MARCH 25, 2014 Volume 8: Issue 12 In this issue... • Houston Super Shootout, pg 13 • Barrel Racing Babies, pg 15 • Pro Rodeos & Standings, pg 16 • Barrel Bash, pg 17 • Bloomer Trailers Barrel Bash, pg 22 fast horses, fast news • Tri-K Barrel Blast, pg 25 Published Weekly Online at www.BarrelRacingReport.com - Since 2007 Making it count—Hunter & Fuzz repeat as Rodeo Houston Champions By Tanya Randall When Nancy Hunter won Rodeo Houston in 2013, she and her SUGA R BA R S family packed their bags for a long overdue family vacation to Dis- FLIT BA R SI 95 neyland in Anaheim, Calif. After winning her second straight Rodeo FLIT Houston this past weekend, she is likely making a family trip to the DR NICK BA R SI 85 desert playground of Las Vegas—for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. LEO T AG “I was so excited,” said Hunter, so currently sits second in the ESTE T AG SI SI 95 WPRA World Standings with $55,000. “What the odds of pulling that off twice?” LITTLE ESTILETA To win the $200,000 Rodeo Houston, held March 4-23 in Reliant FLIT N FIZZ Stadium, Hunter had to make it through nine National Finals Rodeo 2000 SO rr EL GELDI N G qualifiers including three-time World Champion Sherry Cervi and ST BA R current standings leader and Canadian Champion Lisa Lockhart, to POWE R T R AI N SI 100 earn a berth in the final four for the Championship Shootout. SI 101 MS Spr I N G BOUQUET “It was like being in the hall of champions…and then there’s SI 94 me and Fuzz,” she laughed. “I thought you better put your big girl STI N G IT pants on or these girls are going to stomp on your head! Then I WATCH Y OU R STE P got a text, I don’t remember from who, that said if you win you RUBY RED FIZZ TB can make the NFR. That’s when it dawned on me. I thought ‘Holy SI 94 Cow!’ I got butterflies in my stomach. That’s every barrel racers’ WILD A BOUT LIL dream.” RIDE R : NA N CY HU N TE R ; /OW N E R : FR ED & NA N CY HU N TE R ; BR EEDE R : HA rr Y & VIVIAN BLACKWELL That dream is now one-step closer to reality. After counting all but $50,000 of the $100,000 first-place prize of the lucrative Cal- had the 23rd fastest time in the first go of the Fort Worth Ro- gary Stampede toward NFR qualification in 2013, the WPRA Board deo and qualified for the second round. Despite a great chance at of Directors voted to re-sanction Rodeo Houston’s lucrative payout making the short go, Hunter turned out of her second run at Fort and count it toward NFR qualifications again. Worth. “We’ve always had to look at doing it ‘our way,’” said Hunter, a “This is how bad I am about driving,” she laughed. “We were 56-year-old emergency room nurse, who raised four grown boys already back in Arizona 12 days later. Then 20 days later we were with her husband Fred, a horse trainer. “We’ve always had a lot of coming back for Austin. I’m such a budget queen so I really strug- responsibilities and we couldn’t go that hard. I’m really going to gle. It’s like $1,000 in fuel. I’ve been the budget queen from hell my make an effort to make sure I get there this year.” entire life. I give Fred $100 a month whether he needs it or not and This winter, Hunter chose to put all her eggs in the Houston that’s all he gets!” basket. She and Fuzz also ran at the invitational Shootout at Austin, but “I had a chance to enter San Antonio and rodeos like that, but didn’t enter the full rodeo. Fuzz is 14 and I really wanted to have him fresh at Houston. I know Hunter started her Houston run in the BP Super Series IV. he can run in that pen. I wanted to look at it with some business “My first run, he slipped on the first and brought the barrel sense. I didn’t want to have him all tired when we got to Houston down,” she explained. “He slipped on the second and brought the where the big money was.” barrel down. He ran a .31 but he could not stand up. I wasn’t the Fuzz’s first run of the season came at the invitational Shootout only one that was having trouble. at Fort Worth in February. The gelding hadn’t run since October. They bumped a couple of barrels to miss out in the Shootout, but RodeoHouston Continued on Page 4 IN THE NEWS .......IN THE NEWS......in the news......In the News......In the News..... 2014 RodeoHouston BP Super Series Team Roping