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Casper earns more NFR cash

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LAS VEGAS – The dollars and cents of rodeo are starting to add up for saddle bronc rider and Clarendon College alum Wyatt Casper.
Through nine rounds at the National Finals Rodeo, he placed five times, the latest coming after an 86.5-point ride on United Pro Rodeo’s Awesome Sauce to finish in a tie for third place in the ninth round.

“Getting down to these last days, making as much money as you can is what it’s all about,” said Casper, a four-time NFR qualifier from Miami, Texas. “I’ve seen Awesome Sauce a bunch. I’ve never been on it, but all my traveling partners have. I knew he was going to be a pretty tough horse but probably one of the better ones in the draw; I was pretty excited to have him.”

The December 15 round featured the eliminator pen, the hardest-to-ride broncs at the NFR, but Casper was up to the task. It was his biggest payday so far. He was seventh in the aggregate race with 751 points on nine rides.

Heading into the 10th round, he had pocketed $63,241 in Las Vegas and was 10th in the world standings with $205,662. He was bucked off in the tenth round.

“We’re nine for nine now, and I think that’s the most I’ve ridden out at the NFR since we were in Arlington (Texas in 2020),” he said. “I’m pretty pumped about that.”

Cowboys arrive in the Nevada desert with rodeo’s gold on their minds.

To win that coveted buckle, it takes talent, consistency and a little bit of luck. Casper has the talent and proved his consistency, but he needed a little more luck in order to walk away with the world championship.

“Anytime you surround yourself with the top 15 of anything, it’s going to be pretty great,” he said of the field of bronc riders in Sin City this week. “I’m pretty lucky to be able to be around these guys in the locker room. There are guys in there like Zeke (Thurston) that were making the NFR before I thought I could even make the NFR. It’s pretty cool to look up to them, but they’re good competition and make it a lot of fun.”

That talented group of men is just one reason why Casper hadn’t made more NFR money. When he’s scored well and had a chance to take the top prize in a round, someone else had taken the luster from him. On December 15, Dawson Hay had already scored 86.5 to match Casper, but Lefty Holman was the last to go and was a point better. Thurston, the reigning and three-time world champion, won the round with an 88.5. Having the right horse matters just to get a check.

“You can go through the list and pick out who you feel sorry for and who got the better end of the draw,” said Casper, the 2016 intercollegiate champion while at Clarendon College. “I feel like I was one of the guys who got the better end of it tonight, so we just tried to capitalize on it.”

Every experience can be a lesson, and he’s received that this week.

“You just have to enjoy it while you’re here,” he said. “That’s probably the biggest lesson. We work all year to get here for these 10 days, so it’s best to just be patient. If it doesn’t work out, that’s OK. Just enjoy it.”

Casper grabs Round 3 money in Vegas at NFR

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Clarendon College alumn Wyatt Casper rides in the NFR in Vegas over the weekend. PRCA PHOTO / Rosanna Sales

By Ted Harbin, TwisTed Rodeo

LAS VEGAS – When cowboys arrive at in Sin City, they know the competition will be tough.

Only the top 15 contestants in each event qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, so it’s a showcase of the sport’s elite from that year. Now in his fourth trip to the championship, Clarendon College alum Wyatt Casper understands that well.

“I’ve been riding well, but I just needed something to happen,” he said.

That came Sunday night, when he rode Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Diamond Fever for 85.5 points to finish in a tie for fifth place in the third go-round. It was his first time in the money since the rodeo began, and it offered a bit of relief.

“It took until Round 3, but we finally got a paycheck,” said Casper of Pampa. “Yeah, we’re excited. Anytime you can get a check out here. It feels good.”

There are more than 600 PRCA rodeos across the country, and winning most of them would offer a smaller payday than the $6,438 he collected in Las Vegas. It’s a significant amount of money for one eight-second ride, but it pales in comparison to the $30,706 that goes to each night’s winner.

The NFR offers an impressive payout, issuing nearly $100,000 per day for 10 nights. By earning money on the third day of competition, Casper pushed his yearly income to just shy of $160,000. He is 12th in the world standings.

