- [Announcer] Let's go.

(audience cheering) (upbeat music) - Johnny Weldon, who was the mayor of Clovis, he was a little kid at the first rodeo and he remembered the first rodeo, watching it through the cars.

They parked the cars in a circle and bucked some horses.

- [Announcer] They told me they can.

Whoa.

- You did pretty good in yours.

I think we should probably just stick with yours today because you did pretty damn good.

- Saddle bronc riding is the original sport in rodeo.

It is the very first event in rodeo.

It all started with a horse that couldn't be ridden and a cowboy that couldn't be bucked off.

- Hey, you're getting on Ringo, Cash, not unicorn.

I don't think you're man enough to get on that one.

- My family's been in the cattle business for over a hundred years, and so growing up it was always, you know, come up here on the weekends, come to the ranch, come to the mountains on the weekends and help feed the cows, help, you know, fix fence, work, cows, do whatever.

Rodeo really is unique in the sense that it comes from ranching.

I mean, the events you even see today have a direct correlation to what we do or what we have done on the ranch.

- Now it's no time to think, now.

Trust yourself.

- [Announcer] Looking at this section right over here, section F, you are beautiful.

- And with the history and the history of rodeo, and the Western way of life, it's important, especially this town of Clovis.

And we preach about it, we talk about it all the time that this is a very important sport because of the tradition, and we keep it moving along the best we can.

- You know, I love to talk to the, especially the guys that have been around forever and hear the stories about, you know, the rodeo in the old days, and there's just always stories that come out that are entertaining, and interesting, and historical.

- And a lot of people say, "Oh, you make it look so easy."

And that's the point (chuckles).

That's the point.

That's what I want it to look like.

- You know, when we started, I think Clovis was a thousand dollars per event added rodeo and was two days, and this last year were five performances and we had 28,500 to every event in the rodeo.

We're the second largest rodeo in California.

- [Announcer] Oh my gosh.

- It's so nice to get to represent the people in the AG world here in the Central Valley.

At the NFR I get so many people coming up to me saying, "Oh, we watch you, we're from Tulare, "we're from Hanford, we're from Kingsburg."

You know, there's so many small little AG communities around here and they love rodeo and it's awesome to represent them.

(audience cheering) (upbeat music) - [Narrator] Production funding for American Grown, my job depends on AG.

Provided by James G. Parker Insurance Associates, insuring and protecting agribusiness for over 40 years.

By Gar Bennett, the Central Valley's growing experts.

More yield, less water, proven results.

We help growers feed the world.

By Brandt Professional Agriculture, proudly discovering, manufacturing, and supplying the AG input that support the heroes who work hard to feed a hungry world every day.

By Unwired Broadband, today's internet for rural central California, keeping valley agriculture connected since 2003.

By Hodges Inc, battery storage systems.

Would you rather invest in PG&E's infrastructure or your own?

By Harrison Co, providing family farms with the insights they need to make the best possible strategic M&A and financial decisions.

By Sierra Valley Almonds, dedicated to sustainable agriculture and water efficiency for a brighter farming future.

By Cal Pacific Supply, providing agriculture, the field supplies needed to keep field operations on track.

And by Valley Air Conditioning and repair, family owned for over 50 years, dedicated to supporting agriculture and the families that grow food for a nation.

(gentle music) - [Trainer] Let's go.

Come up, couple more, come on.

One more, come on kiddo.

- Yeah, exactly.

- My name's Lefty Holman, I was named after a baseball player, I now ride bucking horses, made the NFR three times, reserve world champion.

Just striving to get to that number one spot, that's what I'm chasing, that's what I'm here for, that's why I work my butt off every single day.

I've been blessed with opportunities and family along the way, my dad being one of those, probably the number one guy, He's always pushed me in everything I do, whether that's calf rope and team roping, cutting, and now riding bucking horses.

He's always been right there behind me and I come from a family of rodeo stars.

My uncle being one world champion, my grandpa's made the NFR several times.

Big family rodeo, yeah.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) I was always in the rodeo arena and I always knew that that's where I was meant to be.

And I'm 25 now, just looking back at my career and growing up as a kid, I always wanted to be one of the top rodeo athletes and it's pretty cool being one of those guys now, I'm literally living out my childhood dream and I'm super blessed to.

