Colorado Pro Rodeo Association (CPRA) Archives

Associations

Colorado Pro Rodeo Association (CPRA)

Members

Meet the Member Mark Bowers

story by Ruth Nicolaus Mark Bowers has a most unlikely rodeo story. The Colorado Pro Rodeo Association member has never competed in rodeo. But he’s always been interested in it. Growing up in Oklahoma, he and his family attended rodeos. But his heart was in basketball in part because of his dad, a college basketball coach. When his son Chase was little, they would watch rodeo on TV together, Chase on the arm of the…

Meet the Member Brady Buum

story by Ruth Nicolaus Brady Buum balances work as co-owner of All Cowboy Erosion Control and rodeo as a steer wrestler in the Colorado Pro Rodeo Association and the PRCA. The Keenesburg, Colo. cowboy, with his family, started the business in 2009, a year after he became a CPRA member. He grew up the son of rodeo parents: Bradley, the 1991 CPRA steer wrestling champ who was also a bull rider, and LoRena (Jackson) Buum,…

Meet the Member Lorie Diodosio

story by Ruth Nicolaus Lorie Diodosio is the barrel racing director for the Colorado Pro Rodeo Association. The Fowler, Colorado cowgirl has been involved with horses and barrel racing her entire life. She grew up near Pueblo, Colo., competing in local saddle clubs, 4-H, Little Britches Rodeos and high school rodeo. She was a CPRA member for several years till her daughter, Dolly, was born in 1999. Lorie rides futurity barrel horses and loves it.…

Meet the Member Sandy Singer

story by Ruth Nicolaus For many years, Sandy Singer was the friendly face in the rodeo arena office. The La Junta, Colo. woman served for 28 years as a rodeo secretary in the Colorado Pro Rodeo Association, and still keeps books for the association. Growing up in Las Animas, Colo., she got her start when sisters Jenny and Jerri Mason, rodeo secretaries themselves, decided she needed to learn. So they sat her down at their…

Meet the Member Denton Ward

story by Ruth Nicolaus As a kid, Denton Ward got to see a lot of rodeo life. Alongside his brother, Dalton, the boys helped their dad, Billy Ward, a pickup man, with his horses at pro rodeos across the nation. They’d saddle and unsaddle horses, warm them up, cool them down, grain and feed. And wherever their dad was, they’d tag along, helping with whatever he was doing: sorting cattle, chasing cattle out of the…

Meet the Member Erin Johnson

story by Ruth Nicolaus Erin Johnson loves the competition and challenges rodeo provides her. The Fowler, Colo. cowgirl is a long-time Colorado Pro Rodeo Association member, as well as being part of the Women’s Pro Rodeo Association. She grew up in a ranching family, competing a bit in team roping at a few local gymkhanas and Little Britches Rodeos. But during her time in college at Chadron (Neb.) State and Colorado State University-Pueblo, her breakaway…

Meet the Member Charity Hoar

story by Ruth Nicolaus If Charity Hoar isn’t riding, she’s sitting in front of a computer screen or embroidery machine. The Pine Bluffs, Wyo. cowgirl is part of four different ventures with her husband, Stuart. Together, they own Wyoming Blanton Enterprises, Stuart’s horse breeding and training business, Bonanza Production, their event production business, an embroidery, lasering and custom awards business, and a custom furniture company. And in her spare time, Charity competes in the breakaway…

Meet The Member Jerry Berentis

story by Siri Stevens Jerry Berentis grew up in Maybell, Colorado, riding bucking horses. “Whenever you start riding bucking horses it’s every rough stock riders dream to become a stock contractor – I got lucky enough to let it happen. My folks didn’t like rodeoing very much. I went to one with my friend when I was 16 and got on a bull and got lucky and made the whistle. I rode him and I…

CPRA North Park Never Summer Rodeo

story by Siri Stevens The North Park Never Summer Rodeo has been a mainstay in Walden, Colorado, for more than 75 years. “It’s a weeklong event that involves the whole town,” said Chris Niederhauser, the president of the committee. Chris has been involved in the rodeo since the mid 90s. “The football team rakes the barrels. More than 50 folks show up on Monday and help us for a week, it’s great.” Held the weekend…

Meet the Member Kacey Kobza

story by Siri Stevens Kacey Kobza is no stranger to Rodeo News – she was on the cover back with the magazine was newsprint (August 15, 2006). The Colorado native started rodeoing along with her older brother, Clay, in the Colorado Junior Rodeo Association when she was five – back in 1994, getting her start under the leadership of Jay and Tammy Ellerman. She did all the Pee Wee events; flags, goats, poles, and barrels.…

Meet the Member Wendi Maez

story by Siri Stevens Wendi Maez lives in Center, Colorado, where she works as the county administrator for Saguache County. “I just got appointed December 10,” she said. “I’ve done it for 13 years as a co-administrator and now it’s easier.” Wendi grew up in the Larkspur area of Colorado. In 1975 her family moved to the San Luis Valley. “There are a lot less people and the mountain views are amazing. The pace of…

Meet the Member Lorie Diodosio

story by Darlene Craven An old boyfriend once accused Lorie Diodosio of liking her horses more than him and he was right. Lorie’s passion for horses was bred into her at an early age, spending weekends and summers on the family farm in Fowler, Colorado. As a kid, Lorie competed in 4-H and Little Britches rodeos and participated in Southern Colorado Rodeo Association events in high school. Living in a home she and her husband,…