That Western Life

25/10/2024

Yesterday, the PBR changed ownership in one of the biggest major moves in modern day rodeo history. PBR is arguably the leader of all things rodeo sport culture and it will be a footprint for watching how rodeo becomes “mainstream” for, maybe, the first time ever.

Very excited to share that TKO, a premium sports and entertainment company comprised of UFC and WWE, today announced an agreement to acquire PBR from Endeavor.

PBR will be a natural fit within TKO’s expanding business, which includes UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. These organizations collectively hold more than 300 annual live events, reaching more than 1 billion households in approximately 210 countries and territories.

Subject to the deal closing in the first half of 2025, we will enhance our position as the leading Western sport committed to delivering the most thrilling and entertaining events to fans evidenced in an incredible PBR Teams Championship last weekend in Las Vegas, providing significant value to our partners, and expanding the opportunities available to bull riders putting it all on the line for the sport the love.

It’s a great time to be a bull rider, stock contractor, partner and a fan. Can’t wait to get the new individual season under way with the Unleash The Beast in Tucson on Nov. 15!

19/10/2024

The best in the world!

The regular season in ProRodeo is over, the World Standings are official, and the NFR is set.

29/09/2024

The BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center ride in New York is by far one of the coolest things we’ve learned about this year!

04/05/2024

Aloha Rodeo 🌸

// Cattle ranching in Hawaii has a unique and longstanding history.

Six cows and a bull were imported to the islands in 1793, and by the mid-1800s, some 25,000 cattle roamed the landscape.

Over time, ranches were established, including the famous Parker Ranch, Inc. which boasted 500,000 acres at its height. Even before the great cattle drives of the American West, Hawaiian cowboys—paniolos—were wrangling Longhorns.

Given Hawaii's geography, cattle transport was understandably challenging. How were cattle exported between the islands? According to a passage from the 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸, July 1919:

"The transporting of live cattle posed dramatic technical challenges that were complicated by the absence of deep-water wharfs where an inter-island schooner or steamer could dock for loading of cattle.

Ranchers, therefore, had to have their paniolo drag cattle out through the pounding surf to longboats that rowed out to the main steamer with cattle tied by the head to the gunwales. ...

The small boat is drawn out to the steamer and some of the animals loaded by slings under the middle while others are drawn up by the horns."

According to a recent agricultural report, Hawaii's ranches recorded 142,000–144,000 head of cattle in 2023.

image: "Loading Cattle at Kailua"; before 1908; Charles Wickliffe Baldwin (1908), 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴

𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀:
www.nps.gov/havo/learn/historyculture/paniolo.htm
https://www.hawaiibeef.org/the-beef-story/raising-cattle-in-hawaii
imagesofoldhawaii.com/loading-cattle

12/03/2024

It’s pretty fun to see a cowgirl winning the steer roping again!

University of Wyoming Steer Roper
Kassandra Shoemaker winning the one header at the MM Fisher NFSR Qualifier…
Congratulations Cowgirl….
Bobby Rosales Photo….

27/02/2024

27/02/2024

Day 2 at Skijoring at Canterbury Park 2024 brought more fun and excitement!! What a beautiful day.....and I can't believe the snow held on as long as it did!!

I love this image from the Freestyle competition this afternoon....just a little something to share until I get galleries all up and running from today on my website. Stay tuned!! ;)
Extreme Events MN
Canterbury Park

31/01/2024

Echoes of Rodeo is the name of our season 6 deep dives regarding all things western history with our resident That Western Life historian Katie Surritt! Joining her is co-host Katie Schrock as they dive into an episode unravel the rich tapestry of Hawaiian cowboy culture.

From wild cattle chaos to the transformative influence of vaqueros, discover how Paniolo shaped history, blending Hawaiian and Western traditions to making them their own and bringing the 1908 Steer Roping World Championship back to the islands.

Read more at https://www.thatwesternlife.com/podcast/episode125

🌺

28/01/2024

21/01/2024

Latte’s clone, Ditto, isn’t the first cloned horse to compete in rodeo. In fact, we’ve had cloned bucking horses in the mix for quite a while and we talked about it way back in episode 20 with John Franzen of Powder River Rodeo.

Listen here —> https://www.thatwesternlife.com/podcast/episode20

Additionally, another famous Clone is Clayton - the clone of Charmayne James’ great gelding Scamper. Originally, the AQHA didn’t give him registration papers which obviously dampened his opportunity to stand at stud, but in 2017 he was granted registration papers when he was 8 years old. It allowed any foals he’d sired to use DNA verification to enter the quarter horse registry.

Tessa Arnold just ran the fastest time of 2024 in Denver with a time of 14.50 on a horse owned by WPRA World Champion Mary Walker and her husband PRCA world champion Byron. It is a clone of the great Latte named Latte Ditto.

Arnold advances to the Finals after coming in through the Denver qualifier. Don’t miss the Finals on Sunday at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo.

NOTE: All arena records in Denver are new as of 2024 due to a change in the barrel pattern. Arena records prior to the 2023 season still stand as they are based on a retired pattern.

📸 Greg Westfall

19/01/2024

🗣️ Tell a friend to tell a friend…. She’s BAAACCKKK!!

Not that either part of this dynamic duo has gone anywhere and continue to prove their prowess and dominance in the barrel racing arena!

This afternoon, barrel racer, Hailey Kinsel and her horse Sister broke the arena record from 2002! With a smokin’ fast time of 14.63. We can’t wait to see her run again tonight!

📷: NWSS photo by Roseanna Sales/C Bar C Photograph.

17/01/2024

GANGS ALL HERE
Season 6's first episode of 2024 is out everywhere you listen to podcasts!

P.S. If you feel victimized about NFR Arena Records like Katie Surritt did in this episode, tag us in your stories with a screenshot or photo!

16/01/2024

SEASON 6
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

We can't wait to be back for Season 6 of the That Western Life podcast.
https://www.ThatWesternLife.com/podcast

14/12/2023

14/12/2023

If you're here for the National Finals Rodeo Ridiculous Stats, than we've got you!

We had a couple messages curious to know - what does the social media following look like? Here's everyone's favorite Aussie Cowboy Ky Hamilton with an overlay of his round earnings on top of his social media growth per round - you''ve got the eyes of the world on you Ky!

Total Money Earned at 2023 NFR to Date: $262,502.28
Total Money Earned This Season to Date: $557,373.28
Total Followers Gained This NFR: 7,431
(and that is growing by the minute!)