish and press home the historical and future significance of the cowboy lifestyle.

KRYSTA: EACH ARTIST DEVELOPS THEIR OWN STYLE, BUT IS THERE AN ARTIST THAT YOU LOOK UP TO OR HAVE A SIMILAR STYLE TO?

• Greg: Ed Fraughton is my favorite living sculptor. He’s a deep well - a modern liv ing renaissance genius. He taught me how important it is to master thinking about the view of sculpture all the way around.

KRYSTA: DO YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING THOUGHTS ABOUT YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU’D LIKE OUR AUDIENCE TO KNOW?

• Greg: Mostly, I prefer to focus on my own vi sions, expectations, and growth. I’m always pushing myself. I want to learn what’s in me. I want to master the medium and beautiful subjects in a thought-provoking way. And bring it across to others with a unique per spective - a cowboy’s perspective. It is what I am meant to do. It’s about being part of something bigger than yourself. It’s about telling the story of western life. You can learn more about Greg Kelsey and his sculptures at GregKelsey.com or on Facebook. Greg will also be at Cowboy Christmas, booth 715, so make sure to stop by to see his work in person, you won’t be disappointed.

ALL SHE NEEDS

15” h x 10.5” w x 8”d

Bronze. Limited to 15

Horses are a huge part of my daily existence. I know that “The outside of a horse works magic on the inside of a person”. My kids have been raised this way – it’s something I strongly believe is worth passing on to them. My wife and I have made a lot of sacrifices to make sure of it. To see the connection is truly rewarding.

SMELLS LIKE SPRING

15” h x 23” l x 7” d

Bronze. Limited to 17

Every year, after calving season is over and planning begins for the next year’s calf crop, bulls are turned out with the cows. The sweet smell of spring and all it entails for the future is in the air.

THE ADVENTURES OF DUMBO & JACKASS – OUR POLITICAL CIRCUS

Set 9” h and 12” h Bronze. Limited to 50

The political atmosphere and crazy state of politics in America was the impetus behind this set of bookends. Political satire from the studio seems to always be relevant.

SUNDANCE & THE WILD BUNCH HIT

THE

UNION PACIFIC

15” h x 25” w x 16” d Bronze. Limited to 25

The Sundance Kid and the Wild Bunch robbed the Union Pacific Overland Flier No. 1 in the early hours of June 2, 1899 near Wilcox, Wyoming. The outlaws used a carefully orches trated plan and dynamite – lots of dynamite. The Wilcox holdup would become one of the West’s most famous train robberies.

FROM THE

Bar MC Media was founded in 2018 by an equal partnership between Meagan McElya and Brandon McDow, who now have over 15 years of me dia and marketing experience combined. Their journey with Bar MC Media began by shooting local jackpot team roping events in the Brazos Valley area. Eventually, these projects grew into larger events such as the Brazos Valley Fair CPRA Rodeo, Seth Broesche Memorial Event, AP Cattle Co Invitational, Ricky Canton Calf Roping events, and more. Since then they have branched out to cover media assignments at Professional Bull Riders (PBR) events, Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Finals, The American Rodeo, and even the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Some of their biggest goals are to shoot the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada, and make a summer run to capture July rodeos during Cowboy Christmas.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a huge shift in the events they had planned to cover that upcoming summer and fall. Many of them were canceled or had to reduce their budgets, and the first line item to go was media/marketing. This was both a huge frustration, but also a perfect opportunity for Meagan and Brandon to refocus their production time on the outdoors industry. Both avid outdoorsmen, they spent a lot of time on their own personal hunting and fishing adventures throughout the state of Texas. They began vlogging those adventures and eventually started to invest in additional equip ment specifically for field production. Now they have grown to a point where they have not only captured their own outdoor adventures but have also joined multiple individuals on their hunts as field producers, capturing their stories as well. In ad dition, they have found that many ranch owners and outdoor brands have a need for quality content creation from individuals who know the industry, not just how to run a camera.

Today, Bar MC Media is considered a full-service content marketing firm, but its main focus continues to be on visual storytelling through photography and videography in both the western and outdoor industries. One of their latest ventures has been into the world of western weddings, where they now offer both photography and videography options for couples plan ning their big day. To learn more about them, visit their website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram. BarMCMedia.com

BEHIND

This is How We Roll!

