Rangers ready to celebrate 85th rodeo

For professional rodeo cowboys and cowgirls the “Dog Days of Summer” annually includes the final southern swing and this year the Lawton Rangers will be hosting some of the top rodeo names for their 85th Annual Rangers Rodeo.

Performances begin Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the LO Ranch Arena east of Lawton and continue until Saturday’s final performance.

Part of that summer swing is not always good with competition from various larger rodeos across the country tapping into the pool of contestants.

The Rangers boosted their added money to $12,000 an event, however, the total number of contestants was just 319 although there are still some quality contestants including former world champions.

The largest group of competitors are in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) barrel racing with 86 competitors.

Other events and their number of entries are: Bareback riding (21); bull riding (45); tie-down roping (45); saddle bronc riding (37); steer wrestling (41); and team roping (44 teams).

With those lower numbers, there will be two go-rounds in tie-down roping, steer wrestling and team roping and many of those competitors will make their first runs Tuesday beginning at 4:30 p.m. with the slack. Some barrel racers will also be competing in the slack and will be making their runs before the other events start.

Fans can take advantage of a couple of good bargains topped by Wednesday’s $10 carload night; and then Thursday on Tough Enough to Wear pink night to support the Leah Fitch Cancer Center when one ticket will admit a family of four. Advance tickets are on sale for $12 and purchasing those will save fans on the busy Friday and Saturday performances. Tickets at the gate Friday will be $15 and on Saturday they will be $20 at the gate.

Children 5-and-under will be admitted free when accompanied by a paid adult.

Advance tickets can be purchased at all Hop N Sack Stores, Crutchers for the West, Atwoods and Hardzogs Gift Shop in Elgin.

Bareback riding has been struggling to boost numbers in recent years, and while there are just 21 entered in Lawton, there are some good ones scheduled including three-time world champion Tim O’Connell of Zwingle, Iowa, who is scheduled on Friday. Also up Friday are young guns Cole Franks whose dad is the rodeo coach at Clarendon College and Jess Pope another top young hand. Will Lowe spent many years at the NFR and has won Lawton at least three times in the past and he is also in the field.

One interesting entry is scheduled Wednesday and that is Rocker Steiner, the youngster who had been dazzling the rodeo world until running into some legal issues during the Reno Rodeo. He was qualified for the finals of that rodeo but got into an altercation behind the chutes and was arrested by law enforcement and booted from the rodeo. Obviously he’s been cleared to return to the arena and it’s fitting that he’s returning at Lawton where his grandfather Tommy Steiner was the stock contractor for many of the early Ranger Rodeos.

Bull riding will feature many youngsters but there are a few veterans in the mix including former National Finals Rodeo qualifier Trey Benton III who is up Wednesday along with talented Cody Teel and Laramie Mosley.

Thursday’s best young riders scheduled are Creek Young and Trey Holston, who both have been winning money at several big rodeos.

Saturday’s top draws will be Sterling’s Chauk Dees who is a former Rangers Rodeo champion, claiming the title in 2019 with a 91.5 on the final ride of the Saturday performance. Union City’s Lukasey Morris is another top young bull rider and is also scheduled Saturday.

One thing fans may notice is that the schedule of contestants can change before the rodeo begins as many contestants who are out of contention for the National Finals will “turn out” due to schedule conflicts or file a “doctor’s release” due to a recent injury. Many times contestants wait for the stock draw, which will be Monday, and if they don’t think that stock is good enough to give them a chance to win they will not make the trip south.

Saddle bronc riding will have some good competitors on Thursday with former NFR qualifiers Isaac Diaz, Shorty Garrett, and Sterling Crawley. Friday’s top threats could be Riggin Smith and Wyatt Casper, both former NFR qualifiers.

Saturday area fans will be able to watch former NFR qualifer Colt Gordon of Comanche ride and on the other end for the age range is veteran Wade Sundell a former world champion who is still willing to challenge the youngsters.

The tie-down roping slack Tuesday will be loaded with big names as every roper will make their first runs during that session. Included are former world champions Caleb Smidt, Marcos Costa, and Shad Mayfield.

Area entries include 12-time NFR qualifer and 2008 reserve world champion Hunter Herrin of Apache, former world all-around champion Ryan Jarrett of Comanche, and Apache native Bryson Sechrist. Sechrist will make his second run Saturday, Herrin will make his second run on Thursday and Jarrett is scheduled for Wednesday’s performance for his second shot at the money.

Most of the top barrel racers are in the northwest for that swing but Emily Beisel of Weatherford will make her run Saturday as she continues her hot streak. Wenda Johnson of Pawhuska is slated to compete Friday and she is another WPRA contestant with multiple NFR appearances on her resume.