June 6, 2010
Well Hello Medicine Bow
By Jennifer Blackburn
A year ago this time, a good friend of mine came back from the 2009 Annual Medicine Bow Dummy Bucking and said I must go the following year. As the time rolled around, I became anxious for the weekend ahead of us and looked forward to meeting the esteemed Cervi Rodeo Company team.
After nearly twelve hours on the road from Lubbock, Texas, we finally made it to Medicine Bow, Wyoming, just in time for the first evening’s festivities. Unsure what to expect, I was quickly greeted with friendly smiles and handshakes and knew the weekend definitely would not disappoint.
As for the hotel we stayed in, I felt like I was in a wild west show with saloon attached at The Virginian, which is said to have been built in the 1800s. I’ve stayed in a number of hotels throughout my life, and I have to say this very hotel was quite unique and only added to the desolation, rank rough stock, and old west atmosphere the weekend was sure to entail.
The manner in which the Cervi family operates their business is to be commended as I quickly saw them transform from a jocular, carefree group from the night before to serious, composed men the next day who have an extreme passion for what they do. Now don’t get me wrong, they still have a lot of fun doing it, and anyone who has attended one of these events can attest to that.
The dummy bucking on Saturday provided opportunity for some great photos, and I enjoyed the camaraderie exchanged, as well. I met some amazing people and thank Binion, Chase and Scotty for the kindness and generosity they extended to me and other guests.
The weekend was rounded off with a trip back to the Cervi’s Ranch in Roggen, Colorado, which provided an opportunity to rest and relax in the serenity of Colorado ranch land from a weekend’s hard work and play.
Taking Friday off from my first week of a new job was well worth it, and I look forward to what next year will entail!
June 2, 2010
Man oh Man...it's Medicine Bow 2010
By Collins Kuper
Man oh man. I wonder if it is called Medicine Bow because after you leave you need medicine for about a week. No seriously this year was by far the best one yet. The first of the crew arrived on Wednesday night and hit the ground running. The Cervi crew should buy stock in Patron Tequila because we sure do know how to put a dent in their inventory.
The second wave of the crew arrived around 4:30 am Thursday morning and after nearly 12 hours of travel were very happy to be there. Not to say we didn't enjoy the 80 mph wind blowing in our faces in the back of Justin's car, but we were happy to arrive. After a couple hours of sleep and JD had emptied his stomach of its contents we were ready to rock.
After what I guess you could call breakfast half of the crew went to the arena the other half went to go gather and sort. It was nice because the horses were only turned out in a 6 section pasture filled with prairie dog holes. After a half day of work the glorious tarp arena was constructed. There were so many freaking tarps you could have filled it with water and had a dummy swimming. The P's and Q's were sorted off and the yearlings and R's were turned back out. The crew went and got some "lunch" at the hotel and then it was time to test the tarp arena that even Red Brand would be jealous of.
Everything went great on the test run so it was time to get something to drink. Our music man had not arrived so we were unable to get our freak on the dance floor. Instead we watch two locals beat the crap of each other until Justin grabbed hold of the situation. We decided to shut it down around 3:00 am that night cause we knew we had a long day ahead of us. That next morning we got up and running to get the bucking underway. Everything livened up as soon as the music man showed up. It got really spicy when Jim decided to show off the moon to the crowd. We finished up that day with some patron and headed
to the dance floor.
One of the most amazing sites is to see the dance moves of one the crew. He always makes sure his hat is secure on his head and enjoys groping people's faces and stomping on the ground. But that is neither here nor there. After many wounds licked and horses bucked I can truly say that Medicine Bow 2010 was a complete success!! Love you all.
May 3, 2010
Another take on the La Paloma Weekend
By Darci & Terrica
Good friends! Good food! Good music! Good stock! Good times! Priceless entertainment! These preceding statements are hardly a justification to the experience of the 4th annual La Paloma Buckout, that proved to be well worth the weekend trip with no cell-phone service!
Highlights included, but were certainly not limited to: the one-armed bandit riding a donkey, gathering buffalo, and all the while chasing 2 wild Indians (AKA Binion and Collins), a mariachi band, Gary P. Nunn, a trick-riding treat from Binion thanks to the good ol’ grapefruit diet that ended Sunday evening after a short stop for a filet at Dunbar in San Angelo, a chute-dogging Saturday afternoon show featuring Hambone and Ty Atchison, and a solid saddle-bronc match ride between famed cowboys Taos Muncy and Cody Taton. These focal points coupled with a Saturday afternoon buck-out, kicked off by a few words from 2 admirable men in Mr. Louis Pearce and Mr. Mike Cervi, were only a sneak-peek leaving us anxious for the future of the esteemed rodeo companies genetics. When the crew cracked the chute gates, those 2-3 year old colts proved just why they are rank enough to wear the renowned Circle I brand!
The overall hospitality, atmosphere, fellowship, and radiance of the weekend were second to none. We have learned to expect the unexpected in working with and getting to know this rodeo production crew and never to underestimate the bag of tricks they carry in their arsenal of fabricated bucking stock. This weekend certainly did not disappoint.
May 1, 2010
A Perfect Weekend at La Paloma Ranch!
By Josh "Hambone" Hilton
Well once again the Cervi crew loaded up and headed to south Texas to the beautiful La Paloma Ranch for the 4th edition of the La Poloma Buck Out. Scotty, Binion, and Blaze Simonson made the trip from Colorado along with the trusted trucker Kyle. The boys brought down 31 head of three year old mares for their fist bucking experience. They arrived on Wednesday night where they were joined by Lloyd French and Hambone who were already at the ranch. On Thursday, after the Prefiert arena was set up we sorted and wormed all the colts in the chutes. Then some went to the lake for a swim and a few of us went to the roping arena to rope steers where we were joined by our good buddies and top PRCA bronc riders Ty Atchinson and Heith DeMoss. And finally that evening Collins Kuper and special lady friend Hillary graced us with their presence. So now we could officially start the weekend!
Friday brought another beautiful day. In the afternoon we had a little preview of Saturday’s entertainment. We only wanted to buck 18 on Saturday so we bucked the rest on Friday afternoon. These were supposed to be the “lesser” of the bloodlines. There were only a couple that didn’t perform well. It was awesome to see what this year’s crop of horse had to offer. We were blessed to be joined by good friends Jason Havens and Ryan & Lacy Grey, who were on their way through to Corpus Cristi rodeo. That night we were treated to another great meal and were entertained by the mariachi band. Lots of Patron shots followed dinner.. A lot of Patron shots…
Saturday the ranch was hopping with action. The guests were arriving in hoards, the help was busy making everything just right, and the Cervi crew was in full action. Jim Houston and Chase Cervi flew in the day before with Mike Cervi. So with all hands on deck we were ready for action. 2007 World Champion Saddle Bronc rider Toas Muncy and 2008 NFR Average Champion Cody Taton joined the crew for a little lunch and then we headed to the arena to get ready to roll. Garrett Bradford and the Hardliners entertained with live music and then the show started. We had amazing entertainment from Binion busting out the old trick riding talents (yes he really did). To 11 year old Simon Galvaz with his Mexican dancing horse to the 10 time PRCA Specialty Act of the Year the One Armed Bandit John Payne. And we also got to watch a $1,000 winner take all bronc match between Toas and Cody, which Cody won! It was a unanimous feeling that this year’s colts were the best yet, which makes the Cervi boys very happy. I hate that we have to wait another three years before we get to see them at a rodeo!
