Terrible deal at VT

We'd like to send our prayers out to everyone who has been effected by the tragady in Virgina! Especially to all of the family members, survivors and friends! We know this is something you will never get over but our prayers are with you to soften your hearts in your time of tragady!

How NOT to have a successful event

I just got off the phone with Casper Baca who is in Las Cruces, NM putting on his easter weekend Bares, Broncs and Bulls All American Tour. He was asking if I had gotten the information out on the Southwest Livestock Auction Bucking Sale coming up the 17th & 18th of this month. Which I have!

But I got to thinking, who has heard of this event? Sure so I bloged it, and Casper now has this event sanctioned as a stop on the All American Tour. But who knows about it?

Part of having a successful event is marketing it. If it's just a little town rodeo or a PBR Bud Cup event, if you don't advertise it they can not show. So I looked around, saw a few flyers, heard there is an ad in one of the local rodeo papers, but I've seen little else.

Guys, your trying to sale livestock! Did you think of sending out flyers to every contractor in the associations that are in the region? How about all of the pro-contractors that are nearby? How about all the Pro guys who might need some depth in their herds? And who have you contacted about saleing their animals? Did you think of advertising this event with any of the Bucking Bull Magazines or the better websites like Pro-Bull Stats or The Breeders Connection? After all this is the modern age and LOTS of contractors and riders use the internet to get rodeo news.

So quit thinking in terms of 1980. This is 2007 and the times they have already changed!

C-T Bucking Horse Sale

Pictures of some of the animals for sale as well as past animals sold are now online. Want to improve your herd? Here is a quick way to do it! Check out http://www.c-trodeo.com/horsesale.htm for more information!

Kids from Believe In Tomorrow visit the PBR

Believe in Tomorrow Kids visit the PBR:

Normally on Sunday mornings I like to sleep in. But last Sunday was a little different. I had gotten media credentials to cover the Ty Murray Invitational in Albuquerque, NM. Not that I would have gotten up much earlier than normal to make it to a 2pm performance, but thanks to a wonderful lady at the PBR, Mrs. Edmonds, I was invited to come early and cover the visit from the kids of the “Believe in Tomorrow” Organization. It was truly an event that made my whole weekend.

When I arrived Sunday morning, Mrs. Edmonds was busy as usual. But Rocky McDonald must have asked a few times or more “are they here yet?” Come to find out one of these critically ill kids is from a Spanish speaking family and Rocky would be their interpreter. This was no act; he was seriously waiting to interact with the kids!

Todd Pierce of the Pro Bull Riders Outreach showed the kids and their families a behind the scenes look of the PBR. With Rocky acting as interpreter for those who needed him! After the initial tour the kids were escorted to a production area with Mike Lee where they promptly branded his chaps with their hand prints! It was quite the site to see Rocky and Mike helping these young angles clean their hands. Then Mike offered one of the more sincere prayers I’d heard in a long while.

From there they were taken to the bull pens to see the bulls. I almost wondered who was the biggest hit, Rocky and Lee or the bulls? Here is where I got to do more than just take pictures. While Todd and Rocky were busy answering the kids' questions, I had several of the kids family members ask about the animals. I assure you I talked about how great the breeding program is and how there is always a future in rodeo if they work hard enough. But this is only the mid point in the story!

Watching how Frank Newsome told the one little girl that he had to have a hug, or Cord McCoy or McKennon Wimberly jump in to help by showing gear and shaking hands, or all of the riders saying high and or sign autographs was nothing but second nature to me. Guess I’ve just been around rodeo to long to know there is any other way. But when CEO of the PBR, Randy Bernard knelt down to talk to one of the younger boys, well I guess I’ve been around the corporate world to much as well! Randy was soon joined by fan favorite Adriano Moraes who with Mr. Bernard’s help had this young man smiling from ear to ear!

Later during the event, as Mike Lee marked his bull for an 89.5, I know I heard the volume in the building go just a little louder! And as I left that day I ran into the oldest boy on the tour and his mom. As I thanked them for coming out and asked if they had a good time, I about teared up as she said yes a wonderful time. It sure was for me!