“I felt like I was riding good the first two nights,” said Casper, 27, of Miami, Texas.
“We’re just going to carry it over into these next couple of rounds. You want to get the good draws and show what you can do.”

Sunday’s battle with Diamond Fever was a rematch. The two danced across the Thomas & Mack Center floor at the 2021 NFR, and Casper was 84 points. He didn’t earn any money that night, so there were a lot of positive steps over time.

“I wouldn’t say I was really excited about drawing him,” Casper said. “It’s not really a horse that fits my style. I’m a bigger guy, and he is a little bitty thing. I’m still glad it all worked out.”

The ride also boosts his confidence. Originally from the tiny community of Balko, Oklahoma, he will have his biggest battle at this NFR during Monday’s fourth round. He will be matched with Championship Pro Rodeo’s Tickled Pink, which is part of the eliminator pen, the hardest-to-ride broncs at the NFR.

“We’re going to cross our fingers and hopefully draw of the better ones out of that pen so we can make some points,” said Casper, the 2016 intercollegiate champion at Clarendon College. “You just want to stay aboard and hopefully get to the South Point.”

The casino and resort on the south side of The Strip is rodeo central during the NFR and hosts the nightly Montana Silversmiths Go-Round Presentation. Nightly winners will be awarded buckles and celebrated on stage.

It’s where every contestant in the field wants to be on any given night, and it’s another attractive feature to competing on ProRodeo’s biggest stage.

Lady Broncos earn big wins in Childress

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The Clarendon Lady Broncos are off to a great start with another big win last week, beating Vega 83-40. Shown here: Tandie Cummins drives around a Vega player toward the goal. Courtesy Photo / Adelita Elam

By Sandy Anderberg

The Lady Broncos have been able to blow through teams so far this season and earning big wins.

Clarendon is currently ranked #8 in the TABC state rankings. Their latest wins came over the weekend as they participated in the Childress Tournament where they had four wins. They are 10-1 on the season.

Earlier in the week, the ladies traveled to Vega and demolished the Lady Longhorns 83-40. Four players finished in double figures with sophomore Berkley Moore leading the way with 14 points. Hayden Elam put in 13 that included going five for six from the bonus line, and Kenidee Hayes and Graci Smith put in 12 points each.

The Lady Broncos jumped on Vega early on and were able to set the rhythm of the game in their favor. The Longhorns struggled against Clarendon’s strong defense, and the Lady Broncos were able to capitalize on Vega’s mistakes and turnovers.
Presley Smith was able to put in nine points and Kate Shaw had eight. Courtlyn Conkin added seven, and Tandie and Kennadie Cummins helped with four each.

The Lady Broncos took on Vernon in the first round of the Round Robin Tournament in Childress and defeated them 50-41. The ladies nailed six three-pointers in the game and were 18 for 28 from the bonus line. Kashlyn Conkin had the hot hand from the arc and posted four big shots to help her team and lead the way with 12 points. Clarendon had Vernon down 11 points after three quarters and stayed solid the last eight minutes for the win. Moore, Elam, and Shaw added eight points each on the scoreboard.

Elk City was their second opponent, and they earned the victory in overtime at 50-47. The ladies showed their strength in the overtime period after leading until the fourth quarter. The ladies have been steady from the free throw line but fell off a bit and only converted at 58 percent in the high-fouling game. However; they were able to convert the shots when it counted. Hayes finished with 12 and Moore put in 11.

The ladies took on Floydada in the next round and defeated them 36-31 with a strong finish. The Lady Broncos trailed throughout until the final eight minutes. They were able to stay focused and hustled until the end to get the win. Moore led with 11, and K. Conkin and Shaw added six points each in the win.

They faced off against Hermleigh in the final game and won by 20 points at 53-33. Once again Moore led the way with 12 and G. Smith added 12 points of her own from the inside position.

