Competitors, fans and saddle maker enjoy time during annual event
Jesse Smith, 69, hand-carved this saddle for the Don King Memorial Saddle Contest in Sheridan, Wyo., last year, The saddle is selling for $10,000 and took Smith 190 hours to make.
Brandon Reynolds, 11, of Marana was focused and quiet before mounting his steer for the junior bull riding finals competition on Sunday.
He earned first place in the event on Friday for riding his steer 4.9 seconds.
“You just gotta think you’re gonna win and try hard,” he said.
Brandon was competing at the 84th La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, the annual rodeo event at Tucson Rodeo Grounds at 4825 S. Sixth Ave., which is boasting a 31 percent increase from last year, officials said.
“Weather was a big plus,” said Joan Liess, event spokeswoman. “Last year we had a couple of days of bad weather.”
She estimated the rodeo, which began Feb. 21 and ended Sunday, has had more than 50,000 attendees.
Sunday was sold out with 11,000 tickets, she said. And that crowd got to see Brandon’s three brothers, ranging in age from 8 to 20, help him get on the steer and cheer him on as the gates opened.
The steer bolted out and Brandon fell 2.8 seconds later, finishing in fifth place out of five contestants.
Whether he gets first or last place, his family critiques videos of the events, Brandon said.
He competes in about two rodeos a month and so does much of his family.
“It’s like in my blood,” he said.
It’s also in Jesse Smith’s blood.
A cowboy all his life, Smith, 69, of Pritchett, Colo., builds and sells custom saddles. His career spans about 45 years, and it’s his third year at the Tucson Rodeo.
He said he got into the field by accident when, at about 25, he made a saddle for his father, a Colorado cattle rancher. His neighbor liked it, so Smith made him one and has been making saddles ever since.
He makes between 15 to 20 saddles a year.
His most expensive saddle is selling for $10,000 and it took him about 190 hours to make.
The economy has not affected his business yet. He has a waiting list about a year long, he said.
And the economy didn’t stop first-time rodeogoers Eva John, 27, and Claudia Koehler, 45.
Both are originally from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, but live in Tucson.
Both ride horses, but there was no horse riding in their plans Sunday. There were looking for a “nice cowboy,” Koehler said with a laugh.
It was also the first rodeo for Judy Herbert, 61, of Rockville, Md.
She has been living in Tucson part-time since 2005 and plans to live here full time when her husband, Jeffrey Wennar, 58, an attorney, retires.
She spoke with him Sunday morning.
“He said it was snowing and I told him I put some 45 sunblock on and I’m heading off to the rodeo,” she said.
Judy Herbert of Washington D.C. enjoys french fries and 80 degree weather Sunday while at the home her husband was dealing with snow she said Sunday at the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros.
Brandon Reynolds, 11, takes part in the junior bull riding finals
Genevieve Centers, 2, struts her stuff at the rodeo in her pink cowboy hat boots and matching belt and buckle with her mom Heather Centers, (left) and aunt Heidi Bynum.
Genevieve Centers, 2, shows off her pink cowboy hat.
Tucson Rodeo Finals
Tucson Rodeo Finals
84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo finals brought thousands to enjoy the action and great weather.
Producer: FRANCISCO MEDINA
Slide 1 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Two year-old Genevieve Centers struts her stuff in her pink cowboy hat boots and matching belt and buckle along with her mom Heather, Centers, left and aunt Heidi Bynum right at the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 2 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Two year-old Genevieve Centers struts her stuff in her pink cowboy hat boots and matching belt and buckle.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 3 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Two year-old Genevieve Centers struts her stuff in her pink cowboy hat boots and matching belt and buckle.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 4 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Calyton Moore post this 7.4 second run in the steer wrestling event in the finals of the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 5 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Calyton Moore post this 7.4 second run in the steer wrestling event in the finals of the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 6 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Bull rider Brain Curtis posted a 92 point ride on Tokyo Drift the bull winning the bull riding event in the finals of the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 7 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Marisa Simpson had a run of 17.48 seconds in the women's barrel racing.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 8 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Bull rider Douglas Duncan is sent flying by Little lightning the bull with a no score in the bull riding event.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 9 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Davey Shields Jr. posted a 90 point ride to win the bareback riding event in the finals of the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 10 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Bull rider Douglas Duncan is taken for a ride by Little lightning the bull and was later tossed for a no score in the bull riding event.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 11 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Bull rider Taylor Cowan is tossed by Balckout for a nos score in the bull riding event in the finals of the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 12 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Bull rider Jerry Shepherd get hung up on Keepsake the bull in the bull riding event in the finals of the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 13 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Thousands of fans enjoy the 80 degree weather Sunday at the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 14 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Judy Herbert of Washington DC enjoys french fries and 80 degree weather while at the home her husband was dealing with snow she said Sunday at the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 15 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Judy Herbert of Washington DC enjoys french fries and 80 degree weather while at the home her husband was dealing with snow she said Sunday at the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 16 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Angelina Willhoitte, 5, is tossed in the Mutton Bustin at the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 17 of 17 [Next | Previous].
Mark Hoefner, 4, is tossed in the Mutton Bustin at the 84th Annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson Citizen
