|
|
PERSONNEL
 |
Announcer Wayne
Brooks
His
job at the rodeo, in his words: “My
job is to take the fans on a roller
coast ride of fun, excitement,
compassion, and familiarity with our
players.”
How many years he’s worked the
Elk City rodeo: Every year since
2008.
The best part of his job as
announcer: “It’s the people, the
committees, the cowboys, the fans.
They’re all an equal part of this
big circle of people who make our
industry the greatest.”
Night owl or morning person:
Night owl.
Android or iPhone: iPhone
Social media: None, “and I
like it that way,” he laughs.
Coffee or tea: Both, “all day
long. For coffee, I like it plain
Jane, black. For tea, I like unsweet
iced tea.”
Favorite vacation spot:
Hawaii. “We’ve only been on a few
vacations, and that place is
phenomenal.”
Summer or winter: Summer. “I
like the heat. I grew up in Wyoming,
and as a kid, you don’t feel the
cold. But boy I do now.”
Rodeo accomplishments: 12-time
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
announcer
Home: Lampasas, Texas
Family: wife Melanie; a son,
two daughters, two sons-in-law, and
six grandchildren.
|
|
Rodeo Clown Shawn
“Boom Boom” Thompson
His
job at the rodeo, in his words:
“I’m the commercials for the rodeo.
I’m there to fill the holes and
entertain people in a different way
than with the thrills and spills and
excitement of rodeo. I’m the
laughter that eases the danger of
rodeo.”
How many years he’s worked the
Elk City rodeo: This is his
first year.
Night owl or morning person:
Morning person. “I’d rather go to
work first thing in the morning. I
don’t sleep in.”
Android or iPhone: iPhone
Social media: Facebook and
Instagram. “I’m more of a Facebook
guy but I do have Instagram.”
Coffee or tea: Unsweet iced
tea. “I’m afraid to drink coffee.
I’m afraid it will stunt my growth.”
Favorite vacation spot: “I
have two of them: a cabin in South
Dakota that I go to watch the sun
set and drink my tea and sit in my
chair. It’s my saving grace, my
heaven. And second, I’d like to go
on an Alaskan cruise someday.”
Summer or winter: Both. “In
the winter, we get a break and it’s
family time. But the fun of the
summer is hard to beat.”
Rodeo accomplishments: “I’ve
worked the finals for different
associations, including the National
Federation of Bull Riders, the Bull
Riders of America, the Minnesota
State Finals Rodeo, the United Rodeo
Association, the Mid-States Rodeo
Association, and more.”
Family: two daughters, a son,
a daughter-in-law, and two
grandbabies.
Home: Sidney, Iowa
|
 |
|
|
 |
Specialty Act Reed
Rosecrans, Circle 7 Chuckwagons
For
fans’ entertainment, Circle 7
Chuckwagons will race two
chuckwagons around the arena. Pulled
by a 4-horse team, they slip and
slide around barrels, trying to be
the winner of the race!
Reed raced chuckwagons competitively
in Canada for years, and now does it
for show at rodeos across the
nation.
His horses are miniature
thoroughbreds, bred to run fast yet
small enough to get around an arena
quickly.
His job at the rodeo:
Chuckwagon racing at a rodeo. “I
bring excitement to a rodeo. The
crowd gets into it, picks a winner
of the race, has fun and cheers.
When the crowd gets into it, it’s
fun.”
How many years he’s worked the Elk
City rodeo: This is his first year.
Night owl or morning person:
Morning, when “it’s peaceful and
quiet.”
Android or IPhone: IPhone.
Social media: Facebook and
Instagram. “My daughters take care
of my social media.”
Coffee or tea: Coffee with
creamer.
Favorite vacation spot:
Mexico. “I love the beach, and my
family goes along, and it’s
beautiful. I like being on the
water.”
Summer or winter: Summer, but
“I do enjoy the four seasons, when
you get a little bit of everything.”
