Native Arkansan returns to rodeo

Jon Carpenter of Whiteboro, Texas, originally from Atkins, competes Thursday in the steer wrestling. during the 72nd Rodeo of the Ozarks at Parsons Arena in Springdale. Visit nwadg.com/photos to C see more photographs from the rodeo.
Jon Carpenter of Whiteboro, Texas, originally from Atkins, competes Thursday in the steer wrestling. during the 72nd Rodeo of the Ozarks at Parsons Arena in Springdale. Visit nwadg.com/photos to C see more photographs from the rodeo.

SPRINGDALE -- Jon Carpenter left the rodeo scene nearly four years ago to spend more time with his family, but the 36-year-old Atkins native just couldn't stay away.

Carpenter secured a solid time of 4.1 seconds in the steer wrestling event on Thursday evening during the 72nd Rodeo of the Ozarks in Parsons Stadium.

Rodeo of the Ozarks

WHEN: Today through Saturday, gates open at 6 p.m. and rodeo begins at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Parsons Stadium, Springdale

ADMISSION: $15 to $23 for grandstand seating; $25 for box seats; $38 for Buckle Club seats; children, $7 for grandstand seating.

INFO: www.rodeooftheozark… or call (877) 927-6336.

Rodeo of the Ozarks

Thursday's results

NAME^POINTS/TIME

BAREBACK RIDING

Evan Jayne^82.5

Kelly Timberman^80.5

Frank Morton^76.5

Trey Chambliss III^71

STEER WRESTLING

Jon Carpenter^4.1

TEAM ROPING

Cody Heflin/Ben Hogan^5.9

Wes Kent/Trace Porter^6.6

Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward^7.1

Adam Newcomb/Chad Harper^10.8

Destry Graham/Tanner Braden^11.3

Tim Pharr/Zac Wilson^17.2

TIE-DOWN ROPING

Tyler Layton^10.5

Mike Johnson^13.0

Tyler Milligan^13.7

Polo Bacque II^19.6

West Smith^19.9

BARREL RACING

Ivy Hurst^17.2

Shelley Ward^17.7

Kimberly Cockrell^17.7

Bailee Snow^17.9

Sherri Lucas^17.9

Kyra Travis^18.0

Tana Poppino^22.9

Kasi Prather^23.5

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Zeke Thurston^89.5

Jacobs Crawley^88.5

Cody DeMoss^84

Blane Stacy^82

Sterling Crawley^78

Taos Muncy^78

Mason Laviolette^77

He was the lone cowboy to get a time in the event on Thursday, but Carpenter still came away pleased in just his third rodeo back out of retirement.

"I went third at Licking (Mo.) and placing third here, so a pretty good go," Carpenter said. "My horse kinda got me on my first one here, but came back and got a pretty good go here."

Carpenter, who got his pro rodeo card at 17, decided it was time to step away from the rodeo life about four years ago for health and family reasons, but conditions changed and now he's back on the circuit.

"I had some kids and decided I needed to stay home," Carpenter said. "I got hurt a couple times three or four years ago. But I'm back healthy again. Me and my wife kinda visited about it around the first of the year and decided I would get back at in shape and get back at it.

"I trained horses and showed quarter horses. I moved to Texas about seven years ago to be closer to the rodeos and the moved my business down there. But then I got kinda burned out on that and was ready to go back to rodeoing."

Carpenter's planning to stay closer to his Whitesboro, Texas, home on the Fourth of July -- dubbed Cowboy Christmas because of the sheer number of rodeos across the country around that time. But he said changing the date of the annual Rodeo of the Ozarks is a good thing for the cowboys in general.

"It helps a lot if you're going out West," Carpenter said. "You can leave from here and stay out there a couple months where before we had to fly back and forth a lot.

"This has always been one of the better rodeos to start the Fourth of July run," Carpenter said. "This is the one we started with every year."

Sports on 06/24/2016

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