ProRodeo Sports News - October 29, 2021

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“If you walk up to the pen, he wants you to come up and scratch on him,” Page said. “At rodeos, he gets amped up in the back pens and he knows when it is rodeo time and when it is feed time.” ONION RING WINS IN SADDLE BRONC The Korkow family has been in the stock contracting business since 1947. Korkow Rodeos has stock annually selected to compete at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, stock like Onion Ring. The 11-year-old bucker won Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year. This is Onion Ring’s second season competing in saddle bronc. Onion Ring, who weighs 1,200 pounds, made multiple trips to the NFR as a bareback horse and was second in the 2018 Pendleton Whisky Let’er Buck Bucking Stock of the Year and tied for third in 2017. “This makes us quite proud to win a prestigious award like this,” JimKorkow said. “I wasn’t surprised that he transitioned to saddle bronc so well because we have been doing that with horses for years and years. Onion Ring is gentle. You can walk right up to him and pet him. He’s that gentle. He’s gentle in the chute. He stands and you can do about anything you want with him until the gate opens and he does about anything with whoever is on him. “There are a lot of really great saddle broncs out there right now, but Onion Ring was at six PRCA stand alone bronc riding events this year and they won first place on him at five of them.” XPLOSIVE SKIES ROCKETS TO TOP OF BAREBACK RIDING Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies, 11, had a memorable season in 2021 and that resulted in the horse claiming top Bareback Horse of the Year. Xplosive Skies bucked off 43 percent of riders in 2021 while the cowboys who stayed on were rewarded.

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TimO’Connell had a 93-point ride at the Calgary Stampede, Clayton Biglow had a pair of 92-point rides in Hermiston, Ore., and Canby, Ore. Then, Wyatt Denny had a 90-point trip in Salinas, Calif. “As a 6-year-old that horse went to the Canadian Finals as a bronc and the next spring we moved the horse to bareback and never looked back,” Calgary Stampede’s Keith Marrington said. “Every time guys draw that horse, they get the opportunity to make money. The horse is consistent and she’s athletic and good to be around and the guys like drawing her.” Xplosive Skies is the granddaughter of ProRodeo Hall of Fame horse Grated Coconut. 1. Onion Ring – Korkow Rodeos, 23 points 2. Wild Cherry – Calgary Stampede, 18 points 3. (Tie) All or Nothing – Andrews Rodeo, 13 points Kool Toddy – Big Bend Rodeo Co., 13 points BULL RIDING 1. Chiseled – Powder River Rodeo, 29 points 2. Smoke Stack – Beutler & Son Rodeo, 23 points 3. Resistol’s Cliff Hanger – Big Rafter Rodeo, 16 points BAREBACK RIDING 1. Xplosive Skies – Calgary Stampede, 40 points 2. Gun Fire – Frontier Rodeo, 34 points 3. OLS Tubs Stevie Knicks – Macza Pro Rodeo, 12 points SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Alaina Stangle photo

Xplosive Skies, Onion Ring, Chiseled capture 2021 honors Best Stock Chiseled was named the Pendleton Whisky Let ‘er Buck Bull of the Year for the second straight season.

BY TRACY RENCK S tanding out among a crowd of exceptional roughstock requires a perfect balance of animal athleticism and the cowboys capable of showcasing that talent. The 2021 PendletonWhisky Let ‘er Buck Bucking Stock of Year recognized Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies for Bareback Horse of the Year, Korkow Rodeos’ Onion Ring for Saddle Bronc of the Year and Powder River Rodeo’s Chiseled for Bull of the Year. BACK-TO-BACK Chiseled, 6, made it two years in a row as the Top Bull of Year. Chiseled is owned by H.D. Page of D&HCattle and bucks under the Powder River Rodeo umbrella. This is Page’s fourth bull of year honor. Sweet Pro’s Bruiser was the 2017 Bull of the Year and Page’s bull Sheperd Hills Tested also won 2013

Bull of the Year.

“This is really cool and really unexpected,” Page said. “I was really expecting to win second this time because we

won it last time. We were tickled to death to receive this honor. This is a great accomplishment. When I was a kid, I dreamed of winning an award like this and to win four times now is beyond my imagination when we started in this business.” In 2021, only two cowboys could stay aboard Chiseled for eight seconds. Colten Fritzlan had an 89.5-point ride on him at the American in Arlington, Texas, March 7. Most recently, Josh Frost had a 92.5-point trip on Chiseled at the Lawton (Okla.) Rangers Rodeo Aug. 11. “He has the right characteristics, but mostly it is his intensity,” Page said. “It’s hard on to put a finger on it until you watch him in person. He has a little of intensity some of the others don’t have. He gets off the ground and kicks and does a little bit more than most do.” Chisel weighs 1,700 pounds, but he has a gentle side.

Clay Guardipee photo Onion Ring is one of the few horses selected to compete in both the bareback riding and saddle bronc riding at the NFR.

Alaina Stangle photo Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies was ridden just three times in 2021, all three of those rides went for at least 90 points.

ProRodeo Sports News 10/29/2021

ProRodeo Sports News 10/29/2021

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

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