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Tuf Cooper, Clif Cooper and Stran Smith traveled to Brazil to compete in one of the region's most prestigious calf ropings, the Jaguariuna Brasil. Tuf Cooper won the roping aboard his Brazilian mare, Victoria's Secret, and earned $4,500 for the win.

"It was a really tough roping," Cooper said. "A bunch of ropers put it on, and it's awesome down there. If I could live down there and still haul for a gold buckle, I would."

Smith placed fifth in the average, and Clif Cooper made it back to the short round against a slew of tough South American ropers.

Cooper and his parter have owned the mare he calls Gisele for a year and are working on getting her to the States so he can rodeo on her full time. "This was the first roping I took her to, and I guess you can say we're off to a good start."

Catch videos from the roping here:

PRCA members 21 years of age and older interested in applying can log on to the Pendleton Whisky website beginning Monday, May 20 at noon EST. Applicants must compete in at least two events consisting of one rough stock event and one timed event, and display Pendleton Whisky brand values including integrity and hard work. Applications will be accepted through Friday, September 20.Those selected to participate in the 2013 Pendleton Whisky Legendary Cowboy program will receive a $100 gas card and an official Pendleton Whisky Legendary Cowboy patch.

“Cowboys who compete at both ends of the arena today are rare, and we want to recognize those who are up to the challenge,” said Ron Dodge, Hood River Distillers president and CEO. “We are looking forward to the possibilities of this program and supporting those true, all-around cowboys.”

Pendleton Whisky, born of the rich tradition of one of the oldest and most prestigious rodeos in the world, was uniquely founded in history and heritage. The Pendleton Whisky Legendary Cowboy program was established to continue those rich traditions and heritage by identifying all-around cowboys to further promote the brand in the western lifestyle industry.

For more information, please visit www.pendletonwhisky.com. For more news from Pendleton Whisky, find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PendletonWhisky.

About Pendleton Whisky

Pendleton^® Whisky is imported, bottled and marketed by Hood River Distillers of Hood River, Ore., and is available nationwide. The oak barrel-aged whisky uses glacier-fed spring water from Oregon’s Mt. Hood and is known for its uncommonly smooth taste and rich, complex flavor. Pendleton Whisky is the official spirit of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), and the presenting sponsor of the All American ProRodeo Series, which includes 400-plus PRCA rodeos.

About Hood River Distillers

Founded in 1934 and headquartered in Hood River, Ore., Hood River Distillers is the Northwest’s largest and oldest importer, producer, bottler, and marketer of distilled spirits. Pendleton^® Whisky, 1910 Rye Whisky, Broker’s^® London Dry Gin, SinFire^™ Cinnamon Whisky, Yazi^® Ginger Vodka, ULLR^® Nordic Libation, HRD^® Vodka, Lucid^® Absinthe Supérieure, and the complete line of Monarch^® distilled spirits are just a few of the company’s brands distributed across the country. Hood River Distillers is a member of the Century Council and promotes responsible drinking habits. For more information, visit www.hrdspirits.com.

In the wake of the Moore, Okla., tragedy a decision needed to be made concerning a possible cancelation of the Guthrie qualifier this weekend, which includes the Heartland #13 Finale. After considerable internal discussion our unanimous decision was that the very best thing that World Series of Team Roping can do in the wake of this disaster is to turn the Heartland event into a Red Cross Benefit, with proceeds staying locally where they are needed. As a sport and as the roping family we have the ability and means to make a difference for the Oklahoma victims. The OKC area has been instrumental in the development of team roping in the United States, and this is the perfect opportunity for our group to give something back to this community.
The National Weather Service is predicting clear weather at the end of the week and over the weekend. This could be the most important roping of the year, and we hope you will make every effort to join us.

Powell Butte World Series Qualifier
Location: Brasada Ranch, Powell Butte, Ore.
2013 Dates: June 14-16
Contact: (406) 360-2225, wstroping.com
Format: Open, #15 and #13, #12, #11, #10, and #9 WS qualifiers, junior pick/draw
Fee: $250/run (Open pick/draw with 5-steer buy back in first round), $150/roper (#15, #13, #12, #11, #10, and #9), $100/roper (junior)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 2
Payout: $50,000 (Open alone), first year for WSTR qualifier
Prizes: Buckles, jackets
What Makes It Great? “Central Oregon in the summer is amazing. The location is actually an equestrian golf resort. They have a great pool. So the wives can come, and it’s like a little vacation spot. It’s like a getaway. And a lot of the top ropers in the world were here last year for the Open. We want to have a real top quality roping here. We’ve had a huge turnout for our Sunday afternoon ropings, and the World Series has been migrating up north a little bit, and we want to give the guys a chance to qualify for the World Series Finale here.” – Dean Tuftin