The ladies performed well the entire game and got off to a great start early. They were able to show their dominance to the Lady Cardinals and held them away from the goal. Hermleigh was able to outscore the Lady Broncos in the final quarter of play, but it was too little too late for the Lady Cardinals.

P. Smith and K. Cummins put in five points each and K. Conkin and K. Cummins added four apiece. Elam connected with a three-pointer, and C. Conkin, Jayla Woodard, T. Cummins, and Shaw helped with two points each. The ladies shot 50 percent from the bonus line.

Broncos fall to Sunray in state quarterfinal game

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The Clarendon Broncos’ amazing season came to a heart-breaking halt Friday night at Happy State Bank Stadium in Canyon with a 6-67 loss to Sunray in the State Semi-Quarterfinal game. Coach Aaron Wampler told his players how proud he was of them after the game and reminded them they had earned four gold footballs that will stay at CHS forever. Enterprise Photo / Roger Estlack

By Sandy Anderberg

The Clarendon Broncos’ 2023 football season ended last week at the hands of the Sunray Bobcats in the State Quarter-Final game played in Canyon.

The loss was painful for the Broncos as they have played with a lot of heart this season. They were able to adjust positions when players were injured, and everyone stepped up their game to keep their winning streak alive.

The Broncos struggled against a good Sunray team and did not execute the way they have since their winning streak began on September 15. Sunray, who is currently ranked 10th in the 2A Region II standings proved to be too much for the Broncos, who are a much better team than the score revealed.

Senior quarterback/running back Lyric Smith played the first half and was able to hit fellow senior Easton Frausto for six in the second period of play. Smith racked up 64 rushing yards before receiving a leg injury that took him out of the game. Frausto stepped in to finish the game at the QB spot and did a good job for the Broncos.

However; the Bobcats were able to score at will and finished with big numbers in the game, 6-67 over the Broncos.
The Broncos will miss this year’s seniors as they have played a crucial role in the Broncos’ successes this season and those previous. Lyric Smith, Easton Frausto, Anthony Ceniceros, Jared Musick, Waite Dushay, Jaxan McAnear, Harrison Howard, Reagan Wade, Riley Wade, Colton Benson, and Tyler Tuttle. Senior cheerleaders are Morgan Johnston and Emma Roys, and senior band members are Jacob Murillo, Cutter Seay, and Tyler Tuttle.

As much as the seniors will be missed, the underclassmen are ready to step up and follow in their footsteps.

Lady Broncos win Miami Championship

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By Sandy Anderberg

The Clarendon Lady Broncos breezed to the Championship in Miami last weekend. They were able to defeat Claude in the final game.
The girls took on Sunray in the first round and defeated them by 40 points at 70-30. It was never a contest as the Lady Broncos were able to play strong defense and controlled the tempo of the game. Post player and newcomer Kate Shaw led the way with 19 points and hit seven of seven free throws. Kashlyn Conkin hit three three-pointers and a two-pointer to finish with 11 points, and Berkley Moore added nine.

They faced Follett in the next round and earned the easy win at 64-13. It was never a contest as the Lady Broncos held them to only single digits in the first half. Shaw was the leading scorer again with 16 points and stayed perfect from the bonus line hitting all four of her free shots. Graci Smith added 10, Tandie Cummins put in nine, and Kennadie Cummins added eight.

The next game with Wildorado was a blowout as the ladies won 63-5. The scoring was spread among the players with K. Cummins and G. Smith leading the way with eight. Moore finished with seven and Courtlyn Conkin, T. Cummins, K. Conkin, Shaw, and Kenidee Hayes had six points each.

The win over Wildorado set up the game with Claude. The ladies took control early and coasted to a 59-22 win. The Lady Broncos stepped out early and played solid defense to hold the Lady Mustangs to only two points in the first half. Moore and K. Conkin added nine apiece and Shaw helped with seven. G. Smith put in six, Presley Smith, T. Cummins and K. Cummins added five, C. Conkin and Hayden Elam helped with four each, Hayes put in three, and Kinslee Hatley helped with three.

