2011 PRCA Rodeo 1

11
A special supplement to the Cleburne Times-Review
Johnson County
PRCA Rodeo
June 15-18
June 2011
Johnson County Sheriffs Posse Grounds
J
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n
son Co
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y
SHERIFFS POSSE
Cleburne, Texas
2 2011 PRCA Rodeo
2
Publisher
Kay Helms
khelms@trcle.com
Managing Editor
Dale Gosser
dgosser@trcle.com
Graphics Director
Ashley Garey
Business Manager
Lynn Coplin
Staff Writers
Monica Faram
Pete Kendall
Matt Smith
Photography
Darlene Moore
Copy Editors
Dale Gosser
Monica Faram
Diane Hall
Advertising Account
Executives
Dawn Bennett
Rhonda Caughron
Jennifer Jacobs
Janice Sayler
Amy Lanciano
Advertising Graphics
Connie Crannell
Classified Account
Executives
Teresa Slade
Eric Faught
108 S. Anglin St.
Cleburne, texAS
P.O. bOx 1569
Cleburne, tx 76033
PhOne
817-645-2441
817-558-2855 Metro
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817-357-8031 News
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PRCA Rodeo 2011, a special section by
Cleburne Times-Review. All rights
reserved. Reproduction in any form
without prior written permission is
strictly prohibited.
from staff reports
T
he Johnson County Sher-
iffs Posse Rodeo com-
mittee has finalized plans
for its 57th annual Professional
Rodeo Cowboys Association
Rodeo for Wednesday through
Saturday at the Sheriffs Posse
grounds on Texas 174, with
performances starting each
night at 8.
Saturday will be the kids
mutton bustin competition and
a county team roping, with fi-
nalists returning to compete
during rodeo performances the
following week. Admission to
the Saturday pre-rodeo events
is free to watch the local kids
and team ropers.
Sponsored by Cleburne Ford
and many other local business
partners, organizers anticipate
this years production to be ex-
citing.
Robert Johnson, co-chair-
man of the event, said that pro-
ducer Will Cook and the Rocky
Mountain Rodeo Company will
bring exciting professional ac-
tion and entertainment to this
years rodeo.
Hell bring some new
stock. It will all be new, John-
son said. It will be his first
year coming down for the
PRCA Rodeo. Were going to
have new bulls and new horses
and the roping will be new also.
Were excited about having him
down to see what hes got. I
think well have a real good ro-
deo this year.
The event is the posses
main funding event for the year,
which enables the Sheriffs
Posse to continue to support
area youth and benefit activi-
ties.
In 2010, the posse donated
more than $30,000 in cash,
scholarships and facility-use
back to area youth groups and
charity efforts as with the Chil-
drens Advocacy Center bull
riding event.
The posses goal is to con-
tinue to provide the community
and surrounding area with a
quality, low-cost, family-ori-
ented event that residents can
look forward to attending year
after year.
The official rodeo parade
will start at 5:30 p.m. Wednes-
day to usher in a full week of
rodeo events. Anyone who
would like to participate in the
parade may sign up and line up
at the Sheriffs Posse grounds
starting at 4:30 p.m.
Thursday nights perfor-
mance has been dedicated as
God and Country Night, and
with the assistance of Pastor
Russ Weaver and Shepherds
Valley Cowboy Church in
Egan, Christian singer Susie
McEntire Eaton will appear in
concert beginning at 7 p.m., be-
fore the start of the evenings
rodeo performance.
Posse arena director Kitt
Woody said that many of the
sports top contenders have en-
tered the event.
Weve got 13 of the top 15
bull riders entered this year. We
have six of the past world
champion barrel racers entered
this year, Woody said. We
Sheriffs Posse prepares
for 57th annual rodeo
Darlene Moore/Special to the Times-Review
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Johnson County PRCA RodeoJune 15
th
-18
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Cleburne, TX
FREE PRCA RODEO TICKET
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By MoniCA FARAM
features@trcle.com
A young, new face will take
over the microphone for the John-
son County Sheriffs Posse Pro-
fessional Rodeo Cowboy Associ-
ation Rodeo this week.
