Name: Bonnie Rocko Born: Las Cruces, NM 6-8-69 and grew up in Garfield, NM Residence: Silver City, NM Status: married Family: husband, Mike (USTRC team roper), son, Austin, 19 yrs. old, son, Jake (team and calf roper), 16 yrs. old, son, Tanyon (loves football & motorcycles), 15 yrs. old Member of the WPRA since: 2010 Accomplishments: Seeing my family grow to their potential. I am proudest of my children and what fine young men they are becoming.

1. What do you do for a living? I'm a stay at home mom and barrel racer.

2. What do you enjoy doing outside of riding? I teach early morning seminary for high school kids 5 days a week. I'm also busy with my boy's activities.

3. How did you get started in rodeo? After begging my dad, I got my first horse when I was 8 yrs. old. In fact it was the grandson on my first horse that started all of my kids in gymkhana and rodeo. I started barrel racing at the gymkhanas I was taking my sons to and from there moved on to the New Mexico Rodeo Association. The horse I have now is great and I wanted to take him to the next level, so I joined the WPRA.

4. What is your horse's name? How old is he or she? Just Plain Revenge, aka Nick. He is an 8 yr. old gelding I got from the Ward ranch in California.

5. How would you describe his/her style? He runs so hard and powers out of the barrel. You have to really stay with him because if you give him even an inch, he'll take a mile.

6. Does he/she have any quirks that make them unique? He is so ornery. He is in to everything. He will do little things just to aggravate me, like when I'm saddling him he'll step sideways so I have to carry the saddle just one more step. He does love on my husband. Mike claims he really wants to be his roping horse, instead of a can chaser. He is a pretty good heel horse.

7. What is your riding regiment during rodeo season? I will ride 4 or 5 days a week. We love to condition on a 12 mile sandy draw called Saddle Rock. Most of our conditioning is done out of the arena. Nick has a lot of cow in him and loves to rope too, he is one that loves any job that you give him.

8. Do you have any superstitions or quirks when competing? I don't talk to anyone before my run. I need to focus and get in the zone. Afterward though, I like to hang out and see the other runs.

9. Do you have any hauling partners? Sometimes my niece, Megan Johnson. She just filled her permit in one race and is really lighting it up this year. Most of the time, my husband, Mike drives for me.

10. What is your favorite rodeo to run at? Silver City, of course! The hometown crowd is amazing.

11. What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you? I homeschooled my boys for 5 years.

12. What is your goal for this rodeo season? To fill my permit between hauling my son to high school rodeos.

Name: Erin Parsons Born: Marana, AZ, 1/11/87 Residence: Marana, AZ Status: In Relationship Family: father, Joe (5 time NFR calf roper), mother, Joy (barrel racer), brother, Joseph (2010 NFR Calf Roper qualifier), sister, Emily (barrel racer), boyfriend, Trevor Brown (team roper,heeler) Member of the WPRA since: 2005 Accomplishments: 3 time Turquoise Circuit Finals qualifier, Arizona State High School Barrel Racing, Breakaway Roping, Goat Tying and All-Around Champion, 4 times qualifier to the National High School Finals Rodeo

1. What do you do for a living? I do Purchasing and Project Management for our family owned business, Parsons Steel Erectors. We also raise and train barrel horses.

2. What do you enjoy doing outside of riding? I don't really have much free time. When we are not riding our rodeo horses, we are working with the colts that we raise and seasoning our young horses.

3. How did you get started in rodeo? My parents always rodeoed. My family had a ranch growing up, so I used to help gather cattle. I participated in Junior rodeo, then moved on to High School rodeo where I competed in all of the events. I was on the Central Arizona Community College rodeo team, where I competed in barrel racing and breakaway roping. Now along with WPRA barrel racing, I also team rope.

4. What is your horse's name? How old is he or she? Strawberrys Hayday, aka Rizzo. She is an 8 year old mare that my family raised. My sister trained her and gave her to me. We also have a few full siblings to Rizzo and half siblings as well. They are all out of PC Frenchman's Hayday aka Dinero. We've had a lot of success with him as a sire and he crosses well with our mares. My sister is running one of our colts now and getting him ready for next rodeo season.

5. How would you describe his/her style? She has a lot of rate and really cows a barrel like a rope horse. She has a ton of try.

