News from our Stock Contractor, Barnes PRCA Rodeo
Cowboys climb PRCA standings ladder on Barnes' livestock
Home-raised Barnes' horse, Chamber Bucks, getting noticed
By Gretchen Kirchmann
Several variables play into the success of the rodeo season. The "luck of the draw" is just one. Similar to the Milton Bradley board game Chutes and Ladders contestants know the race to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is up and down. The constant flux of climbing the ladder or sliding down (getting bucked off) has a great deal to do with the caliber of the draw. This season Barnes PRCA Rodeo bucking stock are helping several cowboys climb the ladder into the top 15.
The reigning World Champion Bareback Rider Tim O'Connell from Zwingle, Iowa is sitting second in the world standing race as of May 24, 2017 with $71,466.53. Tanner Aus from Granite Falls, Minn. is third with $64,410.43. R.C. Landingham from Hat Creek, Calif. leads with $76,100.45. The duo are also sitting 2nd and 3rd reversed in the Great Lakes Circuit standings. Both O'Connell and Aus cashed Barnes PRCA Rodeo checks this season. O'Connell drew Spooner's Best and Aus rodeo Undergrad in St. Paul, Minn to split 1/2 with their 85 point rides.
Bareback Rider Tanner Phipps from Dalton, Ga. placed third on Barnes' horse Pull-Ups in St. Paul, Minn. He is sitting second in both the 2017 Resistol Rookie Standings and the Southeastern Circuit standings. The previous week he split 1/2 in Madison, Wis. with Tyler Waltz from Martin, Tenn. at the Barnes PRCA Rodeo during the Midwest Horse Fair.
The PRCA world standings race is gearing up for the summer run. Due to the quality bucking horses and rank bulls of Barnes' string cowboys can count on bank deposits with their draw. Money is made when solid performances, good timing and talent are paired between contestants and rough stock.
The bay horse, Chamber Bucks, had a repeat performance in Madison, Wis. and St. Paul, Minn. Bronc Riders Jordan Corrigan from Toddville, Iowa won the Mdiwest Horse Fair and Jade Blackwell from Rapid City, S.D. won the Minnesota Horse Expo & PRCA Rodeo on the mare a week apart. Corrigan is currently third in the Great Lakes Circuit. Blackwell is among the top 15 in the Badlands Circuit.
"Chamber Bucks is a home-raised horse that we started bucking last year. We took her to a limited number of rodeos. She showed a lot of promise so we took her to our early rodeos this year. Cowboys have seen her twice and really like her," commented Barnes.
Tegan Smith from Winterset, Iowa cracked the Top 25 in the 2017 RAM Rodeo Saddle Bronc Permit Standings . He collected a check in St. Paul, Minn. on Brent's Double X. The horse is named after Smith's father Brent, a former bronc rider and traveling partner of Marty Barnes back in day. The younger Smith is also among the top four in the Great Lakes Circuit. His 80-point ride split 2/3 with Cody Burkholder from Clarksville, Iowa who rode Barnes' horse Jethro.
Smith is the reigning 2016 Iowa High School Rodeo Saddle Bronc State Champion. When asked about drawing the red roan in St. Paul he said, "I got on her my sophomore year of high school and was tickled that I drew her at a prorodeo." Smith finished fifth in the nation at the National High School Rodeo Finals in 2015. The recent high school graduate was pleased to cover Brent's Double X considering two years ago she bucked him off.
Bull Rider Roscoe Jarboe from New Plymouth, Idaho is currently ranked second in the PRCA World Standings with $68,536.72. He won $4,738.22 on Barnes' Ralco's Microfused with 84.5 point ride during the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR). Jarboe is $9,000 behind leader Garrett Smith of Rexburg, Idaho. Smith collected a paycheck on Barnes' Butter Biscuit at the RNCFR. Reigning 3x World Champion Sage Kimzey from Strong, Okla has collected $56,745.76 and is sitting fourth in the world.
Kimzey's younger brother, Trey, competed at his first prorodeo filling his permit at the Barnes' rodeo in Perry, Ga. Their older sister Dusta Kimzey is the featured specialty act during the Cherokee Rodeo June 1-3. She will perform under Tricked Out Trick Riding. Long time Cherokee Rodeo fans recognize the surname as their father Ted Kimzey worked as a barrel man for many years with Bob Barnes. The second generations of Barnes and Kimzey family now carry on the tradition.
Cashing paychecks continues with Barnes' Butter Biscuit in the draw. This bull was selected for both the RNCFR in April and the Great Lakes Circuit Finals (GLCF) this past November in Louisville, Ky.
Levi Michael Berends from Maynard, Minn. rode Butter Biscuit for 88 points winning first in St. Paul, Minn. Fellow Minnesotan Brett Stall won a round on Butter Biscuit during the GLCF. Tyson Bob and Hilton Magic both endorsed deposit slips for contestants in St. Paul. Austin James Martin from Ashland, Mo. scored 85 points on Tyson Bob and Will Crain from St. Peter, Ill. finished third on Hilton Magic.
Crain also collected the win in Madison, Wis. on Barnes' Ramble Tamble. Jimy Marten from Donahue, Iowa placed second on Ralco's Centrifuge. John Young from Orient, Iowa placed on the bull named Young James to make the top three. Berends, Marten and Crain are currently among the top 10 bull riders in the Great Lakes Circuit standings.