Four-footed athletes spark lots of action

~Rodeo stock is better than ever

SIKESTON - "We have 60 head of bucking horses here," said Dell Hall of Rafter H Rodeo Livestock Company Tahlequah, Okla.

Add to that number 40 riding bulls and 80 head of cattle for timed events like calf roping and steer wrestling. Multiply that by about 1,300 pounds for each horse and 1,800 for each head of cattle.

"It amounts to a lot of weight when you are trucking them," said Hall. "They only buck for about 10 seconds and then they're back to the feed trough so they have a pretty good life."

This is Hall's 22nd year supplying the Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo with the livestock for events, having been in the rodeo livestock business for 40 years now. "We started in college," said Hall, "and just went on from there."

Over the years Hall has seen a lot of changes, and both stock and cowboys are better than ever. "We do about 35 different places a year with bullridings and rodeos combined," said Hall. He estimated 700 or so rodeo and bullriding competitions take place around the country each year.

"The hardest thing about the rodeo business is the travel," said Hall. In today's competitive rodeo circuit, many of the riders don't even stay overnight. As an example, Hall said one of Wednesday's cowboys came all the way from Calgary for one ride before immediately heading back toward Colorado to catch a rodeo there.

"This particular rodeo is probably one of the top 25 rodeos," Hall said, "and the Jaycees here are probably one of the best organizations I've worked with. They know the ins and outs of putting on a rodeo and the quality of their rodeo shows."

Caring for and managing the animals on the road takes a crew of nine. "If you want to get into a business where there's very little rest and very little sleep just get in the rodeo business," said Hall. "Some say there's no rest and no sleep, but I get a little of both."

As for the animals themselves, Hall said its just like managing a professional baseball or football team but without the million dollar contracts. "Just an extra little helping of feed when they need it."