2007 Celebrities
Sport:
Rodeo
Home: Colorado
Birthday: 5/15/1991
Hobbies: Riding horses, Playing volleyball
Favorite Subject: English
Accomplishments: 2006 COBRA Division 7 Barrel Racing Champion
2006 Little Britches Youth Association Top Ten Senior All Around Cowgirl
2005-2006 Elizabeth Stampede Princess
Wildbunch of Bullriding - 1st Runner-up
2005 Young Guns - Amanda and her sister Cody were featured in the April 2005
Rodeo News
Over 20 belt buckles and two saddles
Goals: To be a champion female bullrider; to be the best in Jr. Rodeo
and become a pro.
Charlie
Sampson had his first taste of rodeo at the age of 12 when he rode a steer
for the first time. One year later he met a man that would change his life,
Myrtis Dightman of Houston, Texas, who encouraged him to pursue his dream
and advised him that the road would not be an easy one. Sampson entered a
number of amateur rodeos and did well enough to win a rodeo scholarship to
Central College in Coolidge, Arizona before turning professional. Sampson
qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City in 1981, setting
the stage for an promising year. In 1982, Sampson rode in more than 150 rodeos
and won the bull-riding championship at the 1982 National Finals becoming
rodeo's first black world champion.
Born
and raised in a small town by the name of Andalusia in the state of Alabama,
I was about 13yrs old when I went to work on a ranch. There I met a bullfighter
by the name of Sid McKissick. During Sids time there, he was very inspiring
to me. When Sid was done working on that ranch and before he said good-by
and went down the rodeo trail, he gave me a belt buckle he had won in high
school. Thats all it took, and I was going to be a bullfighter.When I got
into high school I didnt know how to get to be a bullfighter so I got as close
as I could by being a bull rider. I had been going to rodeos with my Dad who
was a team roper, so in high school rodeo I competed in team roping and rode
bulls, I even placed 10th in the state in bull riding, and was voted most
athletic my senior year. After graduating from high school I moved to Colorado
to be closer to the rodeo action, and continued to ride bulls for 8 years.
I bought my PRCA permit in 1998 and it didnt take me very long to figure out I was way out of my league trying to ride bulls in the PRCA. So I decided to be a stock contractor, and I bought 8 bucking bulls and 6 bucking horses from long time PRCA stock contractor Harry Vold. Then and there I decided it was my time to be a bullfighter. I started fighting bulls in March of 1999, and within 9 months I had competed in many freestyle bullfights, and was the reserve champion in the Colorado Professional Rodeo Association. I also went to the International Finals Rodeo 30 and competed in the bucking stock sale for a chance to be one of 6 bullfighters in the World Champion Freestyle Bullfight. I placed 1st in the long go, and 1st in the short go to be awarded the title of IFR30 World Champion.
Since then I have competed in a lot of bullfights, I have won many of them and have won a few more championships up to today. Every buckle I have ever won in bull riding or bullfighting, I have given away in hopes to inspire someone else, young or old, in order to help them follow their life dreams. For I have found we all need inspiration, and goals to follow and achieve and I will continue to strive to make a difference.
1982
was the culmination of year's of service to an industry he loves so much.
Bob is also a past president of the Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association
and is currently still a member and Honorary Vice President. He maintains
his ties with the National Cutting Horse Association as an active member
and competitor and served that association as a director. He currently
holds memberships in a number of cattle and cutting horse associations.
Bob received the Record Stockmen Livestock "Man of the
Year" Award in 1982 and the Colorado State University Livestock Leader
of the Year in 1992.
Forrie
J. Smith was born in Helena, Montana. He was raised on a cattle ranch,
and in a station wagon going to rodeos. After acquiring a Full Ride Scholarship
to Montana State University, Forrie proceeded to become a P.R.C.A. Member.
He qualified in Bareback Riding in 3 different circuit finals and has
ranked as a top 5 BB Rider in every association he has since participated
in. Rodeo has taken him all over the North American continent, and most
recently in 2007 he wasPast Celebrities
"I'm not dead yet" was all Randy could manage to mumble through wired jaws as his body appeared to be hopelessly broken and mangled, when he heard the docotr tell his mother that he wouldn't survive the next 72 hours. So began a new life for an athletic rodeo cowboy who had to learn to live without the use of his legs, who wanted to be able to ride his horse so badly that he designed and built a saddle which allowed him not only to ride, but even rope steers again. He raised a son alone; a son who now attends college on a scholarship. Randy also returned to the faith of God.
