ProRodeo Sports News - April 29, 2022

opportunity there is probably talent in other events there as well. Not only on the roughstock but on the timed event side as well. Junior Nogueira and Marcos Costa are Brazilians who have reached the pinnacle of our sport in their disciplines. We think there is other talent there given the opportunity. “The PRCA wants to create opportunities and develop talent to help grow membership and ultimately fill entries at rodeos.” Nogueira became the first Brazilian world champion in PRCA history by winning the all-around title in 2016. He added the PRCA Team Roping Heeler World Championship in 2021. Costa won the 2017 PRCA Tie-Down Roping World Championship. Barretos has established its name and credibility in the country of Brazil granting access to countless amounts of professional rodeo athletes. Barretos conducts the largest Professional Rodeo in Latin America established in 1956 with close to one million attendees yearly.

Beyond boosting his weekly summer rodeos, Graham

wants to see these cowboys succeed.

“I hope this builds and these kids come here, and they learn and they win and they want to stay in the United States and rodeo.” – SHAWN GRAHAM Painted Pony Championship Rodeo

“I hope this builds, and these kids come here, and they learn and they win and they want to stay in the United States and rodeo,” Graham said. “We are going to put them through training, and they are going to practice, and we have Clovis Crain, who is one of the greatest all-around cowboys around, and he’s committed to come train and help them when they first get here, and his plan is to come five times through the summer to spend time with them. It’s very exciting to have him as a coach.” Crain is a legend in the First Frontier Circuit competing in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. “These guys will practice three nights a week and then they will rodeo on the weekends,” Graham said. “They are going to have a lot of opportunities.” Steve Knowles, PRCA’s Director of Rodeo Administration, is optimistic about the potential of this

venture. “I think this is an untapped source, especially for the bareback riding and saddle bronc riding,” Knowles said. “We have come up with a plan to try and seek their top guys out and get them into New York with Painted Pony. “They can become circuit cowboys in that circuit (First Frontier) that needs help. I think this is a great untapped program that we are going to see how it works and maybe if we can come out of here with four or five in each event, it is a win-win. “We hope this is a beginning of a whole avenue to our next round of competition and competitors. We are excited.”

The Brazilian cowboys are arriving at the end of June at the Painted Pony Championship Rodeo’s headquarters in Lake Luzerne, N.Y., where they will be provided with living arrangements for their stay, which will conclude on Sept. 3. The cowboys in the program will receive weekly instruction and begin competing in the PRCA-sanctioned Painted Pony Rodeo, which begins July 1 with two rodeos a week. “We just built them a new bunk house to live in and I hope this paves the way and I hope we prove that we are fit for the job, and we get them every year,” said Shawn Graham, owner of the Painted Pony operation.

Photo courtesy Painted Pony Championship Rodeo A look at the new bunk house at the Painted Pony Championship Rodeo’s headquarters, where the 12 Brazilian cowboys will stay.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/29/2022

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