Thirty-year-old West Huggins
of Gardendale is the new an-
nouncer for the rodeo, taking over
for Charlie Throckmorton who
chose not to return after 24 years.
Its some very big shoes to
fill with Charlie Throckmorton,
and Im very glad and privileged
to have the opportunity, Huggins
said. I want Cleburne to know
that I am honored to come to Cle-
burne. My whole family and I are
excited to come.
Huggins started announcing
just for fun when he was a teen-
ager. When he was 17 and practic-
ing team roping, he first sat down
at the microphone.
It got cold, and I decided to
let my horse rest so I go into the
announcer stand to warm up, he
said. When I got up there, there
was a microphone and just for fun
I started announcing the people
practicing.
A man who overheard Hug-
gins announcing approached him
and asked him to announce the
county rodeo.
After that it went from that
rodeo to another down the road to
two others to Lubbock and it just
spurred off from there, he said.
A lot of my rodeos have been
around the Texas, Oklahoma,
New Mexico area. Nothing really
big. In 2008, I got voted by the
UPRA to announce their finals.
That was voted on by contestants
and committees. Ive announced
PBRs, open rodeos all over the
U.S.
Huggins gave up rodeoing and
took over the microphone full
time.
I think part of it has been be-
ing a fan of the rodeo to keep go-
ing, he said.
A unique trait about Huggins
is that he has a road crew. His
wife, Keri, and five-year-old
twins, Walker and Trevor, travel
with him to all the rodeos.
Thats my little road crew
that travels with me, he said.
[The twins] compete every once
in a while with the mutton bust-
ing. My boys usually dont want
huggins named
new announcer
Courtesy photo
West huggins takes over announcing duties this year.
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to ride sheep. They already won a
buckle and theyre done. Usually
they see another kid riding and
thats when their competitiveness
comes out.
The twins have a unique way
of riding the sheep.
They try to ride it back-
wards, Huggins said with a
chuckle.
Will they follow in their dad-
dys shoes? Perhaps. One thing is
for sure, theyre bound to be in-
volved in the rodeo in one way or
another.
They want to be a pick-up
man and a barrelman, Huggins
said. They are more excited
about coming to Cleburne be-
cause they met the committee at
the amateur rodeo, and they just
want to see their friends.
Dad is also excited about com-
ing to Cleburne, as it will be his
first time at the PRCA rodeo.
Ive always been at other ro-
deos. The Cleburne rodeo has
been one of the headlines to me,
he said. One of those rodeos
youre excited to go to. Ive been
there once before with the UPRA
rodeo that came through in Sep-
tember. The town, the committee,
I enjoyed all of it.
Its going to be one of the
high points of my career to come
to Cleburne. The main reason I
say that is, when weve been to
Cleburne the whole town has
been hospitable. Thanks to the
Lord, he has blessed me with this
opportunity, and Im ready to
show everybody what weve got.
Huggins said he hopes he can
make the rodeo fun for all ages.
[The Cleburne] rodeo is a
great tradition, he said. There
are people who will come who
have been to every rodeo since
its started. My goal is to make the
senior rodeo fans and new rodeo
fans and combine together with a
new, traditional twist. I always tell
folks Youll have a wild west at-
titude by the end of this rodeo, be-
cause were going to have fun.
By diAne HAll
editor@trcle.com
Thursday nights PRCA perfor-
mance has been dedicated as God
and Country Night, with the assis-
tance of Pastor Russ Weaver and
Shepherds Valley Cowboy Church
in Egan.
In the past God and Country
Night was held on Wednesdays,
according to Johnson County Sher-
iffs Posse rodeo committee co-
chair David Welty, but this year it
has been changed so it does not
conflict with area churchs
Wednesday night worship pro-
grams.
