PRORODEO Sports - April 24, 2026 Digital Edition

SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE 24 APRIL 2026

THE COWBOYS’ CHOICE SINCE 1952

ProRodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Keith Isley bullfighter

Jerome Davis Bull Riding

Butch Myers Steer Wrestling

Ike Sankey stock contractor

Jeff Medders Notable

San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Rodeo Committee

Killer Bee bucking horse

Mary Burger Barrel Racing

Loretta Manuel Barrel Racing

Troy Weekley Ken Stemler Pioneer Award

Bobby Goodspeed Notable

APRIL 24, 2026 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE 1

HOW THE WEST IS WORN

RYDER WRIGHT 2024 WORLD CHAMPION SADDLE BRONC RIDER

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CONTENTS

PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE APRIL 24, 2026

COVER STORY

ProRodeo Hall of Fame

JEFF MEDDERS, BUTCH MYERS AND JEROME DAVIS HEADLINE 2026 CLASS The star-studded 2026 ProRodeo Hall of Fame class includes media mogul Jeff Medders, PRCA World Champions Butch Myers (steer wrestler) and Jerome Davis (bull rider); legendary bull fighter & rodeo clown Keith Isley; stock contrac tor Ike Sankey; tie-down roper Bobby Goodspeed; Beutler & Son Rodeo’s star bareback/saddle bronc horse Killer Bee; San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo; and WPRA World Champion barrel racers Loretta Manuel and Mary Burger. BY PRCA STAFF

ON THE COVER “The Champ” a 27-foot bronze statue of rodeo champion Casey Tibbs atop the famous bucking horse Necktie was created in 1989 by sculptor and former ro deo bulldogger, Edd Hayes. The statue stands outside of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo. PRCA file photo Ike Sankey, head of Sankey Pro Rodeo Company was approved to become a stock contractor in 1978. PRCA photo by Andy Watson 18 PETE CARR HAS BECOME ELITE STOCK CONTRACTOR Since 2005, Pete Carr has established himself as one of top stock contractors in PRORODEO. However, it is a journey Carr never thought he would take. BY TRACY RENCK PRORODEO Stock Contractor ROCKER ROCKS OUT P. 36 STEINER ON STAGE AT BILLY BOB’S BY ALEX DODD

CHAMPION BATTLING CANCER P. 15 DEAN THOMPSON STAYING OPTIMISTIC BY ALEX DODD

WHICH WRIGHT IS RIGHT? P. 34 STATLER, JADEN & SPENCER WRIGHT BY KYNNLEY HERRINGTON

PRORODEO PASSINGS P. 54

NANCY SHEPPARD & JAMES HARPER PRCA STAFF

PSN HQ MANAGER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA Tracy Renck PSN EDITOR AND DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Zach Alvira MEDIA REPORTER Alex Dodd DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS MANAGER Lisa Cush

Carr was introduced to the sport as a teenager, thanks to a neighborhood family. PRCA photo by Click Thompson

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JEFF MEDDERS, BUTCH MYERS, JEROME DAVIS HEADLINE 2026 PRORODEO HALL OF FAME CLASS BY PRCA STAFF W estern lifestyle media mogul Jeff Medders, and a pair of PRCA World Champions – late

CBS Sports Network. From a media perspective, Med ders has been one of the most im pactful people for PRORODEO and the growth and the promotion of the sport. His passion for the sport and his engaging storytelling has connected with viewers in all walks of life as he puts the fan in the action, and he has turned many a casual fan into a loyal engaged fan. By doing that he has helped grow the sport and its fan base. “That leaves me speechless,” said Medders when notified of his induc tion. “I’m so honored. It has been an amazing ride. There have been so many good experiences, great people and every time I show up at the NFR, I know it is not a right, it’s a privilege. I was honored just to be nominated for the ProRodeo Rodeo Hall of Fame, and I’m blown away (to get induct

steer wrestler Butch Myers (1980) and bull rider Jerome Davis (1995) – headline a star-studded 2026 Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame class announced Tuesday, March 31. The trio is joined by Keith Isley, a legendary bullfighter and rodeo clown; stock contractor Ike Sankey; notables, tie-down roper Bobby Good speed, a 12-timer National Finals Rodeo qualifier (1959, 1962, 1963, 1967-71, 1974-77); Beutler & Son Rodeo’s star bareback/saddle bronc horse Killer Bee; San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo; and WPRA World Champion barrel racers Loretta Man uel (1963 and 1967) and Mary Burger (2006 and 2016). The 2026 Pro Hall of Fame in duction ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. (MT), July 18 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Troy Weekley will be honored with the 2026 Ken Stemler Pioneer Award on July 17 as part of the Hall of Fame festivities, which recognizes those who have provided groundbreaking, innovative ideas and forward thinking that help the development, advance ment, and success of the PRCA and or the Hall of Fame and their missions. Weekley has been a longtime stock contractor and influential voice in the southeast for rodeo. JEFF MEDDERS : Medders’ first love remains in the Western lifestyle, and all his media accolades have landed him in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

Since 1991, Medders has been a TV host at the NFR and all things PRORODEO. Medders’ company, Geronimo Produc tions, produced the TV side of the NFR from 2012-2019. Medders also served as presi dent/general manager of The Cowboy Chan nel from 2020-2024. He played a key role in major TV decisions from moves to Great American Country and