WestStar Summer Series
Location: WestStar Ranch, Ellensburg, Wash.
2013 Dates: June 1, 14 and 29, July 13 and 27, August 2 and 17
Contact: (509) 962-4144, weststarranch.com
Format: #5.5 handicap drawpot, #7.5 handicap drawpot, #7.5 handicap pick 1/draw 1 (ACTRA numbers)
Fee: 3 for $25 (5.5 and 7.5); 4 for $50 (7.5 pick/draw)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 5
Payout: $7,000 per roping
Prizes: Saddle pads and coats (nightly), engraved rifle, trophy crooked stirrups, pistol, cinch buckles, headstall, saddle pad, breast collar, wooden table, winter blanket, halter (series)
What Makes It Great? “People who come enjoy themselves, and a lot of times they bring friends with them. Beverages are free, and everyone just helps themselves. It’s more social, but that’s not to say they aren’t competitive. More people come and watch than other area ropings, and we’ve got great fresh cattle and great ground.” – Jo Repp

Big Loop Big Money Team Roping Tour Finals
Location: Brazos County Expo Complex Covered Arena, Bryan, Texas
2013 Dates: July 19-21
Contact: (713) 806-6012, philippranch.com
Format: Open, #15, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8 (pick 1/draw 2 or draw 3), junior roping (one-end, ages 14 and under), Must have attended three of eight qualifiers to rope at the Finals
Fee: $150/roper (Open, #15, #13, #12, #11, #8), $100/man (#10), $50/roper (#9, junior roping)
How Many Times Can You Enter: 3 (Open, #15, #13, #12, #11), 5 (#9, junior roping), 2 (#8)
Payout: $230,000
Prizes: 14 Don Gonzales handmade trophy saddles, handmade boots, Yeti coolers, Sonny Silva trophy spurs, 80% payback
What Makes It Great? “The good thing about it is that you can go to three out of eight of our qualifiers throughout the year and get to go to a good finals locally. You can win $5,000 and prizes close to home, and all of our qualifiers give out buckles to average winners, too.” – John Philipp

Lone Star Cowboy Church Finals
Location: Lone Star Arena, Montgomery, Texas
2013 Dates: Aug. 30-Sept. 2
Contact: (936) 537-5739, lonestar.tv/arena
Format: #8 capped at a #4 pick/draw, #10 capped at a #6, #13 slide jackpot no cap
Fee: $125 (#8 and #10, pick 1 draw 4 or draw 5), $30/roper (#13 slide)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 2 (#8 and #10), 10 (#13)
Payout: $32,000
Prizes: Two-horse trailer, trophy saddles
What Makes It Great? “We want to get people through the door who haven’t maybe been to church in a while. We keep the fees low, and it’s just a great roping that feels like a social event. We have two warm-up arenas, and our arena is filled with volunteers who want to make it a great day. We’ve got professional-quality flaggers, secretaries, and ground, and always good cattle.” – Charlotte Casey

4th Annual Gunslinger Classic
Location: Middle Park Fairgrounds, Kremmling, Colo.
2013 Date: June 22
Contact: (970) 531-6876
Format: Open handicap draw, #12 straight-team
Fee: $30
How Many Times Can You Enter? 10 each side
Payout: $10,000
Prizes: Pistols
What Makes It Great? “Get out of the Colorado heat and come up to the mountains to rope. It’s on a Saturday during a window that you can hit some rodeos, too, when you come up.” ­– Shea Meeks

Mormon Lake World Series of Team Roping Qualifier
Location: Mormon Lake Lodge Arena, Mormon Lake, Ariz.
2013 Date: July 5-7
Contact: (928) 692-8465, fullerteamroping.com
Format: #14 and #10 Warm up, #13, #12, #11, #10, and #9 WS qualifiers, All-Girl, #8
Fee: $100/roper (#14 and #10 Warm up), $50 (All-Girl), $200 (#8)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 3 (#14 and #10 Warm up), 5 (All-Girl), 2 (WS Qualifiers)
Payout: $302,000
Prizes: Buckles
What Makes It Great? “Mormon Lake, AZ is an ideal place to rope in the summer because of it’s location. Mormon Lake is 30 minutes from Flagstaff, AZ in the cool pines, there is plenty of room for camping, there are cabins to rent, a great restaurant and bar, and it is a family friendly environment.” – Stacie Fuller