A big thank you has to be said to Mr. Pearce whose generosity is second to none. He opens his ranch and heart to us every year and is loved by all of us. Thank you LP, you are an inspiration! Also thanks to Mike Cervi who without him none of this would happen. What an experience this weekend is for all of us every year and has become one of our favorite events all year long. Gracias La Paloma!
Thanks to the friends of Cervi Championship Rodeo who were a huge help this weekend:
John Greene, Chris Joseph, David, Rob Conner, Rex Pearce, Doug Dillon, and Shotgun.
April 9, 2010
4th Annual La Paloma Ranch Buckout
By Lloyd French
Coming up is the fourth and final La Paloma Ranch Buckout that will take place at the Pearce Family ranch in Charlotte, TX. Mike Cervi and Louis Pearce will be up to their usual old bag of tricks by putting on a spectacular show. Chase and Jim headed up to the famous Medicine Bow, Wyoming earlier this week to gather roughly thirty head of three year old bucking colts that have not seen a human since they were weaned off their mothers. They will be sent to the ranch in Stoneham to be put on grain to prepare them for their first chance to get wild for rodeo fans. Let it be noted that Chase and Jim sorted those colts in a snow storm and had to be rescued after getting their truck stuck five times during their adventure. Since all of that was tough work, Binion stayed home at the ranch to get back into trick riding shape through the “Grapefruit Diet” and Jazzercise.
While there will be many familiar faces at this year’s buckout, several new ones are expected for the finale. We will have two 2010 Rodeo Houston Champions on hand. Sherry Cervi and Ryan Gray will be making their way down south with much anticipated fanfare. Making his second LP Buckout appearance is another notable cowboy 2007 Saddle Bronc World Champion Taos Muncy.
Specialty acts are always exciting and this year the bar will be raised even higher. The always highly anticipated PRCA FEMALE Specialty Act of 2005, Nikki Cammaert and Binion Cervi will dazzle the crowds’ eyes with their death defying trick riding. New to the lineup this year is “The One Arm Bandit.” He has received rave reviews across the rodeo industry. Mike is currently working on a third and final act, and he is bringing back Bill Bailey’s understudy, rodeo soundman and announcer Josh “Hambone” Hilton for his fourth straight buckout.
The Cervi crew will arrive in south Texas late Wednesday night, so feel free to come down for the party whenever you want. Famous Texas country singer Gary P Nunn will entertain Friday night and a mariachi band Saturday night, so it is sure to be a great time. Travel safe and the next update will be coming soon on the Medicine Bow Buckout.
March 23, 2010
On Cloud 9
By Binion Cervi
I'm still on cloud 9 after the rodeo we had in Houston on Saturday! It was a very special day in Reliant Stadium for several reasons, starting with Ryan Gray and Sherry Cervi winning the $50,000 Shoot-Out Round! They both are truly wonderful people and work hard for their success. I am incrediblyblessed to have them in my life and couldn't have been happier for them.
Rod Hay is an awesome guy and his spur ride he made on Burch's Lunatic Fringe definitely showed he still has it in him at 41 years old! He won't be missing the NFR this year for sure.
When the records are being broken a week before the show wraps up you know its going to be a phenomenal year! I mean, they broke every record imaginable at Rodeo Houston this year. From the general attendance up by over a quarter of a million people (2,144,077 total general attendance), the first year ever of the two million mark of grounds attendance, rodeo ticket sales setting a record at 1,264,074 tickets, eight sellout performances, Rodeo attendance in the Reliant Stadium at 74,222 tickets, and the single day general attendance with 135,548 visitors on the grounds!
In case you didn't know the Rodeo Houston website is as classy as they get. Any contestants' run or ride can be accessed and watched from the www.hlsr.com under Rodeo and Meet the Athletes columns. It something you should check out to see what happened this year.
Dad made his way into Houston for final weekend and made sure we were all doing our jobs. It was an exciting three weeks in Rodeo Houston from our Texas buddies Lloyd French and Collins Kuper keeping everyone entertained to the Burch Brothers tearing up the town.
Next up on our list are some great college rodeos in Torrington, Wyoming and Fort Collins, Colorado. These rodeos will feature horses that have been on grain the last four weeks at the Stoneham Ranch and consist of 6 and 7 year old horses that have all been bucked a few times but are still working their way up to proving they deserve to be in the bigger shows. It will be quite a change from the World's largest rodeo to the little town of Torrington, Wyoming but definitely exciting to see the years of work in our breeding program and find out which ones are going to go on and become the next superstars in the world of rodeo!
We look forward to seeing you all on the road, but for now we’re excited to get home, unpack and take a breather from our amazing winter run.
March 18, 2010
Better Than We Deserve
By Binion Cervi
As my annoying friend Boyd states, I've got it "better than I deserve," and that is exactly how I feel life has been for us at Cervi Rodeo this year.
We are in Houston, Texas at the moment and what a ride! Not only did Rodeo Houston break their record for number of tickets sold in a performance (74,222 set 3/15/2010) they have passed the overall attendance record set in 2003 when the rodeo first moved into Reliant Stadium! On Saturday the 16th, eight days before the end of the show, the ticket sales moved past the 2003 mark. With the nice weather we've been experiencing the previous record should be blown through the roof!
One night the rodeo got some coverage all across the country that they weren't expecting...a bull got out in the parking lot directly behind Reliant Stadium. From CNN to MNBC and local Houston coverage to Fox News it was known everywhere! Fortunately no one was hurt and the bull "Hard Ball" was caught and performed later that week!
The highlight of Rodeo Houston for me has been to see my sister-in-law Sherry win her Super Series and my old college roommate Ryan Gray advancing to the semi-finals.
Another exciting event that is taking place was working with Larry The Cable Guy today on a T.V. Show to air on the History Channel, discussing the bucking bulls in rodeo. We starting shooting footage at 9 this morning and will wrap up tonight during the rodeo. Trent West, Paul Peterson, Scotty Cervi, and Bryan Payne all took part in the fun and did interviews and worked with the livestock alongside Larry The Cable Guy for the show. I will have to find out when the show airs on T.V.
I must not forget how 2 weeks ago San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo had a record eight sellouts out of a total 9 performances!
The head chief, Mr. Mike, is set to fly infor the last weekend and the $50,000 shootout round. He might bring in the old ranch hands J.D. Feller and Shane Hilzer to take a couple days off from calving the cows at home.
From our nights in the Louis Pearce Jr. Board Room to the Mariachi Party at Carolyn Faulk's condo it truly has been a pleasure staying in Houston working the World's Largest Rodeo. I know I don't want it to end!
March 5, 2010
Another Year Through!
By Darci Owens, Communications Director
San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo
When those Dodge Rodeo trucks haulin’ Circle I trailers roll into town, you can bet you are in for two things: an action-packed, impulsive rodeo production and a crew of the most down-to-earth, hardworking and respectable young men in the business. Stuck smack dab in the middle of the two most prestigious rodeos in the world in San Antonio and Houston, the San Angelo Rodeo is proud associate itself with and uphold the legacy that is Cervi Championship Rodeo.
