Kansas cowboys who make their living working cattle on ranches around the state are among the best in the world.
It is a fact proven at the recent World Championship Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas, with 22 teams competing.
Lonesome Pine Ranch, Cedar Point, placed fourth overall in the competition sponsored by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association (WRCA).
Team members are Bud Higgs, Troy Higgs, Makenzie Higgs, Frank Higgs, Travis Duncan and Bo Krueger.
Top horse award went to Shining TJ ridden by Troy Higgs, who was named reserve top hand at the rodeo. Honored as the top hand at last year’s championship rodeo, Troy Higgs rode his top horse carrying the American flag in the grand entry of this year’s opening ceremonies.
Justin Peterson representing the Haywire Cattle Company of El Dorado was the top hand award winner this year.
In addition, Peterson won the bronc riding event for his team which also included Andy Jones, Callie, Jones, Jake Peterson, Ryan Rhinehart and Cameron Floyd.
Veale Ranch/Allen Cattle of Weatherford and Friona, Texas, won the 2021 world championship as well as the stray gathering event.
Second place team was Singleton Ranches from Lamy, New Mexico. Slash W Cattle Company, Texico, New Mexico, took home the third place team award and was also winner of the team penning event.
Fifth place team honors went to Jolly Ranch/S&L Cattle Company, Agate and Lamar, Colorado.
Reserve top horse award went to TRR Hillbilly ridden by Elwyn and Cooper McClesky of the Tongue River Ranch, Dumont Texas.
Wilson Cattle, Canyon, Texas, won the wild cow milking event, and team branding was won EC Cattle/Mule Creek Cattle, Santo and Breckenridge, Texas.
Circle M8 Land & Cattle, Salado, Texas, was the 2021 Youth World Championship Ranch Rodeo Champion Team. This was the first year the WRCA had sponsored the youth competition. Blaine Roberts of the champion youth team received the top horse award.
Second place youth ranch rodeo team was Nutrition Plus from Canyon, Texas. Clayton Anderson, Myers Cattle/C3 Cattle, Happy, Texas, was named top hand in the youth ranch rodeo.
Cody Butler of Amarillo, Texas, rode Crusin’ At Sunrise to win the Box Drive class for cow horse riders transitioning from boxing to going down the fence.
Mounted on Lets Boogie Wildcard, Kreese Milligan collected top cowboy honors in the working ranch horse competition.
Additional Kansas ranches competing at the World Championship Ranch Rodeo, several winning and placing in go-round events were:
Beachner Brothers Livestock/Mill Creek Cattle Company, Erie and Fort Scott; Calvin Kendall, Cody Kendall, Caden Kendall, Gary Herrin, Coy Hyer and Marshall Hyer.
Broken H/Nelson Angus, Bronson and Leonardville; Cliff Hall, Brock Hall, Mike Nelson, Brian Wurtz and Clay Hokr.
JLB Ranch, Grenola; Chris Potter, Jason Dierks, Luke Dierks, Sage Dierks, Chad Mast and Jud Koziol.
Keith Cattle Company/Morning Star Ranch, Allen and Kinsley; Justin Keith, Brian Keith, Clay Wilson, Salvador Torres, Ben Johnsrud and Nate Johnsrud.
CUTLINES
Justin Peterson representing the Haywire Cattle Company of El Dorado was the top hand award winner at the World Championship Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas. Peterson also was the ranch bronc riding champion earning his team top honors in that rodeo event.
Top horse award went to Shining TJ ridden by Troy Higgs of the Lonesome Pine Ranch, Cedar Point, at the World Championship Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas. Higgs was also honored as reserve top hand at the rodeo. Named top hand at the 2020 World Championship Ranch Rodeo sponsored by the Working Ranch Rodeo Association, Higgs carried the American flag in the grand entry of this year’s rodeo.
