ProRodeo Sports News - April 28, 2023

James Phifer photo

Riggin Smith gives some instruction during the Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Colt Bucking on April 8 in Malakoff, Texas.

“His dad gave him the options and he said he wanted to learn all the aspects of the rodeo business,” Kidd continued. “He never competed — or at least hasn’t yet—but he was in the back of that big old truck with Stace and Sheila in the beginning. “He’s been going to rodeos longer than he knows.” Smith has been flanking, hauling trucks and learning how to run the production from both his dad and Kidd. “We’ve been going over what to do when you get there, the managerial role, and he’s been our main flank guy for a bit now, he learned the horses and how to talk to the contestants,” Kidd said. “He’s been in the production meetings and learning about committees, which is where I come in. “I guess you could say he’s in college for learning the rodeo business.” Flanking has come easy to Riggin, who has a passion for bucking horses. He’s been around bucking colts on the ranch and the annual Thanksgiving rodeo school his whole life. Learning to network with committees has been a different challenge. “Going to these meetings with the committees where you’re telling them what you’re going to do but also working with them, asking them at the same time so that everyone agrees,” Smith said of some of his most difficult lessons so far. “And the production side. My dad always said, once the first horse bucks, producing a rodeo isn’t that hard but it’s all the other stuff before.” The stuff before is also what the younger Smith says is his favorite part. “The opening, national anthem, hot song — it’s all your hook to grab people,” he said. “I love that part, light it up right off the bat.” After years of involvement in other sports, Smith really appreciates the camaraderie of rodeo, something he witnessed at the highest level behind the scenes of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo the last two years. The younger Smith also subscribes to his dad’s “cowboys first” mentality of rodeo production. “His deal, what I learned, was that the right way at the end of the day was always to keep it about the cowboys,” he said. “How he ran the rodeo, having even draws, he doesn’t care about the profit above the rodeo being good for the cowboys. I agree fully with that and am ready to be that guy too. Dad said to always have their side because, without them, you don’t have a rodeo anyway.” As Smith steps in to help give his dad the freedom to be there for his younger brother, who is also becoming a star athlete, he has his own goals for the future of the company, including breaking that pesky tie with Harry Vold by capturing a few more Stock Contractor of the Year awards. “I’m trying to fill them shoes and they’re pretty big.”

“What I learned was that the right way at the end of the day was always to keep it about the cowboys. How he ran the rodeo, having even draws, he doesn’t care about the profit above the rodeo being good for the cowboys.” – RIGGIN SMITH ON HIS FATHER James Phifer photo Stock contractor Stace Smith holds his young son, Riggin in the arena at the MDA Rodeo in Athens, Texas, in August of 2004. Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ was the PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year from 2004-2014.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/28/2023

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