We realized that most of the
churches in the area have services
on Wednesday night, Welty said.
Which caused a conflict for some
that wanted to attend the God and
Country Night at the rodeo. So that
is why we made the switch on the
events. We are encouraging every-
one, no matter what their belief is,
to fill the arena for Jesus Christ on
Thursday night.
God and Country Night at the
rodeo is an inter-denominational
celebration, according to Weaver.
I think that Johnson County
has more churches per capita then
anywhere else in Texas, Weaver
said. For a long time there were
entities and still are that try
to avoid God in their celebrations
or programs so they dont hurt
anyones feelings. I am very grate-
ful to the Sheriffs Posse for being
responsive enough to offer this. For
a lot of people in this county, they
walk with God every day. And that
walk includes an evening at the ro-
deo.
So I am glad that they [Posse]
recognize in fact promote
this special night. Churches are the
backbone of Johnson County and
Thursday night is a chance to
gather together in his name and en-
joy the rodeo.
I am humble at heart and ex-
cited to be a part of this nights
message.. It is a great tribute to the
people of Johnson County, to God
and our country.
Christian singer Susie McEntire
Eaton will appear in concert begin-
ning at 7 p.m. before the start of the
evenings rodeo performance at 8.
God and Country Night
6 2011 PRCA Rodeo
6
from staff reports
T
he 54th annual Johnson
County Sheriffs Posse
PRCA Rodeo is quickly
approaching and will boast
tons of entertainment long
before the nightly rodeo com-
petitions begin.
The official rodeo parade
will start at 5:30 p.m. Wednes-
day to usher in a full week of
rodeo events. Anyone who
would like to participate in the
parade may sign up and line up
at the Sheriffs Posse grounds
starting at 4:30 p.m.
New faces are joining the
rodeo crowd, including West
Huggins of Gardendale, who
will serve as the rodeo an-
nouncer.
Huggins began small with
AJRA rodeos, Open Bull
Rides, and some amateur
shows. He announced the
AJRA National Finals for four
years.
He then landed 75 percent
of the Southwest Region NIRA
College Rodeos which in-
cluded, Odessa College, West
Texas A&M, Vernon College,
Howard College, Eastern New
Mexico University and Texas
Tech University.
In 2006, Huggins became a
member of the Pro Rodeo
Cowboys Association. He was
voted the 2008 United Profes-
sional Rodeo Association Ro-
deo Announcer of the Year and
announced the UPRA National
Finals in Sulphur Springs.
The God and Country Night
has been moved from its orig-
inal Wednesday spot to June
16. Susie McEntire Eaton, sis-
ter of country superstar Reba
McEntire, will perform. After
graduating from Oklahoma
State University in 1980, Ea-
ton began touring the country
singing with her sister.
Since making the switch
from country to Christian-in-
spired music, Eaton has had
four No. 1 singles on the Posi-
tive Country radio charts and
has won awards from the TNN
television channel, the Gospel
Music Association and the
Christian Country Music Asso-
ciation. She has also been
named Artist of the Year nu-
merous times.
Two bands will perform
during dances following the
Friday and Saturday rodeos.
Cleburnes Steve Helms
Band performs Friday night.
The band recently recorded
their first self-titled CD. They
released their first single on
April 1, 2008, called Lyin
Here, which gets radio airplay
all over the world. The second
single released on Aug. 1 is
called Whats It Gonna Take.
The band includes Steve
Helms on guitar and lead vo-
cals; Ronnie Crecelius on lead
guitar and vocals; Mike King
on drums; and Dave Hutchin-
son on bass guitar.
Landon Dodd and the
Dancehall Drifters perform
Texas dancehall classics on
Saturday.