Randy's story is compelling. He conveys to young people from his own painful experiences the consequences of driving and drinking, and is equally impressive to adults. Randy is available for speaking engagements and roping exebitions. He also markets his therapy saddles and standard saddles.
Randy will be arriving in Colorado Springs a few days before the golf tournament and rodeo to help promote the event. Listen for him on your favorite radio station and watch for him around town.
Think country with a Spanish flair. Think Western with a Marshall Tucker feel. Throw a little Willie Nelson in for good measure and you're in the ballpark. Craig is from the Big Bend Country of West Texas. Growing up not far from Mexico, he definitely got the Spanish influence. A versatile singer/songwriter, Craig is the Real Deal. In addition to his music, he is also an actor with film credits such as Hi Lo Country, starring Woody Harrelson and Patricia Arquette, and critically acclaimed Dancer Texas. Craig has also done national spots for Dr. Pepper, Budweiser, and U.S. Air. Craig has also made about 30 European tours.
When not singing or writing, Craig likes to spend his time working with horses. He is also a certified diver, and enjoys skiing, tennis, golf, baseball, and football. Craig speaks fluent Spanish.
Crumrine Jewelers was founded in 1948 by Charles and Marge Crumrine in a small, second-story room in downtown Santa Ana, California. Over the years, their business evolved from a small custom jewelry manufacturer to become one of southern California's largest custom jewelry and repair shops. In the early 1960s, Charles Crumrine developed a unique process that uniformly reproduced intricate western-style hand-engraving on gold and silver custom belt buckles. This process was later adapted for use on lower-cost lines made of German silver and gold and silver-plated jewlers bronze. This technology created a revolution within the western industry. Products could now be manufactured with the same look, feel, and authenticity of their more costly gold and silver counterparts. Better still, these products were more affordable and accessible to a much wider consumer audience, literally sparking a modern-day passion for western buckles and accessories.
For one week every year, Star Valley would have a wrestling camp, which always concluded with a tournament on the weekend. Rulon participated in this from 6 years old until he started junior high school at twelve years of age. Rulon began a regular wrestling season while in junior high and continued with wrestling until he graduated from the University of Nebraska.
Graduating from the University of Nebraska with a degree in physical education is something Rulon is very proud of. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, Rulon continued his Olympic wrestling pursuit with full-time dedication. Winning the Gold in Sydney did not come without dedication and sacrifice. Rulon has sacrificed much in order to reach his Olympic aspirations. Rulon is currently a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Rulon has experienced wins as well as losses in his life. Rulon has never dwelled on the negatives in his life, instead takes each challenge and uses it as a means to improve his life.
Born and raised in the midwest, T.J. cut his teeth on the back of a horse and learned to handle fire arms of all types. At the age of 14, T.J. decided to see the world and started hitch hiking across the United States, paying his way by doing art and selling it. After many files and several years, he found himself in Texas until the outbreak of the Korean War. He couldn't resist volunteering, and found himself working with high explosives under less than favorable conditions. Next he joined the Air Force and made it a point to get an education.
Upon receiving honorable discharge, T.J. spent two years riding bulls in rodeo while getting a pilot license. One day, while watching Richard Boone acting in the television series Paladin, T.J. fell in love with film making then and there. He went back to college where he majored in television and motion picture production. Today he heads Casa Productions, based in Missouri; he shoots commercials and educational documentaries.
Ray Kelly is a multi-talented artist from Tea, South Dakota. His "Eye of the Wild Studio" is his base of operations but he spends time away taking part in stage, screen and personal appearances for charity events.
He has done color commentary for rodeos as well as been
a bull and bareback rider himself. His television appearances include
"The Flying Buckskins," "The Stuntmasters," "World
Wide Stunts," "Outdoor Adventures," "Jaycox and Boone
Outdoor Productions" as well as many stage and movie credits.