(upbeat music) The NFR is our Super Bowl is how I explain it.

That's the highest level you could get to.

Winning the world championship is the highest thing you could ever achieve in rodeo.

So that's what we want, that's what you strive to be, that's why you drive hundreds of thousands of miles a year with just that one thing on your mind, and that's a world championship.

I've been close, I've been close a couple times.

I was a second in 2022, came down to one horse and it was super close.

So I have that feeling, you know, that a gold buckle's in the future for me and that's why I continue to work hard.

(mechanical bull clattering) - Keep doing that.

- That looks good.

- Keep doing that.

- That looks good.

- That looked really good, dude.

- Saddle Bronx riding is the original sport in rodeo.

It is the very first event in rodeo, it all started with a horse that couldn't be ridden and a cowboy that couldn't be bucked off, and rodeo's kind of built around this event and it's an honor to be in this event because my family, Joe Marvel, Pete Marvel, Mike Marvel, John Holman, my grandpa, they've all made the NFR so they've paved this path for me, I feel like, and it's such an honor to keep the family name going, you know, Lefty Holman, every time they talk about me in the announcer stand, they're always talking about my relatives, my uncles, my grandpa.

So it's an honor to carry on the family name.

(upbeat music) - As a rodeo goes, you know, we produce our own events.

A lot of rodeos have their stock contractors produce it, but we produce our own event 'cause we know what our fans like, and it makes it a little more, not work, but you care a lot more.

And you know, I want, as a shoot boss, I want this rodeo to keep rolling in front of the bucking stock.

I want this guys coming out time after time, right, so there's no delay.

Concessions, they wanna make sure that everybody's got little food lines are going quickly, drink lines, people bringing cars in, that's a tough job.

I mean, there's so many moving parts that you don't really have a clue until you kinda sit back and watch and the greatest thing, you know, I think is we're all volunteers.

There's not one person, except for the contract personnel in the contract and the announcers, they get paid, but everybody from the Rodeo Association, except for maybe people working in the ticket booth, we're all volunteers and you can't say enough about 'em.

And they hardly ever say no.

I mean, they don't say no.

And I know when I call 'em they go, "Oh no, what's Ron want now?"

But lately, these last few years, it's done.

"What up, I got it."

So, I mean, pretty well tuned machine we got going on right now.

- [Announcer] You get the right cowboy the right matchup, this is one of our top rookies of the year right here.

Come on Brady, stick it on me.

Yes, yes.

(upbeat music) We are looking at our pro officials and we are getting a thumbs up.

They said yes, he was there, he made it.

(upbeat music) (gentle music) - [Interviewer] Why is rodeo important to the traditions of ranching, cattle ranching specifically?

- Well, I think it's more important to the people that are involved in it because it keeps the traditions alive that have gone on for years and Clovis Rodeo has gotten to be an event.

I mean, it really has, and it's gotten to be a place where you go to see all your old friends maybe once a year, you know, and a lot of people come back from out of town that have moved, you know.

I mean, a lot of our ex directors have moved to Texas, you know, and they come back for the Clovis Rodeo because they know, you know, it's a good time and everybody's gonna be there and it's a good show, good family show, and so that's, you know, I think the people part of it is really almost as important as the tradition part of it, I think.

- [Announcer] He just took the new rodeo coaching job at the Feather River College and they just won a round in fort on the horse.

Let's go (indistinct).

(audience cheering) (upbeat music) - [Interviewer] What's your favorite event at the rodeo?

- You know, if I had to say, I like the barebacks.

Those guys, I mean, they have to be, like my dad say, it's artistic.

I mean, they have to balance themselves.

You know, they don't have much as far as as staying on that horse and they somehow stay on and, you know, watching 'em get bucked off is fun too, so (chuckles).

- [Announcer] They told me they can.

Whoa.

(upbeat music) Oh my God.

(upbeat music) Oh missed the landing.

Shoot the lightning buddy, shoot the lightning.

That was a lot of fun right there, I know it was.

Yeah, the comradery is amazing in the sport.

The guy that is winning the rodeo could be right next to you, helping you out, helping you get on your bucking horse and cheering for you.

And it's great because they are truly happy for you in this sport, which makes it amazing.

But if you do get the win, it's like, "Ah, I got you," you know, and they might get you at the next one, but it's a brotherhood, it's fellowship, it's camaraderie, it's a great group of guys to be with.