You won’t pull a fast one with our fans - like a broodmare knows its own foal, West Texas people know the sport. So year after year, we partner with a pinnacle producer to bring us decorated stock from all over the nation. Before chutes are installed and the arena prepped, our rodeo contract is branded with the Circle I. For 78 years, the San Angelo Rodeo has partnered with the Crew and has since made this hometown rodeo one of the top in the nation. In 2010, the San Angelo Rodeo rounded up the largest contestant base with 1,100 competitors. The demand to deliver sold-out performances and is one thing, but to fabricate a string of bucking stock that brings educated rodeo fans back for 5-6 repeat performances, that’s something to hook your wagon to.
Cervi Championship Rodeo allowed a special event on the finals night, February 27th as the town of San Angelo saw one horse for the last time before his release into greener pastures. Brown Bomber’s victory lap brought a tear to the crew’s eyes, as memories surfaced of Chase picking him up, Scotty pullin’ a flank, Binion contracting him out and every cowboy who had ever ridden or wishing they could draw his number at the San Angelo Rodeo or the National Finals in Vegas. This incredible horse holds a special place in the hearts and minds of those who knew him and will leave some big horse shoes to fill.
Houston is upon us and though the Crew might be hard to spot in Reliant Stadium, you can bet they’ll have their guns loaded. Good luck and see you down the road!
January 26, 2010
Cervi Rodeo is heading to TEXAS!
By Collins Kuper
With the National Western almost finished in Denver rodeo is beginning to fill the air in Houston and I promise 2010 will not disappoint.
With this years star packed lineup there will be plenty of sell out crowds and a flavor for all tastes. Some of the stars include The Black Eyed Peas, with our girl putting Fergie on a fine show, and Keith Urban pumping up the crowd.
On the rodeo side the crew has been pulling out all the stops to make this year the best one of all. With the addition of Terry who is able to name all of the 700+ bucking horses, their parents, and how they have
bucked at the years past rodeos we have been able to improve the quality of the string. On the flanking front Scotty has been hitting the gym to make sure he is getting the right amount of pull on the wool. Chase has been hard at work on the ranch keeping everything in order and making sure the stock is ready to roll. Binion has been busy renewing contracts and getting all the bills paid. Rumor has it Binion has a new line of clothes to ensure the face of the company is clean, yet bold and ready to rock.
To help put on the best rodeo in the world the crew is bringing some of the best subcontractors in the business. These include Burch rodeo out of Wyoming, Vold Rodeo out of Colorado, The Calgary Stampede out of Canada, and Classic Rodeo just to name a few. Everyone in the Cervi Rodeo crew hope everyone is having a blessed New Year and we will see you down the road.
January 17, 2010
Half Way Through
By Sunni Deb Backstrom
We are nearly half done at Denver and it has been a pretty darn good rodeo so far! The weather has turned out to be pretty nice after a rough couple of days last week and the crowds have been really good!
The Saturday night performance featured all Cervi stock and each one really bucked! Tilden Hooper had his hands full with N6 Dollar Signs (out of the Little Buckskin Mare B4 Gold Dollar), Joe Gunderson was 84 on K64 Orpahn Child (out of Orphan Annie) and Kaycee Field and J4 Orphan Angie (also out of Orphan Annie) met once again with the same results. No score!! Orphan Angie is becoming a force to be reckoned with. It isn't every day that you throw off a guy like Kaycee.
We put L18 Mighty Mary in the saddle bronc riding and was she ever good. Canadian Luke Butterfield might not agree since she forced him to eat a little denver dirt. The saddle broncs on Saturday night were so fun to watch. Five buckoffs and some great rides. The old man 807N Brown Bomber showed them he still has it at age 26 when he dusted Rockey Mountain Circuit Young Gun Blaze Hamaker. But the highlight of the night had to be L25 Party Shop with National Finalist Bryce Miller. This horse seems to get ranker with every trip. Rodeo judge (and 10 time saddle bronc riding national finalist) Tom Miller said that may be the best horse he has seen in years. That's some consultation for him not being taken to the 2009 National Finals.
Another week and this will all be in the history books. Stay tuned for the next update!
Happy Trails.
January 11, 2010
The Start of a New Season
By Sunni Deb Backstrom
Well, our rodeo season has just kicked off with the National Western in Denver. With the first two performances of pro rodeo and two performances of Mexican rodeo behind us , we can now take a three day break as they hold the PBR event. But then it’s 21 performances in 11 days. Lots of livestock and plenty of work for everybody.
The first two days saw Ryan Gray score an 86 and an 85 to really take over the average. It was girls night on Sunday in the bareback riding. The mares did well with M22 Pro Rodeo Fan Zone , fresh from the Wrangler National Finals continuing to buck really well with Jason Havens. -815 Hi Roller and M24 Hustlin Lady were right there with her, both being marked over 20 points. The girls showed their stuff in the bronc riding as well. Two second-generation mares, M28 Fire in the Hole and N32 Headache Hilda were outstanding and would make their old mamas proud (Fire & Lace and Hilda Blue) bucking off top cowboys Brad Rudolph and Canadian Denver Daines . Hot Diggity Damn continues to be the one to have in the bull riding with Will Farrell marking 91 points on him in the opening performance.
Scotty took a load of young horses to the Burch boy’s New Year’s Eve rodeo and if their performances there are any indication of the future stars of the Cervi Rodeo string, it will be bright. Every contestant that had a Cervi horse, that made a qualified ride, was marked between 80 and 89. Not too darn bad. We don’t want to get too enthusiastic but all of the hard work we have put into our bucking horse breeding program has really shown us some great possibilities. Trying to get the right mares with the right stallions, growing them up and then easing them into the world of pro rodeo is a tough undertaking but so rewarding when the ones you raise show so much promise.
December 22, 2009
NFR Recap
By Josh Hilton
The 2009 Wrangler National Finals rodeo was full of more ups and downs than I can ever remember. The Cervi Championship Rodeo Company had a great year in Las Vegas. Although they never made it to the South Point stage to get a round buckle for their horses, the bulls shinned in the city of lights. When it was all said and done two of the top five bulls of the WNFR had the Circle I brand on their shoulder and represented Cervi rodeo very well.
In the bareback riding the week started in the second round with Will Lowe taking sixth in the round with an 83.5 on Vitalix Sweet Sugar. The third round brought out the rank pen and Tilden Hooper drew the Grakel Roan and didn't far out so well on the 1600 lbs bronc. After Tilden hit the dirt he ended up with a 71 point ride. Round four matched Jarrod Smith with Hostage. The two came together for an 82.5 point ride which was a half point out of the money. We skip to round seven and Vitalix Sweet Sugar and and injured Kaycee Feilds. The two didn't have a great trip together and ended up out of the money. Round nine had our good friend Ryan Gray and Hostage together. The two had an 84 point effort and Ryan added $5,000 to his earnings. In round ten, once again Ryan Gray and Cervi Rodeo matched up. This time it was Thrill Ride, the two ended a half point out of the money. The barebacks were very good for the Cervi's, with only two scores below 82 points.
