ProRodeo Sports News - April 6, 2018

Kirt Steinke photo

Saddle bronc rider Roper Kiesner loses a boot while getting bucked off Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Full Glass at Rodeo Austin, March 17. Booted Off

Six-time NFR bareback rider Harris perishes in Texas building fire Former Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

Texas Rangers and the Texas Fire Marshal’s Office are leading the investi- gation, assisting Bosque County authorities. An investigator from the fire marshal’s office said the cause of the fire might never be determined. Harris, a Fort Worth native, attended Hill College in Hillsboro before joining the PRCA. His father, Chris Harris Sr., died Dec. 19, 2015, at the age of 67. The elder Harris was an attorney specializing in family and business law and served in the Texas House of Representatives for three sessions – starting in 1985 – before winning a spot in the state Senate, where he served from 1991 to 2013. Harris Jr. also was a breeder of bucking horses and operator of High Court Breeders, a deer-breeding operation. He was preceded in death by his father and his brother, Courtney Johnson-Harris. He is survived by his daughters, Halley (Pistol) Preece (and soon-to-be born granddaughter Parker Jane Preece), Jesse James Harris (and her mother, Stephanie Harris); mother, Tammy Allred Harris; brothers, Don (Adriane) Harris, Justin (Amy) Harris; and sister, Heather (Jerry) Harris Heftler. PRCA executive council members elected The following PRCA executive council members have been elected (or re-elected) and will serve two-year terms, which started April 1: rodeo committee representative at large – George Combs, of Reno, Nev.; rodeo committee representa- tive for rodeos with added money $50,000.01 or greater – James Miller, of Red Bluff, Calif.; rodeo committee representative for rodeos with added money of $10,000 or less – Steve Gander; contract personnel, clown/bullfighter – Robert Blue Jeanes; contract personnel, announcer/music director – Jesse Knudsen; contestant event representative, saddle bronc riding – Jacobs Crawley; contestant event representa- tive, steer wrestling – Matt Reeves; contestant event representative, steer roping – JP Wickett; stock contractor representatives – Mike Corey and TJ Korkow.

contestant Chris Harris Jr., 41, died in Laguna Park, Texas, in a fire that destroyed the large building in which he lived and housed his collection of classic cars, authorities confirmed March 23. Investigators found his body March 22 in the

rubble of a burned-out building in Laguna Park that formerly housed a carpet business. American Forensics in Mesquite confirmed the identity, the Bosque County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release March 23. When contacted by ProRodeo Sports News March 26, the Bosque County Sheriff’s Office in Meridian, Texas, also confirmed Harris’ death.

The building is owned by Harris, who dabbled in antique and classic cars. Harris joined the PRCA in 1995 and qualified for the NFR in 1998-2000 and 2006-08. He finished third in the world standings in 1998 and 2000 and placed a career-best second in the NFR average in 1998. He had $870,953 in career earn- ings. The last time he earned any money during a PRCA season was 2014, when he earned $12,701. Firefighters from more than a half-dozen departments battled the blaze March 21 in the large, metal Salvage Carpet building at the intersection of State Highway 22 and FM 56 in Laguna Park. Mike Parker, the shop foreman at Rankin Automotive, reported the fire about 11:15 a.m. (CT) March 21. He said he saw smoke that he first thought was from a brush fire, and then flames burst through the roof of the building and shot 15 feet into the air.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/6/18

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