The band has entered and
won the 92.1 KTFWs battle of
the bands contest. They per-
formed at Legends Fest in
Sundance Square with acts like
Tommy Alverson, Johnny
Bush, Johnny Rodriguez, Doug
Stone and Earl Thomas Con-
ley. The band has opened for
Gene Watson, Johnny Rodri-
guez and Moe Bandy. Landon
Dodd and the Dancehall Drift-
ers were the Academy of West-
ern Artist pure country band of
the year.
The Dancehall Drifters have
been gaining a large following
for those who love the true
shuffles with an emphasis on
fiddle and steel guitar. They
have played dancehalls all
over Texas including, the Fin-
ish Line club and Pearls
Dancehall and Saloon in Fort
Worth; London Hall in Lon-
don, Texas; the Western Club
in Navasota; the Coachman in
San Angelo; and many more
along the way.
new faces to entertain crowd
Courtesy photo
landon Dodd and the Dancehall Drifters.
Courtesy photo
Steve helms of the Steve helms band.
2011 PRCA Rodeo 7
7
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Wednesday, June 15
9 a.m. Rodeo slack
5:30 p.m. Rodeo parade (line up at 4:30 p.m.)
8 p.m. PRCA Rodeo (Military Night, free admission for those with mili-
tary identification)
thursday, June 16
9 a.m. Steer roping slack
7 p.m. God and Country Night; Susie McEntire Eaton performs
8 p.m. PRCA Rodeo
Friday, June 17
8 p.m. PRCA Rodeo Tough Enough To Wear Pink Night: For each
ticketed person through the gates wearing pink the Johnson County
Sheriffs Posse will donate $1 to local breast cancer research.
10 p.m. Rodeo dance at the White Building featuring Steve Helms
Band.
Saturday, June 18
8 p.m. PRCA Rodeo
10 p.m. Grand finale rodeo dance at White Building featuring Landon
Dodd and the Dancehall Drifters.
rodeo admission
$10 Adults; $6 Children 4-12
Tickets are available from rodeo queen contestants and at the gate.
All events are held at the Sheriffs Posse Grounds on
South Main Street in Cleburne unless otherwise noted.
PrCA rodeo schedule
8 2011 PRCA Rodeo
8
By Pete KendAll
reporter@trcle.com
Whitesboro cowboy Cameron Keeton can
help you simulate what its like to crawl into
a barrel and be rammed by a bull.
If youre a little crazy and really want to
know.
Have a pickup truck hit the barrel going
about 30 mph, he said, laughing.
Keeton lives the life willingly and vigor-
ously as a barrelman on the professional
rodeo circuit. Hell be in the barrel this month
at the annual Johnson County Sheriffs Posse
PRCA Rodeo at the posse grounds on South
Main Street.
A barrelman be careful about calling
him a clown has three primary job de-
scriptions.
He protects the cowboy on the bull. He
protects the bull fighter, in this case Lyndel
Runyan and Cody Webster, whose jobs it will
be to protect the bull rider.
I give the bull fighter an island of safety,
Keeton said.
He also helps entertain the crowd.
If you want to add a fourth job descrip-
tion, he defends himself at all times.
Bulls dont follow a script. Clowns and
cowboys are all prey.
Ive had bulls stick their feet in the bar-
rel, he said. Theyll stick their heads in and
their horns in. Ive been knocked out in the
barrel before. I got knocked out at Mineral
Wells. Theres no telling how many concus-
sions Ive had. The older I get, the more I
think about that. After a rodeo, I might have
to spend a week at the chiropractor just to
straighten my back out.
Needless to say, the bull isnt remotely
concerned with the comfort of the barrelman.
Bulls are born to do two things breed and
inflict pain on man.
The only way to truly conquer a bull is
convert him to hamburger. Otherwise, watch
out.
Theyre very smart, Keeton said.
Theyre a whole lot smarter than most peo-
ple give them credit for. Bulls act on move-
ment. A lot of people think they act on the
color red. When they see something moving,
thats what they go with.
Hes seen every end of the bull there is ...
from every vantage point.
