November 19, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
When Rickie Engesser competes at her first National Finals Breakaway Roping this December, she’ll be aboard an unlikely horse. Lavaca Sting, “Rollo,” a twenty-year-old gelding, will be her mount for the biggest breakaway stage in pro rodeo. Rickie, who lives in Martin, S.D., never intended for Rollo to be her main mount. While in college […]
October 3, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
A very special horse is among the 2022 inductees in the Casey Tibbs Foundation. Captain’s Darkie, “Doc”, owned by the Steffes family and ridden by sisters Nikki Steffes Hansen and Kristi Steffes, is recognized as one of the greats. The Steffes family purchased the horse from Malcom and Nola Price of Wasta, S.D. as a […]
September 20, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
The most unlikely candidate became a trick riding horse for three young sisters. Shyla, age sixteen, Layna, twelve, and Clara Navarre, age seven, daughters of Corey and Melissa Navarre, each started their trick riding careers at the age of seven on a little Shetland pony named Thunder. But Thunder, who came to the Navarres of […]
August 2, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
A very special horse carried his last rodeo queen in June. Kearney, a 21-year-old bay roan American Quarter Horse, owned by Marvin and Janet Mueller of Sutherland, Neb., has carried seven years’ worth of Miss Rodeo America queens at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte. And his last mount was the 2022 Miss Rodeo […]
July 16, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
A pretty special horse is about to retire. Shorty, a red roan gelding owned by Dane Pokorny and his parents, Brad and Paula, will make his final steer wrestling runs at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette, Wyo. July 17-24. Then it’s green grass and pastures for the mount. Shorty is no […]
May 10, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
The 2021 Women’s Pro Rodeo Breakaway Horse of the Year winner was never intended to rodeo. No Wimpy Turns, “Onna,” started life as a reining horse. But when her rider couldn’t get her to lope slow circles, her career changed. Shelby Boisjoli, the 2021 reserve world champion breakaway roper, bought the mare three years ago, […]
April 16, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
PRCA trick rider Bethany Iles has a new horse, a very special one. Cowboy, a nine-year-old palomino, just came into his own last year. The Okahoma-based cowgirl had a trustworthy trick riding horse, a palomino named Vanilla. But with her and her partner Rider Kiesner’s busy rodeo schedule, she needed another mount. So in the […]
February 4, 2022
Jessie Salter
Brittany and Garrett Tonozzi are the team behind Conquer Equine. A cowboy or cowgirl’s career can be made by a good horse. With the competition being so tough, competitors want to do everything they can to help their horses stay conditioned and recover from injury faster. 2-Time World Champion Barrel Racer, Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi knows how […]
January 31, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
One of the first Miss Rodeo Americas rode a special horse. Dallas Hunt George, the 1957 Miss Rodeo America from Lincoln, Neb., owned a special quarter horse, Wyoming Badger. The gray horse known as Badger was purchased for her by her granddad, Guy Hunt, who she knew as Gramp, when she was sixteen years old. […]
January 4, 2022
Ruth Nicolaus
A ranch-raised and trained horse was among the barrel racing mounts at the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Frenchman Fire Fly, “Fire Fly,” was bred by B-P Quarter Horses, Bob and Peggy Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., and is ridden by their daughter, Amanda Welsh. Bob got Fire Fly’s grandmother, Special Rocket, whose bloodlines included Idaho Special […]