Home: Minot, North Dakota
Family: wife Kim; daughters
Hannah, Paige and Leah |
|
|
Noah Krepps jumps a bull after Ryder
Rich has put the bull in the right
position. Photo by Terri Abrahamsen.
|
Bullfighter Ryder Rich
His job at the rodeo: “We’re
there for the safety of the bull
riders. That’s the biggest objective
we have. And then, we’re there for
entertainment value, too. We
showcase what we do, with the
fighting bull.”
How many years he’s worked the
Elk City rodeo: This is his
second year.
Night owl or morning person:
“Night owl, easily.”
Android or IPhone: IPhone.
Social media: Instagram.
Coffee or tea: “Black coffee,
every morning. Straight coffee. I am
not a coffee snob.”
Favorite vacation spot: “I am
a Mexico lover. I’ve been to Cancun
and Puerta Vallarta, and I love it.
You walk out on the beach, and
everything’s right there. There’s
nothing better.”
Summer or winter: “Summer. I
would so much rather be hot than
cold.”
Home: Shamrock, Texas
Family: wife Cameron; brother
Roper (who is also a bullfighter);
parents Kevin and Amy |
Bullfighter Noah Krepps
His job at the rodeo, in his
words: “To protect the bull
riders by distracting the bulls.”
How many years he’s worked the
Elk City rodeo: This is his
second year.
Night owl or morning person:
Both. “If I’m rodeoing, the night
owl thing is easy. But if I’m at
home and it’s hunting season, I’m a
morning person. I love hunting
ducks, deer, turkey, hogs,
predators, and frogs.”
Android or iPhone: iPhone
Social media: “If I had my
way, I wouldn’t have any. I’d have a
flip phone if I could get away with
it, and still handle my business.”
Coffee or tea: Black “with a
little honey. The honey sweetens it
up and is better for you than
sugar.”
Favorite vacation spot: Home.
“I’m gone so much, I’m hardly ever
there. Going home is like going on
vacation.”
Summer or winter: “That’s
tough. Winter because it’s duck
season, but I love summer because
it’s rodeo season.”
Rodeo accomplishments: Top 5
nominee for PRCA Bullfighter of the
Year in 2024; PBR Velocity Tour
Events bullfighter.
Home: Montgomery, Alabama |
|
Bennie Beutler with his sisters
Vickie Shireman (on the left) and
Dollie Riddle |
Stock contractor
Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.
Their job at the rodeo, in Rhett’s
words: “The job of a stock
contractor is to bring a good set of
bucking horses and bulls, to give
the cowboys a chance to win, and to
entertain fans.”
How many years he’s worked the Elk
City rodeo: the Beutler family has
brought horses and bulls to the
Rodeo of Champions since it began in
1938. Rhett has never missed a year
of the rodeo; he’s only missed a few
Friday nights playing high school
football.
What Rhett enjoys about the Elk
City rodeo: “It’s the rodeo
family and the community, and
reconnecting with old friends.
You’re traveling most of the year,
so it’s nice to reconnect with
people at your hometown rodeo.
And it’s the facilities. They’re
well-groomed, and it makes it fun
and easier to do your job.”
Night owl or morning person:
Night owl.
Android or IPhone: IPhone.
Social media: Instagram.
Coffee or tea: Coffee, black.
Favorite vacation spot: At
home. “We’re gone so much, I like to
be home with family. Every now and
then, Tracy and I will duck off for
a few days, but it’s nice to be
home.”
Summer or winter: Winter. “It
slows down a little, and I like to
go hunting deer, big game,
waterfowl, anything. We try to go
somewhere for a fall hunt.”
Home: Elk City, Oklahoma
Family: wife Tracy (married
26 years); daughter Taylor and son
Jake. Rhett is the fourth generation
of Beutlers in the rodeo contracting
business, including his dad, Bennie,
Bennie’s dad Jiggs; Jigg’s dad Elra,
and Elra’s brothers Jake and Lynn.
|
|
|