(gentle music) - Such a special place in the central California, you know, the weather's great, we have a really unique agriculture industry community.

And so growing up, getting to know all of the people, all of the involvement and seeing how, you know, ranching really impacts that, and just, it's been so fun to just like I said, be more involved.

Actually, I'm the fifth generation cattle rancher here in Madera County and that also translates to, in the high Sierras of fifth generation to be here at our mountain permit.

And it's kind of special because we run cows in the lower country in the winter, in the spring, and then in the summertime they get to come up out of the dry grass of the valley in the lower country, and they come to the high country about 7,000 feet to green feed.

Mountain permits through the forest service are, you're handed down really generation to generation.

They can be changed hands a little bit, but yeah, those, those main permits that are here are the ones that are still here.

So the cows, they have their own, you know- - Connection.

- Yeah, connection to the Sierras.

They come here pretty much their whole life, you know, from the year they're born as calves and they come up as cows and they get to stay here and bring their calves, and it's really something special to share.

Like I said, the connection to not only the cows but the people and the tradition and just maintaining that legacy of running cows in the forest, they're different kind of cows.

They know the country, they know the times of years.

They can tell when the weather starts to change and they'll start, you know, moving to where they know they're gonna go home.

So they're really pretty cool.

My connection to rodeo itself kind of started, I was probably eight or nine and I started going and learning how to be a barrel racer and barrel race and so, you know, spend time with your horse and that was kind of the fun thing.

So I got into rodeo that way.

Then I got to college and I started college rodeoing at Fresno State, and so that kind of brought me closer to the rodeo production side of things and, you know, my love for the actual event, not just going and participating, but putting one on, putting one together, all the pieces that go with it.

So that was my real connection to rodeo and that's how that got started and it's just gotten better.

- About four years ago we started a bronc match here in California, we didn't have a bronc match here, so we created one called Battle Of The Best, right here in Coarsegold, California in the Central Valley.

It's the top 30 guys in the world competing head to head in a tournament style format, winner wins 25,000, it's huge in the world standings, it could catapult you to a world title.

It's a huge event right here in the Central Valley and we teach a two day clinic two days before and help the up and coming bronc riders.

We get a lot of help, a lot of great contractors come out here.

Some of the best horses in the country right in your backyard here in the Central Valley.

It's a great event and I'm super blessed to be a part of it.

- [Announcer] This is the year that he wants the gold.

He wants to bring the world title right back to Visalia, California.

He is the king of California, Lefty Marvel Holman.

(upbeat music) It's super Saturday in Coarsegold.

That is what we are all in store for.

Welcome everybody.

How do you feel on this beautiful day in California, make a little noise, come on.

(upbeat music) - [Lefty] I love giving back to the sport.

You know, any ways I could give back to the sport, I love it, you know.

Seeing these younger guys or sometimes older guys getting to fulfill their dreams of being a bronc rider and make the pickup man and set short time goals and achieve those, that's what I love so much about the sport and I love seeing the up and comers succeed.

- Grab hold of the chutes and go back and forth, back and forth and it'll make them take a step forward.

(gate clattering) (upbeat music) - [Coach] Spur now, Cash, spur.

Keep spurring, yes sir, keep with them.

Double grab, double grab, double grab.

Good riding.

- [Spectator] Good job.

- Good job, Cash.

- Great job, dude.

(upbeat music) - Yeah, the camaraderie's amazing here.

You know, as you could see there's a lot of guys hanging around talking to each other, talking about horses, talking about their draws.

You'll see each and all of us helping each other on the back of the bucking chutes cheering for one another.

It's a great group of guys, especially if you see this top 30 in the world.

We all got the same goal and we all push each other to achieve those goals.

(people laughing) - I can't tell you where it fell off in, but.

(people laughing and chattering) - So pull?

- Yeah pretty hard there.

(upbeat music) - [Interviewer] You know what horse you drew?

- Yeah, so I got Summer Camp from Mike Cory's.

I got on him in 2020 in Ellensburg, Washington, made a good ride.

When I got off, I fell off right after the whistle and busted my arm, broke my arm in half so we're gonna get some redemption today (laughs).