I started riding bulls when I was about
13, Keeton said. I rode them until I was 33.
At about age 19, I began fighting bulls. I
fought bulls until I was about 33. I got hurt
real bad and wiped out my knees and had to
get them reconstructed.
About the time I was recovering, a friend
said, Since youre hurt, you can get in the
barrel and do a little comedy. I told him,
Hell, Im not funny. He said, Sure you are.
Just act normal. Well, I fell into it. It seemed
to work for me. Now, I go all over the coun-
try. I do several pro bull riding events. I do
the world champion bullfights in Ada [Okla.].
That involves 15 bullfighters. Ive been do-
ing this about 12 years.
Runyan says you can expect the unex-
pected from Keeton.
Sometimes, hell be in the barrel and
come out as Spiderman. Hell get in the bar-
rel and change costumes. Hes easy going
and funny.
I like him as a barrelman. Hes always in
the right spots, because hes been a bull
fighter before.
Runyan, 28 and a resident of Sulphur,
Okla., is in the ring for one primary reason.
Our main job is to protect the cowboy,
he said, but we like to give the crowd some-
thing to see, too. We want to keep them on
the edge of their seats. We do know what
were doing. Its not an accident.
The only accident about Runyan is that
he wound up fighting bulls.
Ive been a bullfighter for nine years, he
said. That started kind of by accident. My
cousin had a bunch of bulls, and I started
practicing in a pen. My family all rodeod, but
I never had much desire to. It was an accident
for me to even start.
Runyan works 50 rodeos and as many as
five pro bull riding events ever year. Like
Keeton, hes worked the Cleburne amateur
rodeo.
It was good, he said. I expect a lot
more from the pro rodeo.
Webster, making his first trip to a Cle-
burne rodeo at the age of 19, has worked with
Keeton and Runyan before.
Lyndel is a really good bullfighter, and
Cameron is a class act, he said. Cameron
likes to get involved with the crowd. Hes a
really funny guy with a lot of comedy acts.
Now and then when theres some dead time, I
might get caught up watching him.
Webster is happy working outside the bar-
rel.
Ive always fought bulls, Webster said.
Thats something Ive watched since I was a
litte kid. Ive worked with Lyndel since I
Barrelman and bull fighters love to play
Courtesy photo
Cameron Keeton has a rolling good time working as the barrelman at rodeos.
2011 PRCA Rodeo 9
9
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started six years ago, and hes
been there to help me along.
Keeton is familiar with Cle-
burne and its enthusiastic rodeo
crowds.
Ive done rodeos before for
the guy who puts this one on
[Will Cook], Keeton said. I did
the Cleburne amateur rodeo. I
love the fans there. Theyre the
best in the country. The rodeo I
did, the crowd was a little smaller
because it rained, but the people
who were there were very enthu-
siastic,
Good barrelmen and bull
fighters can provide their own
energy during a performance.
But it always helps when they
can feed off the crowd.
Thats like pouring gas on
fire, Keeton said.
Keeton said he admires vet-
eran rodeo clowns such as Lecile
Harris, but he models his act af-
ter no one.
They call me the politically
incorrect rodeo clown, he said,
because I do a lot of different
things. Its ridiculous that I get
paid for what I do. Its a blast.
lyndel runyan, above,
and Cody Webster, left,
are the bull fighters for
this years Sheriffs
Posse PrCA rodeo.
Courtesy photos
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Welcome Rodeo Fans!
have four of the top 10 team
roping teams here this year. It
should be a lot of fun. It should
be a really new look.
A rodeo dance will be held
in the White Building after the
Friday and Saturday night per-
formances featuring live bands.
For the past 57 years, the
members of the Johnson County
Sheriffs Posse have brought
one of the finest outdoor pro-
fessional rodeos in the United
States to the residents of John-
son and surrounding counties.
The full-service concession
stand will be serving the leg-
endary Posse Burger.
Johnson said that the bull
riding event is a big attraction
for many rodeo-goers.