JEFF MEDDERS

PRCA file photo

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ed).” Medders took a moment to explain his journey that has led him to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “As a kid growing up in southeast Oklahoma, I went to the NFR ev ery year,” Medders said. “It was the highlight of December, and you know growing up on a ranch, one of the first athletes I wanted to be like was Larry Mahan. I kind of got into the stick and ball sports and became a sportscast er. Then, when I got the chance to go to the NFR in 1991, that was my first actual live television show that I did nationwide, and I just appreciate who those rodeo cowboys are. They are not LeBron James or those guys who are making millions of dollars and have agents. Cowboys treat you like you are one of them. “So, growing up a cowboy and ap preciating that they are the toughest athletes on the planet it was pretty easy for me to get into rodeo and not really want to do any other kind of TV.” BUTCH MYERS : Myers, the 1980 PRCA Steer Wrestling World Champi on and 12-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, passed away July 24, 2024, in Athens, Texas. He was 78. Myers qualified for the NFR in steer wrestling from 1980-87, 1989, 1995 and 1997, and once in tie-down roping in 1989. Myers has quite the rodeo family tree. His late wife, Fanchone, was a barrel racer and former Miss Rodeo Kansas

qualified for the National Finals Steer Roping eight times in 2002, 2005 2009 and 2021-22. “Oh, praise the Lord. I tried to get that done for so long. I’m so grateful. Thank you so much,” Rope said about his father’s ProRodeo Hall of Fame induction. “Dad really did care about legacy and not legacy as in the Hall of Fame. His legacy was the people who he interacted with, that he helped, that he taught, that he coached, that he instructed in their sport, that he rodeoed with, that he lived with. That was the legacy he wanted to leave. And it’s nice then to have something like the Hall of Fame come along behind and recognize that legacy and kind of put a stamp that says that, ‘Hey, you did leave a legacy.’” Butch’s nephew is legendary Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer Ty Murray, and his grandsons are tie-down roper Quade Hiatt, who qualified for the 2024 NFR, and Holden Myers, a top ranked bulldogger. Butch won his first trophy saddle in Little Britches competition at age 11. He was also a champion steer wres tler, calf roper and bareback rider throughout high school and college. Myers obtained a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University in Fort Collins and then obtained a master’s degree in agricultural educa tion from Kansas State University in Manhattan. Myers obtained his PRCA card in 1968, but he couldn’t compete hard,

so he turned in his card. For years, Myers’ priorities were finishing his education, raising a family, while competing in local and open compe tition. Myers returned to the PRCA in 1980 and proceeded to win the world title with $44,708. He also won the steer wrestling average championship at the NFR in 1986 and 1997. During the ‘97 NFR in Vegas, Myers set the average record on 10 head at 43.3 seconds at 52 years old. Myers broke the average record he set in 1986 at 44.3 seconds on 10 head. In 2001, Rope joined his father as an NFR steer roping average record holder with a 37.4-second time on 10 head. JEROME DAVIS : In 1995, Davis became the first cowboy from east of the Mississippi River to win a world bull riding championship, according to PRCA records. Davis, 23, at the time, from Arch dale, N.C., not only finished the regular season leading the world standings, but he also successfully rode nine of 10 bulls at the 1995 NFR to win the average. Davis joined the PRCA in 1992 and qualified for the NFR every year from 1993-1997. In 1995, Davis won two rounds and placed in five more to earn $72,732 at the NFR to win the world title with $135,280. Jerome Davis is a name synony mous with strength,

courage and an unbreak able spirit. His great est challenge came on March 14, 1998. At the Tuff Hedeman Championship Chal lenge, the annual Bud Light Cup event in Fort Worth, Texas, Davis drew the bull named Knock ‘em Out John during the first round. Five seconds into the ride, the bull made a big lunge forward and Davis was jerked down, causing his head to col lide with the bull’s head, knocking him out.

and his sons, Rope and Cash, were PRCA stand outs as well. His daugh ter, Tygh, was also an all-around rodeo hand. Rope was a steer wres tler and nine-time NFR qualifier (1995-2001 and 2003-2004), highlighted by him winning the 2001 PRCA World Champi onship. Cash is a seven-time NFR qualifier – six in steer wrestling (2000 2003, 2005 and 2008) and once in tie-down roping in 2001. He also

BUTCH MYERS

PRCA file by Jim Fain

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JEROME DAVIS

Jerome Davis competing at the 1995 NFR. PRCA photo by Dan Hubbell

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The unconscious Davis was then thrown off the bull’s back and landed head-first into the arena dirt, causing a fracture/dislocation at the base of his neck. The wreck resulted in Davis becoming permanently paralyzed from the chest down. After the accident, Davis faced nu merous challenges, but it was also the beginning of a new chapter of resil ience and triumph. “Oh man, that’s awesome. That’s a big deal to me. This is one of the highlights of my life,” Davis said when he received the Hall call. “I think my bull riding taught me how to be motivated and how to overcome obstacles and, you know, things in life in general. At the end of the day, I just love being a cowboy. And it’s just kind of the mindset that you’ve got to have through life some times, the same mindset that wins world titles and things at the NFR.” KEITH ISLEY : Isley’s baggy pants, red hat and USA-themed shirts became well-known through the 1990s and 2000s in PRORODEO. The North Carolina barrelman and clown ob tained his PRCA card in 1994 and immediately made an impact at every rodeo he attended. With specialty acts consisting of horses, dogs, bull whips and trick rop ing, Isley’s specialty act caught the eye

of PRORODEO officials and allowed him to be named to the National Finals Rodeo from 1998 2002, and again from 2008-09. His accolades didn’t stop there. Isley was named the PRCA Clown of the Year from 2006-11. He was nominated for the same award in 2012. He was named the Coors Man in the Can in 2006 and again from 2009-11. He was the PRCA