Earlier in the week, the ladies hosted Groom and finished strong at 69-23. They were able to score at will against the Lady Tigers and were able to make good stops on defense. Hayes led with 15, Shaw had 12, and Elam put in 10.

The Lady Broncos will play in the Childress Tournament December 7-9 and will travel to Nazareth on December 12.

Lady Broncos slam Texline

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By Sandy Anderberg

The Lady Broncos added another win to their record with a huge 83-24 win over Texline before Thanksgiving.

A big-scoring first quarter and even bigger second quarter allowed the Lady Broncos to set the tempo of the game and a hustle defense was key in getting stops and frustrating their opponent.

Kate Shaw stepped up her game and put in 11 points in the second eight minutes. Shaw finished with 17 points, five of which came from the bonus line. Shaw, along with Graci Smith, Presley Smith, and Hayden Elam were perfect at the free throw line making 14 of 14 shots in the game and Tandie Cummins hit five out of six. The ladies were able to shoot 88 percent making 21 of 24 bonus shots.

Defensively, the ladies had their way with the Lady Tors as they stopped nearly everything Texline tried to do. They were able to accumulate several points from the defensive end of the court.

Joining Shaw who led with 17 was P. Smith and Kennadie Cummins with 11, and G. Smith with 10. Kenidee Hayes had nine, Tandie Cummings put in seven, and Elam had six. Courtlyn Conkin had five, Kashlyn Conkin put in four, and Berkley Moore added a three-pointer. Overall, the ladies posted four shots from the arc.

The Lady Broncos will participate in the Miami Tournament to be held November 30-December 2 and travel to Vega December 5.

Broncos to play in State Quarter Final game December 1

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The Broncos celebrate winning the Regional Championship over Gruver. Enterprise Photo / Roger Estlack

By Sandy Anderberg

The Clarendon Broncos took down Gruver 34-32 last week and earned the right to the State Quarter-final game against Sunray on Friday, December 1, 2023, at Happy State Bank Stadium in Canyon at 7:00 p.m.

The Broncos gained the upper hand early in last week’s game, but the Greyhounds fought back to make it a close game.

The Broncos finished the game with 150 yards passing and 268 yards on the ground for 418 total yards. Quarterback Lyric Smith was 11/16 passing for 128 yards with two touchdowns. Smith posted two TDs rushing and grabbed a pass from Easton Frausto for a touchdown as well.

Frausto also had a good offensive game and was 4/20 receiving with one score for 46 total yards and threw the strike to Smith for six. Shane Hagood had seven carries for 18 yards to help the Broncos. Quay Brown had a 36-yard touchdown from Smith and Mason Sims had two catches for 25 yards.

With their early start, the Broncos were able to make a statement to the Greyhounds even though Gruver was able to get back into the ball game by half time and only trail by three points. Both teams scored twice each in the second half of play with Gruver converting an extra point to close the gap by one. A last-ditch attempt by the Greyhounds with three minutes to go ended in a fumble that was recovered by the Broncos to cap the win by two points.

“You gotta have some things go your way, and I think our preparation shows.” Head coach Aaron Wampler said. “Just the heart, the fight, and the grit of these guys, can’t say enough about their effort.”

Defensively, the Broncos were strong and quick to get to the Gruver quarterback. Jared Musick led the way with 13 tackles, one QB sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery, and Dalton Coles posted 12 tackles and a forced fumble and recovery as well.

Grant Haynes was busy with nine tackles, and Ranger Drenth and Jaxan McAnear helped with six tackles each. Waite Dushay grabbed a Gruver fumble and had two tackles on the night and Brown and Anthony Ceniceros had one tackle each.

Follow live updates from this Friday’s game at Facebook.com/TheEnterprise.

Lady Broncos clobber the Demonettes

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The Lady Broncos had an easy go of it on the road last week and took a 50-14 win over Dumas.

Junior Tandie Cummins and sophomore Kashlyn Conkin led the way with eight points apiece that included one three-pointer and one of two free throws for Cummins and one from the arc and three of three free throws for Conkin.

