Kids and Cowboys Win Big at Battle Born Broncs

Darcie Spero and Leanna Lehman
06/23/2023 05:00 AM

Author: Photo by Chuck Miner.

On the evening of Wednesday, June 14, an impressive event took place at the Rafter 3C Arena in Fallon, NV. Skiver Bootmakers, the City of Fallon, and Promega Feed joined forces to present the highly anticipated second annual Battle Born Broncs. This extraordinary gathering featured thirty skilled saddle bronc and bareback riders, all vying for the grand prize of $50,000 in this Xtreme Broncs competition, an officially sanctioned Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event.

What made this event even more exceptional was the presence of some of top cowboys in the PRCA current world standings, including seven-time World Champion, Stetson Wright. These high-profile athletes arrived a day ahead of time to lend their expertise and mentorship at the Battle Born Broncs Rodeo Camp. This unique training camp allowed aspiring riders to immerse themselves in the fundamentals of Bareback and Saddle Bronc riding. The more experienced students were granted access to this year's advanced session, where they had the opportunity of learning not only on teaching equipment but also directly on live animals.

The entire camp was provided to the students free of charge, thanks to the generous sponsorships from businesses and individuals who share a vision of fostering the continuous growth and development of the American sport of rodeo. R.C. Landingham, a distinguished four-time National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier, $1 million Working Ranch Cowboys Association winner, and Triple Crown of Rodeo champion, who helped with the event said, “The kids camp is great; this is what keeps the rodeo world going.” Nevada native and NFR qualifier, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, Mitch Pollock, a Nevada native who also helped coach, stated, “To see we have future bronc riders here makes me really excited.” This year, a total of eighty-five students participated, a notable increase of thirty-five attendees compared to the first camp held last year.

Apart from attracting top-notch contestants in the bareback and saddle bronc riding to the area, Battle Born Broncs spared no expense in securing top-notch stock contractors to provide an elite pen of bucking stock for the competitors. Bradlee Miller ranked first in the Bareback Riding, achieving an impressive score of 89 points on the formidable Sankey Pro Rodeo horse – Shoutin' Shoes. Miller's performance earned him a well-deserved cash prize of $7,924. Lefty Holman claimed triumph in the Saddle Bronc Riding, earning a score of 90 points on a Power River Rodeo's bronc – Miss Valley. This garnered Holman a substantial prize of $7,839.

In recognition of their outstanding achievements, both champions were bestowed with a Con Williams bronze, graciously donated by event sponsors A&K Earth Movers and Sizemore Construction. Additionally, they were presented with a pair of handmade cowboy boots courtesy of Skiver Bootmakers, further adding to the prestige of their victories.

It is worth noting that the prize money awarded at Fallon's Battle Born Broncs is significant as it is added to the world standings and will help determine the top 15 cowboys competing at the 2023 National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December.