Puyallup Fair Rodeo highlights: Minicks honored as 2025 Legend of ProRodeo

MOSES LAKE – The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Press Release gave updates on some riders who performed at the Puyallup Fair and announced that Billy and Pam Minick would share the honor of becoming the 2025 Legend of ProRodeo.  

Stetson Wright gives update on timetable for return after Puyallup injury 

Eight-time PRCA World Champion Steetson Wright was released from the hospital following an injury sustained during the Sept. 6 matinee performance. He was released from the hospital early Sept. 7 and returned to the Cinch Playoffs at the Puyallup Rodeo to watch his brother, Ryder Wright compete in the short round. 

“They said I’ve already started healing quickly and all of the ribs that are broken lined up good,” Wright told the PRORODEO Sports News after his release from the hospital. “They said (I’m out) for six weeks, but we’ll see what happens. In my mind, I’m shooting for (a return at) Sioux Falls. If it works, that’s awesome. We’re just going to play it by ear that week.” 

Wright’s injury came about when he was bucked off Calgary Stampede’s Cloudy Skies in the saddle bronc riding and the horse stepped on his midsection. He was then transferred to a local hospital and spent the night under observation. According to the press release Wright sustained five broken ribs on his left side, a punctured lung and an injury to his pelvic area.  

Dawson Hay tops all Canadian final in Puyallup 

The Cinch Playoffs saddle bronc riding finals featured an all-Canadian lineup with Dawson Hay, Zeke Thurston and Ben Anderson making up the finalists. Hay opened the go-round and set the bar with an 89.0-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Freedom Express and held atop the leaderboard to win. 

“It was a crazy pen,” said Dawson Hay of the bucking horses selected for the final go-round. “All four of those horses will be at the NFR in the eliminator round. It was kind of a 90 or nothing sort of short round. There’s not one house out there that even slightly has a day off.” 

Dawson’s brother Logan, Turston, a four-time PRCA Saddle Bronc Riding World Champion, and Andersen each matched their broncs for impressive trips but were unable to match Dawson’s initial score. All contestants who qualified for the finals earned automatic bids to the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup presented by Texas Precious Metals in Sioux Falls, South Dakota from Sept. 26-28. 

The rest of the field consists of the remaining eight highest-ranked cowboys and cowgirls in the PRORODEO Playoff Series Standings. Dawson Hay entered the weekend 11th in the playoff standings. 

“I’m really excited,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to get in there through the (Playoff Series) points, so I needed to clutch up here. And I got the job anyway, so we’ll be going back to Sioux Falls.” 

Ky Hamilton’s singular focus pays off in Puyallup, quest for another world title 

Ky Hamilton was a little shaken up after bucking off in the Cinch Playoffs at the Puyallup Rodeo in the eight-man bull riding semifinals Sept. 7. 

The 2023 PRCA World Champion’s dismount on Brookamn Rodeo’s Laughing Gas put a gash on his face, but when he reached the four-man finals via tiebreaker, Hamilton shook it off regrouped and showed up ready to ride. 

Hamilton matched Wayne Vold Rodeo’s Wild Time for an 88.5-point ride to win the rodeo, automatically qualifying for the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup presented by Texas Precious Metals and $25,685 in total earnings to close the gap in his quest for a second gold buckle. 

“This is everything,” Hamilton told the PRORODEO Sports News. “World championships are won by pennies, so every little bit counts. This one has been on my bucket list. I got pretty close (to winning) in 2022, so it was good to get back and get the dub.” 

Hamilton knows what it takes to win a world championship and has narrowed his focus to the next bull he draws. 

One of the next stops on Hamilton’s travel log is the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, where he hopes to stay on mission and take advantage of the event’s payout of more than $1 million. 

“I can’t wait,” Hamilton said. “There’s a lot of money there and there are going to be great bulls there. So, I can’t wait to get there and finish off the regular season.” 

Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott’s team roping arena record highlights Saturday matinee at Cinch Playoffs 

Two-time PRCA World Champion Team Roping Header Clay Smith and heeler Nicky Northcott opened their stint at the Cinch Playoffs at the Puyallup (Wash.) Rodeo with a bang during Saturday’s matinee. 

The duo paired up for a 3.7-second run to set a new arena record and enter the second section of Pool 2 competition on Saturday night in the top spot. 

“This for sure helps,” Smith told the PRORODEO Sports News. “We were toward the end of the round today so that helped but they’ll reverse the order tonight. If we make a good run we should be okay. It really helps not having to try and battle back or something.” 

Andrew Ward/Jake Long finished second in the go-round at 4.3 seconds. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd (4.5 seconds) and Jake Smith/Douglas Rich (5 seconds) rounded out the top four. 

“We started roping together earlier this season,” Smith said of his pairing with Northcott. “But we’ve roped a lot together at jackpots for the last three years or so. We’ve roped quite a few steers together and it’s a lot of fun.” 

Billy, Pam Minick to share honor of 2025 Legend of ProRodeo 

Billy and Pam Minick have been named as the recipients of the 2025 Legend of ProRodeo award. This award goes to a cowboy or cowgirl who continues to devote their time and energy to the rodeo community after their career is over. 

“It means a lot to me because I’ve seen the growth of rodeo and rodeo opened a lot of doors for me,” Billy said. “I just hope I live a little longer so I can see it grow more.” 

The husband and wife duo will become the 20th and 21st recipients of the honor, which began in 2006 by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. They will be honored at the Hall of Fame’s annual Wrangler Gold Buckle Gala Dec. 1 at the South Point Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. 

Billy’s career began in 1959 when he joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association following bull riding championships at the high school and college levels. He qualified for his first NFR in 1966 but switched to the stock contractor side of PRORODEO in 1968 when he purchased the Harry Knight Rodeo Company from Knight and legendary entertainer Gene Autry.   

It didn’t take long for the Billy Minick Rodeo Company to become one of the top stock contractors in the PRCA. In 1972, Streamer, one of Billy Minick Rodeo Company’s bucking horses, was named the NFR’s top saddle bronc horse. In 1973, Tiger was named the top bull of the NFR. He also won PRCA Bull of the Year in 1974. 

 Billy had a hand in producing top rodeos, including the Fort Worth (Texas) Stock Show and Rodeo, RodeoHouston, the San Antonio (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo, the Santa Rosa Roundup in Vernon, Texas, and Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2018. 

Pam joined her husband as an inductee in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in July. 

A 16-time qualifier for the WPRA World Finals, Minick captured her first and only WPRA Breakaway Roping World Championships in 1982. She also competed in team roping before becoming a Western television personality.

Throughout her career, she hosted numerous programs on ESPN, TNN, NBS, CBS, The Outdoor Network, RFD-TV and the Cowboy Channel. She also became the first woman to be granted a PRCA Announcer Card. 

“We were both overwhelmed and a little shy about receiving (the Legend of ProRodeo award) because everything we’ve done, we’ve done out of passion for the sport,” Pam said. “Whether it’s competition, production or promotion, we’ve done it out of passion. The great thing about the format of (the gala) is we get to share those stories. A lot of people that will hopefully be in the room are part of those stories.”

    A bull rider is thrown off an animated bull during the Moses Lake Roundup at the Grant County Fair.
 FILE PHOTO   

    Wacey Justin Schalla holds on to his bucking horse during the bareback riding competition at the Othello Rodeo. Eight time PRCA World Champion Stetson Wright sustained injuries at the Puyallup Fair and was taken to the hospital and was released the next day but will be out for six weeks.
 FILE PHOTO   

    A bareback rider at the Othello Fair holds on to his bucking horse. The Puyallup Rodeo featured multiple horseback competitions including the saddle bronc riding event where the finalists consisted of four Canadian riders.
 FILE PHOTO   

    A steer wrestler takes on a four-legged opponent in the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo. The PRCA recently named Billy and Pam Minick of Texas as the recipients of the 2025 Legend of ProRodeo award.
 FILE PHOTO