Dora Student Wins Rodeo State Title

Myra Skinner said her son, Jesse Clark, has had a rope in his hands ever since he could walk, and maybe that’s why he won the boys All-Around Championship in the New Mexico Junior High Rodeo Finals held Friday and Saturday in Lovington. The 13-year old eighth-grader from Dora Schools was pleased with his performance during the weekend especially earning a time of 8.69 seconds in the tie-down run. “It’s one of my best times,” Jesse said. “I did good during the weekend. I’ve been practicing a bunch in the arena at my house.” Skinner said her son started competing in rodeo events at the age of 3. Jesse credits his mom and his dad, Jerry Skinner, with showing him techniques and giving him advice during practices. “We work on technique and being mentally prepared to compete,” his mom said. “He loves the sport. He loves to rope. He had an awesome weekend.” Jesse was also named the boys All-Around Champion for the year by the New Mexico Junior High Rodeo Association. He placed first in the calf roping, first in the ribbon roping, third in the chute dogging, fourth in the goat tying and ninth in the team roping for the year. He’ll compete in the National Junior High Rodeo competition July 10-15 in Gallup against the country’s top junior high rodeo performers in ribbon roping, calf-roping, chute dogging and goat tying (the four events he finished in the top four). Myra Skinner said the top four finishers in each rodeo state final event qualify for nationals in Gallup. Jesse said it’s been a challenge to compete in rodeos, go to school, work on schoolwork and play basketball. However, he said with the help of his parents and basketball coaches, Ty Walker and Caleb King, he’s been able to overcome the challenge. Jesse’s ribbon-roping partner, Katey Anthony of Jal, won the girls All-Around Championship award, according to Myra Skinner. Katey finished first in the goat tying, breakaway roping and ribbon-roping, and second in the pole bending in the state. She will also be competing at the nationals.

PRCA Bails On Albuquerque Re-lo Offer

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has bailed out on its decision to relocate to Albuquerque. The Colorado Springs Gazette is headlined this morning with that news, after yesterday's PRCA board meeting. According to the newspaper, the state of New Mexico withdrew its $17 million incentive package on news that the PRCA board voted unanimously to stay in Colorado Springs. The decision, writes the Gazette, was prompted by the unwillingness of the independently controlled ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy to also move to New Mexico. The city of Colorado Springs also offered $2 million in grants, low interest loans, and a part ownership interest in the Norris-Penrose Equestrian Center.

He's a Coach of Champions

I've been impressed with Tarleton State rodeo coach Bob Doty ever since we met at the 1986 College National Finals Rodeo in Bozeman, Mont.
Doty then coached Western Texas College's rodeo teams. I was reporting for the Star-Telegram, so Doty pointed out that a roper named Keith Hudson was from nearby Paradise.
Hudson won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association 1986 calf roping title and helped Western Texas win the men's national team title.
Two decades later, Doty still recruits top athletes, and his teams are national title contenders. Last year, Tarleton's men and women won national team titles.
Tarleton will try to repeat that double at next month's College National Finals in Casper, Wyo. Tarleton's men and women advanced by finishing second in the NIRA Southwest Region regular season, which concluded last weekend.
The top two teams and top three competitors in each event from each region advance to the college finals.
Doty said one thing he instills in each of his athletes is that they can always feel confident that they have given their best effort.
"We try to make sure that everyone understands that at the end of the year, if for whatever reason they miss the college finals by a few points, that they still did all that they could to qualify," Doty said. "They can't look back and say something like I didn't practice enough."
Doty, 54, said his longevity as a coach makes it easier to recruit great athletes. He coached at Western Texas from 1979-94 and recruited outstanding athletes such as Dave Appleton, who thrived on the college circuit in the early 1980s and went on to win the 1988 world all-around title. When the Arlington resident was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame this year, Doty sat at Appleton's table.
The successful Western Texas stint helped Doty move to tradition-rich Tarleton in 1994.
"Parents and students trust us," Doty said. "They know that Tarleton is a great school with a great rodeo environment and that we're going to do what we say."
Briefly
Brazilian Guilherme Marchi of Decatur earned $12,692.50, finishing third at the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series stop last weekend in Nampa, Idaho. He leads the world title race over second-place Adriano Moraes, a Brazilian who lives in Keller, 7,243.5 points to 6,645.5.
The rodeo in Guymon, Okla., Friday through Sunday marks the end of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Wrangler ProRodeo Tour winter series. The Pace Chute-Out, the finals of the series featuring the top 12 in each event, is May 13-14 in Tulsa.
The 2006 Windy Ryon Memorial Roping is May 26-28 in Saginaw.

Off to the Rodeo

Ford Arena in Beaumont will be the center of action as the highest paid cowboys in the country compete at the 61st Annual YMBL Championship Rodeo, hosted by the Young Men's Business League. Action starts Thursday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. and runs through Saturday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m.
More than 300 topranked cowboys from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association will vie for more than $19,000 in prize money for bullriding, steer wrestling, tiedown roping, saddle bronc, bareback riding, and team roping.
Rodeo action starts each night at 7:30 p.m. The best in rodeo stock will be provided again this year from Beutler and Son Rodeo Company, one of the producers of the National Finals Rodeo for the past 18 years. Also, this year the YMBL Rodeo will be featuring veteran Rodeo Announcer Racer Botkin, along with Bullfighters, Robert "Blue" Jeanes and Dustin Brewer, and for those of you looking for something extreme, this year's rodeo will feature "Pro Tour FMX" Freestyle Motorcross stunt show and the Kiesner Family Trick Riders and Ropers. With National Finals Rodeo stock, bullfighters and World Champion Cowboys, the 2006 YMBL Rodeo will be "the best rodeo this side of Las Vegas."
Ticket prices are $12, $16, $20 and for the rodeo fan who wants to be up close to the action, $30 Action Seats are on the first two rows.
"There's not a bad seat in the house," according to Pat Riley, Rodeo Public Relations coordinator. "Fans will be able to get up close and personal to the action from anywhere in the comfortable air-conditioned arena."