The saddle bronc riding was probably the weakest of the three riding events as a whole for the NFR. The Cervi broncs shined amongst the rest of the field. They never won lower than third on a Cervi horse. It started in the third round where Heith Demoss barely got by Vitalix Grit Your Teeth and was 83.5 which was second place money. The eighth round was an awesome display of horse power and cowboy try. Once again Vitalix Grit Your Teeth won second place, this time with our good buddy Toas Muncy and 85 points. In third place was the great Billy Etbauer and Multi-Chem High Life Gal where an 83.5 ride got Billy another $10,000.
Like I said in the beginning the Cervi bulls shined in Viva Las Vegas. Round one had the money bull Hot Diggity Damn with Kanin Asay and they didn't disappoint. The two came together for an 89 which took the top spot in the round. Also the young bull Ole Yeller and Tate Stratton took home $2,700 for their 80 point ride. The fifth place bull of the finals Vitalix Sam T took down Corey Navarre in the second round. The fourth round put together the struggling Steve Woolsey and Ole Yeller. The big yellow bull threw off the Utah cowboy at 6 seconds. The fifth round the bulls blanked the cowboys. Comet's Gold made quick work of the world champion Cody Hancock as did the second place bull of the finals Multi-Chem Texas Cocktail with Bobby Welsh. Vitalix Sam T was tried hard by the Texas cowboy Howdy Cloud in the sixth round but Howdy fell short of the whistle. Once again Hot Diggity Damn didn't disappoint. In the final round Zach Oaks drew the money machine and took home $13,500 for second in the round with an 88.5 effort. What a great display of genetics and athleticism these bulls showed. Thanks to Bryan Payne of Cervi & Guidry and Trent West of Cervi Championship who care for these bulls all year.
Well, what a two weeks in Las Vegas it was. For those who didn't make it out, start saving now. You'll want to be there in 2010! We also would like to send out a congratulations to Paul Peterson who works many of the Cervi rodeo tour stops for a job well done as a pick-up man at the NFR. See ya'll in Denver for the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo. Merry Christmas and happy New Year! God Bless
October 26, 2009
Wrap Up of 2009 Season
By Binion Cervi
As everyone always says " I can't believe the end of the year is near" and "It's almost NFR!" What a blessed and unbelievable year we at Cervi Championship Rodeo have had!
To pick up where I left off from last time; New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo had an amazing rodeo. Considering of the eighty bull outs in the bull riding only four riders were able to cover their bulls! In the final night of the State Fair the saddle bronc riders had a hard time staying aboard the broncs and only 3 horses were covered out of twelve attempts.
A special event took place during our stay in Albuquerque and it involved showcasing pink night at the rodeo on National Fox News! One of the big highlights of pink night was the bull Roach was colored pink and was highlighted in the performances opening ceremony. The clip from Fox News can be accessed from our News Page!
This year the Tour Finale in Omaha, Nebraska took place the last weekend of the New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo. Chase had been selected to be a pickup man in the finale and I was fortunate enough to be involved in the production. We got our old man to finally dust off his boots and come run the production in Albuquerque. And I got plenty of reminders that he still has it in him! Never question your elders or so I'm told.
Omaha had an amazing finale and was exciting from the production end tell the finish. Part of what makes Omaha so great and why we enjoy being involved is the Ak-Sar-Ben Rodeo Committee, President of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation Beth Greiner and her staff. And let's not forget the famous duo of Butch Lindley and Sherman Berg! Everyone takes care of us and we always enjoy coming to Omaha.
When the lights went down in Omaha my old college roommate, Ryan Gray, walked out as the champion bareback rider and I was very happy for him! Omaha basically set the field for the NFR qualifiers with the exception of a hand full of cowboys that qualified for the Heartland Finals in Waco, Texas.
Waco, Texas was our most recent stop on the road and what a grueling nine days of competition they had at the Heart O' Texas Complex. They committee in Waco, Texas had a successful event for the Heartland Finals for the second year in a row. And a packed house was in place to witness the finals on Saturday that crowned their champions! Our buddy Clint Cannon continued his hot streak of winning and claimed the Final 8 Round and Final 4 Round wins in the bareback riding! That has to give him a big boost of confidence going into the NFR with so much success throughout the year!
With Circuit Finals and NFR right around the corner there is still plenty of excitement in the air for Cervi Championship Rodeo!
September 14, 2009
The Second Part of Our Summer Run
By Binion Cervi
Need I say more than Orange County, California! San Juan Capistrano, California is one of the elite trips of our year. Chase, Scotty and I have been privileged to supply stock with Cotton Rosser’s Flying U Rodeo Company, the last four years to this phenomenal rodeo. It is just a two day rodeo that features the top thirty in each PRCA event and pay day is big for the cowboys with $20,000 an event! One of our rising stars in the barebacks M27 Little Bo Peet is what my old roommate Ryan Gray drew and he won the rodeo on her, with an 86! L25 Party Shop continued her great year by bucking off NFR cowboy Rusty Allen and has only been ridden once this year by Dusty Hausauer with an 89 in Denver! Gilbert Aguirre is the man that has brought this rodeo to the top of its game and we feel honored that he asks us to join our friend Cotton Rosser in being a part of this outstanding rodeo!
With the extra weekend in August, we found some time to finally catch up on the ranch and wean the majority of the colts. It looks like this year there will be over 100 of these little buckers!
What a year Dayton has to boost about! Not only were the contestant entries up significantly but the likes of Taos Muncy, Stran Smith and J.W. Harris just to name a few made the trip to the little small town in the middle of Iowa. Dayton with just a few hundred people in the town and 25+ miles from a motel had over 10,000 people attend the rodeo during Labor Day weekend! NFR contenders Steven Pebbles and Jared Smith stole the show Saturday Night with their high marked rides of 82 and 84 on 103 Apple and -815 High Roller. But Sadddlebronc DNCFR winner and hometown hero Wade Sundell really put on a show winning both rounds and the average on A13 Fletch’s Girl and 17 Bald Eagle! I also can’t leave out on opening night how the crowd went crazy on J.W. Harris’s 90 point ride on the bull 111 Hot Diggity Damn!
When we first pulled into Dayton we didn’t know what to expect but all I can say now is this committee truly takes care of us and won’t let us leave until we’ve had our share of fun! New president Jim Heckman took the reins this year and had some big footsteps to follow Luke Fleener and Dave Bills. Everyone on the committee puts their heart and soul into making this rodeo better every year!
Tri State Rodeo had the best rodeo you could ask for in good old Fort Madison, Iowa! From perfect weather to packed crowds it couldn’t get any better! The last holes for payday in the roughstock were scores that would normally win a rodeo, respectably 85’s! Our friends Wes Stevenson on J58 Thrill Ride and Bobby Mote on F42 Hostage were 88 points each! Taos Muncy spurred his way to an 89 on a Three Hills Rodeo bucking Jose! And Dustin Flundra has been only the second man to cover Easy Street’s offspring named M13 Street Smart with an 89 point ride! Not only is this a great rodeo but the grand entry is one everyone gathers to watch with over 500 wild mounted trail riders. Taos Muncy even told the crowd after his winning ride, “I love the grand entry here!” From the chairman’s dinner the night before the rodeo to Saturday night Fort Madison is a place to hang your hat for a good time! If there is any rodeo committee that knows how to have a good time it is definitely this one! Chairman Ty Loucke and I rode in Iowa’s biggest parade Saturday morning for 4+ miles and I’m glad I didn’t stay out to late the night before with one that long! And not to forget how Chuck Kempker and Ty Loucke had a surprise phone call at 3 A.M. saying their concert performer rock sensation Loverboy cancelled due to illness but they managed to bring in even better with Bad Company rock group! Its going to be hard to top the bar that this rodeo set for next year!
