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McLouth native makes impression
by Rick Dunaway It’s
a whole new world for Skeeter Kingsolver. Fresh
off his 18th birthday, the McLouth, Kan., teenager is the top-ranked
bullrider in this weekend’s National Federation of Professional
Bullriders’ Federation Finals, being held at Civic Arena. Justin
Carlton has been there. As a former champion of this event and a
two-time season kingpin, the 28-year-old veteran can look back a
decade and see himself in Kingsolver, who has championship buckle
dreams this weekend. They represent both ends of the age spectrum in
the rough, young man’s sport. “I
was 17 all this summer, and you have to be 18 to ride in these so my
dad had to sign for me all summer,” Kingsolver said. And
his status as a high school student made professional bullriding a
difficult prospect until he graduated at semester. But his weekend
pursuits gave him rock-star status at McLouth
High School. “The
other kids were always asking me whenever I get back from the
weekends how I did,” Kingsolver said. “Nobody else at my school
does it.” But
does it earn him popularity with the girls? “Every
once in a while, I guess,” Kingsolver said with a grin as he spit
into the layer of earth trucked into the arena. “But around my
town, they really don’t know what it’s like.” Kingsolver
began riding steers at age 11, then graduated to big bulls at 14. He
entered practice events in Olathe, Kan., then went to bullriding
school, turning professional this season. The
rookie admits he takes his share of guff from the older cowboys. He
also takes his share of knocks from the 1,500-pound beasts he rides. “Last
winter I broke my leg,” said Kingsolver, who had his second
qualifying ride of the Finals on Friday to keep his seaspm title
hopes alive. “I came back and did real good for a week, then I got
knocked out real bad. I started to have to wear a helmet now. It
kind of messed with me for a bit, but now my head’s back on.” The
helmet is one piece of advice Carlton gives younger riders like
Kingsolver. But the professional cowboy lifestyle has other
pitfalls, the veteran said. “My
best advice is to pick a good role model and stay with that role
model,” Carlton said. “Pick somebody that’s got a good
straight head on them and idolize them. Stay away from the bars and
all the other stuff.” To
that end, Carlton said, the older riders usually will look out for
the rookies. “We
don’t let ’em make stupid mistakes,” Carlton said.
“Sometimes you see guys get in the wrong crowd.” While
Kingsolver is looking ahead toward a successful career — he hopes
to make the cut for the PBR (Professional
Bull Riders) next season — Carlton is beginning to make
plans for the time he gets off the bulls for good. He thinks he has
five more years of bullriding left in his body. He
wants to ride as long as he can get up and move around every
morning, but he’s begun to raise bucking stock on his ranch near
Trenton, Tenn., and hopes to become a stock contractor. He
credits his longevity to desire. “Your
heart’s got to be in it,” Carlton said. “You’ve got to have
the want-to.” And
one thing Carlton wants to do these days is wear a helmet. One side
of his face got crushed several years ago — it was the scariest
moment of his career, he said — and he suffered a cracked vertebra
on another occasion. Overall, however, he has been relatively free
from injuries. “I’ve
got a family now,” Carlton said. “You can be a cowboy and say, 'Aww,
I ain’t gonna wear that.’ But I’ve got two young ones at home,
and I’d rather go home and see them than try to act tough in front
of these guys. You can draw a line on toughness.” Arkansas
sweep Arkansas
bullriders swept both rounds Friday night in the National Federation
of Professional Bullriders, but everyone continues to chase Danny
Schlobohm of LaMonte, Mo., who has scored qualifying rides in all
four rounds of this season-capping event. Jimmy
Tubbs of Cleveland, Ark., rode
“Cyinide” for a score of 90 to win Round 3, while Michael Manes
of Conway, Ark., matched that score on “Rock Star” to win Round
4. Schlobohm
mastered previously unridden “Snake Eyes” for an 88 in Round 3
and rode “Special Ops” to a score of 80 in Round 4. He remains
the only rider not bucked off in the finals, with the final two
rounds scheduled for tonight at Civic Arena. In
the Midwest Bullfighters National Finals, Nevada Miller of Mandan,
S.D., won Friday night’s round with an 87, four points better than
Jason Magditch. Brandon Lindsay finished third with 83 points,
followed by Pat Riha with 81.
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04/06/08
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Their
time in the spotlight by
By Megan Tilk
Photo
by Eric
Keith / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase
this photo Jennifer
Cox helps Brad Gilkey stay in the saddle during his horseback ride
around Civic Arena Saturday morning.
For
an hour and a half, more than 100 individuals with special needs
became real-life cowboys and cowgirls Saturday. Donning
the brightly colored bandanas they were given as they entered, many
hopped on horseback, practiced lassoing plastic bulls or chatted
with contestants from this week’s National Federation of
Professional Bullriders’ Federation Finals. Saturday
marked the 10th annual Exceptional Rodeo held at Civic Arena. Nearly
25 rodeo contestants and many other volunteers spent the morning
helping the participants learn to ride the horses and use a lasso. “This
is the part of rodeo the community doesn’t see,” said Rex
Strayer, who coordinated the event. Individuals
with special needs of all ages participated Saturday, and many
attended Thursday night’s rodeo as invited special guests. Wearing
his own cowboy hat and boots, 49-year-old Brad Gilkey held the hand
of a Miss NFPB Contestant while waiting in line to lasso. Mr.
Gilkey’s sister, Shelia Robertson, has attended all 10 Exceptional
Rodeos with him. “I
just love how they treat these kids,” Ms. Robertson said. “Some
of these kids wouldn’t ever have had this opportunity to meet real
cowboys.” As
music played in the background, participants who wanted to perform
for the group were able to take the microphone from Mr. Strayer.
Everything from pop music to an impression of an auctioneer could be
heard throughout the arena. Just before lunch, a group decided they
wanted to dance the Macarena. St.
Joseph is the only city to host an Exceptional Rodeo because it is
also the Federation Finals host. Participants are given a different
gift each year when they arrive and are served lunch donated by the
community before they finish. Mr.
Strayer says the event is a great end to the Federation Finals,
which finished Saturday night. “Some
of these contestants out here are tough guys who ride bulls, but
when they are with these special needs individuals, they just
melt.”
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