Blogs 2009
Friends raise $30,000 for injured McFarland
About $30,000 was raised at a benefit auction for PRCA bareback rider Tom McFarland, July 24 at the Buckin-A Saloon in Cheyenne , Wyo.
McFarland sustained 26 fractures in his (riding) right wrist and arm when a bucking horse flipped over on him in the chute June 25 at the West of the Pecos (Texas) Rodeo.
The Wickenburg, Ariz. , cowboy is expected to be out of competition for the rest of the season. Members of McFarland’s traveling group, the “Wolfpack,” their spouses and PRCA stock contractors helped organize the event. Harry Vold and Royce Ford were the auctioneers.
"It blew us away to know that everybody cared that much," McFarland said. "I just can’t thank everybody enough, from the people who bought (items) to the people who donated. Rodeo is the way I make a living, and a person can’t live without money, that’s for sure. The family that rodeo is…is just unbelievable."
Donations were made by Wrangler, Dodge Rodeo, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, Triple V Rodeo Company, Harry Vold Rodeo Company, Carr Pro Rodeo, Stace Smith Pro Rodeos, Korkow Rodeos, Four L Rodeo, Diamond S Rodeo and Mosbrucker Rodeos
Among the big-ticket items were Will Lowe’s 2007 Wrangler NFR Round 9 buckle, a five-day guided elk hunting trip, Kenny Chesney concert tickets, a cowboy bronze, four Dan Hubbell photos, bull semen, a filly or colt from Harry Vold Rodeo Company prize stud Painted Valley, guided pheasant and hog hunts, Wes Stevenson’s bareback riding rigging (signed by 2005 NFR qualifiers), the first bronc riding saddle of 2007 World Champion Taos Muncy and one of Muncy’s bronc riding protective vests.
"Tom has three little girls, and things were a little tight even before he got hurt," Wolfpack member Stevenson said. "He was going hard, trying to win some money and make things happen. This is what we do for a living. Tom ran into some bad luck, and we don’t want him to have to sell his place. We want him to take time to get well and take care of his kids."
Anyone interested in contributing to the Tom McFarland injury fund can contact the Guaranty Bank & Trust Company, 930 11th Avenue , Greeley , CO 80631 (www.guarantybank.com)
Texan repeats in bareback riding
BY KRISTEN ODLAND, CALGARY HERALD JULY 13, 2009
Following his second straight Calgary Stampede victory, Will Lowe had the afternoon crowd laughing on stage when he told Mr. Hockey Night In Canada himself, Ron MacLean --a guest host of the championship Sunday -- that the first thing he'd be buying with his $100,000 cheque was a pool table.
Considering his wife Tiffani's birthday is today--and the 26-year-old bareback rider from Canyon, Tex., already won her a $100,000 on her birthday last year -- it'd be easy to forgive Lowe for spending this cheque on himself.
"I already bought her a birthday present. She doesn't get this one," said Lowe, chuckling, whose barrel-racing bride was back home with their one-month old son Garrett. "She's great about that stuff. We could be dirt poor and she'd still love me.
"It's just a little icing on the cake."
Earning $12,000 during the week to claim his ticket to championship Sunday, Lowe posted a 87.5 ride on Alley Trail, besting Ryan Gray of Petersburg, Texas, who rode an 87 on Coconut Roll; Bowers, who had an 86 on Blue Wings; and Kaycee Feild of Elk Ridge, Utah, who was given a no-score when he slapped the horse, Grated Coconut, with his free hand.
"I came up and my goal was to win," said Lowe. "Every time you ride, your goal is to win. I figured you've gotta take it one horse at a time.
"Even one jump at a time. If you get looking too far ahead, maybe it don't work out like you wanted to."
Currently, Lowe is sitting No. 5 in the world bareback standings with $58,000 while his career earnings are in the neighborhood of $1.3-million.
But lately, he's been especially lucky in Calgary.
Lowe has earned $266,000 at the Stampede since they upped their prize money. But Sunday's repeat was just as exciting last summer's victory.
"It's a giant rodeo and I've been fortunate enough to be able to compete in a lot of big rodeos," he said. "You are in an extremely difficult spot for big wins.
"It does take a load off because I've won it before. So, you kind of have it under your belt. You're not trying to get after the first one.
"But it's just as special every time."
Mounting Majestic Rocket in the first round Sunday, a son of the world famous horse Grated Coconut, Lowe pulled off a respectable 87.5 ride -- the second best of the bunch under Brooks' Kyle Bowers who thrilled the crowd with his 89.5 score.
But when he drew a familiar horse in Alley Trail, Lowe knew he'd have a shot at winning the final four.
"I knew that mare, I'd been on her a pile of times," said the former three-time world champion. "Been on her at the 10th round of the NFR and here, I just knew I was going to try to let 'em roll.
"We've danced quite a few times, and I dang sure like dancing with her."
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Flashback: Article from July 14, 2008 when Will won the Calgary Stampede
Lowe's gutsy showing snatches bareback crown - Texan has big plans for prize money
Courtesy Doug Abraham, Calgary Herald
Monday, July 14, 2008
Bareback rider Will Lowe had good news for his wife, Tiffani, as he accepted the Calgary Stampede $100,000 cheque that put a lot of icing on her birthday celebrations.
"We've been livin' in a little, one-bedroom bunkhouse kind of thing, so this'll probably go to the new house we've been planning on our little place," an elated Lowe said.
As you might guess, Lowe's from Texas -- his "little" spread covers 305 acres. They're heading straight home where Lowe plans to build a few fences
Will Will be swinging the mallot?
"Yeah, that's my conditioning program," he joked.
That conditioning program paid off as Lowe was forced into overtime before besting Airdrie cowboy Russ Hallaby in a two-man tiebreaker after they both scored 88.5 in Sunday's final four.
In their showdown, Lowe spurred 87.5 points out of Greg Kesler's Cool Pieces while Hallaby scored 83.5.
One piece of advice for the 25-year-old Lowe, given that the gutsy 150-pounder already has three world titles (he won his first at 20): He might want to consider extra shelving for trophies.
Considering his four scores over the final two days of the Stampede -- 86 on Wild Card Saturday that got him into the championship, 85.5 in Sunday's elimination round and the aforementioned 88.5-87.5 rides, Lowe left little doubt either about his conditioning or his supremacy in rodeo's most physically demanding event.
Lowe came down hard after that brilliant 88.5 ride on Miss Amerititle, but bounced right back aboard Cool Pieces.
"Cool Pieces was a lot of fun after he turned the corner," Lowe said of his $100,000 ride. "I just kept gassin' it . . . lettin' it all hang out. It gets pretty tirin' . . . it'll wipe you out. But you just gotta give it everything each time."
His game plan for a 3-in-1 day?
"Just get ready for the next one, lift on my riggin, solid mark out and drag and kick."
It was a case of third time lucky in the final four for Lowe.
"I finished second one time and got throwed down one time," he recalled.
How does a Stampede title compare to a world title?
"Those (world) gold buckles are hard to beat, but this would go right with it," Lowe allowed. "They're both feelings you can't describe. They're just such great feelings, such senses of accomplishment."
Lowe said he didn't have any plan heading into wild-card Saturday, when he needed a 1-2 finish to advance.
"I'm more a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of guy," he said.
Hallaby captured the elimination round with an 86 on Rockin Roll and earned $25,000 for the runner-up honour. It'll go toward his wedding plans later this month.
The Calgary Herald 2008
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