ProRodeo Sports News July 13, 2018

PRCA NOTES

recalled Edwards being a man of “honesty and integrity.” “He didn’t like it if someone else was telling a tale, a fib,” Waples said. “He was one of those guys who was right down the middle with his honesty and integrity.” “He was a reluctant Fourth of July grand marshal in the early 2000s,” said Glory Mahan, board president of the Home of Champions Rodeo Committee. “Never wanted the limelight after his rodeo days were over, but he took on the assignment anyway. And he did it well on a horse named Smokey provided by JackWipplinger. Smokey was a fast walker that suited John perfectly because it got him away from the crowd quickly.” Edwards started his rodeo career in 1961 when he went west from his parent’s dairy farm near New York City at 19. He “got hooked” on the sport after going to see rodeos at Madison Square Garden as a youth. Because of his years riding horses on the family farm, Edwards’ choice of event – bareback riding – was a natural fit. “Growing up on a farm we always rode horseback without the saddle, and it was just something I wanted to do,” Edwards recalled in a 2015 interview. “My family didn’t care for it, but Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo following the 2017 rodeo that July. The remaining inductees consisted of Gary Blackburn, Jay Hadley, Monty Hadley, a former PRCA competitor and judge, rodeo announcer Brent Kelly, and Joe and Carrie Ruiz. Lakeside Rodeo serves as shelter for rescued horses Good Samaritans rescued horses and other large animals from the West Fire in California and brought them to the Lakeside (Calif.) Rodeo for shelter July 6. Around 3 p.m. (PT), July 6, the rodeo opened its grounds to more than a dozen horses, miniature horses, goats and alpacas. YOURAD HERE!

they became good fans and changed their opinion.” Edwards embarked on a 20-year career and attended about 100 rodeos a year, including sometimes participating in three arenas in one day. For a brief time, he tried his hand at steer wrestling and broke his right (leading) arm four times. He retired in 1980 at the Red Lodge Home of Champions Rodeo grounds. – Courtesy of Carbon County News (Red Lodge, Mont.)

PASSAGES

JOHNWALTER EDWARDS

Bareback rider John Edwards, who qualified

for the National Finals Rodeo seven times (1965-71), passed away June 28 in Red Lodge, Mont. He was 76. Edwards finished a career-best third in the 1966 world standings and won the NFR average in 1970 with 664 points on 10 head. The Red Lodge

ARRIVALS

MARLI ANN MYERS

Born July 7 to PRCA steer wrestler Cash Myers and his wife, Kaci Riggs Myers, of Athens, Texas, a girl, Marli, weighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 18 inches long. This is the couple’s first child.

Edwards

parades (July 2-4) honored him by having Jack Wipplinger lead a rider-less horse with Edwards’ name emblazoned on the sides. Further tributes were displayed at the Home of Champions rodeo arena. RickWaples, this year’s grand marshal, BRIEFS Steven Money inducted into Utah Cowboy Hall of Fame The Utah Cowboy Hall of Fame & the Utah Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum held its Utah Cowboy Hall of Fame induction ceremony July 7 in Ogden. Steven Money, who served as the rodeo director for the Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo for 34 years and was selected as the 2017 John Justin Committeeperson of the Year, was a member of the 2018 induction class. Money retired as the rodeo director for the

Myers

Those who came in with animals informed volunteers of the animal’s health, description, where they were picked up and what they knew about the owner, hoping to reunite them. Some were strangers risking their lives. All animals were reunited with their owners, and the Lakeside Rodeo closed as an evacuation shelter the afternoon of July 7. Paint Estes Pink campaign raises $41,412 The Rooftop Rodeo in Estes Park (Colo.) took place July 5-10. Outside the rodeo arena, the 2018 Paint Estes Pink campaign announced $41,412 was raised this year for Estes Park Medical Center cancer patients.

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ProRodeo Sports News 7/13/2018

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