My new photo spread of the high-profile Colorado vs The World Rodeo at the 2023 National Western Stock Show is out now on the website for the Fence Post magazine. It will hit the print edition for the week starting January 17, 2023. I hope you enjoy the photos! https://www.thefencepost.com/news/nwss-colorado-vs-the-world-rodeo-packs-the-house/
Hayden, CO bareback rider Keenan Hayes showed again why he is one of the most talented young contestants in the sport as he advanced into the head-to-head round and then earned the title with this explosive 90-point ride aboard Vold Rodeo Company’s “Copycat Valley” to win the title and $10,000 at the sold out Colorado vs the World Rodeo on Saturday January 07, 2023.Image by Lincoln Rogers, 2023 – All rights reserved.
A trio of rodeos were named 2022’s best rodeos of the year for their respective categories in the Mountain States Circuit (Colorado & Wyoming). I was able to talk with two of them about their reactions to earning the titles — Cheyenne Frontier Days for Large Rodeo of the Year and the Elizabeth Stampede for Medium Rodeo of the year. The article with some of my photography has been published on the website of The Fence Post magazine. https://www.thefencepost.com/news/king-of-the-mountain/
The cowboy and western spirit thrives in the two-state region (Colorado and Wyoming) that comprises the Mountain States rodeo circuit. In this image from 2022’s Cheyenne Frontier Days, untamed horses are let loose to run throughout the arena before each performance at the world-famous venue. Image by Lincoln Rogers – All rights reserved.
A new photo spread of mine has been published in The Fence Post magazine. You can see 19 of my photos from the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals rodeo in Loveland, CO (Oct. 21-22) on The Fence Post’s website. Just follow the link or click on the image below. There was some good drama there, this year, including the barrel racing title being decided by .01-seconds, a permit holder winning the bareback title, and a bull rider overcoming injury to win it all. https://www.thefencepost.com/news/2022-mountain-states-circuit-finals-rodeo/
Lamar, CO barrel racer Shali Lord and her 2010 mare Frosted In Fame (“CeCe”) dig around around the third barrel on their way to a quick 15.28-second time during Saturday night’s final round of action at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals in Loveland, CO. The time helped Lord earn the average title by just .01-seconds over Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and secure an invitation to the million dollar 2023 NFR Open in Colorado Springs.
I hope you enjoy the photos from the rodeo. Thanks for stopping by!
A new photo spread of mine has been published by The Fence Post magazine and is now online on their website. The photo spread is of the championship round of rodeo at the 2022 National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO (Sunday January 23, 2022). Click on the image to go to the photo spread.
With 5 PRCA World Titles under his belt — (AA, 2019-2021) (BR, 2020) (SB, 2021) — Roughstock cowboy Stetson Wright was introduced to the packed NWSS crowd as the top ranked bull rider coming into the final round. With everyone starting with a clean slate, an 86.5-point ride in the championship round had the big crowd cheering, but it came up short for Wright to earn an NWSS buckle.
The Fence Post magazine has previously published my article and photo spread images from the 2021 Cheyenne Frontier Days championship round of rodeo. One thing about Cheyenne is that there are always more photos to be shared from there than can fit into magazines!
As a result, I thought I would post on this blog 10 victory images from the 10 categories that win titles and buckles at the historic Wyoming rodeo. Due to space limitations, most of these images did not make the pages of the magazine, so I wanted them to see life here in this blog.
I hope you enjoy.
3-time PRCA world champion bareback cowboy Tim O’Connell rode MLW’s Irish Eyes to an 89-point score and a Cheyenne Frontier Days title during Sunday’s championship round on August 01, 2021. The win was O’Connell’s second Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo title.
Sawyer Gilbert of Buffalo, SD (middle) poses in front of the big crowd with her championship saddle after winning the 2021 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Women’s Breakaway Roping event. 2021 was the just the second year of CFD hosting the event and the first year they added even money with the rest of the rodeo events.
7-time NFR qualifier Marty Yates went first in the Tie Down Roping and posted the championship round’s fastest time of 10.3 seconds to win the 2021 CFD buckle on August 01, 2021.
Utah cowboy Stetson Wright rode a high kicking Feather Fluffer for 90 points in Sunday’s (August 01) championship round for the saddle bronc title at the 2021 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.
Heeler Jade Corkill was in process of throwing his loop for a successful run of 10.2 seconds to help win a Cheyenne title with Clay Smith. The win was Corkill’s third Cheyenne buckle (’09, ’13, ’21).
Montana Steer Wrestler Newt Novich tied a Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo arena record with this 5.1-second time in Sunday’s (August 01) championship round to win the buckle and a big check.
25-year-old Kansas Steer Roper Cole Patterson was all smiles when he was congratulated and interviewed inside the stadium arena after winning the title at the 2021 CFD.
3-time world champion barrel racer Hailey Kinsel and her popular mare “Sister” nailed down the fastest time of 17.30 seconds in the short go to win the CFD buckle on Sunday August 01, 2021.
Australian bull rider Ky Hamilton rode a leaping bull to earn the best score of the entire Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo and take home the 2021 CFD title.
Utah cowboy Stetson Wright acknowledges the applause of the big crowd as he was awarded the All Around title at the 2021 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, WY. Wright won the title by earning money in both the saddle bronc and bull riding competitions (placing 1st in saddle bronc and 4th in bull riding) to become the only roughstock cowboy to earn consecutive CFD All Around buckles since the legendary Jim Shoulders did it way back in 1963-1964.
