By WESLIE STRATTON
Moapa Valley Progress
The Logandale PRCA rodeo ran in conjunction with the Clark County Fair April 11-15. It featured world champion rodeo competitors and local team ropers. The stands were overflowing in a sold-out performance on Saturday night as fans gathered to watch and to cheer.
This year marked the rodeo’s first as part of the Wrangler Pro Tour which is based on the amount of money available for contestants to win. It attracted the top rodeo cowboys and cowgirls in the nation.
“That’s what puts us in, I think, the top 20 rodeos in the country,” Fair Manager Kevin Willard said regarding the payout that totaled $251,100.
Bareback rider and six time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Caleb Bennett competed this year and appreciated the added payout.
“The money at Logandale is part of the reason that rodeo gets the best athletes going,” he said. “Guys look for stock quality and added money when it comes to entering rodeos. Logandale has both of those qualities.”
Bennett said that being a part of the Wrangler Pro Tour is just an added bonus.
“It adds a little more bang for your buck,” he said with a laugh.
This year’s rodeo included other pro athletes such as Trevor Brazile and Patrick Smith who competed together in team roping.
“I’m going to show you some champions here,” announcer Boyd Polhamus said of the duo who have 25 world titles between them.
The team made a 6.1 second run on Saturday night which assisted Brazile in earning his All Around Cowboy title this year as he also competed in tie-down roping.
While pro athletes provided intensity to the performance, local ropers added some lighthearted and friendly competition.
Six different teams made it to the final round on Saturday night including 10-year-old Jace Jepson who was participating with his 13-year-old brother Garrett.
“We’ve roped together ever since we were born,” the young header said.
This was the fourth year he has roped in the sponsored event.
“It’s fun and it’s cool to watch!” he said of the rodeo.
CJ Christensen and Alan Wade out of Alamo won the team roping event with a 12.2 second run earning a pair of spurs each.
This years PRCA average winners include bareback rider Tilden Hooper, steer wrestler Aaron Vosler, team ropers Andrew Ward and Reagan Ward, saddle bronc rider Wyatt Casper, tie-down roper Marty Yates, barrel racer Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and bull rider Ty Bingham.
