John McInerney has been in the Senior Pro association since 2010 and twice has come close to reaching his goal of winning the Gold Buckle in bull riding. He has been Reserve World Champion Bull Rider in both 2012 and 2014. “In 2010 I qualified for the Finals in three events; steer wrestling, bareback, and bull riding. But I’m down to one event, now since I broke my leg in the second go round in Winnemucca.”
When John talks about the Senior Pro association, he says the best part is the camaraderie that goes with it and the lasting friendships that he has made over the years. “That’s what I like. I’ve known some of them most of my life and it’s good to make new friends too. And it’s about the guys that are still competing to fulfill their dream or are just doing this for the entertainment of it. You find the best cali ber of people in rodeo.”
In the course of his rodeo career he has competed in many of the Northern amateur associations and in the PRCA Bandlands Circuit where he made the Circuit Finals. He got his start in rodeo as he helped his family. “I grew up around bucking horses and bulls. My dad and my uncles all rodeoed in the ‘50s through the present day. My uncle Paul, that raised me, had a stock contracting operation so we’d rodeo most of the summer and then work like dogs in the winter cutting logs and then start it all over again.” And with a laugh adds. “It was my family and my uncles that are responsible for getting me into this.”
When it’s time to get down on his bull John relaxes and finds a calmness that comes from confidence and experience. “I might get nervous before, but I walk that off and become calmer. Then it’s just nod your head and go. It’s the challenge of matching wits and strength with a critter that size and a personal desire to get it done and make it look good. That’s what is exciting to me.” He says that his Uncle Paul was his biggest influence as he was growing up. “He was one of the mainstays in my life and he raised about three different families. My dad, John and Uncles Gerald and Snooks were big influences to me too.”
John, 57, claims Belle Fourche, South Dakota as home when he’s not spending some of the winter in Arizona. “We had a ranch up here in the Black Hills and that’s where I grew up. Now I work cattle in the summer and fall out of Belle Fourche. When I’m in Arizona I ride a few of colts for people and I ride prospects at home too.” Leisure time is best spent outdoors doing just about anything but especially hunting. “We just got back from a month of hunting with my nephews. Since their older kids are are going to be in high school next year, this seemed to be the last year we all might be able to get together.”
Goals for the future are to get past the Reserve Champion title and, “…get me one of those gold belt buckles for posterity’s sake. I’d like to be known not just as a bull rider, but mostly just a fair cowboy.” John lives by the Will Roger’s adage, “There’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.”
story by Laura Martin When Jim Persinger discovered the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association in 2012, feeling like he could still compete at the age […]
story by Lindsay Humphrey By definition, Laura Lambert was born into rodeo. Both her parents competed professionally; her dad, Dale Motley, primarily in calf roping […]
