Elizabeth Stampede Mud Shots Post #4

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action, bull, bull riding, bulls, colorado, country, cowboy, cowboys, elizabeth Stampede, elizabeth stampede rodeo, lincoln rogers, mud, muddy, photography, rain, rodeo, rural, sloppy, splash, water, weather, west, western, wet, wild

Post #4 — More mud shots! I will call this one the “That’s no bull!” version. 🙂

I’m thinking there are better places to relax… Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

It’s not dancing, it’s choreography! Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

“Please don’t make me fall…” Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

“Great spa. Would come here again!” Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

I hope you are enjoying the images! Have a great day.

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

Elizabeth Stampede Mud Shots Post #3

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action, colorado, country, cowboy, cowboys, elizabeth colorado, elizabeth Stampede, horse, horses, lincoln rogers, mud, photography, rain, riding, rodeo, roping, rural, sloppy, sport, steer wrestling, weather, west, western

Post #3 of mud action photography from the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo (June 02-04, 2023).

The mud threw of the timing on the roping and timed events, that is fur sure. Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

A lot of mud sprays on Sunday afternoon. Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

They were getting muddy while riding. Stepping off just made it worse. Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

This bull didn’t want company while he played. Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

I will be working on a few more. God bless!

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

Elizabeth Stampede Mud Shots Post #2

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broncs, bucking, colorado, country, cowboy, cowboys, die hard, elizabeth Stampede, horse, horses, lincoln rogers, mud, photography, photography life, pickup men, rain, riding, rodeo, rural, water, weather, west, western, wild, wild and woolly

More of my mud action photography from the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo (June 02-04, 2023).

The pickup men were fantastic, so I enjoyed capturing them in action. Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

The weather had the broncs energetic, so the pickup men had their work cut out for them. Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

The broncs had no issues navigating the mud and neither did the talented pickup men who gathered them after each ride. Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

They deserved every penny they earned from working this rodeo. Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023)

More will be coming. God bless!

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

Elizabeth Stampede Mud Shots Post #1

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broncs, buckers, bucking, colorado, country, cowboy, cowboy up, cowboys, elizabeth colorado, elizabeth Stampede, extreme, get western, horse, horses, lincoln rogers, mud, photography, photography life, rain, rodeo, rural, sport, weather, west, western, wild

The 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo will likely always be remembered by any who were involved are attended as the wettest and muddiest rodeo in its history. Photographing it was a great experience, but I was only able to submit just a fraction of my photos for publication. I thought I would work on some of my favorite “mud shots” from the weekend and post them here. I hope you enjoy.

Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023) — Like adjusting his hat was going to make any difference!

Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023) — I liked how the mud splashed up in the form of a solid shield.

Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023) — Look how contained this cowboy seems to be underneath the fury of horse, water and mud.

Rodeo in the rain and mud on Sunday afternoon at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. (June 04, 2023) — The area close to the bucking chutes was nearly a pond.

I will keep posting more. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

The People That Make It Happen

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colorado, country, cowboy, cowboys, elizabeth colorado, elizabeth Stampede, family, group photo, lincoln rogers, mud, photograph, photography, rodeo, rural, volunteer, volunteers, weather, west, western

The cowboys and cowgirls get the headlines, but it’s the volunteers behind the scenes at a rodeo that make it all happen. The Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo has picked up 16 Mountain States Circuit Best Rodeo awards for its class, and then there are the multiple national awards from both the PRCA and the WPRA. Growing from an enthusiastic 250+ volunteers around 2105 to over 400 volunteers in 2023, the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo continues to grow, thrive and produce one of the very best small-town rodeos in the nation. Its volunteers are what make that happen.

An annual tradition is for the Elizabeth Stampede volunteers working the rodeo to take a group photo inside the arena at the end of the final round on Sunday afternoon. While there was brief discussion of changing the photo location due to the foot-plus deep mud, the volunteers shot that idea down and waded into the arena to stand — the rodeo queen and attendant even sat like they do in every photo — in their traditional spot to keep this rain-filled rodeo memory alive. Image copyright Lincoln Rogers, 2023 – All rights reserved.

There is biological family… and then there is family. These volunteers treat its annual rodeo in Elizabeth, CO like a family reunion. A good one!

