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American Cowboy Rodeo Association (ACRA)
Members
Meet the Member Kylee Jo Carder
story by Lindsay King A quirky, roan mare and Kylee Jo Carder sit quietly together and score yet another calf from the box. The Miami, Oklahoma, duo has scored more calves in the last two years than most people score in a lifetime of rodeo. It was worth the effort though. “I never thought I would be able to rope off Andee, she was scared to death of people in the box. And the whole…
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Meet the Member Angela Chaffin
story by Lindsay King Angela Chaffin left the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Novemeber with a few new buckles and the year-end breakaway saddle in the ACRA. But something else was waiting for her just a few days later. An invitation to Las Vegas for the biggest meeting of breakaway ropers the rodeo world has ever seen, Roping for the Crown. “I don’t know much about it really, some girls from Texas are organizing it and…
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Meet the Member Blake Deckard
story by Lindsay King “My whole life I have just loved to rope, I have never wanted to be known for one event. I love to rope and ride great horses. I have been fortunate to do both my entire life,” said Blake Deckard, Eufaula, Oklahoma, a triple-threat roper. Every single day Blake swings a rope for his three events: steer roping, team roping and tie-down. “There is no certain event I like to do…
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Meet the Member Tiffany Teehee
story by Lindsay King Imagine standing in the alley and hearing your name called in French, this is something Tiffany Teehee from Claremore, Oklahoma, has experienced numerous times in her rodeo career. Attending the St. Tite rodeo in Canada is definitely a highlight of Tiffany’s decorated barrel racing travels. “It is a whole different world up there. All you can really understand is ‘ride cowboy ride.’ And since nobody speaks any English, I usually leave…
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Meet the Member Michael Smith
story by Lindsay King “Being that I was raised around rodeos, I had a ton of unique experiences where I could help contract acts perform growing up. I give all the credit to Lecile Harris, I grew up watching him entertain fans and he is one of the reasons I encouraged the idea to become a specialty act,” said Michael “Goobie” Smith from Siloam Springs, Arkansas. It was at his hometown rodeo where Lecile impacted…
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Meet the Member Brett Wellden
story by Lindsay King From one side of the rodeo arena to the next, Brett Wellden from Guthrie, Oklahoma, was once “the world’s worst bareback rider,” but is now a top-of-the line rodeo announcer. “I was also the world’s worst rodeo clown at one point. I came up through high school and a little bit of college in the bareback riding and team roping,” said the former Marine and retired patrol officer. While he was…
Read MoreMeet the Members Justin and Jennifer Turner
story by Lindsay King Husband and wife rodeo duo, Justin and Jennifer Turner, agree their greatest accomplishment is their family of three. Despite their outstanding accomplishments inside the arena, the little boy, Jett McCade, standing on the rails watching his parents perform, is second to none. “My husband has been a huge influence on my life in the last 16 years. Besides my parents, he is my biggest fan. He always helps me get everything…
Read MoreMeet the Members Travis and Sarah Burgett
story by Lindsay King Competing at the Keith Ward Arena play days in high school is what brought Travis and Sarah Burgett of Van Buren, Arkansas, together originally. Today, they still compete together but now have the added benefit of bringing their daughters, Gracyn, 12, and Lillie, 5, along with them. “Our oldest daughter runs in the junior barrels in the ARA. I wish the ACRA and CRRA did that also, then she could have…
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Meet the Member Laramie Warren
story by Lindsay King Laramie Warren from Adair, Oklahoma, comes by his bull dogging skills naturally, but needed a little push in junior high to get him started. “I am not a little guy by any means, so my dad, the late Lane Warren, pushed me to bull dog growing up. But I was scared to get into it because I did not know anything about it,” said the 20-year-old. In the seventh grade, Lesleigh…
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Meet the Member AJ Yocham
story by Lindsay King Going into the ACRA finals, AJ Yocham from Haskell, Oklahoma, has worn a back number less than ten twice. An accomplishment he is truly proud of. “Wearing a back number in the top ten is pretty neat in my opinion, especially as a rough stock rider,” said the ACRA bareback rider. AJ also managed to win the very first professional rodeo he competed in back in 2011 in Franklin, Tennessee, with…
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Meet the Member Drew Clark
story by Lindsay King Fourth-generation rodeo competitor Drew Clark from Colcord, Oklahoma, is an avid calf roper and saddle maker. “My wife Darbi and I live on a ranch, I’ve been horseback and roping all my life here. My great-grandfather Monroe Veach was a trick roper and trick rider while my grandfather and dad rode rough stock. My brother, Derek, made the NFR 15 times in the saddle bronc riding and my other brother, Doug,…
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Meet the Members Paul & Jimme Beth Hefner
story by Lindsay King The ACRA is the perfect association for Paul and Jimme Beth Hefner of Bixby, Oklahoma. “In 2007, the ACRA decided to give breakaway roping a trial run. This event has come so far in the past 11 years. I never dreamed that girls would have so many options to go breakaway rope, but now we do,” said Jimme Beth. Both Paul and Jimme Beth’s families are the reason they initially got…
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