ProRodeo Sports News | 2020 Year-End Edition | Dec.18, 2020

PRCA AWARDS BANQUET

Gone, Not Forgotten Rex Bugbee posthumously awarded Pick-up

Man of the Year honor

BY MATT NABER R ex Bugbee spent his life picking others up, both outside the arena and as a ProRodeo pick-up man. Bugbee passed away Aug. 25 at 65 years old while serving as a pick-up man

Rex Bugbee’s wife and sons accepted the honor on his behalf at the annual PRCA Awards Banquet. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Steve Gray

with two-time National Finals Rodeo pickup man Shawn “Too Tall” Calhoun during a non-PRCA sanctioned bronc match in Guymon, Okla., Aug. 20. On Dec. 2, the recently deceased cowboy was posthumously awarded as the 2020 PRCA Pick-up Man of the Year during the PRCA Awards Banquet at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. Rodeo wasn’t just a lifestyle for Rex, it was a part of his life, from riding steers in 4-H to working for stock contractors and saving ProRodeo athletes as a pickup man in arenas across the country. “I think this happened (winning the award) because of just what a great guy he was and always gave everyone his time and recognized everyone,” said Rex’s wife, Teri, who accepted his award on his behalf. It means a lot to me because I know he would have been so proud of it. It’s bittersweet. I would rather he was here to accept it in person but that didn’t happen since he got killed in Guymon. “He would have been really proud that he was nominated by his peers.” Rex was selected to pick up at some of ProRodeo’s major events, including Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days twice and RFD-TV’s The American in Arlington, Texas. He also worked the RAMPrairie Circuit Finals Rodeo multiple times. More recently, he was an arena usher at the 2019 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping and had worked with Frontier Rodeo Company since 2005. “He just loved what he did and loved going to the rodeos and seeing all the committeemen, and looked forward to every rodeo,” Teri said. When asked what stands out the most among Rex’s accomplishments, Teri didn’t hesitate. “It’s probably this,” she said with an emotional laugh, “he had a big impact on rodeo. Everyone loved him and he loved them, and he looked forward to every rodeo and couldn’t wait to get there. “He was always glad to get back home to me too, but he loved what he did.”

2020 PRCA AWARD WINNERS • Purina Horses of the Year – Pocketful of Light “Pockets,” owned by Caleb Smidt (tie-down roping); Dashin Haze “Tyson,” owned by Curtis Cassidy (steer wrestling); RK Tuff Trinket “Bob,” owned by Riley Minor (team roping heading); Nita Win Playboy “Drago” owned by Logan Medlin and Leos Highbrow “Sug,” owned by Brady Minor (team roping heeling); Lena Joe Ichi “Professor,” owned by Martin Poindexter (steer roping); and High Valor “Valor,” owned by Dona Kay Rule (barrel racing). • John Justin Standard of the West Committeeman of the Year – Al Girard, San Bernardino (Calif.) County Sheriff’s PRCA Pro Rodeo • Pendleton Whisky Let ’Er Buck Stock of the Year – Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Flight (bareback); The Cervi Brothers’ Womanizer (saddle bronc); Powder River Rodeo’s Chiseled (bull) • PRCA Media Awards, Rodeo Photographer of the Year – Dan Hubbell • PRCA Media Awards, Excellence in Print Journalism – Brett Hoffman • PRCA Media Awards, Excellence in Multimedia Journalism – The Cowboy Channel & PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App • Polaris RANGER Remuda Awards – Summit Pro Rodeo (stock contractor); Ute Valley Stampede | Nephi, Utah (rodeo committee) • Hesston Sowing Good Deeds – Caldwell (Idaho) Night Rodeo • Coors Man in the Can – Keith Isley • PRCA Clown of the Year – Justin Rumford • PRCA Timer of the Year – Brenda Crowder • PRCA Secretary of the Year – Sunni Deb Backstrom • PRCA Dress Act of the Year – Rider Kiesner and Bethany Iles • PRCA Comedy Act of the Year – John Harrison • PRCA Small Rodeo of the Year – Mesquite, Texas • PRCA Medium Rodeo of the Year – Belle Fourche, S.D. • PRCA Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year – Rapid City, S.D. • PRCA Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year – Deadwood, S.D. • PRCA Music Director of the Year – Jill Franzen Loden • PRCA Pick-Up Man of the Year – Rex Bugbee • PRCA Bullfighter of the Year – Cody Webster • PRCA Announcer of the Year – Bob Tallman • PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year – Frontier Rodeo • PRCA Donita Barnes Contract Personnel Lifetime Achievement – Cindy Rosser

ProRodeo Sports News 12/18/2020

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