ProRodeo Sports News - February 8, 2019

PRCA NOTES

BRIEFS Greeley Stampede 2019 committee revealed It is Chad Sanger, General Chairman; Trent Johnson, Vice & Night Shows Chairman; Jackie Lyman, Secretary & Gold Spur Chairman; Julie Jensen, Treasurer & Vendor Chairman; Mic Harvey, Security Chairman; Jerry Short, Beverages Chairman; Shawn Mills, Rodeo Chairman; Jeff Reck, Grounds & Demolition Derby Chairman, Kent Heckel, Parades Chairman; Jesse Leos, Volunteer Chairman; Dan Dennie, Hospitality Chairman; Todd Stephens, Parking and Admissions Chairman. To learn more about the 2019 Greeley Stampede Committee, visit www.greeleystampede.org/p/ committee. The 2019 Greeley Stampede is June 26 through July 7. Tracy and husband, Ken Longanecker, Scott Stanton, James and wife, Megan Stanton; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; sisters Pat Zakula and Jean Stanton; brother Bill Stanton; five nieces; four nephews; and several great-nieces and nephews. The 2019 Greeley (Colo.) Stampede’s committee was announced. riding title in ’63 and a bull riding championship in ’76. He was honored by the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame at its 2000 induction banquet at 59 years old. His rodeo career ended at age 28 due to injury. He ventured back in ’75 to some area rodeos, winning the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up’s bull riding that year. In 2011, Kenny was inducted into the Pendleton Round-Up Hall of Fame where he was the bareback champion in 1964, bull riding champion in 1966,’70 and ’75, and won the All- Around in 1970. He won the “Big Four” award in 1966. Stanton’s career was cut short due to problems with his feet which resulted in amputation procedures stemming from an incident when he was a deputy sheriff inWeiser, Idaho. “I was called out to an accident late one night and answered the call wearing cowboy boots and a light jacket” he said. “The 17-vehicle pileup was in 18-below (zero) weather. I wasn’t back until 10 hours later and had frozen my feet.” After his Washington County Sheriff days, Kenny spent several years at a large mining operation in Battle Mountain, Nev., working dispatch and driving a 250-tonWaseda haul truck. It was around 2004 when Kenny returned toWeiser, Idaho. In retirement he spent his days prospecting mining claims, one of his favorite hobbies. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Lillian Stanton; and one nephew, Len Zakula. He is survived by his three children,

He continued to work on ranches, riding and breaking horses. He mentored children and became a big part of his community by helping sick animals or teaching people to ride or work out a horse. Sammy rode into his 90s and helped rope during spring and fall brandings. Spahan is preceded in death by his wife, Joan. He is survived by his sons, Brett and Raoul; daughters, Terry and Rhoda; grandchildren, Amber, Triton Manzo, Sammy, Alex Arno and Kaci Spahan; plus, several others not listed but recognized. He has one surviving sister, Lorrain Fox, and brother, Joe Spahan. He left behind his beloved horse Skipper. Sammy was cremated and was joined with his wife and they were set off into the wind. There was a celebration of life on his birthday. KENNY STANTON Kenny Stanton, 77, of Weiser, Idaho, passed away Feb. 3. He was a 13-time qualifier for the National Finals Rodeo. Stanton ranked from fifth to 11th in Born Oct. 8, 1941, inThe Dalles, Ore., he moved with his family to Sisters, Ore. He was offered wrestling scholarships to Oregon and Oregon State after becoming a two-time high school state champion. He was a runner-up his sophomore year. Instead of college he opted for rodeo, a love he and his brother Bill had from riding “dad’s calves down in our field.” The Stanton duo traveled together on the West Coast circuit. The wiry, 145-pound, two-event man was a flashy newcomer when he began his pro stints. Barely past voting age, and after only a couple of years, he was an established pro. ProRodeo Hall of Famer Jim Shoulders was asked to list the top five bareback riders and the top five bull riders in the nation and Kenny Stanton was the only one on both lists. When asked why Stanton never won a world title, Shoulders gave two reasons: Ken didn’t travel to enough rodeos during a season and he didn’t have the luck of the draw with him as much as some other cowboys. Among his notable feats, he finished 11th in the world standings for bareback riding in 1961 and 11th in the 1963 All-Around standings with a sixth-place finish in bull riding and 13th in bareback. He was ninth in 1964 All-Around (fourth in bull riding), fifth in 1965’s All-Around (10th in bareback, third in bull riding), sixth in the ’66 All-Around (sixth in bareback, fifth in bulls). Stanton won the all-around buckle in Ellensburg, Wash., in 1963 and ’65, a bareback Stanton the All-AroundWorld Champion standings seven times (1961, ’63- 66, ’68-69) and qualified for the NFR seven times for bareback riding (1962-68) and seven times for bull riding (1963-67 and ’69-70).

PASSAGES

CECIL ELLIS

Cecil Ellis, of Belton, Texas, a former rodeo clown and bullfighter, passed away Feb. 1. He was 94. Ellis was born in Bastrop County on July 9, 1924, to Charlie and Mary Lee Watson Ellis. He marriedWanie Ray, of Rogers, Texas, on Feb. 18, 1956, in Austin, Texas. He worked for several glass companies until 1964 when they moved to Belton and he opened his company – Ellis Glass &Mirror. But he enjoyed his part-time job as a rodeo clown and bullfighter most. In 1947, Ellis started his rodeo clown and bullfighting career with Buck and Tommy Steiner Rodeo Company of Austin and continued with them until 1952. He worked for Duke Gibbs’ Triangle Bull Rodeo Company until 1957. He clowned all over Texas plus other states, such as Alabama, Florida, NewMexico, Idaho, Tennessee, Virginia and New Jersey. He retired from clowning in 1961. He hosted a Fourth of July barbecue the last several years and always looked forward to seeing his rodeo friends. Ellis is survived by his wife, Wanie, of 63 years; son, Cecil Ray ‘Fuzz” and his wife, Becky; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, P.O. Box 9128, Austin, Texas, 78766. SAMMY BILL SPAHAN Former PRCAmember Sammy Bill Spahan, 91, of Winnemucca, Nev., passed away Sept. 30, 2018, at RRMC in Reno, Nev., surrounded by friends and family. Spahan was born Oct. 26, 1926, in Merritt, British Columbia, on Cold ranches and learning to ride roughstock. He started working on his first big ranch, the Williams Lake Cattle Company, when he was about 12 years old. He started competing in rodeo in 1946. His first setback was when he got hung up and his head was kicked in. He spent 31 days in a coma and was told to never ride again. He had to relearn to walk, talk, read and write. Yet he came back a year later and won that rodeo, and then in 1948, he won the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up as an amateur. He rode bulls, bareback horses and broncs at professional, amateur and Indian rodeos. He won several buckles, a few saddles and some money. He ended his career after breaking his back in 1969. Spahan Water Indian Reserve. He grew up working on

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