American Cowboy Rodeo Association (ACRA) Archives

Associations

American Cowboy Rodeo Association (ACRA)

Schedule

Members

Meet the Member Andee Jo Haden

story by Lindsay King If Andee Jo Haden has anything to be proud of, it’s the barrel horse she’s made out of her gelding Superman. “He’s been my A, B and C string for the past five years, but when I got him he was kind of wild,” said the cowgirl from Bentonville, Arkansas. There were several years when Andee and Superman could barely finish the clover-leaf pattern. Andee said it was embarrassing at the…

Meet the Member Destry Graham

story by Lindsay King “If you put your mind to it and believe, then anything is possible.” This is the mantra Destry Graham has always roped by and it’s served him well over the years. This Sallisaw, Oklahoma, header is no stranger to the pay window as he’s made three appearances at the Prairie Circuit finals and roped at the Ram National Circuit Finals once, back when they were in Oklahoma City. “When I first…

Meet the Member Coy Rahlmann

story by Lindsay King It’s been a whirlwind of swinging ropes and broken arena records for Ellisnore, Missouri, native Coy Rahlmann. He has plans to win big at the PRCA permit holder finals and every other year-end rodeo he has qualified for. His love for team roping comes from gazing through a second-story window down at an arena as a toddler. “My mom (Susie) has old videos of me watching my dad (Chris) from our…

Meet the Member Drew Johnson

story by Lindsay King Growing up Drew Johnson was attached to his dad’s hip. If Benny went to feed horses, so did Drew. Following in his dad’s bronc riding footsteps was more than just a sport for this Alpena, Arkansas, cowboy. “My dad passed away when I was young and I wanted to do something in memory of him. He used to ride bareback horses, so I decided to get into ranch bronc riding,” Drew…

Meet the Member Kendyl Hutton

story by Lindsay King Mounted on a little bay of her late grandfather’s stock, Kendyl Hutton is following in the footsteps of the man who got her family hooked on rodeo. “When I think of anything I have learned growing up, I think of him [grandpa] first,” said the Sperry, Oklahoma, breakaway roper. “Grandpa did a lot of match racing when he was growing up in Pawhuska and he started roping calves.” Many a barrel…

Meet the Member Nicky Simmons

story by Lindsay King After just missing his chance at the 2005 NFR by a mere $400, Nicky Simmons packed up and headed home to Colcord, Oklahoma. This life-long team roper hit the rodeo trail hard at just fifteen years old and didn’t let up until his 25th year of life. “I was pretty broke after that, so we had to come home and make a living doing something else for a while. Rodeoing for…

Meet the Member John Wayne Giles

story by Lindsay King Many little boys aspire to heel a steer or tie-down a calf, but very few have a burning desire to become a steer roper. Of course, with a name like John Wayne Giles, this Vinita, Oklahoma, native was destined to be a bit punchier than the rest. “When I originally started rodeo I wanted to be a steer tripper and that’s just not something you go straight into. You have to…

Meet the Member Jaylie Matthews

story by Lindsay King Just three short years ago, 18-year-old Jaylie Matthews was mostly running at barrel jackpots and the occasional rodeo or two. After watching her 16-year-old sister Taycie run at the IFR in 2017, Jaylie realized she was missing out on something special. “My sister was determined to make the IFR. She did that and won rookie of the year. My mom and sister talked about how much fun it was so I…

Meet the Member Jimmie Bryant

story by Lindsay King Roping of any kind is a family event for Jimmie Bryant of Jay, Oklahoma. This life-long rodeo competitor can swing a handy loop at both a steer and a calf, but prefers the latter as of lately. It wasn’t until she hit high school rodeo that Jimmie started taking breakaway roping a little more seriously as one of her events. “When I was little they didn’t really have breakaway, just team…

Meet the Member Brenda Martin

story by Lindsay King Brenda Martin’s first rodeo back as an adult was in 2004 and she hauled a barrel horse in a feed truck hooked to a stock trailer. “I married Johnie in 1980 and we started a family soon after that. Both of my girls rodeoed for a bit so I still got to ride and help them. When they quit competing, it was about six years before I got on a horse…

Meet the Member Glenn Jackson

story by Lindsay King Glenn Jackson has found himself attempting just about every event in rodeo at one time or another. The flanking and tying stuck with him the most and he’s been an avid calf roper for the last 20 years. “I was born into a rodeo family. My grandpa was a stock contractor and rodeo promoter, so it [rodeo] was kind of like the family business,” said the Pawnee, Oklahoma, native. Even though…

Meet the Member Austin Lawrence

story by Lindsay King Sometimes the rope in Austin Lawrence’s hand is for calves and other times it is destined for the neck of unruly roughstock. The Sperry, Oklahoma, calf roper started helping his grandpa Seago pickup rodeos when he was only nine years old. “I have gone pretty much everywhere with my grandpa and through that he has taught me everything I know,” said the first-time ACRA card holder. Holding himself up in a…