IKE SANKEY

Specialty Act of the Year (1999-2002; 2006) and Comedy Act of the Year (2001, 2004, 2009-11) five times each in his career. Isley also made a name for himself in PRORO DEO circuits. He was the specialty act and bar relman at the National Circuit Finals Rodeo from 1999-2000, 2008 and 2010. He also worked the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo (2008); Co lumbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo (2008); Great Lakes Circuit Finals Rodeo (2003); First Frontier Circuit Finals Rodeo (1999-2001; 2004-06; 2009); and the Southeastern Circuit Finals Rodeo (1996). In 2009, on the night

when they start as young as I did, you always dream of working the big ones, and I’ve done that,” Isley said of his induction. “And it’s just a dream come true.” Throughout his career, Isley also spent time as a pickup man and team roping contestant. But his true love was entertainment, and few did it better than Isley. Isley’s last in-arena performance came on Dec. 21, 2024, in Billings, Mont., at the Chase Hawks Rough Stock Rodeo. He was 67 years old. Now, his legacy will be immor talized inside the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “To be able to last as long as I have in this business, it’s a dream come true,” Isley said. “I’ve been very blessed, not lucky, but very blessed to have made it this far. That’s what I needed.” IKE SANKEY : Responsible for breed ing some of the best bucking stock in the PRCA, Sankey created a legacy in PRORODEO when he was approved to become a stock contractor in 1978. Sankey Pro Rodeo quickly flour ished and was responsible for breed ing multiple bucking stock of the year award winners, including Skitso Skoal, the Saddle Bronc of the Year in 1994 and 1997.

before the start of the

51st National Finals Rodeo, Isley won his fourth straight Clown of the Year award, his second Coors Man in the Can award and third Comedy Act of the Year honor. It was a three-award sweep for the then 52-year old. “Everybody,

KEITH ISLEY

PRCA file photo

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Skoal’s Wild Card, another Sankey horse, won Saddle Bronc of the Year in 1998, while Sur prise Party Skoal tied for the honor in 2000. Sankey Pro Rodeo merged with Phenom Genetics

BOBBY GOODSPEED

PRCA file photo

in 2019 to form Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics, further increasing the stock contracting firm’s influence on bucking stock in the PRCA. In 2022, the company sent five bucking bulls to the NFR. In recent years, The Black Tie (2022 PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year) has been one of the best horses in PRO RODEO, responsible for multiple 90-plus point rides. Magic Touch, Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ prized bull, was named the PRCA Bull of the Year in 2025. “Rodeo is how I’ve made a living, that and trading my whole life, and the PRCA has been special from the beginning,” Sankey said when he learned of his induction into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. “I’m probably one of the only guys alive right now that has a belt pin that says RCA on it. So, it means a lot.” Before becoming a stock contrac tor, Sankey was a five-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier in bareback (1975-78) saddle bronc in 1978. He was just 18 years old when he made his first NFR appearance in 1975, just one year after obtaining his card. His best season came in 1978 when he entered the NFR fourth in the bareback world standings with $26,863 in earnings. After placing at the final rodeo of the season, he also qualified for saddle bronc that season at No. 15.

That year, he contended for the all-around world title, placing three times in bareback riding and once in saddle bronc, highlighted by an 86-point trip on Sutton Rodeo’s Half Velvet to earn the Round 5 win. BOBBY GOODSPEED : A recent in ductee into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame, tie-down roper Goodspeed will be immortalized in PRORODEO history forever as part of the 2026 induction class for the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. The honor comes after a long career for Goodspeed that included 12 trips to the National Finals Rodeo, including one year in which he won the NFR average and finished tied for third in the final world standings. Born in 1938, the Wetumka, Okla., cowboy had rodeo in his blood. His father, Jess, was the RCA – now the PRCA – reserve national champion in 1952. Jess Goodspeed also went on to win major PRORO DEO events, including Cheyenne Frontier Days, multiple AQHA national championships and was in ducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame. Goodspeed took after his father early on in his roping career. He won the American Junior Roping Association all-around and calf roping titles three consecutive years from 1954-56 and obtained his RCA Card two years later in 1958.

It only took Goodspeed one year to make it to PRORODEO’s biggest stage, qualifying for the inaugural National Finals Rodeo in Dallas, Texas, in 1959. He went on t compete at the NFR 11 more times throughout his career (1959, 1962, 1963, 1967-71, 1974-77), all of which took place in Oklahoma City, Okla. Goodspeed won 12 total rounds at the NFR and placed 35 times. He has $20,202 in total NFR earnings in his career. Throughout that time, Goodspeed also picked up wins at some of the PRCA’s biggest rodeos, including Cheyenne, Denver and Albuquerque. Goodspeed also has six calf roping (1975-77; 1980-82) and one all around title (1977) to his name at the Great Lakes Circuit Finals. He quali fied for the Great Lakes Circuit Finals Rodeo for the final time in 1996. He later went on to become a judge for the PRCA. KILLER BEE : After retiring in 2022, Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Killer Bee passed away on July 10, 2024. What the horse did inside the are na will never be forgotten. Killer Bee strung together a re markable career as a PRCA bareback and saddle bronc horse. Upon retirement after the 2022 National Finals Rodeo, Killer Bee en tered the breeding program and died due to pregnancy complications at 19 years old.

