Summer rodeo season is here. This is when cowboys and cowgirls go into hyper-drive trying to make enough money to end up in the Top 15 that get to go to the National Finals Rodeo. There are plenty of big deal rodeos that big money can be made early in the year like The American, Rodeo Houston, Rodeo Austin, etc but when the end of June hits the frenzy really begins.
But the fun part of the year is now. Starting with Cowboy Christmas. That is when between June 28th and July 4th cowboys crisscross across the country trying to get in as many rodeos as possible, often multiple in a single day. Shane Hanchey won over $32,000 in 2016 and 23 time world champion Trevor Brazile won $39,993 this year during that time period. Can you say Merry Christmas? So how is it possible to be at so many events in that short period of time?
Logistics and planning are a huge part of the big money payoffs. It also requires some help from your friends. Tyson Durfey and Tuf Cooper both borrowed horses from other cowboys at different events. They also had their horses in different areas. So the mobile part of the equation is the cowboy. Roughstock cowboys like Kaycee Feild is known to be on a private plane going from state to state. What do all of these cowboys have in common? Functioning on minimal sleep. But when the payoff can be $40K it is worth it in the long run.
This year there has been some big name cross over between PRCA and PBR bull riders. Silvano Alves is competing this summer before returning back to the PBR season hoping to inch up in the standings and make the NFR in December. He is quoted as saying that he doesn’t do it for the money, he does it because he loves it. I suspect there are a bunch of rodeo athletes that live for the thrill of Cowboy Christmas
July is filled with some of the most well known rodeos. Cheyenne Frontier Days, Spanish Fork’s Fiesta Days, Calgary Stampede, Greeley Stampede, Days of 47 and many others. So if you have a rodeo bucket list the month of July would be the time to gas up the RV, Lear Jet, Dually, or Jeep and hit the road like so many cowboys and cowgirls do every year.
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Yes we Rodeo Big In The North!
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