Now its a few days before we head down to Albuquerque for the New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo! Horses and bulls have been on grain and are ready to blow!
August 20,, 2009
In the Thick of Things: Summer Part 1
By Binion Cervi
Where to start and what to say? This summer run has been an amazing one and we were fortunate enough to have success at every rodeo we were a part of!
Clovis, New Mexico for starters moved into a new indoor arena that kept all Mother Nature obstacles from being a worry to the rodeo and they had a great set of three performances to officially kick off our summer run! The entire Curry County Mounted Patrol was there to help make a smooth transition into the new building helping cover every aspect of producing the rodeo; from loading stock to running gates and tuning on the sound system.
Evergreen, Colorado is always a blast to be a part of; with a mountain side for bleachers and the beautiful mountain scenery. They kicked their first night off with their first ever PBR bullriding on Friday and then followed with performances on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon that had record crowds. The committee has progressed the rodeo to a new level and keeps getting better every year!
What a ride we had in Casper, Wyoming for the Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo! From the short round returning on Saturday night, ticket sales exceeding previous years by the droves and stock performing at their peak, Casper had a rodeo to remember for years to come! Not only did they add the finals on Saturday, prize money went from ten thousand an event to fifteen thousand! Rodeo Manager Mr. Tom Jones always is a kick to be around and Ms. Judy Olson keeps everyone in line and is always there for us. The rodeo committee has always supported us and been there for us always.
From Casper, Wyoming the circle I crew treks to Nampa, Idaho for the annual Sanke River Stampede. It may be a long drive but it certainly is worth the trip! Each and every year this committee has raised their prize money for the cowboys and goes out of their way to make it one of the top ten rodeos in the country! The entire Snake River Stampede Committee has been one of our favorites to work with and their stands are packed from the first day on Tuesday tell the end! The fans in Nampa couldn’t have asked for better finals on Saturday! Out of the eighty-five bullriders that entered; only nine rides were covered to come back for the finals on Saturday night and, Howdy Cloud had a hay day in the finals when he was the only successful rider to cover Pantara with an 88!
Sidney, Iowa means, “Rodeo Town U.S.A.”! Before we even crossed into Iowa I knew this year was going to be a special one! The entries for 2009 were up over one hundred contestants from the previous year and world standings cowboys were set to compete all week in Rodeo Town U.S.A.! Not only was it a phenomenal rodeo but the crowds were up considerably every night! And when the dust settled it took at least an 83 in the bareback riding to place, 80 in the broncs and 88 was the top score in the bullriding! From the time I was a little kid, this rodeo has always held a special place for my family.
It seemed like it couldn’t get any better after Sidney but Yuma had a record year for their rodeo. This little small town Rodeo in Yuma, Colorado packed their grandstands every night and set an attendance record in the process! Many top cowboys and cowgirls made this a stop on their rodeo schedule, including the World Champion Cody Wright and Wesley Silcox. As was the case in Sidney the entries were up in Yuma and that same trend followed in Sterling, Colorado; our hometown rodeo! Sterling went through a list of changes this year and it all panned out for the better. Our first night of rodeo got off to a late start due to a severe storm but went on to be a great rodeo. Not only did Sterling have a great rodeo but their concert on Saturday following the rodeo was the second largest in their history with Jamey Johnson and Gary Allen.
With rodeos in from California to Iowa left to hit the remaining summer we have got our hands full!
June 22, 2009
Young Guns Get Hot in Clovis, New Mexico
By Josh "Hambone" Hilton
When I say "Young Guns," I'm not talking about the young cowboys that came to play at the Curry County Mounted Patrol Pro Rodeo in Clovis NM the first weekend of June. I'm talking about the new crop of bucking stock the Cervi boys brought to town. They won each of the rough stock events on these Dapper Dandees! There was plenty of seasoned stock there also, so it proves that things look bright for the future.
In the bareback riding, the number one cowboy in the Crusher Rental World Standings put together an 86 point ride on the horse M36 Beetle Bomb. Beetle Bomb blew in the air and kicked as Clint Cannon put on a great spur ride. But not far behind him was NFR qualifiers Tilden Hooper and Wes Stevenson who placed on the same horse, M27 Little Bo Peep. All six places in the money were won on six year old "M" colts. The saddle bronc riding was probably the most anticipated event for the Cervi boys, cause it featured a re-match that had NFR bronc rider Bradley Harter facing off with M 11 Get Back. These to came together at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver this past winter to claim the title. The ride mirrored Denver, getting in the air and kicking over her head while Bradley made a flashy ride. The score was 83 and took the number one spot in Clovis! Although the highlight has to be M 13 Street Smart, who is without a doubt has to be one of the most electric horses in the P.R.C.A. today. What a combination of genetics and raw bucking talent this horse has.. Keep your eye out for Street Smart on this years tour. You won't be disappointed, trust me!
When Chase Cervi saw the line up of bull riders entered in Clovis this year, he got a little nervous. The reason being he was breaking outcome young bulls that haven't been rodeo tested yet. Needless to say they didn't disappoint him. When Tyler Smith of Fruita CO put on an 88 point ride on Pantera, all doubts went out the gate behind him. Then two nights later Pantera face off with Wacey Barta of Pheonix AZ. You guessed it, another great ride that put Barta in the number two spot in the money. Other highlights were Nirvana, which is a brother to Pantera, put NFR cowboy Jared Ford in the New Mexico dirt. So at the end of the day the Cervi boys can hold their heads high knowing the future looks bright for Cervi Championship Rodeo Co. A big thank you goes to the Curry County Mounted Patrol for their hard work this year. The new indoor facility is amazing and we all look forward to next year.
June 1, 2009
Upcoming Pioneer Days Rodeo in Clovis, New Mexico
By Brenda Crowder
The Cervi Championship Rodeo stock and crew will be traveling to the “badlands of New Mexico” for the 38th Annual Pioneer Days Rodeo in Clovis, NM. This year the rodeo will be held in the new Curry County Events Center. It’s an indoor facility and, from all reports, an awesome arena that will keep us dry in case of rain and out of the dust storms!!! For all you “high tech, red-necks”, the address to put in to your GPS is 600 South Norris, Clovis, NM!
Clovis will be a Heartland ProRodeo Series AND co-approved with the Texas Circuit. Perfs will start nightly at 8:00pm. Steer Roping slack will be held Thursday morning at 8:00am, with the last 24 ropers in the 3rd go running their steers in the perfs (8 per perf).
The Justin Sports Medicine crew will be there this year and we know how important they are to help will all of our aches and pains (especially us older folks!). Tom Feller will be there representing Dodge Rodeo. There will also be a hospitality for all the cowboys and their families that will be sponsored by the Central Baptist Church, so be sure to thank all these hard-working people for feeding us.
Don’t forget to wear your pink shirts if you are up on Friday night – it will be “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” night. Not only does the Clovis PRCA Rodeo help out with donating to cancer research, but they also donate to the charities of the New Mexico Boys & Girls Ranch AND to the Special Olympics.