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KILLER BEE

Outstanding bareback mare Killer Bee from Beutler & Son Rodeo Company. PRCA photo by Doug Gardner

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“She was the best horse I ever had, by far,” stock contractor Bennie Beut ler said. “We bottle-raised her after her mother died. She never got gen tle, but she would let you follow her around and she was one-of-a-kind.” Killer Bee earned top bareback horse of the 2018 and 2020 NFRs, and top saddle bronc horse of the 2013, 2014 and 2022 NFRs. She also won PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year honors in 2019, top bareback horse of Round 3 at the 2019 NFR and top saddle bronc horse of Round 4 and Round 9 of the 2022

the event’s name during its incep tion, thrived until 1943 when it was canceled due to a fire that destroyed several of the facilities. They rebuilt and continued, evolv ing over the years to include more rodeo events. Now, 94 years later, the San Angelo Rodeo has become one of the most pivotal stops on the PRORODEO road in the spring and as part of the Texas Swing. “This is definitely a rodeo town,” said Justin Jonas, the executive director of the San Angelo Rodeo. “Our rodeo and our stock show is the

Many have remained for several years, dedicating their time for the simple love of rodeo and the city. Every year it brings a little more joy to San Angelo. During its inception in the heart of the Great Depression, it brought hope. “It was put in to strictly try to lift everybody’s spirit, bring everybody together,” Jonas said. “And you know that same spirit still happens once a year, every time out here. So, it’s re ally great. The community is all very, very supportive, and the rodeo is a big engine for our entire town.” San Angelo has become one of the highest

NFR.

SAN ANGELO STOCK SHOW AND RODEO

Killer Bee’s last ride proved a memorable one in Round 9 of the 2022 NFR. In her last out, Daw son Hay tied the Round 9 record with a 92-point ride in front of a packed house at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. “That ride was as good as it gets, everything came together,” Beut ler said. After the ride, Killer Bee trot ted around the arena for one last standing ovation. SAN ANGELO STOCK SHOW AND RODEO : The San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo began as an idea in 1932.

paying rodeos in the PRORODEO Playoff Series. With nearly $800,000 up for grabs, it’s be come a must-at tend event for some of the top cowboys and cowgirls. But beyond the main attraction, other events have also flourished in San Angelo. The San Angelo Xtreme Bulls is a major Division I stop along the Rank 45 Xtreme Bulls Series. The San Angelo Cinch Chute-Out has provided another opportunity for contestants to improve their place in the world standings. Now, a rodeo

PRCA file photo

J. Culberson “Cub” Deal, who served as the elected manager of the San Angelo Board of City Develop ment, thought the West Texas city would benefit from a spring stock show rather than a fair. Two years later, with success coming quickly, an experimental rodeo took place alongside the stock show. The Fat Stock Show & Rodeo,

biggest event for San Angelo. It’s the biggest economic impact event for the city of San Angelo, and the whole town just supports this rodeo.” Having the support of the com munity has allowed the San Angelo Rodeo to flourish. Volunteers work diligently to ensure a smooth operation for the two-week long stock show and rodeo.

meant to bring joy to a town during one of the most difficult times in U.S. history will forever live on in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. MARY BURGER : It seems only fit ting for Burger to be going into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame 10 years after her last world title (2016), be -

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Manuel, born Aug. 19, 1939, in Winamac, Ind., is well known for her accomplishments both aboard barrel horses and jumping horses. She qualified for the National Finals Rodeo a total of nine times (1962-67, 1969-1971), winning the coveted world championship twice with a reserve finish in 1965. She par tially credits her success in rodeo to her days as a teen performer in Wild West shows, in which she did trick riding and Roman riding. She transitioned from trick riding to barrel racing shortly after getting Spade as he was fast and agile, so she thought he was well suited for the clo verleaf pattern. She trained him and believed they only hit a barrel twice during his whole career. They cap tured the RodeoHouston title in 1968, the second year it was held at the Astrodome. Spade also spent some of his career as a bulldogging horse and she thought that made him tougher when it came to barrel racing. In addition to her world titles, another highlight of her career was meeting two U.S. presidents – Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy. She retired from rodeo in the 1970s

cause after all, her second world title came 10 years after her first (2006). Burger, at the young age of 68 years and 4 months in 2016, became the oldest world champion, male or fe male, a record that still stands today. She was born Aug. 18, 1948, in Decatur, Ind., but now makes her home in Pauls Valley, Okla. Horses were commonly used on the family farm and viewed as a tool. One of

That year a horse named Rare Fred carried her to her first WPRA World Title. She not only etched her name in the record books for the 2006 world title, but she also became the oldest world champion in the WPRA at the age of 58, a record she would break 10 years later. Burger qualified for the National Finals Rodeo two more times (2008 09) with Fred. In 2010, Fred was

MARY BURGER

PRCA file photo

six children, Burger was diagnosed at a young age with Perthes disease in both hips, a condition that caus es inflammation and arthritis-like symptoms. The disease rendered her unable to walk and she required crutches. As a result, her father bought her a pony that served as her transportation until she was 10. Burger was able to recover from the disease with treatment, and it’s believed that horseback riding helped her hips spread, allowing her to heal. She first made a name for herself in the AQHA ranks winning the world titles in junior barrel racing and pole bending in 1974 aboard a horse named High Bars Wimpy. Burger added seven more AQHA World Ti tles in barrel racing (1985-86, 1995, 2001-03, 2005) aboard three differ ent horses, Showum The Gold, Miss Mergie and Rare Fred, before turning her attention to the PRORODEO ranks. Burger joined the Women’s Pro fessional Rodeo Association in 1985 when she moved to Oklahoma with her husband, Kerry, but just dabbled in the PRORODEO ranks until 2006.

sold and so began Burger’s search for the next great ride. Enter a buckskin gelding registered Sadiefamouslast words, known as Mo. Mo took to PRORODEO circuit like a champ, collecting his first big win at RodeoHouston and followed that up a few months later with the title at the Calgary Stampede. The first week of August, Burger surpassed Lindsay Sears’ record for most money won prior to the NFR with $185,439. Sears set the record in 2008 with $184,567. Burger set a then regular season record earnings mark with $190,977 and became just the third WPRA contestant in NFR history to wear the No. 1 back number, joining Charmayne James and Sherry Cervi. Burger finished the 2016 season with $277,554 in earnings, capturing her second gold buckle at her fourth and final NFR. LORETTA MANUEL : Manuel won the 1963 and 1967 barrel racing world championships aboard a black horse registered Full of Pep, that she simply called Spade.