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

Working Conditions…

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colorado, country, courtesy, cowboy, cowboys, elizabeth Stampede, help, lincoln rogers, photgrapher, photograph, photography, rain, rodeo, rural, weather, west, western

The Elizabeth Stampede keeps thinking about how to improve the working conditions for credentialed photographers on assignment. When I started covering the rodeo in 2003, I was given a media badge and basically had to fend for myself. Over the years, I kept ducking and/or sitting on the ground and shooting through the rails in order not to get in the way of any fans in the stands. A number of events barely put up with us “lowly photographers” (yeah, but I also write, doggone it!) on assignment and there are typically not many designated locations we can shoot where we have good elbow room, nice subject access, and are not in the middle of crowds of people. The Elizabeth Stampede made a conscious effort to help us out starting several years ago and it makes covering that rodeo even more enjoyable.

A corner outside of the arena near the bucking chutes (to our left) is fenced off for working media at the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo (I am in the yellow slicker). There were just three of us die-hards working in the rain, so room was plentiful. Image courtesy of a yet unknown amazing Elizabeth Stampede volunteer!

Little things like that are greatly appreciated as I attempt to cover an event not only with photos, but with interviews and backstories. Anything to make getting the right photos a little easier makes the articles and photo-spreads turn out that much better.

It often doesn’t take a lot to make somebody else’s life a little easier, but it sure is appreciated when it happens.

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

Free Spa Day at the Rodeo!

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bucking, civilized, colorado, country, cowboy, cowboys, elizabeth colorado, elizabeth Stampede, horse, horses, lincoln rogers, mud, mud bath, muddy, photography, rain, rodeo, rodeo road, rural, saddle, saddle bronc, spa day, sport, tough, weather, west, western

Who says cowboys aren’t civilized? It was “Free Spa Day” on Sunday afternoon (June 04) at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. That meant all the cowboys lucky enough to be bucked off received a free mud bath and facial, courtesy of the nearly three days of constant rain throughout the weekend’s rodeo performances (June 02-04), along with the well-above-average level of spring rain the area received in the weeks leading up to the rodeo.

While the so-called “spa day” may have been a purely spontaneous promotion, this saddle bronc cowboy looked to be all-in on the mud bath option! Image copyright Lincoln Rogers, 2023 – All rights reserved.

It was not only entertaining, but it was beneficial. After all, the rodeo road can be rough on a cowboy’s skin. You have to take care of it.

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

Rain? What Rain?

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colorado, country, country life, cowboy, cowboys, elizabeth Stampede, horse, horses, lincoln rogers, livestock, mjud, photography, PRCA, rain, riding, riley pruitt, rodeo, roping, rural, sloppy, sport, tough, weather, west, western

One of the reasons I love covering the sport of rodeo so much is the toughness and competitiveness of the rodeo athletes. While some major professional sports athletes will sit on the sidelines with finger issues (I’m looking at you Major League Baseball), rodeo participants will compete with aches and pains AND rain or shine.

Image copyright Lincoln Rogers, 2023 – All rights reserved.

Although it rained all weekend long and left Sunday afternoon’s competitors to run in the sloppiest conditions, Nebraska tie down roper Riley Pruitt ignored it all to power through the rain coming down and the mud coming up for a successful defense of his 2022 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo title (June 04, 2023). On top of earning back-to-back titles, Pruitt’s soggy win run was cheered by stands still filled with die-hard rodeo fans in Elizabeth, CO.

It ain’t raining… it’s just rodeo.

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

A Little Rain Never Hurt Anyone…

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award winning, colorado, country, cowboy, cowboys, elizabeth Stampede, gage hess, horse, horses, lincoln rogers, livestock, muddy, rainy, rodeo, rural, sport, west, western

Especially at a rodeo. But it hasn’t been just a little rain this year during the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo. It has been a soaking rain nearly every day for the entire week, which is unusual for springtime in Colorado. Despite the conditions, rodeo moves ahead and the fans are still filling the stands at the award winning rodeo in Elizabeth, Colorado.

Keenesburg, Colorado steer wrestler Gage Hess ran a successful 7.6-second time in rainy conditions on Saturday night at the 2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo in Elizabeth, CO. The time has him currently sitting in 6th place. Image copyright Lincoln Rogers, 2023 – All rights reserved.

The last performance is this afternoon. Stay dry out there!

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

Saturday Action At ’23 Elizabeth Stampede

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action, arena record, award winning, bareback, broncs, bulls, cole skender, colorado, country, cowboy, cowboys, elizabeth Stampede, lincoln rogers, mud, phenom, popular, PRCA, rain, record, ride, rocker steiner, rodeo, rural, sport, west, western, wet

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…

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32