Most people really come
for the bull riding, Johnson
said. We do have a new rodeo
clown this year, Barrel Man,
and he is excellent. Hes funny
and he has a lot of different
clown acts.
General admission tickets to
the rodeo may be purchased at
the gate for $10 for adults and
$6 for children ages 4 to 12.
Children 3-years and under at-
tend free. Parking is free. PRCA
rodeo performances will start at
8 p.m. each night.
The Johnson County Sher-
iffs Posse offers different lev-
els of sponsorship to businesses
and corporations. Newspaper
ads, radio announcements/com-
mercials and poster distribution
are enlisted to assist the posse
in marketing this event and ad-
vertising spans into all Johnson
County cities and surrounding
counties.
For information regarding
the rodeo, sponsorship pack-
ages or tickets contact Robert
Johnson at 817-517-9461 or
David Welty at 817-907-9256,
by mail at Johnson County
Sheriffs Posse Headquarters,
P.O. Box 743, Cleburne, TX
76033, or online at www.sher-
iffsposse.com.
preview
cont. from pg. 2
2011 PRCA Rodeo 11
By Pete KendAll
reporter@trcle.com
Jordan Weaver will do his calf roping in
the slack Wednesday morning at the John-
son County PRCA Sheriffs Posse Rodeo.
The crowd will be mostly family and
friends, and thats not necessarily a bad
thing.
Believe it or not, I get more nervous for
this rodeo than I do for the Fort Worth Stock
Show rodeo, he said.
This is home turf. He attended high
school in Rio Vista. His dad, Russ, is pastor
at Shepherds Valley Cowboy Church in
Egan. Jordan himself is a home missionary
who spends considerable time on the road
visiting cowboy-style churches.
He is equally passionate about Christian-
ity and rodeoing and said hes fortunate to
have a lifestyle that draws on both.
I work on church planning with cowboy
churches, Weaver said. If Im not travel-
ing for that, Im traveling for rodeos. Were
leaving here in a week, and well be gone
the rest of the summer. My wife is from Or-
egon, and we try to plan our northwest ac-
tivities in the summer.
Missionary and rodeo go hand-in-hand
for me. Rodeo gives me validity in the
churches, and you get such an inroad into
the communities by going to the rodeos.
Theres such a cross-section of people that
the two are absolutely related.
Shepherds Valley draws on more than
the cowboy populace, but men and women
in jeans and boots are easy to locate.
Its still church, Weaver said, but its
presented in a way that you dont have to
step outside your comfort zone. It seems ev-
erybody in rodeo has a heart for God. God
and country is a big thing for rural people. I
dont think those people ever felt negatively
toward church, but now theres a church
where they can feel just as comfortable as
they do at the rodeo.
I heard a guy say one time that the gos-
pel is good for everybody. A relationship
with God is good for everybody. Its not a
matter of presenting God in a different way.
I dont want to get anywhere I stick out. I
like to be a little bit inconspicuous.
Church has changed. So have rodeo cow-
boys.
I think thats evolved like everything
else, Weaver said. As far as lifestyle, you
can find just about every walk of life in ro-
deo. You can still find good old boys beer
drinking, and you can find people traveling
with their families.
The rodeo lifestyle today is more in tune
with the family unit, he said.
People are working out a lot more than
they used to. Diet is important. People are
healthier and doing things a little more cor-
rectly. Rodeo has changed a lot, but a lot of
the world has changed, too.
He doesnt have a burning desire to pas-
tor like his father, Weaver said.
I love dealing with pastors in my job. I
dont deal with a lot of congregations. God
has changed my life so much in the last 10
years that it would be silly for me to predict
what Im going to be doing 10 years from
now.
Ive got a little boy who loves riding,
and Id like to be at a place where I can do
this job regularly without all the traveling so
I can give him all the opportunities my dad
gave me. In 10 years, I want to be able to
support what my son wants to do.