LORETTA MANUEL

PRCA file photo

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but remained active in the equestri an scene when she began working at Cloudline Hounds Hunt, a Brit ish-style fox hunting group in Celeste, Texas, where she currently resides. In November 2021, she was amongst the sixth class to be inducted into the All Cowboy & Arena Champi ons Hall of Fame, an internet-based Hall of Fame, created to help pre serve and promote rodeo history. On June 5, 2022, in Kingston, Texas, she was honored when the community mounted a permanent sign on State Highway 69 honoring her accomplishments. She now adds ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee to her resume at the age of 86. TROY WEEKLEY : In the “Cowboy Town” of Davie, Fla., is Bergeron Rodeo Grounds, home to the Weekley Brothers Davie Pro Rodeo. For more than 40 years, the rodeo has been a local Western tradition, drawing residents, college students and even national recognition. Also, Five Star Rodeo formed in 1986 when brothers, Troy, Dan and Wayne Weekley, along with their life long friend Donald Parish, purchased Flying G Rodeo from Eric Goolsby of Okeechobee, Fla. Five Star Rodeo is devoted to delivering top-notch rodeo entertainment to rodeo fans of Flori da as well as around the world. They are dedicated to the preservation of the American cowboy and the West ern heritage.

Troy Weekley was also a member of the PRCA Board of Directors for more than a decade. “I do love the PRCA and I have always done everything I thought was right for it, not long for it,” Weekley said. “This award means a lot. I’ve always supported the PRCA and it meant a lot to me and the best time I ever had was sitting on the PRCA Board for 14 years.”

PRCA file photo TROY WEEKLEY

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D ean Thompson has become accustomed to battling. He does it for eight seconds every time he climbs into a bucking chute. The 2024 PRCA Bareback Riding World Champion wins most of his battles with some of the best buck ing horses in PRORODEO, but a hang-up at the Cave Creek (Ariz.) Rodeo Days on March 29 resulted in a trip to a hospital in Park City, Utah, for examination of his wrist and chest. DEAN THOMPSON OPTIMISTIC AMID BATTLE WITH CANCER By Alex Dodd The initial results looked good. His wrist was fine and there was no bleeding in his chest, but the doc tors noticed swelling of Thompson’s lymph nodes on the right side of his neck and referred him to an ear, nose and throat specialist. On April 3, a biopsy diagnosed Thompson with Burkitt Lymphoma, and he began a new fight against cancer. “It’s probably been the hardest thing, at least for my wife and me, that we’ve ever been through,” Thompson said. “Before we had any idea, besides the lymph nodes, that I had can cer, I mean how are we supposed to sleep with that? Without the answers, it’s impossible. My entire family knows how healthy I am. I live in a very active family, and it just doesn’t make sense. “That’s what, that was the common theme. My whole family is just pretty much in denial. It’s such a shock, honestly. There were thou sands of tears shed, and lots of prayers said. It’s been a shock.” Burkitt’s Lymphoma is an aggressive and fast-moving form of cancer. After the doctors called with the news, they immediately asked Thompson to drive the two and a half hours from his home in Altamont, Utah, to Salt Lake City and start treatment. He began chemotherapy on April 5. “We’ve had a pretty consistent information stream coming in of what treatment is going to look like and what we’re going to have to do to beat this thing,” Thompson said. “Burkitt’s is so aggressive, and this is pretty much the heaviest-hitting chemo that they give for anything.”

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DEAN THOMPSON CONTINUED

Thompson began a four-stage chemotherapy treatment plan. Each stage features four to six chemo treatments over a three-week period, which adds up to 20 chemo treatments total. He’ll also undergo eight lumbar punc tures to make sure the cancer doesn’t spread into his spinal fluid. As of April 7, he’d undergone three treatments, with the first taking place on Easter Sunday, April 5. Doctors hope the treatment takes about 12 weeks with at least an addi tional three months of recovery time. “They’re pretty confident that because I’m young and I’m healthy and my blood counts have really held fairly steady,” Thompson said. “Then

cowboy. Thompson is in good spirits and feels good physically after his first few treatments. Though he knows there may be tough days ahead, he remains positive thanks to the support of his wife, his family, the rodeo community and his doctors, who acted quickly to put a plan into place. “I didn’t realize how much support and thoughts and prayers really made a difference,” Thompson said. “But there’s an energy that comes with those, and I just hope that people know that I can feel it, and I really am thank ful for them.”

I’ll be looking to go home. I’ll probably stay (in Salt Lake City) about one of every three weeks. One week (at the hospital) and then I’ll go home for two weeks before coming back.” Thompson said that the doctors are hopeful the treatment can be successful. Burkitt’s Lymphoma primarily affects chil dren and young adults and has a high survival rate if caught early. Thompson, who wasn’t experiencing any of the typical symptoms of the cancer, which include rapid swelling of the jaw, abdomen or lymph nodes, believes doctors found the growth during the early stages of the disease’s development. “It’s going to get worse before it’s going to get better,” he said. “But I

Dean Thompson, the 2024 PRCA Bareback Riding World Champion, diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. PRCA photo by Lara St Jacques

do believe it’s going to get better. After these treatments, I swear I can look in the mirror and see this lump on the side of my neck decrease in volume.” Support for Thompson has been widespread within the PRORODEO community. Multiple cowboys, including former and current world champions, have reached out to Thompson and his wife, Chezney, in the days following his diagnosis. Fans on social media have also offered their support for the Utah