Fernley World Series of Team Roping Qualifier
Location: Fernley Fairgrounds, Fernley, Nevada
2013 Date: June 22
Contact: (408) 640-6026, wstroping.com
Format: #13, #12, #11, #10, #9 WS qualifiers
Format: #13, #12, #11, #10, #9 WS qualifiers
Fee: $150
How Many Times Can You Enter? 2
Payout: $153,768 (in 2012)
Prizes: Buckles and breast collars
What Makes It Great? “You get 80-percent payback on your money, and you get to qualify to rope for the big money in Las Vegas.” – David Brown

Longhorn Productions ProRodeo Hall of Fame Ropings
Location: ProRodeo Hall of Fame Arena, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2013 Dates: Kicks off May 19, June 2, 16 and 30, July 14 and 21, August 4 and 18, Finale Sept. 15
Contact: (480) 710-2103, lhpropings.com
Format: #13 handicap, #12 handicap, #10 with #8 incentive
Fee: $125/roper (#13), $30/roper (#12), $30/roper (#10)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 3 (#13), 5 (#12 and #10)
Payout: $17,000 per roping
Prizes: Saddles, buckles, spurs, Resistol Hats (year-end)
What Makes it Great? “The producers make the day a family event. They provide beverages to quench our thirst on hot sunny days. They always make sure there is something for the kids to do (stick horse race, egg toss, sack race, etc.) and every kid that participates gets a prize. They have a vendor on-site for food, drinks and ice cream. Ropers are happy with the cattle, and there is very little downtime in between ropings. It’s just a great atmosphere with tons of rodeo history with great people!” – Mary Adamczyk Hughett

National All Amateurs' Cowboy Christmas
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
2013 Date: July 4-6
Contact: 520.251.1495; www.naateamroping.com
Format: Pick 1, Draw 2 or Draw 3 for $150
How Many Times Can You Enter? Two to three times
Payout: $160,000 in cash and prizes
Prizes: Saddles, buckles, Ford dually truck
What Makes It Great? “National All Amateurs already caters exclusively to 5 Elite-and-under ropers by providing great cattle, short scorelines and, most importantly, huge payoffs. The roping's called Cowboy Christmas because so much loot is up for grabs over three days. Think about it–Trevor Brazile has won more money during the PRCA’s Cowboy Christmas than any human–$39,993 in 2011. At the NAA Cowboy Christmas in Rapid City last year, 18-year-old Amelia McGuire earned $60,000 including a new truck. Merry Christmas, indeed!” – Ty Yost

Day 1: Get into town Saturday, June 22 just in time for the Double Dollar Horse Sale, and find yourself a top prospect or a ProRodeo-caliber horse. Check into your room at the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino, then head up the mountains for a day at North Lake Tahoe. “We always play golf then hang out at Lake Tahoe and camp,” says World Champion Nick Sartain, who has the second-fastest time on one steer in the history of the BFI. At Lake Tahoe you’ll find golf, biking, hiking, water sports, beaches and fishing opportunities. You’re only limited by time. After a late lunch at Jason’s Landing and Beachside Grille in King’s Beach hop in the car and head back to Reno through Carson City. “Drive down through Washoe Valley and Carson Valley for beautiful old pristine ranching valleys,” Tallman says. “But be careful, if the speed limit is 55 and you’re going 56 you’re getting a ticket.” Do a little downtown sightseeing, and then head over to the rodeo grounds for the carnival and wiener dog races. The Reno Rodeo began in 1919 and in 1997 won the PRCA’s Award for Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year. “Reno Rodeo is one of the most progressive rodeos on the planet. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” announcer Bob Tallman says. “If you buy a ticket, you’re going to watch a very impressive grand entry, there are 52 girls that ride in every performance, then you’ll see a great rodeo, every world champion will be there at one point or another.” Grab some carnival food before heading to the arena. After the performance, head over to the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino for a chance to rub shoulders with the cowboys, pull the one-armed bandit or roll some dice if that’s your game. Of course, be sure to check local listings for headliner acts in and around town that might catch your fancy. Country music star Scotty McCreery will perform at 8 p.m. in the Silver Legacy’s Grande Exposition Hall, so catch the tail end of the concert after the rodeo performance.

