INGLIS, Manitoba – Many things went Orin Larsen’s way in 2017. He qualified for both the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and the Canadian Finals Rodeo and has established himself as one of the best bareback riders in the sport today. But the best part of his year came on Oct. 14, when he married his longtime girlfriend, Alexa Minch.“With the help of her folks, she literally did everything to plan the wedding,” said Larsen, a three-time NFR qualifier from Inglis, now living in the Nebraska Panhandle community of Gering. “I did as much as I could on the road, but that wasn’t much. I’d say she did 99.9 percent of it.”That’s part of living with a ProRodeo cowboy who is on the rodeo trail and away from home for weeks at a time, sometime months. But that’s how he makes a living, and he’s pretty good at it. He just concluded a solid CFR, where he pocketed $30,000 in just five days. He enters the NFR 10th in the world standings, having earned $99,240 through the regular season. He earned at least a share of the title at 14 rodeos, including four that were lucrative Wrangler Champions Challenge events. It all added up to a nice finish for the Manitoba cowboy.
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“I was fortunate enough to make the CFR and the NFR this year, but it wasn’t an easy task by any means,” said Larsen, who won two college national championship, one competing at the College of Southern Idaho and one at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. “I got hurt in July, so I spent half of that month at home.”He separated ribs while competing at the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede. He tried to ride again a few days later but realized his body needed a break.“I had to drive through Cheyenne (Wyo.) while (the rodeo) was going on because I was hurt,” he said of one of the most popular events in the game, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. “That was a pretty big pill to swallow.”It may have become a powerful motivator. He returned to action in early August and quickly went back to work. He moved from 18th to 15th within two weeks of returning and up to 13th by mid-August. He was matched with good horses, which is a vital part of rodeo. In bareback riding, half the score is on how well the horse bucks, and the other half is on how well the cowboy spurs in motion with the bucking beast. It takes timing, agility and great athleticism to play the game as well as he does.“At the end of the season, I just drew good enough everywhere and, luckily, stayed healed,” said Larsen, who credits his sponsors, Rieta Creek Scoreboards and Rodeo Tax, with helping him on the rodeo trail. “The Canadian Finals was just plain awesome. It was the toughest year to win anything there because everyone rode outstanding.“To get on the best horses in the world there three weeks before they go to Vegas is a big plus. It helps us get ready for 10 days in Las Vegas.”
Yes, it does. Vegas home to the world’s richest rodeo, which features an $8 million purse where go-round winners will earn more than $26,000 a night for 10 rounds. As he enters the NFR – set for Dec. 7-16 – he is a little more than $100,000 behind the leader, Tim O’Connell. But that ground can be made up in four nights if things go Larsen’s way. But it’s a big challenge, and he knows it. He’s excited to return to the Nevada desert for another December run.“It means to me that no matter what kind of year you’ve had or what you started with, you can defeat the impossible as long as you have a good support system,” he said. “To defeat the odds in my own mind was truly special to me.” He learned to handle challenges growing up in western Manitoba. His father, Kevin, runs the family’s ranch, while his mother, Wanda, runs a barbershop in nearby Roblin, Manitoba. His sister, Cassie, is a hairdresser like her mother, and Orin is the middle of three sons, all of whom took to rodeo. In fact, Tyrel and Kane Larsen also attended Panhandle State. Family has always been a big part of who Larsen is, and adding to it in October was a special to both him and Alexa.“She kept me looking at the positive things that were going on, the silver lining,” he said. “When I got hurt, I didn’t have much wiggle room to take off. That really stressed me out about making the finals and having a chance.“She looked at me and said, ‘What’s the worst thing that’ll happen? Missing out on the finals? It isn’t the end of the world.’ By shedding light on that, I realized it was going to be OK. She kept be up beat about the year and made me look at the bright side of things.”Every ounce of assistance helps, and Larsen took it the way he needed to. Now he gets to play on ProRodeo’s grandest stage in an era where the money up for grabs is unprecedented. He’ll be one of nine Canadians that will try their hands in the game they love inside the Thomas & Mack Center for 10 December nights.“It’s truly special to represent your country, but it’s more special to have a big team coming down from Canada,” Larsen said. “I hope the tradition keeps going. I hope more Canadians come down south to pursue their dreams of going to the NFR and ultimately winning the gold buckle.”