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POSITIVE TIMES OF PRORODEO: BRADLEE MILLER STAYING TRUE TO SELF AMID SUCCESS By Skylar Smith

B areback rider Bradlee Miller has never tried to be anything other than himself, and that’s exactly what’s carried him this far. Raised in the rhythm of rodeo and rooted in a family that understands the work behind the spotlight, Miller brings a mix of grit, humility and a lighthearted edge that makes him as respected as he is enjoyable to be around. He’s been a part of American Hat Company since he was in high school, long before the bright lights and big stages. Back then, it wasn’t about titles or recognition. It was about showing up, putting in the work and learning the ropes from the ground up. That foundation still defines him today. Rodeo has always been close to home. His dad, Bubba Miller, a long time rodeo team coach at Sam Hous ton State University helped shape not just his riding, but his perspective. The lessons weren’t always about winning. They were about listening, learning and respecting the process. And Miller took that to heart, even if it took a little time to fully sink in. To say he “had success” early on would be an understatement. Miller won five outright Junior World Fi nals titles – three in bareback bronc riding and two in bull riding – and tied for another bareback title before he turned 18. His last junior rodeo came at 17, and instead of easing into the next chapter, he stepped straight into it, buying his PRCA permit the moment he became eligible. From there, the transition to pro fessional rodeo wasn’t about proving

energy high even when times are tough.” For Miller, Positive Times isn’t just about the wins, it’s about perspec tive. “To me, ‘Positive Times’ means staying grateful, enjoying every mo ment and making the most of every opportunity,” he said. Miller is proof that you don’t have to change who you are to compete at the highest level. You just have to be willing to get better every day, listen more than you speak and to keep showing up with the same work ethic that got you there in the first place. Miller’s story is still being written. But if there’s one thing that’s already clear, he’s doing it his way; with a grin on his face, a little grit and a mindset shaped by the people and lessons that raised him.

he belonged, it was about continuing to grow. Now a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, Miller has established himself as a top cowboy, not just because of his talent, but because of his mindset. A balance of confidence mixed with humility and focus paired with humor is what sets Miller apart. He doesn’t take himself too seri ously, but he takes the work serious ly. He understands that every ride, every mile and every conversation has something to offer if you’re will ing to pay attention. There’s a natural ease to the way he carries himself, a kind of quiet confidence that doesn’t need to be announced. He’s the guy cracking jokes behind the chutes and keeping things light when the pressure is on. But when it’s time to nod his head, there’s no question he’s all in. And lately, that mindset has started to pay off in a big way. “Over the past couple months, one of the biggest positives for me has just been seeing

the hard work pay

off, both in and out of the arena,” Miller said. “Most recently, I won (Rodeo) Aus tin, bought my first property and started a small business. “Surrounding my self with good people has kept the

PRCA photo by Click Thompson

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SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN PETE CARR HAS BECOME ELITE PRORODEO STOCK CONTRACTOR By Tracy Renck

S ince 2005, Pete Carr has established himself as one of top stock contractors in PRORODEO. However, it is a journey Carr never thought he would take. Carr was raised by a single mom and had every reason to not live a productive life. “We grew up and we didn’t know we were poor, but we were poor. We lived in government subsidized apartments in Dallas,” Carr said. “We didn’t know any difference. We always had hamburger helper on the stove without the hamburger. “We always had something to wear and we didn’t know back then it was different. People didn’t wear designer clothes, and it didn’t matter what tennis shoes you had on. So, it was easier to get by like we did. But we never wanted for anything.” Carr acknowledged his mother’s resilience and persever ance kept the family afloat. Her actions were an inspiration to him. “My mom was everything. She worked three jobs. She was the oldest of five in her family,” Carr said. “She taught me ev erything I knew about everything. From her, I learned about work ethic and being kind to people. And she was that kind of person that took care of all of her siblings, me and my sister. “Besides her, my aunt was probably like my second mom, and she would always watch us when my mom had to go to work. And we’d talk all the time. She’s been a great influ ence too.” Carr’s mom put him on the right path – but it didn’t involve rodeo. “You know, I couldn’t even spell rodeo when I was grow ing up,” Carr said. INTRODUCTION TO RODEO Really by chance, Carr was introduced to the sport as a teenager, thanks to a neighborhood family. “I started riding bareback horses in high school, thanks to a local family that was right up the street,” Carr said. “We lived in Richardson, Texas, and there was a family, the Rodriguez family. They had five boys and their oldest son, Monty, rode bareback horses. “I started traveling around with those guys, not rodeoing, I was just hanging out with them. I was the younger kid, and they were going to all the local rodeos all over. They did the junior stampede and various rodeos around the Metro

plex. I thought we were really going, (it felt like) two days, and it was like two hours. It was fun. I hung around, and I watched those guys. Monty rode bareback horses, so it kind of got me interested. That’s kind of how I got started as a bareback rider.” There was one problem though. If Carr wanted to contin ue rodeoing, he needed money. “The only job I could do and get my (school) courses (done) was work construction. I barely got out of high school. I think they actually called at one point and asked me if I wouldn’t come for the rest of the school year,” Carr said. “My mom wanted me to graduate from high school, so I did. I do have a diploma from high school. But I just didn’t learn that way. I wasn’t an academic star by any means. But the only way I could continue to rodeo was to have a construction job. We would start at 7 in the morning, get off at 3. Well, you can make a lot of rodeos that way. There’s a rodeo in pretty much every town around here (in Texas). “I would go to the short ones on Thurs day night, the further ones on Friday, and then the longest ones. If I had to go to Houston or somewhere, I’d go there on Saturday and I’d try to get entered correctly to where I could work. At the most, I would take off at like 2 o’clock. When we had a break,

