ProRodeo Sports News - August 19, 2022

PRORODEO PHOTOGRAPHERS

Award-winning rodeo photographer Fain calls it a career after 60 years In Focus John Golom photo PRCA CEO Tom Glause, right, and members of the Cache County Rodeo Committee present James Fain and his wife, Karen, with a plaque, recognizing his 60 years of work as a photographer in ProRodeo.

BY JOLEE JORDAN Special to ProRodeo Sports News A s the last bull was escorted from the Cache County Fairgrounds arena in Logan, Utah, and the cleanup began Aug. 13, it was clear, the final scene had been played out. It wasn’t just the end of the 2022 Cache County Fair and Rodeo; it was also the end of a brilliant career as longtime rodeo photographer James Fain walked away from the final performance of his 60-year career in ProRodeo. Shooting at his hometown rodeo in Logan, Fain captured reigning PRCA All-Around World Champion Stetson Wright collect another title, along with the victories of today’s brightest stars, and it’s worth noting that Fain has been perfecting his craft since before most of today’s

stars’ fathers were born. Fain was born in Iowa but raised in Arizona and that’s where his interest in rodeo began. “I had a grade school friend who had entered, and he talked me into entering the Phoenix Jaycees Junior Rodeo,” Fain remembered. “I was in the calf riding. I fell off.” That began a journey as a contestant that lasted off and on for many years but, with his typical dry wit, Fain makes a big distinction between what he did compared to other competitors. “I got on them, that was about it,” he noted wryly. Fain rode bareback horses and bulls and steer wrestled. “You hear these so-called old timers talking about back in the day. It was not the fairy tale story for me.” Despite the struggles within the arena, Fain was fascinated with the sport.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/19/2022

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