Champions Horse of the Year, Jethro, Retired Erich Rogers and Cory Petska roped their way to the top with a Six time NFR qualifier Brenda Mays has decided to retire her big time of 4.2 seconds. Petska, having won RodeoHouston before, black freighttrain, Judge Buy Cash, better known as Jethro due to said winning in 2014 is no different than any other time. injury. “It is equally amazing,” Petska said. “I still got the same nerves, The 15 year old horse had amazing consistency, the pair made the hands shaking. It is a great feeling.” NFR 6 years in a row from 2007-2012. He also won the Columbia First time RodeoHouston champion Rogers said he was still River Circuit 5 years in a row from 2006-2010 and won the Circuit speechless about what they just accomplished. Finals average those years as well. “I think once I get on the road, it will sink in a lot more,” Rogers The pair also won the 2012 NFR average and Jethro was the 2010 said, “and realize I actually won that Rodeo.” AQHA/WPRA Barrel Horse of the Year. Over his career Mays and Rounding out the top four in the Championship Jethro gathered around $800,000 worth of earnings. Top Money Winners: Erich Rogers and Cory Petska, $114,500; Jethro was the picture of an ideal rodeo horse, a big, strong built Arky Rogers and Travis Woodard, $59,000; Nick Sartain and Rich black horse; and no horse was more lethal over the summer and fall Skelton, $27,500; Riley Minor and Brady Minor, $22,400 run. Saddle Bronc Riding Mays will now be running her former backup horse, Judge My Heith Demoss scored a 92, which was not topped throughout Fame (Dora), who has already won at Rodeo Houston this year and the night. Demoss, who emotionally greeted his family backstage is ready for the spotlight. after his win, said he was now looking forward to taking his family to Disney World. Demoss said the support from his family is what RodeoHouston BP Super Series Winners keeps him reaching for successes like the one he accomplished The road to the 2014 BP Super Series Championship came to an tonight. end, Saturday, March 22. Eighty cowboys and cowgirls came out “It’s just been a thing that’s seemed like a far off dream,” Demoss fighting, but in the end, eight rodeo athletes took home a $50,000 said. “It’s my entire life; everything I’ve got is from rodeo. I’d love payout and the title of RodeoHouston Champion. to dedicate it to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and my wife Hallie.” Tie Down Roping Tie Down Roping Champion Scott Kormos couldn’t be bested Top Money Winners: Heith Demoss, $55,783; Cort Scheer, $29,610; after he laid down a lightning fast run Dustin Flundra, $15,500; Rusty Wright, $13,760 of 8.0 seconds. Kormos said he was thankful to cinch his second Steer Wrestling RodeoHouston win, after first capturing the title in 2005. Practice made perfect for Olin Hannum, who took home the “Houston is something every cowboy wants,” Kormos said. “Ev- 2014 RodeoHouston BP Super Series ery year I’ve come here; I’ve wanted this. It’s been a tough winter; Steer Wrestling title after laying down a 4.6 second run. Family man I’ve been struggling with some tough luck. I feel blessed to have Hannum said he knows exactly where his $50,000 will be spent. this win today.” “My wife is at home, and she is going to have a baby in three days,” Top Money Winners: Scott Kormos, $55,300; Rhen Richard, Hannum said. “It’s also my wife’s birthday in two weeks... I am so $26,100; Reese Riemer, $13,850; Cody Ohl, $11,050 thankful, but I’m just ready to get home to my wife.” Top Money Winners: Olin Hannum, $54,325; Luke Branquinho, Bareback Riding Kaycee Feild, 2014 RodeoHouston BP Super Series Bareback $26,850; Dean Gorsuch, $12,900; Jake Rinehart, $10,650 Riding Champion, exploded out of the Bull Riding chute and spurred his way to a score of 91 and his second Rodeo- 2014 RodeoHouston BP Super Series Bull Riding Champion Houston Champion title. Feild said this win is special because he Tyler Smith managed to hang on for a winning score of 90, secur- has a family now to share it with. ing a check for $50,000. Smith said he has always had good luck at Regarding his winnings, Feild said, “I have some stuff I can RodeoHouston, but to finally have won feels great.