My latest article with photography is published now on The Fence Post magazine’s website.
It is about the always entertaining rodeo clown, JW Winklepleck, and his thoughts on entertaining a packed house during the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO.
Wearing his typical fashion, Colorado-based rodeo clown JW Winklepleck banters back and forth with the rodeo announcer during a comedy skit to entertain the sold out Sunday afternoon crowd at the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo.
In my opinion, after covering a lot of rodeo performances over the last 15+ years, JW is one of the funniest and most spontaneous rodeo funnymen I have had the pleasure of watching.
You can find my latest photo spread link that was published online regarding the record setting 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo on the website of The Fence Post magazine.
Colorado barrel racer Shali Lord sprinted for the timers on Can Man after the third barrel on her way to a 16.30-second time on Sunday afternoon and 4th place in the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo.
I hope you enjoy the photos! I know I enjoy sending submissions to the good people over at The Fence Post. They are great to work with.
As a photographer, I am not shooting a rodeo just for the cowboys and cowgirls. No siree.
I love photographing the animal athletes at least as much, if not more, than the contestants.
Just don’t tell the contestants I said that! 🙂
Summit Pro Rodeo Company always — and I mean A-L-W-A-Y-S — brings incredible animal athletes to the rodeos where they provide the stock. I know I will get great photographs when I see their name on the information sheets.
It wasn’t just the rodeo cowboys that were the athletes inside the arena at the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede. The bucking stock brought by Summit Pro Rodeo Company, like Lakota Park bucking off Mason Snyder, was also worth the price of admission.
I love shooting the bucking broncs no matter if the cowboy is aboard or not!
Great to see ALL the athletes taking part in the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. There is a reason that small town rodeo has won so many awards. Summit Pro Rodeo Company is certainly a part of those reasons…
Those words sound almost mournful. The last remaining…
That means there used to be more, maybe even a plentiful supply.
But now there is one.
Drawing their sabres, the last Marine Mounted Color Guard presents the colors as ready for the singing of the National Anthem and the kickoff of rodeo action before a sold-out Saturday night crowd (June 05) at the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO.
The last remaining Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard participated again in the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. If you appreciate having Old Glory honored with a bit of pomp and circumstance, you would love to see how these Marines ride in with the colors and present them for the singing of the National Anthem.
The 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo witnessed record crowds over the June 04-06 run of its bull riding and PRCA performances. For the the first time in its 56 years of history, all performances were sold out, including the standing room only areas. The vendors surrounding the outside of the arena grounds were pretty happy!
With every performance sold out throughout the three-day rodeo, Vendor Alley at the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede saw a record amount of people shopping the tents that were set up outside the entrance to the rodeo arena.
One thing has to be said. Without the constant and tireless efforts of 250+ volunteers throughout the year, the Elizabeth Stampede would not be the award winning event that it is. Hats off to the volunteers, committee members, and board members that make it possible every year, but who stepped up in 2021 and created a record-setting venue.
A big part of the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo’s crew of volunteers gathered for a victory photo after the completion of the last rodeo performance on Sunday afternoon (June 06). 2021 was a record setting year for attendance at the award winning rode in Elizabeth, CO.
On a personal note, I have been covering the stampede for publication since the early 2000’s. After shooting tens of thousands of photos and interviewing hundreds of people during that time, I still had no idea how much I would miss being around all the quality people who make this rodeo so great until it was cancelled in 2020 and started back up again, this year. It almost felt like arriving to a reunion.
When you go to a rodeo, you know you will be entertained by the action inside the arena, but a good barrelman/rodeo clown can also light up the crowd.
The award winning Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO has a great funnyman in JW Winklepleck. He provides color and flair to every performance and doesn’t trot out the same stale jokes. He does a great job of helping the audience have an even better time at each performance.
Rdoeo barrelman J.W. Winklepleck entertains the sold-out crowd and the assisting pickup man by starting a new sport of Arena Boarding on Saturday afternoon at the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO.
In front of Saturday afternoon’s sold out crowd, Winklepleck determined to “start a new extreme sport of Arena Boarding.” With the assistance of an amused pickup man, Winklepleck boarded the arena sand behind the true meaning of horsepower.
That means a rodeo ride or roping has to have beaten the highest score in that event that the rodeo has had in its history.
Well… the 56th running of the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo saw a new arena record in the bareback event with an 88 point ride from Jamie Howlett aboard a Summit Pro Rodeo bronc named Cowtown.
South Dakota cowboy Jamie Howlett set an Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo arena record in the bareback competition with an 88-point ride aboard Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowtown during Saturday afternoon rodeo action at the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede (June 05).
I think it is against the law (okay… maybe not that extreme) to hold a rodeo without a rodeo queen in attendance!
2020 was a lost year for a lot of rodeos and, as a result, a lot of activity and work for the rodeo queens. Rodeo queens are great ambassadors for the sport, and they are involved in a lot of community service, as well.
But of course, taking part in the opening festivities of an award winning rodeo like the Elizabeth Stampede is a major part of what it is all about.
Miss Rodeo Colorado 2020-2021 (Hailey Frederiksen) carried the Colorado flag throughout the arena before the start of bull riding action on Friday night (June 04) at the 2021 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO.
Miss Rodeo Colorado 2020-2021 — Hailey Frederiksen — is finally getting the chance to take part in all the activities she initially thought she would be doing in the year 2020.
You know the rodeo season in Colorado is starting in earnest when the Elizabeth Stampede in Elizabeth, CO is right around the corner.
With awards lavished upon it by the Mountain States Circuit cowboys AND the PRCA, the Elizabeth Stampede is one of, if not THE, best small town rodeos in the country.
The cowboy protection at the 2016 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo was excellent, as displayed by Cade Burns flying in to take a hit in order to distract the bull away from a downed cowboy.
And now it’s right around the corner for June 03-06, 2021.
I quickly popped together a video, less than a minute long, that includes a number of my photographs taken during the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo from 2014-2019.