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All Pete Carr photos for this feature story are by 4x PRCA Photographer of the Year Click Thompson

I’d buddy up to the foreman and I’d be like, ‘Hey, I’ve got to go.’ They all liked to rodeo so they’re like, ‘Yeah, go do good.’ Carr competed in bareback riding for almost 20 years in PRORODEO. He also founded Resource Commercial Inc., a general contracting firm, in 1993. To say his business venture was successful is a gross understatement. “I obviously was working on building a business. I kind of got out of the drywall business and started general con tracting. I didn’t have any money and you don’t really have any money in the GC business,” Carr said. “I knew enough about being the first guy on the job to the last guy on the job. I saw probably all the trades work all my life, but I didn’t really specifically know how to figure out the service or things like that. But I knew the sequencing, so it was good for GC work. I had an office with a shared copier and all that. I built it over 30 years ago.” Carr’s self-determination was obvious in his youth. He knew college wasn’t an option, but that wasn’t going to derail his ambition to succeed. “I think college is great. I would have loved to go into college, but we didn’t have the financial means. I didn’t have the time. I needed to go to work,” Carr said. “I started a paper route when I was 11. And by the time I was 13, I was delivering 475 papers in the morning, getting up at 4 in the morning when they had the Dallas Morning News, and we

rolled them all. “I’ve always worked. It’s a generational thing. Back then you could go to work when you were young, 15 or 16, people would hire you. I’ve had so many jobs. If I wanted some thing I had to go work for it. So, college really wasn’t an option for me. I think it’s great. A lot of people that work for me, everybody’s got their diplomas in their office. I used to look at them and go, ‘Man, I wish I had one of those.’ But it all worked out. I wouldn’t do it any differently.” FROM COMPETITOR TO STOCK CONTRACTOR With his business booming, Carr never lost his love for rodeo. He got involved in the stock contractor business – starting Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, which was established to produce PRCA rodeos and provide high-caliber livestock throughout the United States. “When I stopped entering rodeos, I was in my early 30s. I figured out when I came home and started going to work, I didn’t really know anybody because I lived in this big town. But every week I’d leave and everybody I knew was either in a rodeo, at a rodeo or putting on a rodeo,” Carr said. “So, I was like, ‘Hey, maybe I can get involved in that.’ I started out helping a buddy of mine buy horses and bulls and kind of supplementing some of his work. “It just kind of went from there, and then I got into it. It’s like anything else, once you get into it, it’s kind of hard

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to get out of it, and your passion just takes you deeper and deeper into it. Before I knew it, I was part owner in a rodeo company. Then I had my own rodeo company, and then we were off and running.” And Carr knew when he became a stock contractor, he wanted to be the best in the business. “Being a perfectionist is probably a curse, because you’re always striving, you’re never complacent. You want to be perfect,” Carr said. “I’m trying to learn to set my expecta tions a little lower and enjoy things as I go along. But I just wanted to be good. “When you start out in any business or any arena, every body’s eyes are on you, so you’re under a microscope. Every rodeo we put on, from Day 1, I knew everybody was watch ing us, critiquing us. It motivates you to be better. That’s what drove me.” Carr acknowledged his outside business and rodeo mentors who were instrumental to setting him in the right direction as a stock contractor. “Obviously you need fuel to drive the engine, and my fuel was my commercial construction company. I couldn’t have done it without it,” Carr said. “But I also wouldn’t have done any of this. You’re talking about a kid who grew up in a metropolitan city that never even had a pair of boots growing up, never. I’m the most unlikely guy in the world to end up in the rodeo business. I couldn’t even spell rodeo when I was growing up. So, to be in rodeo, I had a lot of great people that I met, a lot of influences. If it wasn’t for Scotty Lovelace and Stace Smith, I would never have gotten into the rodeo business. “We got into it as a partnership, and I learned a lot. I grew and I saw how they took care of their stock and how they ran their businesses, and I just tried to be as good as them or better, best as I could be. I’ve been fortunate enough along the way to be blessed with great crews and great people. It would take a whole other segment to tell you all the people who helped me along the way. But it takes a lot of people. I’ve had the privilege of riding around Harry Vold’s ranch in a pickup and going to other people’s places and meeting some of the legends and the great people of our sport. I talk to Billy Minnick all the time. Mike Cervi, I talked to him every couple of months

when he was alive. My heroes in the game motivated me to keep going and to be better and to keep taking that sport to the next level that they started.” Like any great stock contractor, Carr was able to get some solid horses to build a foundation for success. “The first couple of horses I got when we purchased the Harper & Morgan Rodeo Company, I got a couple of horses and a couple of bulls that were going to the NFR that year. My partners let me have those. From there, I went to bucking horse sales like Dale Kling’s up in North Dakota. I sat there and put my hand in there and bought. It’s kind of like winning money in Vegas. You don’t talk about the 100 times you lose money. You talk about that one time you won. It’s the same in the buying and selling of livestock. You buy a lot of them, and some end up be ing great. If we had a crystal ball, we’d all be really good at this, but we don’t.” One horse that Carr hit the jackpot with initially was Riverboat Annie. Bred from Tan Line and Cadillac Jack, she made her mark as one of the most sought-after bucking horses in the sport, known for her sheer power and drive. In 2007, she was honored as the PRCA’s Reserve World Champion Bareback Horse and made an impressive 11 appearances at the National Finals Rodeo. Her final per formance in Las Vegas was in 2014, but her legacy contin ues as she now focuses on raising the next generation of champions. Riverboat Annie’s influence was pivotal in the rise of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, and her legacy as a legendary bucking horse continues to thrive. “Riverboat Annie was the real deal. We had a lot of those good ones back then,” Carr said. “But I remember the day I was sitting at the sale in North Dakota when they bucked Riverboat and she was a colt and all they had was a dum my on her. I think she was 2 or 3 years old and never had a live rider on her. I stuck my hand in the air, and I had a guy bidding against me. I ended up with her, and she ended up being one of the greatest mares that we’ve ever had or seen. She set arena records everywhere and she was just the coolest horse. She’s still alive, she’s still producing, and we have so many animals out of her who have been to the NFR. It’s just amazing what she’s done.” Carr also was quick to praise the talent of Dirty Jacket,