Your friends at the Cowboy Lifestyle Network take you behind the scenes to a typical day covering the scene. Learn more about us at cowboylifestylenetwork.com

THE SCENES

From left to right: CEO, OD O’Donnell, Profes sional Saddle Bronc Rider, Rusty Wright, and COO, Aaron Kuhl catching a selfie at the Las Vegas Tropicana.

From left to right: COO, Aaron Kuhl, World Champion Bull Rider, Gary Leffew, and CEO, OD O’Donnell enjoying the views at the Las Vegas Tropi cana during the NFR.

Professional bull riding veteran, Charlie Sampson and OD O’Odonnell at Charlie’s ranch in Wyoming.

OD O’Donnell with Ak-Chin royalty at the PBR in Glendale, Arizona. CLN has a deep respect and admiration for local Indian communities and does whatever we can to support them through marketing and local events.

OD O’Donnell and 11x PBR Stock Contractor of the year, Chad Berger hanging out after an NFR Per formance in Las Vegas.

OD O’Donnell and Rodeo Scottsdale Chairman, Dave Alford, at the annual event held in Scottsdale, Arizona in March.

It’s pretty common that wherever the CLN crew goes, there are fans to follow. This is the annual Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek event.

IN MEMORY OF LORETTA LYNN

1932-2022

Born in 1932, Loretta Lynn quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the country music world. Releasing 60 albums and over 160 writing credits, Mrs. Lynn’s legacy is one that will not soon be forgotten. Loretta once said, “to make it in this business, you either have to be first, great or different. And I was the first to ever go into Nashville, singin’ it like the women lived it.”

In 1960, at just twenty-eight years old, Loretta released her first single, “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl” and received her first Billboard Award as #4 Most Promising Female Artist. The very next year, she won that very same award. Her first Billboard was beginning of what would eventually turn into Ms. Lynn being the most awarded female country artist ever; winning over 50 different nominations including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 (the first female to ever win) and a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 (only the second country music singer to ever receive the honor).

“Before I was singing, I cleaned house; I took in laun dry; I picked b“Before I was singing, I cleaned house; I took in laundry; I picked berries. I worked seven days a week. I was a housewife and mother for 15 years before I was an entertainer. And it wasn’t like being a housewife today. It was doing hand laundry on a board and cook ing on an old coal stove. I grew a garden and canned what I grew. That’s what’s real. I know how to survive.”

Growing up in a remote part of the Appalachians in Kentucky, Loretta was the daughter of a coal miner. Growing up in poverty in a mountain cabin alongside seven brothers and sisters, music was a constant in her home. Loretta recalls, “I thought everybody sang, because everybody up there in Butcher Holler did. Ev erybody in my family sang. So I really didn’t understand until I left Butcher Holler that there were some people who couldn’t. And it was kind of a shock.”

At just 15 years old, Loretta married Oliver “Doolit tle” Lynn. Lovingly referred to as “Doo,” her husband was also just a kid- a 21-year-old war veteran with a bit of a reputation. Eventually, the couple moved away from Kentucky to the opposite side of the country to

the far northwest corner of Washington state. Within the first six years of marriage, Loretta and Doo had four kids and two more, twins, on the way. Feeling isolated from everything she had ever known and the stress of raising six children, Loretta turned to music as her creative outlet.

One day, Doo heard Loretta singing during chores and decided that she was just as good as anyone he had heard on the radio. Wanting to support his wife, he purchased a guitar and encouraged her to learn how to play and write songs. Not knowing that there were unspoken boundaries to what country music songs talked about, Loretta wrote about her life and real experiences she had up to that point. Her songs were straightforward and raw, unlike any other songs at that time. Doo continued to push Loretta in her musical endeavors and assisted in her pursuit of performing at area nightclubs where she was eventually seen by executives from Zero Records. Soon after her discovery, Loretta was recording her first song which quickly put her on the map.

With more than 60 years of recording and touring, Loretta Lynn has been hailed as the Queen of Country Music. The self-taught guitarist and singer became, to this day, one of the most distinct performers in Nashville throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s. “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” and “Louisianna Woman, Mississippi Man” (featuring Conway Twitty) are just three of 24 country No. 1 singles Loretta gained throughout her career.

Loretta Lynn will forever be remembered as an amazing sister, wife, mother and one of the most influential female country artists in the history of the genre.

I wouldn’t have dared ask God for all that He’s given me. I couldn’t have done it on my own. I thank God every day for what I have.

LORETTA LYNN