His artwork has won awards ranging from the Best of Show at the 1991 Iowa
State Fair to the People's Choice award at the South Dakota State Fair
in 2001. He has been the Dodge National Circuit Finals (Rodeo) Artist
for the last four years as well as co-host for the South Dakota Trade
Show for three years. He has also done artwork for Ducks Unlimited, McKennan
Burn Center, Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, and Casey Tibbs Museum.
His hobbies include hunting, fishing, photography, and of course horseback riding. He also enjoys attending celebrity charity events.
Mike McArthur
Mike is a former two-time All-American wrestler from the University of Minnesota, a three-time Junior National Champion Freestyle and Greco-Roman, two-time Big Ten Champion, and a 1976 Olympic Freestyle team alternate. He was the assistant U.S.A. wrestling coach at the 1995 World Championships, the assistant U.S.A. wresling coach for the 1996 Olympic Team in Atlanta, and head coach for the 1997-98 U.S.A. World Cup Team. Currently, Mike is the assistant coach at the United States Air Force Academy and a member o fU.S.A. Wrestling National Coaching Staff.
Married to Myra, Mike is the father of three, Jeremiah, Kalee, and Jon. He is also the National Chapter Director for the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys.
Mike is a professional stuntman and stunt coordinator, a member of the Stuntmen's Association, and a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In the couse of his career, he has done every type of fall of moving objects and roofs, horse stunts, motorcycle work, car stunts, fights, explosions, and chases involving all types of transportation. In 1986, Mike won the award for Most Spectacular Sequence in North and South.
Mike was stunt coordinator for such movies as: Aspen Extreme, Eight Seconds, Beverly Hills 90210, and Third Rock from the Sun plus many more. His feature film credits include: Huck and Tom, The Fugitive, Man's Best Friend, Robin Hood – Men in Tights, Last of the Mohicans, Hoffa, Sleeping with the Enemy, Dante's Peak, and Mighty Joe Young to name a few. Mike's television credits include: High Incident, Babylon 5, Adventures of Brisco County, Murder She Wrote, MacGyver, Gunsmoke, and more. Mike can also be seen in commercials for Marlboro and Frito Lays.
A multi-talented actor, Mike has been in several films, television series, commercials, and television roles. He appeared on screen in movies such as: Scarface, Robo Cop, La Bamba, Death Wish IV, Night of the Living Dead III, Tall Tale, and The Wonderful Ice Cream Suite to name a few. Television series Mike has been in include: MacGuyver, Magnum P.I., Days of Our Lives, The Magnificent Seven, Murder She Wrote, and many more. Most recently you can see Mike in the movie A Man Apart and El Padrino. Mike has won many awards for his acting talent. Mike is not only an actor and singer but a talented artist as well. A painter and muralist, he relaxes by painting Southwest Indian and western cowboy art. Mike's art has been on display in several galleries and collected all over the world.
Mike also competes in team roping at many cahrity events. He has won 13 celebrity team roping championships.
Nikki is a stuntwoman and actress who has appeared in many western films and commercials. She is also the inventor of the board game, Championship Rodeo.
Nikki played the part of the mayor's wife in the Randy Travis movie, The Shooter. She appears on the Learning Channel in UFOs and Aliens: The Search for the Truth. She was Calamity Jane at both the SASS End of Trail show entitled Women of the West and The Gene Autry Museum Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. She also portrayed Dale Evans in A tribute to Roy Rogers, available on video at the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville, California.
Other films Nikki can be seen in include Larger than Life, Tombstone, Ghost Brigade, Naked Gun III, and Love Leads the Way. Her commercials include Honda, Bulls Eye BBQ Sauce, Taco Bell, and Disneyland. Television appearances include Sliders, Alien Nation, Murphy Brown, and Live from L.A. Recently, Nikki appeared in an AT&T commercial with Carrot Top.
Shannon has modeled for various companies such as: San Mar, Cowgirl Up, Rodeo Cold Beer, and Shepler's to name a few. She was the 1999 Ropers 'N Riders calendar cover and was also featured on teh KYVE Country Music Video Show along with Confederate Railroad, a billboard for Adobe Rose, the KTLA Morning Show, and has done runway modeling throughout the U.S. and Australia. She worked as Jane Seymore's stand-in on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and for the television movie, Murder in the Mirror.
