PRORODEO Sports - April 24, 2026 Digital Edition

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.

8 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE APRIL 24, 2026