Weavers family was there for him when
he was younger.
I grew up on the road with my family,
Weaver said. Dad was a missionary and ro-
deo cowboy. I started junior rodeo when I
was 10. Dad roped, and so did grandpaw
[Jasper Weaver], whos still around. I was in
high school rodeo all four years. I won the
Central Texas Association all-around [title]
and made the state finals several times.
He got his PRCA card in 2005 and com-
peted in his first PRCA rodeo the next year
in Florida ... unsuccessfully.
I was all excited and roped the calf
around the eyes.
His second rodeo, also in Florida, turned
out better.
I got second.
Hes never looked back.
Weaver combines missionary work with rodeo
Courtesy photo
Jordan Weaver keeps his eye on a calf after a perfect shot with a rope.
12 2011 PRCA Rodeo
By MAtt SMitH
msmith@trcle.com
Of the 22 years hes been in
Cleburne, Kit Woody said hes
been involved in the Johnson
County Sheriffs Posse Profes-
sional Rodeo Cowboy Associa-
tion Rodeo for 21 years.
The rodeo, now in its 57th
year, runs Wednesday through
Saturday at the Johnson
County Sheriffs Posse
Grounds.
The rodeo serves as the JC-
SPs main fund raiser, allow-
ing the organization to support
area youth and charitable
causes.
Woody serves on the com-
mittee that organizes and puts
the rodeo on nowadays. A bit
of a change from his days of
steer wrestling and team rop-
ing. Years in which he won at
the rodeo six different times.
Although he misses the
thrill of competition at times,
Woody said he finds planning
and organizing more to his lik-
ing these days.
Seven knee operations,
one neck operation, Woody
said when asked why he hung
his competition spurs up in
2008.
The years of competition
were fun, Woody said, but not
without their share of bumps
and bruises.
Theres wear and tear, but
its more than that, Woody
said. Ive had my share of
horns stuck in me through the
years and, yeah, Id say pretty
badly hurt when you get your
knee torn off.
Injuries aside, Woody said
he wouldnt trade his rodeo
years for the world. He had a
tradition to live up to after all.
I grew up with it, Woody
said. Everybody in my family
steer wrestled, my dad, two
uncles, my brother.
Woody said he got into
youth rodeo at 5 and began
wrestling steers at 16. He com-
peted in the high school na-
tional finals four years running
and in the PRCA Texas Circuit
Finals five times since.
I traveled around some,
but stayed pretty much in
Texas because Im a firefighter
with the Arlington Fire Depart-
ment, Woody said.
That also runs in the family.
Woodys father, now an El-
lis County justice of the peace,
worked as a firefighter in En-
nis during Woodys childhood.
The family tradition of ro-
deo competition lives on
through Woodys daughter,
Lindley Woody, he said.
Lindley, who carries the
Texas flag in the rodeo, com-
peted from an early age and
went on to attend Hill College
on a rodeo scholarship before
moving on to Texas A&M Uni-
versity to earn her veterinary
technician degree, Woody said.
As always, theres a good
woman behind the man.
My wife [Martha Woody],
shes the adhesive that keeps
everything together and going
for me and my daughter while
weve traveled around to ro-
deos, Woody said.
From steer wrestling to steering committees
Kit Woody,
right, in his
steer wres-
tling days.
Courtesy photo
2011 PRCA Rodeo 13
from staff reports
Spiderman, a 13-year-old
gelding, backs into the chute,
keeping his eyes on the heels of
the steer. His ears are raised as
he waits for the snap of the bar-
rier.
He rocks back and forth as
he shifts the weight of the rider
to the center of his back. He
waits in anticipation of the
spurs that will gently nudge his
flanks. The reins in his mouth
ease up as the moment draws
closer. He stays focused as he
hears the all familiar snap of the
barrier.
He bolts out of the chute as
he stays one step ahead of the
steer in front of him and the
rider on his back. In less than
five seconds, his job is done.