6. Does he/she have any quirks that make them unique? She thinks she is pretty important and she has an attitude. She wants to be your friend though, so we tend to treat her like a person. I have a real special bond with her.

7. What is your riding regiment during rodeo season? I ride Rizzo every day after work. We try to ride our young horses most every day, but during rodeo season, Rizzo is the priority.

8. Do you have any superstitions or quirks when competing? No, I try not too.

9. Do you have any hauling partners? My sister, Emily Parsons.

10. What is your favorite rodeo to compete at? Prescott, AZ , its one of our bigger circuit rodeos. I also like the spring California rodeo run, like Red Bluff and Clovis. Its fun to go and always nice over there.

11. What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you? I signed to play Division I basketball, but I decided to rodeo instead.

12. What is your goal for this rodeo season? To be successful in the Turquoise Circuit and win enough to be in the WPRA top 50.

Name: Kris Rubash Born: Long Beach, CA, April 2, 1969 Residence: Wittmann, AZ Status: single Family: daughters, Sierra, 21 yrs. old and Shawn, 17 yrs. old (both barrel race and Shawn team ropes and breakaway ropes), sons, Bobby, 14 yrs. old and Jake, 11 yrs. old (both are avid hunters), boyfriend Aaron Jeter (steer wrestler) Member of the WPRA since: 2009 Accomplishments: The accomplishment I am most proud of is raising my 4 kids. They are the best kids any parent could ever ask for. I'm so very proud of them.

1. What do you do for a living? I own Frontier Trophy Buckles.

2. What do you enjoy doing outside of riding? I enjoy spending time with my kids. They are my life. My daughter Shawn is currently the Arizona High School Rodeo Queen. Sierra is studying to be a Flight Paramedic. Bobby and Jake both live to hunt. Bobby just got a Blood Hound puppy, Shooter, he is going to train him for Search and Rescue. Jake wants to be in the Air Force. Of course, coming up with new design styles for buckles is my other enjoyment and passion.

3. How did you get started in rodeo? I grew up with horses. I did gymkhanas when I was a kid and small jackpots, but I didn't start to barrel race a lot until I was about 30.

4. What is your horse's name? How old is he or she? Flynn's Shot of Tequila, aka Worm, a 12 year old gelding and Genuine Buddah Bear, aka Buddah, a 9 year old gelding.

5. How would you describe his/her style? Worm, he just wants to be left alone so he can do what he knows how to do. Buddah has to be rode and pushed. If you give him an inch, he will take a mile.

6. Does he/she have any quirks that make them unique? Worm is like a big dog, comes when you call him, licks you, kind of begs for treats. I think he would probably be happiest if we would let him in the house and become a "lap dog". Buddah is just Buddah. He is cranky, no wonder we get along...Hahaha. Both horses belong to my boyfriend who uses them for steer wrestling as well. Worm is his bull dogging horse and Buddah is his hazing horse.

7. What is your riding regiment during rodeo season? I ride at least 6 days a week during season or not. That is my stress relief.

8. Do you have any superstitions or quirks when competing? I always wear green. It's my good luck color. If I don't have it on, my horses do. Drives Aaron crazy to have his horses looking "pretty"... haha.

9. Do you have any hauling partners? My boyfriend Aaron, who is a steer wrestler.

10. What is your favorite rodeo to compete at? I love Cheyenne, WY and would like to compete there someday.

11. What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you? That I have four kids, which is weird because they are all I talk about.

12. What is your goal for this rodeo season? Fill my permit so I can compete at the big rodeos.

Want to learn more about Kris? Visit her website at www.frontierbuckles.com

Name: Penny Conway Born: Denver, CO, 12/13/56 Residence: Payson, AZ Status: Married for 31years Family: husband, Bill, daughter, Katy Taylor (husband Justin) son, Kyle (wife Sarah), 2 grand daughters, Makiah & Mayzee 1 grandson, Kelton Member of the WPRA since: Joined when I was 12 yrs old and have been a member off and on since then Accomplishments: 2001 WPRA World Champion Team Roper, Intercollegiate West Coast Regional Goat Tying and Breakaway Champion, attended college on rodeo scholarships, won horse trailer team roping

2. What do you enjoy doing outside of riding? I am very involved in Christian Cowboy ministry. I also enjoy walking and watching my grandbabies enjoying family & church.