One of the great things about county fairs are all the young people raising and showing animals. Raising and showing animal projects teaches and imparts respect, accountability, work ethic, and yes… humility (farm animals will always end up teaching everyone humility at one time or another).
A pair of brothers at the 2021 Douglas County Fair in Castle Rock, CO learned all those lessons and more. Job Knight (15-years-old) and Silas McQuate (9-years-old) also learned how to be respectful and gracious while sweeping the top Market Beef Steer awards at the fair and setting auction records in the fair’s 2021 Junior Livestock Sale.
I was able to get a chance to talk with Job and Silas, along with their parents Seth and Jenn, on the last day of the Douglas County Fair. You can find my article and photos about their accomplishments on The Fence Post magazine’s website: https://www.thefencepost.com/news/oh-brothers/
Big brother Job Knight and Diesel (left), along with younger brother Silas McQuate and Superman (right), made a family clean sweep of the Grand Champion Market Beef Steer and Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef Steer at the 2021 Douglas County Fair in Castle Rock, CO. On top of those awards, Job picked up the Reserve Sr. Showmanship award and Silas won the Jr. Showmanship Champion buckle. As if that wasn’t enough, the Larkspur, CO brothers both set auction records for the winning bids on their Maine Angus cross steers in Douglas County Fair’s 2021 Junior Livestock Sale.
I was busy at the 125th Cheyenne Frontier Days in 2021. Although I could only attend for two days, I made the most of them, being able to put together stories about the CFD Museum, the chuckwagon cooking, and the championship round of rodeo.
The Fence Post magazine’s website has published more photography of mine from Cheyenne. Follow the link and take a look!
Utah cowboy Stetson Wright acknowledges the applause of the big crowd as he was awarded the All Around title at the 2021 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, WY. Wright become the only roughstock cowboy to earn consecutive CFD All Around buckles since the legendary Jim Shoulders did it way back in 1963-1964.
Photographing and covering the Cheyenne Frontier Days is a great experience. I hope you enjoy the slice of the historic event that my images provide.
Hailey Kinsel and her mare “Sister” have become a well-known story. Obtaining the gorgeous palomino mare as a two-year-old, Hailey and her mother trained the horse themselves and now have a powerhouse competitor on their hands. How much of a powerhouse?
Kinsel and 10-year-old Sister have won three consecutive WPRA barrel racing world titles and are household names in the sport, with a legion of fans following them both.
Despite the stunning accomplishments, the duo had not yet won the prestigious Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Until 2021, that is. And they made sure to take care of that oversight in dominating fashion. Kinsel and Sister powered through the cloverleaf pattern in a blistering 17.30 seconds. To put it in context, second place was 17.47 seconds and third place was 17.62. In a sport where hundredths of a second count, the final result was dominant.
3-time world champion barrel racer Hailey Kinsel and her popular mare “Sister” blew into the first barrel during the championship round of rodeo at the 2021 Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The duo nailed down the fastest time of 17.30 seconds in the round to win the CFD buckle on Sunday August 01, 2021.
“My horse is amazing,” said Kinsel as she made sure to give credit where credit is due immediately following the big win in Cheyenne. “By the grace of God she has carried me to some amazing places. She is truly the best thing in my life.”
Montana steer wrestler Newt Novich saved his best effort for last in the championship round of rodeo at the 2021 Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) in Cheyenne, Wyoming. With Cheyenne employing the tournament style format since 2019, where the winner of the championship round also wins the CFD title, the final round sees a lot of “go big or go home” efforts from the contestants.
Newt Novich went big.
Montana Steer Wrestler Newt Novich tied a Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo arena record with this 5.1-second time in Sunday’s (August 01) championship round to win the steer wrestling buckle and a big check.
Catching up to the steer in just over 2 seconds, Novich completed his effort in a time of 5.1 seconds, which tied the arena record at the historic rodeo.
“This is huge,” said Novich when collecting his trophy buckle and saddle in front of the packed stands. “This is an honor to be a part of it. Man, this couldn’t have worked out any better.”
Asked what he wanted to say to any fellow Montana residents who might be watching the rodeo on television that day, Novich had an enthusiastic answer.
“Hey, just glad to represent you guys in Montana,” he stated with a grin. “We are bringing it back to Montana.”
Go big or go home? Novich was happy to do both, and is carrying a coveted Cheyenne buckle on his return trip to Montana.
How many people get to be there when an actual legend is created?
And if they are, how many people know in that moment they are witnessing its birth?
Anyone in the stands during the 2021 Cheyenne Frontier Days championship round of rodeo (Sunday August 01) can say they were there when a new Cheyenne legend was made.
In its 125th year, the world famous Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo is rich with tradition and history. As the “World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo,” the venue has also created legends in the sport of rodeo throughout its long existence.
Utah cowboy Stetson Wright (shown here walking back to the chutes after a 90-point ride that won him the saddle bronc title) became the only roughtstock cowboy to win two consecutive Cheyenne Frontier Days All Around buckles since the famed Jim Shoulders did it back in 1963-1964.
If you are going to be a legend, Jim Shoulders is good company.
“It is pretty dang awesome, especially to have your name ranked up there with one of the greatest,” said Stetson Wright in an interview with me after the championship round was finished. “Hard to put into words, I guess. It is pretty special.”
Congrats, Stetson. And thanks for taking time to talk with me after the rodeo was complete.
Lincoln's Thinkin's 