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2024 NLD BUFFALO BILL RODEO
SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2024
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
BUFFALO BILL RODEO PERSONNEL
RUTH NICOLAUS For The North Platte Telegraph RANDY CORLEY, ANNOUNCER • Will call the action at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo for the 43rd year. • Announces rodeos across the country, from San Antonio to Puyallup, Wash. • Loves working the Buffalo Bill Rodeo: “I’m looking forward to North Platte, and I always do, because of the years I’ve lived there, worked in radio there, and I started
in rodeo there in 1981 with Hadley (Barrett, his father- in-law and a North Platte legend.) It’s home.” • He and Michelle returned to North Platte as residents in 2019 and love living there. “We live in special place in the world. We’re in the Heartland.” • Has announced the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 23 times and is a twelve-time PRCA Announcer of the Year, an award he never sought. When his career began, his goals were “to be respected and get jobs, and I’ve been blessed with both.” • Will celebrate his fortieth wedding anniversary with Michelle this year: “I’ve had rodeos longer than I’ve had her,” he laughed. But he considers her his biggest blessing. “She’s my best asset.” • Has three daughters, a son, and four granddaughters. LIBERTY CUNNINGHAM, SPECIALTY ACT • Will perform as specialty act for the Buffalo Bill Rodeo as a trick rider and roman rider • Is 13 years old; lives in Louisburg, Kan. • Will do gymnastic-like tricks aboard a horse galloping 30 mph around the arena. • Will roman ride: standing atop a pair of horses, with one foot on each horse, as the horses gallop around the arena. • Has 3 horses, all paints: Blair, Elite and Cletus. • Just finished her 7th grade year of schooling • Got started when she saw trick riding at another rodeo. “I loved the sparkles and fast horses.” That was at age 7; now she’s trick riding like her idols she watched back then. • For fun, likes to trail ride, read, and do crafts. • Her aunt, Jill Batencourt Herring, won the barrel racing at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in 1999. • This is her first time to the Buffalo Bill Rodeo • Is the daughter of Kara Cunningham and Todd Cunningham. BEUTLER & SON RODEO, STOCK CONTRACTOR • Have provided the bucking horses and bulls at the rodeo for the past 77 years. • Is known across the nation for the high quality of bucking stock. • In 2022, swept all three roughstock awards at the Wrangler National Finals: Bareback Horse of the Year (won by MasterHand Milling Ghost Town); Saddle Bronc of the Year (won by BDM’s Killer Bee); and Bull of the Year (won by MasterHand Milling Smoke Stack.) No other contractor has ever won all three awards in one year. • North Platte is one of more than 25 stops the Beutlers make each year, providing their bucking horses and
© Don Christner photo
Randy Corley, announcer
© Don Christner photo
Beutler & Son Rodeo, stock contractor
© Jackie Jensen photo
courtesy photo
Justin Rumford, rodeo clown
Liberty Cunningham, specialty act
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