3. Name something that most people don't know about you? I love to go to bed early around 8pm and then get up early at 3 or 4am. I don't talk very well in the morning till I have my coffee!!

4. How did you get started in rodeo? I come from a rodeo family. My dad, Milt Simon competed at the 1st National Finals Rodeo, 1959 and my two brothers, Mark & Jay Simon and nephew, Shain Sproul have also competed at the NFR in team roping. No one in my family has made it in the barrel racing yet, but I'm working on it : I took a break from rodeo for a while to raise my kids and take them to rodeos, but I just got a new horse and am looking forward to competing. Rodeo is still a family affair for me, my son team ropes and all my grandkids compete at gymkhanas.

5. What has been your greatest accomplishment? Winning the WPRA World Champion Team Roping title. Also my Cowboys & Kids program. We have touched a lot of kids and promoted the sport of rodeo in a very unique way.

6. Do you have any superstitions or quirks when competing? No, none at all.

7. What is your favorite rodeo to compete at? I'm looking forward to competing at Tucson, AZ. They were the first big rodeo to participate in the Cowboys & Kids program. We teach approximately 6,000 kids in 3 days there now, and have been teaching there for 17 yrs. I can't wait to be entered hopefully this coming year.

8. Do you have any hauling partners? Who? I go with my husband. He is a really good camera man, driver and friend, so I look forward to it.

9. What is your favorite rodeo memory? I have two…the first was at my first Little Britches rodeo in Greeley, CO, when I was 8 years old. I was competing in the goat tail tying, and as I ran across the arena, my boots got stuck in the mud. I ran right out of them and kept on going in my socks. My other favorite memory was when I won the WPRA World Champion Team Roping title. I had to catch my last steer to win the World. I kept praying and saying, "Lord, I can't do it, Lord you have to do it for me". It was the best loop I ever threw, so God must be a cowboy.

10. What is your horse's name? How old is he or she? Puhleeze, aka "Promise". She is an 8 year old mare. I have only had her a month and a half. I stood on the scripture Hebrews 6:12.. Faith & Patience brings the Promises of God..hence her new name "Promise".

11. How would you describe his/her style? She is a push horse and is real turney. It took months of serious searching to find her, but she is exactly what I was looking for. I plan on taking her to the winter circuit rodeos.

12. Does he/she have any quirks that make them a unique partner? I have only owned 2 mares in my whole life and I didn't like either one of them, but she is such a nice natured horse, that I have changed my mind on the mare issue. My husband, who is a 5th generation rancher, even agrees that she is a nice mare.

13. What is your riding regiment during rodeo season? I like to exercise her every day. I always like to rope on my barrel horses, but Promise hasn't been roped on, so I will start working with her this fall.

14. What is your goal for this rodeo season? Qualify for the Turquoise Circuit Finals. It would be particularly nice to compete there since I helped to set up the circuit system way back when.

Do you want to learn more about Penny's Cowboys & Kids program? Visit her website, www.reachkids.com

Jeannie Moody….

Jeannie has been a member of the WPRA for 3 years.

Background/Accomplishments: Filled permit the end of last year.

1. What is your greatest accomplishment?
I won a round at Sierra Vista while my family was there.

2. Do you have any goals for this rodeo season?
My horse is down right now and may need surgery so I am running my young horses.

3. What do you enjoy doing outside of your horses?
I enjoy watching my 12 year old son play his guitar, and anything with my husband.

4. Do you have someone special that you admire?
I like to watch everyone and learn from all different styles.

5. Name something that most people don't know about you?
I drive a pilot car and escort big vehicles over the road.

6. Do you have any superstitions or quirks when competing?
No I don't.

7. How do you travel to/from rodeos?
With my husband.

8. What is your horse's name?
Sir Bangs

9. How old is he?
11 year old gelding

10. What makes him special?
I purchased him from a horse trader, he isn't the fastest horse but he puts me in the money consistently. He gives his whole heart every time. I have an unbelievable bond with this horse!

11. How would you describe his style?
He is a push horse which matches my style.

12. Does he have any quirks that make him a unique partner?
He loves to prance after he comes out of the arena; he knows when he has done a good job!

13. What do you do to give your horse the 'edge' on the competition?
I feed him a natural paste energy boost.