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February 12, 2021
40 BAREBACK RIDING
1 Jasen Olsen (50) 63
2 Cody Miller (40) 53
40 Barrel Racing
1 Kim Coleman (40) 288
2 Laura Lambert (40) 238
3 Nikkie Miller (40) 158
4 April Denny (40) 80
40 Bull Riding
1 Jackson Stoney (40) 140
2 Roque Velarde (40) 62
3 David Kingsbury (40) 52
40-59 Ribbon Roping (Roper)
1 Ricky Lambert (50) 197
2 Rob Black (60) 168
3 Dirt Terrell (50) 148
4 Mike Collins (60) 118
5 Brian Garr (40) 108
6 Jeff Frizzell (50) 69
7 Phil Treadway (50) 68
8 Bill Sharber (60) 29
9 David Hencratt (50) 20
40-59 Ribbon Roping (Runner)
1 Sherry Terrell (40) 207
2 Laura Lambert (40) 197
3 Nikkie Miller (40) 168
4 Wendy Collins (50) 118
5 Lynn Ray (50) 87
6 Renee Freeland (50) 59
7 Dirt Terrell (50) 59
8 Michelle Ranells (40) 29
40-59 Team Roping (Header)
1 Jason Thorstenson (40) 336.5
2 Bill Sharber (60) 159
3 Jerod Teller (50) 155.5
4 Marty Howard (50) 107.5
5 Mike Freeland (60) 75
6 Ricky Lambert (50) 51.5
40-59 Team Roping (Heeler)
1 Shotgun Passig (50) 235.5
2 Cole Ivy (50) 214.5
3 Ryan Pratt (40) 160.5
4 Butch Terrell (60) 54.5
40-59 Tiedown
1 Brian Garr (40) 221
2 Jeff Frizzell (50) 179
3 Homer Sanders (40) 103
4 Ricky Lambert (50) 76
5 Todd Danley (50) 73
6 Trent Tidwell (40) 53
7 Dirt Terrell (50) 47
8 Phil Treadway (50) 37
50 Bareback Riding
1 Dustin Brown (50) 62
50 Barrel Racing
1 Renee Freeland (50) 248
2 Brenda Howard (50) 208
3 Wendy Collins (50) 178
4 Jan Kortsen (50) 140
5 Lynn Ray (50) 88
6 Danaye Eaton (50) 79
7 Debb Davis (50) 59
8 Becky Teller (50) 49
9 Cecilia Bolton (50) 19
50 Bull Riding
1 Shane Elliott (50) 65
60 Barrel Racing
1 Jeanne Davis (60) 260
2 Vicky Brookman (60) 210
3 Tammy Smith (60) 150
4 Becky Rus (60) 150
5 Marge Freeland (60) 130
60 Bull Riding
1 Timothy Mcniel (60) 116
2 Lyle Hogue (60) 63
60 Ribbon Roping (Roper)
1 Dale Rising (60) 124
2 Jack Garr (60) 52
60 Ribbon Roping (Runner)
1 Tammy Smith (60) 124
2 Carol Garr (60) 52
60 Team Roping (Header)
1 Fred Ennist (60) 246
2 Dale Whitlow (60) 205.5
3 Ron Phelan (60) 197.5
4 Rob Black (60) 147.5
5 Bill Sharber (60) 147.5
6 Jesse Marshall (60) 108
7 Mike Boyle (60) 78
8 Mike Freeland (60) 48
9 Dan Johnson (60) 40
10 John Clymo (60) 38
60 Team Roping (Heeler)
1 Walter Bob Baxter (60) 323.5
2 Jerry Mccommas (60) 158
3 Mike Clancy (60) 155.5
4 Willy Kelton (60) 98
5 Ty Morrill (60) 87.5
6 Roger Rasner (60) 80
7 Fred Davis (60) 69.5
8 Curt Johnston (60) 49.5
60 Tiedown
1 Mike Collins (60) 200
2 Bill Sharber (60) 180
3 Rob Black (60) 150
4 Jack Garr (60) 90
5 Jerry Martin (60) 60
6 John Clymo (60) 60
7 Bruce Contway (60) 50
8 Ross Contway (50) 40
68 Tiedown
1 Fw Lynch (60) 261
2 Dan Johnson (60) 145
3 Curt Johnston (60) 111
4 Ray Yamauchi (60) 101
5 Ray Jim (60) 36
6 Dale Rising (60) 26
Ladies Breakaway
1 Danaye Eaton (50) 133
2 Cindy Gruwell (50) 113
3 Brenda Howard (50) 91
4 Teri James (50) 71
5 Tammy Smith (60) 61
6 Becky Teller (50) 57
7 Lynn Ray (50) 41
8 Wendy Collins (50) 31
9 Renee Freeland (50) 22
Men’s Breakaway
1 Curt Johnston (60) 256
2 John Clymo (60) 176
3 Fw Lynch (60) 167
4 Jerry Martin (60) 136
5 Ray Yamauchi (60) 127
6 Bob Martin (60) 108
7 Stacey Evans (60) 48
8 Dale Rising (60) 19