Shannon is also involved with children's charities and put together the first annual Exception Rodeo for Handicapped Children in Ellensburg, WA in 1996. She also has her own clothing line, Hollywood Cowgirl, which features women and childrens clothing.
Rusty Phelps
Rusty's home is located on the front range of the Rockies, and is the same land that his great grandfather homesteaded in 1878. His desire to become an artist goes back to his childhood when he carved firewood and drew on paper sacks, and usually his subjects were ranch animals and wildlife. His art was greatly influenced by the stories from his grandfather about the Old West. Not only does he have experience as a taxidermist, but he also was a guide for an outfitter in Trinidad, Colorado; these things contribute to his style and ability in the art field.
Rusty has received many awards for his art including Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards at the Western Heritage Art Show. He was also commissioned for work by the Pikes Peak Range Riders, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, and six times by the U.S. Air Force.
Born and raised in eastern South Dakota, Terry Thompson is best introduced as a true country boy. At the helm of a 2500 acre working farm, The Thompson Brothers Farm raises corn and soybean crops for the commercial market. Terry has earned his living off the land.
Music has always been a passion for Terry, as well as an outlet from the hard work constantly needed on the farm. Even as a little boy, Terry would play his little plastic guitar and entertain the family dog on the front porch. When he got older he got a real guitar, taught himself to play, and started writing his own songs. Terry's influences ran the musical gamut, from the classic country of artists like Johnny Cash, to the rock and rock'a'billy overtones of Roy Orbison, Gene Pitney, and Elvis. His high school years included playing in a band that covered all types of music including songs he had written.
Visits to Nashville introduced Terry to many of the area's songwriters and musicians and even provided the opportunity to perform at the famous Bluebird Cafe. It was on one of those trips to Nashville that brought Terry into the Music Row Records-Nashville offices in the spring of 2001. Label president Gene Cash liked what he heard in Terry - a different voice and a solid songwriting style. Within days Terry was at LSI Studios recording his own songs for an upcoming album. The first single off of the album was scheduled to be a peppy, up-tempo tune titled "I Miss The Way You Dance." Although the release was cut short, a few of the promo copies of the song did sneak their way on the air at several mid-western radio stations to great reception.
With the tragic events that unfolded on September 11th, Terry and the label decided to hold off on "I Miss The Way You Dance" instead focusing their energies on a song to inspire the entire nation called "We're America." Written by Gene Cash with Terry's vocal style in mind, the song was quickly recorded and sent to radio stations.
R.L. was born and raised in Colorado. He worked on many of the large cattle ranches in Southern Colorado. R.L. joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association in 1964 and traveled around the country riding broncs and steer wrestling. This lead him to Hollywood and teh movies. R.L. works as a stuntman, stunt coordinator, and second unit director. He trains horses as much as possible between movie jobs.
You may have seen R.L.'s work in movies such as: Shadow Riders, Conager, The Quick and the Dead, MacByver, Batman II, and Back to the Future. His most recent credits include: The Warden of Red Rock, You Know My Name, The Mask of Zorro, and Wooly Boys. R.L. has worked closely with Sam Elliott by doubling for him in all but one western he has appeared. One of R.L.'s horses, Guapo, was one of the stars in Wooly Boys. Last year, R.L. directed a pilot for a new show called The Extreme Horseman.
A native of the Pikes Peak region, Loren was raised on and now is part owner and manager of his family's ranch on the high plains of eastern El Paso County.
Loren has been active in civic and agricultural organizations. He has served as president of the El Paso County Farm Bureau and the Pikes Peak Cattlemen's Association. He is an honorary vice-president of the Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association, serving as an editor and publisher of their magazine for over 20 years.He is also an active member of the Pikes Peak Range Riders.
First elected in 1984 as El Paso County Commissioner, Loren served until 1997. During his term of office, he was also elected president of Colorado Counties, Inc., a state-wide organization representing all combined interests of Colorado Counties.
He was named Who's Who in the West. Loren serves on many state and federal agricultural and rangeland advisory boards. He is the publisher of the Cattle Guard magazine.