Day 2: The next morning, grab some grub at Pegs Glorified Ham n Eggs. Then make your way to the rodeo grounds for the Kid’s Dummy Roping, a big hit with ProRodeo cowboys and their fans alike. You’ll catch Derrick Begay there signing autographs, and the competition is free for the kids. Winners receive trophy saddles sponsored by the BFI and Heel-O-Matic Training Systems. Then stick around town and take the kids to ride go-karts or play putt-putt golf. “I’ve got two kids, and our little girl is 4. We played a lot of putt-putt before the BFI last year,” says Jake Long, who holds the record for the fastest run in BFI history with header Coleman Proctor. “And we always go to the BFI Cowboy Auction and Dinner at the Silver Legacy. It’s got a great atmosphere with all of the ropers there and it’s fun to watch, too.” The doors for the free event in the Silver Legacy’s ballroom open at 5 p.m. with the auction starting at 6. Then, don’t miss the rodeo that night, and catch the Businessman Steer Decorating. Teams of two find a business to sponsor them, then one person holds the steer with a rope and the other ties a ribbon around the steer’s tail. It can get a bit wild! “Obviously my favorite thing is the prestige of just the whole week in Reno,” says Patrick Smith, who won the BFI in 2005 with Clay Tryan. “With the BFI and the Reno Rodeo, it’s just an awesome week to team rope for a living.”

Day 3: It’s BFI day in Reno. You’ve got a long day of great roping ahead of you, so you’ll need food. Hit Café Central in the Silvery Legacy to enjoy a chili cheese omelet bright and early. The restaurant is open 24 hours a day, which is key because you’ll want to get to the Reno Livestock Center Arena around 7 a.m. to get your seats. The Grand Entry starts at 7:45 so you can see all the ropers before the event gets underway. The action starts at 8 a.m., so spend your day watching the best ropers in the country compete for thousands and thousands of dollars in prize money and awards. If you need a break from the arena-action, take a stroll around the Double R Marketplace to see what some 150 vendors have to offer for everyone in the family. While you’re shopping, make your way to D Bar M Western Store, where all the ropers and their families like to shop for the latest and greatest. But don’t spend too much time out of the arena. “It’s just the most prestigious jackpot, and I’ve watched it since I was a kid,” says Riley Minor, who was second in the average in 2012. “I like the set up, because it’s not a 4-second roping. You’ve got to let the steer out a ways, and even if you draw one that really runs you’re still in it because it’s a six-header. If you’re horse can run, it’s a great jackpot.” After you watch the winners get their thousands in prize money and awards, head back to the Silver Legacy and enjoy steak and seafood at Sterling’s Seafood Steakhouse.

Before Bob started his announcing career, you could find him at RCA/PRCA Rodeos across the country competing in team roping. He headed for the likes of Rickey Green, E.V. Dorsey, Al Hooper, Jerold Camarillo, Ken Luman, John Paboojian, Sam Fancher and Frank Ferreira, Sr. He competed for many years, until an injury semi-retired him from the arena floor and sent him to the announcer’s stand. Bob also enjoyed the time he spent on the PRCA board as an alternate team roping director.
The selection committee of the Rodeo Historical Society (RHS) chose nine nominees out of many outstanding candidates to be included on the 2013 ballot. Living nominees are: Doug Brown, Bobby DelVecchio, Etbauer Brothers, Bill Feddersen, Bob Feist, John McBeth, Gene McLaughlin and Dennis Reiners. Deceased nominees are: Earl Bascom, O Raymond Knight, Jessie Like, Bud Parker, Rex Dun and Johnny Quintana. Quail Dobbs is the Rodeo Hall of Fame Directors Choice inductee.
Members of the Rodeo Historical Society (RHS) will select four nominees from the living and three from the deceased categories by secret ballot for induction into the prestigious Rodeo Hall of Fame. Only members of the RHS are eligible to vote for inductees. Membership in the RHS is open to the public. Annual membership is $35 per person. If you are not a member of the RHS or know someone who would like to join so they may vote on nominees, please visit our website www.nationalcowboymuseum.org and click on “Join the Museum.”
Ballots will be mailed in late May and voting will close the first part of June. The Rodeo Hall of Fame ceremony will be held during Rodeo Weekend at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Okla., on September 27-28, 2013.

caught up with Coleman Proctor and Jake Long just minutes after they won the team roping title at Rodeo All-Star in Denver.