He hears the roar of the crowd
and feels the gentle loving pat
of the rider on his neck. The
bond between him and his rider
is apparent.
There is love and there is re-
spect. His rider is Martin Lu-
cero, a team roper and 13-time
National Finals Rodeo qualifier.
Martin Lucero was raised in
Villa Nueva, N.M., where his
career started at the early age of
7.
My father put me on the
bare back of a horse, put the
reins in one hand and a rope in
the other, Lucero said.
This is where Luceros pas-
sion for roping began.
When asked who made the
biggest influence on his life,
Lucero was quick to name his
father, Leroy Lucero.
We were a team of ropers, a
header and a heeler and com-
peted side by side at jackpot
roping in the state of New Mex-
ico and we continue our passion
to this day.
My father taught me that
you cant win all the time, and
that you learn more from losing
than you do from winning. A
lesson that I say holds a lot of
truth. I am what I am today be-
cause of my coach, my dad.
After Lucero graduated from
Las Vegas High School in New
Mexico, he was accepted into
the New Mexico State Univer-
sity on an academic scholar-
ship. The first year at college he
left his horse at home and fo-
cused on his education. All the
while missing his horse and his
true passion for roping.
He did not make that mis-
take the second, third or fourth
year of college. He and his
horse were inseparable.
After graduating from the
university, he moved to Texas
in search of a job. His travels
landed him in Stephenville,
roping capital of Texas. He dis-
covered roping partner, Kevin
Stewart and the team was com-
pleted, they were soon qualify-
ing and competing for seven
years at the NFR.
There have been other part-
ners for this heeler, and they in-
clude headers Jo Jo LeMond
and current partner Luke
Brown. Both whom have been
successful in qualifying for the
NFR. Luke and Martin cur-
rently carry the world title
Wrangler NFR average title for
2010, where they won $89,255.
On average the team puts al-
most 80,000 miles on a vehicle
a year, according to Lucero, and
neither want to guess how much
they spend on gas, food, entry
fees or hotels. But, both agree
that they make a lot of money
roping but they also spend a lot
to make that same money.
Most recently, the team of
Lucero and Brown placed sec-
ond in Garden City, Kan., and
competed in San Angelo, mak-
ing a stop at home to spend
time with family, take care of
their businesses and to get a lit-
tle bit of down time they both
deserve.
Not only is Martin a world
class team roper, he is also a
Johnson County business
owner. The Loan Depot, a title
loan, insurance and tax prepara-
tion business, with an office in
Cleburne and another in Burle-
son. He has owned the business
since 2004.
Attending the Johnson
County Sheriffs Posse PRCA
Rodeo is like coming home to
Lucero.
Its in my own backyard
where I will compete against
neighbors, friends and co-work-
ers. I am proud to be here giv-
ing support back to the commu-
nity that supports me.
Lucero has won many titles
in his roping career and when
asked which one he is most
proud of, he is quick to state his
wife, Jodee. He and his wife
have a daughter, Gabi, and are
expecting their second daughter
in July, whom they have named
Marti Lee Lucero after her fa-
mous father.
As you sit and talk to Lucero
you are quick to notice that he
is a humble man, gives credit
where credit is due and loves
his family. He is committed and
dedicated to his jobs, both on
and off his horse, Spiderman.
Spiderman is like a part of
the family and provides the real
living for my family.
In less than five seconds,
Spidermans job is finished and
his rider dismounts. You can
see the sweat on his back and
the smell of leather from the
saddle. He shakes his head and
plays with the bit in his mouth.
Lucero softly praises his
teammate as he reaches up to
stroke his mane. As the two turn
to leave the arena you hear the
music of the jingle of the spurs
and the clip clop from the shoes
on the horse. They are a team, a
cowboy and his horse. Both
true American heroes.
Lucero has an award-winning bond with his horse
Courtesy photo
Martin lucero is scheduled to compete in thursdays rodeo.