The ladies stepped out to an 18-point advantage after one and continued to add to their point total with a good offensive strategy that allowed all of the players to get involved. Their defense shut down everything Dumas tried, and they were able to hold them to single digits until the final quarter of play.

Presley Smith and Kenidee Hayes added six points each and Kennadie Cummins put in four. Hayden Elam and Kate Shaw helped with three points each, and Courtlyn Conkin was perfect from the bonus at two.

The ladies will host Groom on November 28 in the Bronco Gym at 6:00 p.m. and participate in the Miami Tournament November 30-December 2.

Lady Broncos start season with wins

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By Sandy Anderberg

The Lady Broncos are off to a flying start with two big wins over Happy and Childress last week. Happy put up a decent battle against the Lady Broncos, but the maroon and white earned the 56-44 win.

The ladies converted five three pointers with four of them coming from sophomore Kashlyn Conkin who finished with 18 points to lead the team in scoring.

The Lady Broncos got off to a slower start than head coach Korey Conkin was comfortable with but worked themselves back to only trail by two points at the break. The ladies went to work in the second half and outscored the Happy Cowgirls by 14 points to get the win. Clarendon put in seven of the twelve free shots for 58 percent from the line.

Presley Smith finished with nine points and Kennadie Cummins, Hayden Elam, and newcomer Kate Shaw put in six points each. Berkley Moore added five, Graci Smith three, Courtlyn Conkin two, and Tandie Cummins one.

Later in the week the Lady Broncos hosted Childress and completely shut down the Lady Cats’ offense.

The Lady Broncos took the win at 50-29. Once again, the Lady Broncos took control of the game with their consistent scoring and ramped up free throw shooting at 85 percent. K. Conkin, Elam, Moore, and Smith were perfect at the line hitting all of their free-throws.

Conkin hit two more three pointers for 10 points in the game and Moore added seven points that included one three pointer and both free-throws. P. Smith and G. Smith helped with six points apiece and Kenidee Hayes came off the injured list and put in five points with Shaw who added five also. C. Conkin and Elam added two and T. Cummins had one.

The Lady Broncos will play in the FUB Shootout in Canyon on November 17 at 4:30 and travel to Texline at Holy Cross on November 21 at 5:00 p.m.

Broncos advance to area round

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By Sandy Anderberg

The Clarendon Broncos claimed a big Bi-District win over the Boys Ranch Rough Riders at Dick Bivens Stadium last Friday night. The 46-6 win put the Broncos in the Area round with Seagraves in Floydada this Thursday, November 16, at 7 p.m.

The Bronco offense was on target last week and the team collected 397 total yards in the game. Senior quarterback Lyric Smith threw for 215 yards and finished with two passing touchdowns in the game.

Smith was 12 for 25 and threw strikes to Mason Sims and Quay Brown for scores and also hit Easton Frausto twice for yardage. Sims had five catches for 89 yards with 40 yards being his longest, and Smith targeted Brown five times for 108 yards. Despite throwing two interceptions, Smith had a good night in the air.

The Broncos’ running game has been good all season with help up front from the solid play of the line. Sims had 13 carries for 35 yards and Frausto carried twice for 18 yards. Smith carried the ball 19 times and finished with 129 yards and found the endzone three times.

Defensively, the Broncos did a great job of containing Boys Ranch and holding them scoreless until the end of the game. Dalton Coles led the way with 12 tackles, and Jared Musick had eight. Frausto played well on defense with seven grabs, and Sims had six. Haynes,

Shane Hagood, Kyler Bell, Tyler Cavanaugh, Heston Seay Waite Dushay, and Ranger Drenth posted at least one tackle on the night. Smith and Brown each had one interception, and Smith and Grant Haynes had a recovered fumble.

Lineman Anthony Ceniceros had three tackles and forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

At least two Bronco scores came from the defense, and they were able to tackle Boys Ranch in the endzone for a safety in the first quarter.

The Broncos will continue to do what they know to do in practice this week and be ready to take on the Seagraves Eagles in Floydada on Thursday, November 16, at 7:00 p.m.

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