SAN ANGELO, Texas —Carolyn McEnrue talks with Pete Carr of “Pete Carr Pro Rodeo” about what it takes to put the San Angelo rodeo together
One of the top stock contractors in the PRCA — he has horses and bulls that are famous in the sport of rodeo — like the 2020 National Finals Rodeo saddle bronc “Dirty Jacket”, bareback horse “San Angelo Sam” and NFR bull “Tequila Worm”.
KLST-TV’s Carolyn McEnrue caught up with Pete Carr of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo during this year’s San Angelo Rodeo to see what happens “backstage” for a look at some of the biggest stars on the national rodeo circuit.
Pete Carr is a former bareback rider. “It’s something once you get into it — it’s kinda hard to get out of it…I used to blank everything before Bill started flankin'”
And, he still likes to stay behind the chutes during the rodeo. “You know, I’m helping them set flanks and stuff like that….
As we walk to the area of the coliseum where the animals are kept before the rodeo performance — Carr introduces me to lots of people including their barrelman for the night. He loves being right in the middle of the action — always watching — looking for ways to improve the rides.
“We’re conversing about the stock…after it bucks…you know like hey, we should put a halter on that horse…or maybe we should move that horse to the left — or maybe we’ll try that horse in the bronc riding — so I’m making notes on chutes all the time”.
Getting ready is a carefully planned routine that starts hours before the performance.
“At 3 o’clock every day over there in the pens we sort ’em — so we’ll take all these animals that are out in this performance we sort ’em out load ’em up separate ’em.”
The night’s “animal athletes” are loaded onto stock trucks from fairground holding pens for the short drive over to the San Angelo coliseum.
” You know — they kind of perk up when they get on the truck — their ears kind of throw back and they know they’re going to work — they get a little excited.”
Depending on what the horses or bulls prefer — they’re put in left or right opening chutes. Their performances account for half of the cowboy’s score.
“So, rodeo starts at 7:30 — about 7:20 we’ll start loading the barebacks down both sides and, so there’s a ramp here for the left and one for the right….so tonight we’ve got Picket…we’ve got Butler animals..”
And, the lineup sometimes includes horses and bulls from other breeders because of the large number of contestants in the San Angelo rodeo.
” This rodeo is so large — it takes ….we bring ten to 12 guys in here to help us all the way from Canada to Texas….coordinating and having the relationships with the people and those guys commit to come help and put this on being a part of it.
So, it takes a whole lot of people to make this happen.”