There will be prizes for the winners of each event and the all-around this year – custom made spurs! Be sure to thank the committee before you leave for all their hard work that they put into having this great rodeo for YOU! A little “pat on the back” goes a long way to tell them how much they are appreciated.
This will be my first year to work the Clovis rodeo and I am very excited to meet the committee and get to see the rest of the Cervi Crew again! Three months is too long to be apart! HA!
Hope everybody comes expecting to have a GREAT time --- GREAT stock, GREAT facilities, GREAT rodeo! See ya’ll in CLOVIS!!!
May 28, 2009
Medicine Bow as told by an Outsider
By Lizzy Chesnut
When an ex-coworker of mine asked me to attend a “dummy bucking” in “Medicine Bow, Wyoming” I had no idea what to expect, come to find out, I was right. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.
We arrived to the hotel about dark:30 and the celebrations had already begun. The Virginian is the tallest building in town by a long shot at a staggering 3 stories high and perhaps the only non semi-mobile type housing in town. Cowboys, who hauled our luggage to the “Owen Wister Suite,” and more than hospitable locals, greeted us upon our arrival and in no time we were dancing with the rest of ‘em. The night continued and I was introduced to “the crew”, saw some interesting dance moves from Binion and his cousin, Lindsay, and made friends with Bonnie (The Virginians Bartender Extraordinaire). I knew the next day would be long so I decided I better get a good nights sleep…kinda.
The next morning I was filled with excitement and woke up ready to go, on hours of sleep I could count on one hand, but the crisp Wyoming air was invigorating. Being one of the first ones up I was recruited to let the dogs out and check on the pens, everything had survived the night, including my co-worker. Once everyone got rolling on that chilly day they started filtering in to the main event. As the bucking got started I was once again recruited, this time to be an assistant to the genetics genius Terry, after thumbing through pages and pages of letters and numbers that he could recite by memory it was decided that I was more in the way than an assistant. The bucking continued until an excited horse decided to give us a run for our money. He won. Right after the chase was called off we had another Forrest “Jump” on our hands. Jumping fence after fence, running mile after mile, I guess he decided that the first needed a friend. At this point we were down to one rigging and half the horses of the day left. Somehow they made it work and finished with just enough time to make it back to the Virginian for some mashed potatoes. In the daylight I was able to take in a little more of the history of the hotel. Come to find out Teddy Roosevelt had stayed in the same room we were in and by the looks of it not much had changed since then, lots of original pieces my favorite being the purple velvet pillowcases. The bathroom was down the hall; I thought I had moved out of the dorms last week. Anyhow some of the rooms even had twin beds in them, go figure. The night picked up where it left off from the day before and there was a lot of FUN going on. Lady Gaga kept us moving and grooving and Bonnie kept the Bloody Mary’s coming. Eventually everyone trickled to bed and began to recharge for another FUN filled day.
The next day called for a little later sleep-in but the breakfast was just as delicious as the morning before. After doing my part of stimulating the local economy by paying my bar tab from the night before, we were back to big business. Today I got to tag along for the switching of the horses. The ranch land we drove through was breathtaking; Cliffs with water running through, wild horses playing around on the green grass, beautiful wild flowers, this was the highlight of the trip for me. When we returned to the arenas we saw they had a new plan in order to keep the horses from running away. They had parked all the trucks and trailers in sight around the arena to form a type of second barrier. Before the bucking started a few of my crew decided to head back to the city and I was left to myself to make some new friends, besides being locked in a closet it all went smoothly but that’s a different story. The bucking continued and fortunately had a lot less excitement than the day before. Once the horses were done it was time to buck the bulls. I couldn’t figure out the arrangement that had been made entirely but in the end it didn’t matter since the bulls made an executive decision that they didn’t care to buck that day and gave the guys a hell of a time gathering them back to the trailer. I kept my mouth shut on the technique being used to consolidate the bulls but others had stronger opinions and made them known. I’ll just say that my belief that animals move in herds was definitely reinforced and verified. We cleaned up the area and rebooted for the last night in good ole Medicine Bow. (J.D. even decided to take a bath.) It proved to be just as successful if not more than the previous nights. When morning came we were forced to say our goodbyes, which felt like I was leaving summer camp. I even had a hard time saying bye to some of the locals. Riding to the airport proved to be just as fun as the rest of the trip, probably because we all had so much personal space.
I didn’t know what to expect when I went to Medicine Bow but I was delightfully surprised with some of the most fun I’ve had in my short life and if you have the opportunity to go, don’t miss it. However I’m sure the locals will understand considering “They can’t all make it”.
May 28, 2009
Fouth Annual Medicine Bow Dummy Bucking- Medicine Bow, WY
By "The San Angelo Girls"
On May 15-17, the Cervi Championship Rodeo Crew headed to Medicine Bow, WY for their annual Dummy Bucking to scope out some of their new prospects. The Crew is always gearing up for the next big rodeo, so the Buck-out serves as a little down time and the chance to see what their young bucking stock has to offer the rodeo world. These young horses are exciting to watch knowing how much work goes into raising them, and their genetics prove they are some of the highest quality bucking stock in the world.
A few days before the event, horses were brought in remuda-style from a leased ranch nearby. One day before the Buck-out, the arena was prepped to ensure the horses would be free from injury. The Cervi Crew, including Chase, Scotty, Binion, JD Feller, and many other close friends and family enjoyed two days of bucking approximately 60 fresh two and three year old colts. A special rigging is used on these horses with a built-in timer and a lightweight dummy attached to the rigging. After 6 seconds of bucking, the dummy is released from the rigging to mock an actual rider. A light flank is also used to get the horse adjusted to a real riding situation. From a spectators’ standpoint, it was truly amazing to see the quality of these young horses and the future of rodeo stock.
Actual down time was spent at the historic “Virginian Hotel” where a home-cooked meal was always served. After a little pool shooting, it was time for story-telling and no one does it better than Greg Clark who wrote an inspirational poem about one of the Crew members, JD Feller. Binion, of course, had to show off his dancing and climbing skills while Scotty DJ’ed the morning in. Though few hours were spent sleeping, good times were had by all.
Several western experiences showed the true cowboy in some of these young but talented Crew members, including Chase and JD. The rodeo world should be anxiously awaiting these horses’ debut in a few years at some of the Cervi Championship Rodeo productions. As for the attendees, the Medicine Bow Buck-out did not disappoint and kept its promise that we’d have the Best Bucking Time of Our Lives!!
May 18, 2009
Fouth Annual Medicine Bow Dummy Bucking- Medicine Bow, WY
By Collins Kuper
Gather around cowboys and cowgirls I am going to tell you a story about a little place called Medicine Bow, Wyoming. This year marks the fourth time the Cervi Championship Rodeo crew has graced the rolling plains of the Bow, and as usual it did not disappoint. This year we promoted the trip to many of our friends around the country and a whole slew of people showed up. Only the brave need to come to Medicine, because baby I don’t care how many rodeos you think you have been too you have never been to one quite like the annual dummy bucking in the Bow. The show becomes very western in the arena as well as in the bar of the grand Virginian hotel. The Virginian is the famous historic hotel in Medicine Bow, and has been around since the early 1900’s and they sure have done a great job keeping everything and original (I mean everything)!
