It was a rain-soaked Saturday at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede, so maybe that was the explanation for all the splashy action inside the arena. From mud-slogged bull rides to record setting bareback action, the popular rodeo had it all.
Rodeo bareback riding phenom Rocker Steiner continued to build his reputation with this high-flying 89.50 point ride aboard Hillbilly on a wet Saturday night at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO (June 03). The score set a new arena record at the award winning venue. Image copyright Lincoln Rogers, 2023 – All rights reserved.
Saturday afternoon had the most rain of the day’s rodeo action, and the bull riding really kicked up the water.
Cole Skender successfully rode War Zone through the water and mud on a rain-filled Saturday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. Image copyright Lincoln Rogers, 2023 – All rights reserved.
There is more action coming for Sunday afternoon’s Red, White and Blue Rodeo, and the forecast looks like more rain. My rain gear is getting prepped again…
The 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo kicked off its action with a Friday Night Chute Out on June 02, 2023. After the rain stopped pouring about 30 minutes before the rodeo began, the stands filled and bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding action took over.
Keenan Hayes’ 88 point ride took home the top Bareback spot in 2023’s Friday Night Chute Out at the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO.
The rain is pouring again here on Saturday morning and it does not look like it will stop anytime soon, so photography is going to be interesting for today’s afternoon and night rodeos! I have my rain gear on hand…
I know it has been a while since my last blog post. My apologies.
Summer rodeo season is right around the corner and that means the award winning Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo is coming up quick. Not content to rest on their laurels and sold-out performances, the good folks responsible for the Elizabeth, Colorado rodeo are hoping to make a splash in 2023 with a Friday Night Chute Out featuring Bulls and Bronc riding, versus the traditional (and popular) bull riding only that has been a staple for over a decade. You can read my interview with the Elizabeth Stampede Vice President and Production Committee Chair, Ron Howard, on the website of the Fence Post magazine. https://www.thefencepost.com/news/nothing-less-than-the-best/
The Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo is adding bronc riding to its popular Friday night bull riding lineup, which will help the award winning rodeo continue to attract high-profile bronc riding contestants like 2022 PRCA bareback world champ Jess Pope (pictured competing at the 2022 Elizabeth Stampede – Image copyright Lincoln Rogers).
On top of all the new action, the Elizabeth Stampede is also going to be available via streaming service and television this year. Their new title sponsor – Maverix Broadband – is playing a large role in helping that happen.
Lord willing, I will have plenty of photos and articles from this year’s rodeo to post in the near future!
A buddy of mine visited the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo several weeks ago and brought me back a very cool, retro National Western Stock Show (NWSS) poster that he found while he was there. I have never seen one like this in all the years of going to the stock show here in Denver. I had to get a great NWSS poster from someone who purchased it down at the Houston Livestock Show!
I was able to purchase an inexpensive frame for it at a local craft store and now it is up on my office wall. I like it! Still can’t believe it had to make its way to my wall from Houston…
Where do you look for direction in this world? I look for it in the bible. I know plenty of people don’t do that and even disagree with doing it. That is their choice.
Personally, I find a lot of “truth” coming from this world to be ever-shifting. The evidence is all around us at this point in time. Despite our culture becoming more secular than ever, chaos, unrest, and violence are increasing, not decreasing. The plain meaning of words change in the blink of an eye, which creates confusion and division. Oppression is called virtue, while freedom is called selfish. To hold a different opinion or belief of a current narrative is said to be “hate,” when popular and/or official narratives change all the time. To me, looking to humankind for answers and solutions is to divorce oneself from reality. One need only look throughout history at continued violent dictatorships to confirm it.
Personally, I look to the words of Jesus Christ for an unmoving foundation in the middle of chaos. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” in John 14:6. Jesus never promised a perfect life free of trouble to his followers. He understood the corruption of the world and the continued evil that infests it. He came and sacrificed for us so that we can have peace in overcoming the continued corruption until our days are no more. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33
There is truth that doesn’t shift and sway in the wind of opinion or decree. If you read the bible and the words of Jesus Christ contained within it, you will find truth and light that is life-changing. It says in the book of Galatians chapter 5: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Who doesn’t want a world where people display those attributes?
The bible said it well in the book of Joshua – “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve… As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” ~ Joshua 24:15
This world holds no answers for the human condition. I will keep looking to the Light.
My photo spread from the last weekend of the 2023 National Western Stock Show (NWSS) has been published on the website of The Fence Post magazine. More than 100,000 people visited the NWSS during its final weekend (January 21-22, 2023) https://www.thefencepost.com/news/2023-nwss-ends-strong/
A placard full of 2023 NWSS pins on sale in the merchandise booth at the NWSS. Image by Lincoln Rogers, 2023 – All rights reserved.
I had a great time covering the 2023 NWSS for publication. I hope my articles and photography from there have been enjoyable to see and read.
Every time I sell a print. Every time an article of mine is published. Every time a photograph is published and/or makes a cover of a magazine. It is all God. Always has been.
I was blessed to sell another print of mine on Fine Art America. A buyer from Grand Coteau, LA liked it enough to either purchase a print for their own walls or give it as a gift to another. Either way, I was blessed by it.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” ~ James 1:17
My article and photos of the first annual Stockyards Beef Festival at the 2023 National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO seems to have gained some traction after it was published online by The Fence Post magazine on 01/20/2023. There were a lot of social media shares and interactions, which is a good thing for a great event like that one. You can still find it on The Fence Post’s website.
You can also go straight to Hereford America’s magazine archives and look at the issue there or you can read it right here. It is a good industry magazine and (again) my article starts on Page 51.
I always think it is cool to see any images of mine published, whether in magazine articles or online. It is always nice to see my images used well in advertising, too.
This image of world champion breakaway roper Martha Angelone was used by Mahindra and ROXOR Off Road, who is one of her sponsors. I captured this moment at the big NFR Open in Colorado Springs in 2022.
My article and photos on the championship round of rodeo at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO have been published on The Fence Post’s website, and should be in their upcoming print edition. It was a great, high-energy championship round with good story lines. I hope you enjoy the story and photos — https://www.thefencepost.com/news/roping-riding-and-roughstock/
Texas barrel racer Jimmie Smith and 10-year-old “A Valiant Nicky” spun a lightning quick first barrel on their way to a 14.83-second time in the January 22nd championship round to win the 2023 NWSS rodeo. – Image by Lincoln Rogers, 2023
I’m still working on a few more stories from the NWSS and will post them when they are published!
Lincoln's Thinkin's 