I’d like to say thank you for everyone who let me tag along: Mrs. Jodie Edmonds, Todd Pierce, Rocky McDonald, Mike Lee and the entire PBR. You reminded me what being a cowboy is all about!

Rocky McDonald takes second stage as the kids get to see the bulls up close and personal!

CEO Randy Bernard stops to talk to one of the kids!

Ty Murray invitational - Albuquerque, NM

The Professional Bull Riders rock n’ rolled into Albuquerque for the 2007 Ty Murray Invitational March 30th thru April 1^st. Some may wonder why this is one of longest continuous venues the PBR visits. But all question marks are soon washed away as the standing room only crowd roars into action. As President of the PBR and the events name sake Ty Murray said not only do the residents of Albuquerque support and love bullriding, but with the neighbors of the nearby Navajo Reservation, it’s a guaranteed good time! And with fans from all over the country making the trek to the Duke City, no one went away disappointed!

Friday night kicked off with a bang as local favorite Travis Briscoe of Edgewood, NM scored an 82.5 on the bull Black Jack of Circle T Ranch and Rodeo. While Kasey Hayes of Liberal, Kansas and Kody Lostroh of Longmont, Colorado jumped out to the early lead with a 90 and an 89.5 respectively.

But the true story Friday night wasn’t the human athlete but the four legged one. Friday night was an ABBI Classic event, where three and four year old bulls competed for their own prize money. While many people may have been unaware of this at the start, by the end of the performance the crowd had their favorite new star! Led by Troubadour of Julio Moreno these young bulls showed what the future holds for the PBR.

Saturday night proved a little more challenging for the bulls as 20 riders roared out of the chutes for marked rides. World Champion and Fan Favorite Adriano Moraes won the second round with an 88.25 on Stray Cat of Diamond S Bucking Bulls. After the event most of the capacity crowd made its way to the Sandia Resort and Casino for a concert by Jason Michael Carroll to support the Resistol Relief fund.

Sunday afternoon proved to be the BIG day. With a standing room only crowd, the boys and bulls put on a show worthy of the national television exposure on Versus. With rides by local favorite LJ Jenkins from Texico, NM who had been out most of the year with injuries and other fan favorites like Mike Lee (who earlier in the day had gotten his chaps branded by the kids from the Believe In Tomorrow Organization), Adriano Moraes, JB Mauney and event leaders Kasey Hayes and Kody Lostroh the final round was set to be a big time show of force.

To bad no one bothered to tell the bulls that they should be scared. With a list of who’s who of riders, the list of the bulls was even more daunting! Led by perennial favorites Walk This Way and Bells Blue, only two riders struck gold. With the final round half over Guilherme Marchi hit pay dirt by spurring Black Smoke of Page and Teauge for a whopping 92.25. But a few riders later Adriano Moraes topped Hot Stuff from Diamond S Bucking Bulls for an 89.25 to win the event.

picture is not to be duplicated or copied. All rights reserved.

Believe in Tomorrow Organization

I was allowed to cover the PBR here in Albuquerque for one of the trade papers. Jodie Edmonds from the PBR invited me to cover the "Believe In Tomorrow" Kids as they had a tour behind the curtains.

As Todd showed them around, one of the families spoke Spanish so Rocky McDonald interpreted for them. Mike Lee had his chaps "branded" by the kids and had a very nice prayer with them and their families. Frank Newsome and every cowboy they talked to took their time to say hi, give autographs and hugs. Heck even Randy Bernard took his time out (knelt down to the kids level) to talk to one of the young men.

I know a few of the younger family members who were in the group asked some questions while we were back in the pens. I was proud to be the one they turned to and I assure you I really talked up the bucking bull industry.

Sorry but to me this is the perfect representation of what rodeo/bull riding is all about. So thanks to everyone who allowed me to tag along. It really made my day!