The first wave of the crew arrived late Wednesday night and started the Medicine Bow experience in classic form. In the Bow the nights are long and the days are even longer. The next morning the crew was up and ready to go gather some horses. The wind was blowing about 50 mph and had no intentions of lying down. We needed to gather roughly 100 horses that have been turned out for years and many of which haven’t ever seen a human. As soon as we came up on the horses they took off, crossed mountains and rivers and about 8 miles, the riders were unable to keep up and didn’t catch up to them until they had reached the pens. At the pens we got everything sorted with the assistance of Cervi rodeo’s own human computer Terry who has memorized every bucking horse with the Circle I brand on it and can also tell who the colts’ parents are (Truly and amazing and one of a kind). The other half of the crew got the arena set up with numerous banner and panels. After the day’s work was done everyone took a load off and headed to the Virginian. Throughout the night more and more folks began to trickle in from all over the country, and the party started heating up with some questionable dance moves and a little music from Journey. The party lasted all night long and the night ended with the pretty standard lay where you fall. For some crazy reason someone decided it was a good idea to wake up at 6:30am that morning, but work needed to be done.
The next morning everyone got their game faces on because it was time to buck some horses, and it is pretty safe to say that no one had any idea what was in store for the crew that day. We got the horses to the arena and started bucking them. The first couple went as planned, after that is was all downhill. The first of four horses jumped the arena fence and took off due west. Our mounted cowboys took off after them but there was no hope, even with the rigging still on this sucker was running and jumping every fence in its path. We chased them for about 15 miles before it was necessary to head back. While looking for the first horse two more decided to jump out and bee-line it for the horizon. One was roped close to the arena but the other had taken off. I am pretty sure it took all of 6 hours to buck 30 horses, and lose 2 more to the Wyoming plains. That day whipped us like a tied up goat. After a shower and a warm meal everyone was full steam ahead, this night was the evening that the traditional pole climbing took place in the middle of the bar, no one fell and broke their neck but they came close. This is also the night we broke out the ole' Cervi Rodeo sound system to fill the bar with music I can guarantee no one has ever heard in Medicine Bow! Again we kept the bar wet until just before sunrise, and after a night of getting low on the dance floor a couple hour nap was in order.
Everyone gathered at the arena hoping we were not going to see a round two of yesterday’s nightmare, but we were confident our new plan would work. The day we saw some folks decide they no longer had what it takes to spend another moment in the Bow, and they took off for greener pastures. Everything that day went well, with none of the horses jumping out. After finishing up with the horses it was time to buck some young bulls. There was a little more at stake with the bulls, because Chad Burch of Burch Rodeo Co. brought a couple of young bulls to compete with some of Cervi’s young bulls at the first annual Medicine Bow Bucking Bull futurity. A lot was on the line including a buckle, some American dollars, and the right to talk shit for the year. After the arena was altered it was time to run the bulls through so they could get a feel. Once the bulls came out of the chute all hell broke loose. All of the bulls jumped out of the bull arena and into the large arena and they were determined they were not going back. So after 1 hour, four guys on horseback, and three trucks and trailers we were able to pen the bulls. After all that excitement the futurity was called off and the closing ceremony party commenced one last night. The next day it was time to pack up and take it to the house. Everyone was having issues trying to get their legs moving and many people could no longer feel their legs. It is always a depressing time when it is time to say goodbye to the old Bow but there is always next years, and it is going to take some people that long to recover from that damned old Bow.
Check out the News Room page to see photos from this years event!
April 20, 2009
Third Annual La Paloma Ranch Buckout - Charlotte, TX
By Lloyd French
Next up for the Cervi Rodeo Crew is somewhat of a prequel to the Medicine Bow buckout known as the 3rd Annual La Paloma Ranch Buckout in Charlotte, TX. The boys are heading down this week from Roggen, Colorado with a load of three year old bucking mares along with a few studs that they are excited about trying out. None of this would be possible without the efforts of JD Feller, Shane Hilzer, Scotty Cervi, and Chase Cervi who spent twelve hours last week in a Wyoming snow storm gathering these colts. Currently the colts are on grain at the Stoneham Ranch building up strength for the great show.
This year will be similar to last year as it will be packed with a full line of PRCA specialty acts. The first act is going to be a very special one that few people will get to witness as Binion Cervi aka “Cowboy Gone Wild” will dust off his ultra tight spandex and trick ride along with his very talented partner Nikki Cammaert. Hopefully, Binion will not do his usual “raise the roof” hand gestures that made him famous in the ole’ trick riding days. The second act is LP Buckout favorite, Tomas Garcialazo who will be bringing his horsemanship and trick roping talents all the way from California. Tomas’s accolades include several appearances at the NFR and along with performances at the White House of the President of the United States. Last but not least the Preifert Team will also be making their way down to South Texas.
Another regular face at the 2009 LP Buckout will be announcer and master soundman Josh “Hambone” Hilton. Hambone is well known down in Texas with the older gals. To cap it off, 2007 Saddle Bronc World Champion Toas Muncy will mount out on Cervi Championship’s Little Sister. Little Sister is the dam of several NFR bucking horse such as Sister-in-Law and Little Rascal. With the rodeo, back to back nights of parties, and a celebrity or two in attendance it should make a great week for the Cervi crew.
April 13, 2009
Cervi Crew Update
By Binion Cervi
Down time for the Cervi Rodeo Company is not exactly lounging around and eating bon-bons. There is much preparation to ready everything for the summer run.
At the ranch in Roggen, things are hopping with the construction of the addition to the Cantina and all the new calves that need to be vaccinated and eventually branded. At the Stoneham ranch, we eagerly await the new bucking horse colts. As of today, two have arrived and it looks like newly retired Easy Street and WNFR mare Baby Doll may be the next to add to the herd. The photo below shows the new baby Sgt. Storm out of Sgt. Pepper!
Binion is off to Las Vegas to assist WNFR manager Shawn Davis with the World Cup Show. In the equestrian world, this is the biggest event next to the Olympics for dressage and jumping. Saturday marks the arrival of 28 horses from Europe by air transport. After an 18-hour flight from Brussels, the horses will have blood drawn before they take them off the plane and this blood will be whisked by jet to Iowa for testing. Meanwhile, these horses go straight to a quarantine barn to await the results. It is a totally different atmosphere then the rodeo business, but the opportunity to work with Shawn and the experience and ideas he can get from this event, made it an attractive challenge.
After his ten day run there, he is off to Clovis, New Mexico to assess the new facility for the rodeo. Clovis has built an indoor arena and will have the rodeo there this year. There is a lot more preparation to put on any of the rodeos than most people anticipate. After that, Binion will meet up with Chase and Scotty and a load of young horses and head to the Louis Pearce Ranch in south Texas for Mr. Pearce’s annual colt bucking fiesta. Then we’ll all head back to the ranch to get ready for Medicine Bow.
We look forward to seeing many of you in Medicine Bow. Check back soon for an exciting announcement from the Cervi Rodeo bunch!!!