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to be at a sale or you see something. I have a notion that, ‘Hey, I’m going to bet on the horse and buy it,’ and ends up being a world beater. There’s definitely a lot of luck involved in it, but you have to be in the game. You have to keep pushing, you have to keep entering. You have to keep trying every day to be in the game. As long as you get a seat at the table, anything can happen.” Carr said seeing his livestock capturing Horse or Bull of the Year honors is a point of pride. “When you get chosen to go to the NFR, it is surreal and very special,” Carr said. “Definitely raising (animals who get chosen), it is kind of like watching your kid at a soccer game. You stick your

the 2014 and 2015 PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year, as another cornerstone piece of his stock contracting firm. The first time Dirty Jacket ever bucked at a PRCA rodeo in 2008 was a precursor for things to come. Dirty Jacket was just 4 years old when Carr put the colt to the test in Guymon, Okla. The bay gelding guided his cowboy to the title and did it again the next three years, five times overall. As he matured, Dirty Jacket grew in stature and in legend. He was just 5 when he performed at the National Finals Ro deo for the first of 12 straight times. He was quickly becom ing one of the greatest bucking animals in the sport. The cowboys voted him as the third-best bareback horse in 2012, the year his half-sister, Deuces Night, won the world championship. A year later, Dirty Jacket was the Reserve Bareback Horse of the Year, and

in 2014 and 2015, the explosive example of equine dynamite was twice the PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year. In addition to his dozen trips to the NFR, Dirty Jacket has been named the Texas Circuit horse of the year three times since 2013, twice in bare back riding and once in bronc riding. “I think I paid $3,200 for Dirty Jacket and who knew how good he was going to be,” Carr said. The gamble with Dirty Jacket is just one example of the tight rope stock contractors walk to find star horses and bulls, something Carr acknowl edges is far from an exact science. “You need a lot of luck. When you’re breeding animals and things like that. If you get into the weeds of the rodeo business, it takes quite a bit of luck,” Carr said. “You have to have the right guy draw the right horse or breed the right

Pete Carr’s fuel to become a stock contractor

animal to the right stud to the right mare and end up with the world champion horse or be lucky enough

began with his general contracting business.

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chest out at the NFR and say, ‘That’s my kid.’ Awards are just icing. Billy Jones has come on as our ranch manager the last 10 years and the bulls I bought were mediocre. With his background we have really increased the quality of our bulls. I think the last couple of years, we have taken more bulls to the NFR, and we had the Bull of the Year (in 2023). Even though (Billy) loves horses now, probably more than bulls, he still has a great eye for bulls. I think I have a better eye for horses, so I think it is a good combination. “I think Pete Carr Pro Rodeo brings experience to rodeos. We have John Gwatney as our arena director, to Sandy Gwatney who has been secretary and timer of the year and Billy (Jones) has been flanking for years. I sur round myself with the best people possible because I’m not that good at anything. If you surround yourself with great people, really good things will happen.” Although Carr has had a boatload of successful livestock

compete at the NFR, it does not come without nervous moments. “When you are flanking horses and guys are getting on your animals at the NFR you’re scared to death because these guys are riding for their livelihood, for world cham pionships, money to feed their families,” Carr said. “You know your horse is going to do a good job and you are trying to not mess anything up. You get past that and you take a lot of pride; it is very emotional. Rodeo is a two hour thing, but there are 22 other hours in the day and a lot of days in between that you have to do a lot of the ‘not so fun stuff’ that people don’t really talk about. It is hard work and there are a lot of ups and downs. “When you get to that Super Bowl (the NFR) and your animal is bucking and they are 89 or 91 points and you get to go get a buckle, it is pretty magical.”

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE There’s no question Pete Carr has become one of PRO RODEO’s top stock contractors. He has the resume to prove it. Carr was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2026, two years after Pete Carr Pro Rodeo was inducted. He’s been nominated 17 times for the PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year, and was named Xtreme Stock Contractor of the Year twice (2023, 2025). In 2024 he was named the Resistol Man of the Year. That same year personnel from his stock contracting firm and Dirty Jacket were inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. Carr is a two-time recipient of the WPRA Stock Contrac tor of the Year Award (2014, 2021), and in 2023 Bayou Bengal was named the Bucking Bull of the Year. Other accolades include Deuces Night (2012), Big Tex (2010) and Real Deal (2005) all being named the Bareback Horse of the Year. Riverboat Annie was the Reserve Bareback Horse of the Year in 2007. Dirty Jacket was top-three in voting four years in a row from 2012-2015. But despite the accolades, Carr remains humble. “I don’t feel like I have made it yet,” Carr said. “When I do, I think I will be done. So, you’re always pushing to get

Riverboat Annie has been a cornerstone of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo and a standout in the rodeo world. Bred mark as one of the most sought-after bucking horses in the sport, known for her sheer power and drive. from Tan Line and Cadillac Jack, she made her

22 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE APRIL 24, 2026