That’s definitely Orin Larsen’s dream, and he gets another chance to chase it in two weeks. Things were quiet in Liberty County Monday night for Cole Melancon as he stepped off his deer stand, enjoying the down time before what he describes as the most exciting time of his life. In just three short weeks solitude and stillness will be traded for a roaring crowd and neon lights. At just 23 years old, Cole has managed to accomplish an eighth-place standing in the PRCA bull-riding lineup this year. Cole has earned an invitation to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in Las Vegas, Nevada, for which only the top ranked 15 PRCA bull riders are selected. Recently Cole competed in the Professional Bull Riders’ inaugural Global Cup in Edmonton, Alberta, as part of Team USA. The Global Cup featured a team competition between five countries. The United States cinched the title with Brazil coming in second, Canada in third, Australia fourth and Mexico in fifth place. Cole finished individually in 13th place overall. Cole has quite an impressive resume including qualifying twice for the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) and earning the title of 2017 CNFR Bull Riding Champion. He has definitely earned his spot in this year’s 2017 WNFR. Cole, a native of Hull-Daisetta said, “It hasn’t really hit me yet… I guess it will when it gets closer to time to go. This is definitely a dream come true.” If we might be forgiven a bit of editorial in this report, The Vindicator would like to wish him the best of luck in Vegas. When Sam Bird charged forward on his horse Friday to rope a calf at the Indian National Finals Rodeo, he had around 40 relatives in the stands rooting him on. Bird, one of 10 children, isn’t the only member of his family participating in the 42nd annual rodeo held at the South Point Arena. His two daughters, two stepgrandchildren and a cousin will be vying for awards as well.
The pudgy 60-year old says this low-key rodeo — the Native America version of the bigger National Finals Rodeo held every December in Las Vegas — is as much about bringing family together as it is about roping. Here, everyone knows everyone else and family from nearby states make the trip in. Bird, who also serves as one of rodeo’s seven commissioners, says as many as 20,000 native Americans may make there way to Las Vegas this week.“They come to see family and have a good time in Las Vegas, said Bird, sporting a black cowboy hat and blue jeans, as his daughters stood by his side. ”This event is special because grandfathers can participate alongside their children and grandchildren.” More than 400 participants representing 65 tribes are taking part in the five-day rodeo which ends Saturday. Participants come from 40 states and Canada and vie for $950,000 in cash and prizes. They compete in more than 180 Indian rodeos held throughout the year in the U.S. and Canada to qualifying for the finals. The number of participants has grown since the event moved to Las Vegas 10 years ago, say organizers.“Moving to Las Vegas has been the best decision we have made. Everyone wants to come here, so it helps us attract more people. The National Rodeo is held here so it adds some prestige,” said Donna Hoyt, the rodeo’s general manager and Bird’s sister-in-law.The rodeo helps pack the South Point for the week, generating about 7,000 room nights, said Steve Stallworth, the arena’s general manager. With so many Native Americans coming to Las Vegas, the tribes organize meetings around the rodeo to discuss various issues such as water conservation, said Bird. Raised on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, Bird was taught by his elder brothers Beaver and Dick how to rope by the age of 12. Five of Bird’s six brothers would actively compete in Rodeo competitions through the years. Bird qualified for for the first Indian National Finals Rodeo in 1976, winning the team roping competition. He has gone on to qualify for 39 of the 42 Indian National Finals Rodeo to date, winning three of them. Bird passed on his love of rodeo to his daughters Brittany and Sammy Jo, teaching them to ride by the age of three and later showing them how to rope. Bird’s wife Terry is also an accomplished rider and has competed in women’s rodeo events. Brittany won the women’s all-around at the Indian National Finals Rodeo in 2013. Sammy Jo won it last year.