April 1, 2009
A Recap of Houston
By Collins Kuper
This year marked the 77th year of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and as usual it did not disappoint. Many people call Cheyenne Frontier Days “The Daddy of them all” but when the winners of Houston walk away with $50,000 plus in their pockets they know who their real daddy is. Once again Cervi Championship and its crew worked hard and were able to bring it all together and produce a fabulous show. With over 20 stock contractors brought in each of the five super series rounds was filled with some of the businesses best stock. It is extremely difficult to bring over 50 NFR caliber horses and bulls to fill the semi finals, wildcard, and finals, but with some hard work it was accomplished. On the last Saturday of the show the finals took place; many people said it was the best rodeo they had ever seen in their life. There were some incredible rides and quick times. It was consistent show like this that contributes to the show’s success.
This year something amazing happened at the show, we broke the all time attendance for the duration of the show with over 1.8 million people visiting the grounds of the show. That is incredible do to the current economic state our country is facing. It gives great hope to the rodeo industry that with hard work and continuous improvement rodeo can remain as one of the best forms of live entertainment.
In addition to breaking the attendance record Houston had some other colorful events in store for the crew this year. The first being the performance by Reba, for 99% of the crowd it was just another performance from one of the many famous stars that grace the stage in Houston, but for one it was so much more. On any given day this guy will wake up, take off his Reba pajamas, blow a kiss to his life size cut of out Reba, throw his Reba jean jacket, and hit the road. He jumps in his truck to go feed horses, and then the party begins, and when I mean party I mean listening to Reba’s greatest hits on repeat. Once a full day of work is done it is time to eat a steak directly off Reba’s ranch (that is not a joke), then the Reba pj’s go back on. Well enough about Binion.
On a more serious note the Cervi crew was infiltrated and attacked from the rear this year in Houston. No one was proud of what happened but I was glad not one was taken advantage of before it was too late. The attack resulted in a show-down and I am happy to say that the attack was unsuccessful. No one was hurt but I heard that a bucking horse took care of that poor fellow on down the road.
This next two stops on the road are Medicine Bow, Wyoming and then onto South Texas where the crew will begin to dummy buck a new crop of colts. Fresh colts are brought from Medicine Bow, Wyoming and bucked for the first time in Texas. Last year Mike Cervi and Louis Pearce put on an unforgettable show and I know they will not disappoint this year.
March 31, 2009
A Look Back at the Winter Rodeo's
By Sunni Deb Backstrom
The winter rodeos of 2009 are now just a memory. But what a great memory. Nearly 80 performances of the best cowboys in the country matched against the best livestock Cervi’s and 20 other contractors had to offer.
1,440 trips for the bucking horses, 720 for the bulls and nearly 3,000 timed event animals. That’s a lot of rodeo in anyone’s book. All this in 2 ½ months. This may be the best winter run ever. Binion, Chase, Scotty, Steve and the rest of the crew were at their best, feeding stock, sorting stock, setting stock, hauling stock and all the rest it takes to put on these productions. Now in their fifth year of managing the rodeo companies, this crew takes a backseat to nobody.
One of the highlights of Denver was the retirement of 709 Easy Street. This great mare has done it all. She’s either bucked off or taken to the pay window every bronc rider in the top 15 for the last 15 years. Ten trips to the WNFR, she will be missed but continue to add to the Cervi Rodeos in a broodmare only capacity. Already her off-spring have proven themselves. They include Back Street, Street Wise and the latest Street Smart. She’ll live out her days at the Cervi Ranch.
It’s nearly impossible to pick out any rodeo or performance that was the best. When you have the top riders and so many great animals, every day is great. Many thanks to all of the stock contractors we leased from this winter. You guys brought your best and they bucked. And hats off to Binion for doing such a great job coordinating everything. Not any easy task. Many thanks also to all the staff that is takes to put on these productions. Besides our full-time crew, thanks to Scott McClain, Paul Peterson, Gary Rempel, Bryan Payne, Mary Brunner, Brenda Crowder and all the rest.
Nearly hometown rodeo Denver, starts our winter and it gets better every year. Pat Grant, Marv Witt and Leon Vick have really stepped up and made this a force to be reckoned with.
San Antonio was done in a format similar to Houston and what a great show. Keith Martin, Glenn Allen and Guy really know how to do it right. It is easy to see why you continue to win rodeo of the year.
Mark Duncan and his committee at San Angelo are the best. This small west Texas town goes all out for rodeo and they always have a good one, due to all the many hours this great bunch put in. And there is no better place to eat steak!!!
Rodeo Houston was again spectacular and hopefully you enjoyed a performance or two on the pay per view. The excitement of the head to head Shootout for $50,000 is something to watch. We had record breaking rides and record breaking crowds. Thanks Leroy Schaeffer and Mary Catherine Schultz.
The next big event will be the Dummy Bucking of the colts in Medicine Bow, Wyoming, May 15-17. This is where we start all our young horses and is the social event of the season for Cervi Rodeo and the town of Medicine Bow. A great time is had by all. Come and join us.
March 30, 2009
What's Happening
By Binion Cervi
After a very busy and successful run at Denver, San Antonio, San Angelo and Houston, we are taking a second breath and looking forward to our annual medicine bow buck out. This is where all the crew, family and friends gather to buck young colts over a three day period. Its exciting to see how the horses that we have been raising have grown, matured and perform in the arena with a light flank on and a dummy bucking machine.
The old Virginian hotel comes alive each night as we all settle into tell the tales of past fun and the day’s events. The hotel is unique in itself. The original hotel has rooms that are decorated “sparsely” with antique furniture and the community bath is at the end of the hall, unless you’re luck enough to get one of the few rooms with your own personal tub.
The Virginian Hotel - Medicine Bow, WY
Dummy Bucking - Medicine Bow, WY
I’m anxious to get back to the ranch. We have been calving at the Roggen headquarters and the mares will start foaling in the next month. I love it when those baby colts start hitting the ground.
Until next time…
Binion
January 2009
National Western Stock Show & Rodeo - Denver, Colorado
By Josh "Hambone" Hilton
When you think of big time rodeos, you think of events that have been going on for what seems a lifetime. When people talk about the "big ones," they are always mentioned. And I can tell you that the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo is definitely one of these!
This year the NW celebrated it's 104th year of existence, that is amazing in itself. I am so very proud that I am a part of the National Western family. For the past two years I have done the music production for the rodeo and other events. I can tell you that it has been an experience beyond any other. I get to work with the best in the business. Of course the Cervi Championship Rodeo Co. brings amazing stock from all over but they also get to unveil the new crop of bucking horses and it's great to see the new talent. Lisa Bailey brings in her Montex production team that gets the audience pumped up with video's, pyro techniques, and awesome laser light shows. Radical Ryan Rodriguez is in the barrel and dishes out laughs every perf, which is hard to do for 24 perfs! But Ryan does it year in and year out. And last but not least, Boyd Polahmus, two time and defending P.R.C.A.. Announcer of the Year. He has been a huge part of my career and is a blast to work with. He can paint pictures with his words like no other. I've never seen a crowd eat out of an announcer's hand like they do Boyd.
The gentlemen responsible for bringing this all together are a very classy group of guys. Mr. Grant, Mr. Witt, and Leon Vick have brought together many different personalities that come together to put on this amazing show. Let me tell you, our pre-production meetings are never dull! So if you want tradition, prestige, and rodeo action like none other, then the National Western in Denver CO is the place to be!