(upbeat music) ♪ Put your hands in the air ♪ ♪ This is not a warning ♪ ♪ Pump ♪ ♪ This ♪ ♪ Floor ♪ ♪ Pump ♪ - You get a little worried about it, you get a little worried about all the anti rodeo people, but I think whenever they do look into the sport and are knowledgeable on the sport, they see how well these animals are getting taken care of.

It's so hard to talk about this stuff because people don't understand how these contractors and these owners of these animals love these creatures, you know, this is their world, you know, and these horses and these bulls and broncs, they're treated like million dollar athletes because a lot of them are.

- [Announcer] We believe in you.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - [Lefty] They're spoiled (laughs).

A lot of these horses and real bulls, broncs, you know, they're living a very lavish life for a horse and they love their job, you know.

These crazy beast of bucking horses we get on are just sitting in the bucking chute, calm as could be, not batting an eye.

But whenever that gate opens, they know they have a job to do and so do you.

But it's pretty awesome getting to be in sync with these crazy bucking horses because at 1,700 pounds they could do anything to you that they want, but they choose not to.

I've had many of 'em jump right over me, you know, they're amazing creatures and it's whenever you're in time with a bucking horse, on the same page as they are, it feels like you're flying, it's the best feeling in the world.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - Looking at this section right over here, section F, you are beautiful.

Are you all having a good time.

Gorgeous.

Matt, put some pants on, what are you doing?

You're good.

If you're not with the fan, you better get to hollering because we are one song away from Rodeo Tide.

- When you go to the grocery store and there's a bucking horse or a bull, you know, on top of the cash register, you know, a little silhouette, and then you look at the street signs and they got the bucking horses on 'em.

You look at the flag for Clovis, the city of Clovis, and it's got the bucking horse on the flag just like our, you know, similar to our logo.

We identify with Clovis, when you talk about Clovis, people think about the rodeo and it, it's the biggest event that happens every year in this town, you know, and, they tell us, the city tells us, that, you know, a year or two ago we had a $15 million imprint on this town, you know, financial imprint on it.

So I mean, that tells you something.

And, you know, we've always worked closely with the city council and I think they realize the importance of the Clovis Rodeo also, not just from the standpoint of putting on a show five days a year, but what goes on year round, I mean, the people that use this building, the people that use our parking lot, the people that use our lawn area, and a lot of the times we give it to 'em for nothing or at a discount, you know, depending on if they are, you know, if they're non-profits or not, and so on.

And so, you know, all that makes a difference when it comes to talking about the City of Clovis and Clovis way of life.

And I think, you know, it's a pretty good place to raise your kids, I found that out, and I think a lot of other people have found it out also.

And when, you know, when you look in the newspaper, the ads for homes and it says in Clovis School District, well, you know, that's part of the draw, you know.

And so we all work together to make Clovis a better place to live and I think it's one of the nicest place to live in the valley.

(upbeat music) (audience cheering) - [Announcer] But by a half a point, Lefty will move in to the number two spot, 86.5.

86.5 but he did what he could do.

Fans, that is your cowboy.

- It's hard to explain, but the AG world and the western heritage and your cowboys, it's all tied in the one it feels like.

And it's amazing because it's not about the achievements, it's about the people you get to share this with and the AG world, AG community, the western way of life, it's all one and I'm so lucky to be a part of all that.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Production funding for American Grown, my job depends on AG.

Provided by, James G. Parker Insurance Associates, ensuring and protecting agribusiness for over 40 years.

By Gar Bennett, the Central Valley's growing experts.

More yield, less water, proven results.

We help growers feed the world.

By Brandt Professional Agriculture, proudly discovering manufacturing and supplying the AG input that support the heroes who work hard to feed a hungry world every day.

By Unwired Broadband, today's internet for rural central California, keeping valley agriculture connected since 2003.

By Hodges Inc, battery storage systems.

Would you rather invest in PG&E's infrastructure or your own?

By Harrison Co, providing family farms with the insights they need to make the best possible strategic, M&A, and financial decisions.

By Sierra Valley Almonds, dedicated to sustainable agriculture and water efficiency for a brighter farming future.

By Cal-Pacific Supply, providing agriculture the field supplies needed to keep field operations on track.

And by Valley Air Conditioning and Repair, family owned for over 50 years, dedicated to supporting agriculture and the families that grow food for a nation.

(upbeat music)