Double Bar G holds first rodeo of season in Laramie County

After COVID-19 swept its way through the country and forced many sports, including rodeo, to cancel events throughout the summer at all levels, Jeremy Evans prayed the pandemic wouldn’t force his hand like it has done to so many others.

Evans got his chance, finally, Friday.

Evans is one of three owners of Double Bar G Rodeo, which has held rodeos in Laramie County since 1998 when the organization was called Outlaw Rodeo Series. Evans and the rest of the ownership group also raise bulls, which then are sold to contractors and eventually make their way to bigger rodeos such as the National Finals Rodeo or Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Double Bar G Rodeo is different than most rodeos and offers a truncated lineup with steer riding, bull riding and barrel racing for kids, teenagers and other cowboys and cowgirls looking for competition.

“We put on the event at Archer as an opportunity to give the young kids in the community a place to go and compete and learn the sport the right way,” Evans said.

In April, Evans wasn’t sure Double Bar G Rodeo would be able to move forward as planned with its summer slate. Evans and the rest of the ownership group first met to discuss this summer’s plans in late April.

“We had a couple members that were pretty dead set that we wouldn’t have it,” Evans said.

They decided to wait until May 15 to make their decision. When Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon rolled out new public health guidelines, Evans and Co. waited until June 1.

They were in luck. Laramie County granted Evans the go-ahead for a contestants-only rodeo, preserving five of the six planned rodeos for the summer. Evans got even better news earlier last week: Up to 250 fans would be allowed to attend, free of charge, of course, which is customary for Double Bar G Rodeo events since they’ve been held in Archer.

“For us, raising these bulls, the bull thing is all a time thing; it’s an age thing,” Evans said. “Once they get to a certain age, they need to be at a certain level and when they get to the next age, another year older, they need to be at another level. And so with these rodeos, if they would’ve all been canceled, the future of a lot of these bulls is up in the air without being able to try and train them because once they get to a certain age, then the use of them pretty much diminishes.”

That said, Evans had work to do. The ownership group had to come up with their own guidelines and safety measures for the event. Signs were posted throughout the fairgrounds and the arena encouraging fans and participants to socially distance.

During a normal year, bleachers would be stationed six feet from the fence and about 40 feet from the bucking chutes, providing the ultimate vantage point for spectators. This year, bleachers were positioned outside the arena as another means to encourage social distancing.

The entire process – from waiting and waiting and waiting some more to make a decision to lining up contestants and getting the word out to the public has been exhausting, Evans said. It’s also made all of his and the rest of the ownership group’s efforts that much more worth it.

“We were really kind of thinking there at the end of May that it probably wasn’t going to happen,” Evans said. “And a lot of events that we do go to have been canceled. This was one of those things where it was our last opportunity to make sure we had a place to get trips on these bulls, because with Cheyenne being canceled and a lot of these other places we go to being canceled, there’s going to be a lot of bulls standing around unemployed.”

Staying optimistic

Being able to have the rodeo was a blessing for Evans, and the cowboys competing.

Mackenzie Fair rodeoed for Laramie County Community College from 2013-15. He normally attends many Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeos and Working Ranch Cowboys Association rodeos every year. The pandemic put a sizable dent in his wallet this year, however.

Because most rodeos have been canceled, Fair said he’s only been able to compete in five or six so far – far fewer than what he’d prefer.

“You’ve just got to stay optimistic, just like if you’re rodeoing,” said Fair, who is from Cheyenne but grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado. “If you get bucked off, you’ve just got to stay optimistic and look forward to what’s coming up.”

At 27 years old, Fair utilized the down time over the winter and spring by staying in shape as best he could because he knew, eventually, he’d be back to riding bulls again.

In March, Cody Carpenter was in Kansas City, Missouri, riding bulls when the pandemic first hit. He hasn’t done much rodeoing since.

“You had to find practices under the belt just to get on (a bull),” the 24-year-old from Fort Morgan, Colorado, said. “I don’t have any bucking stock of my own, obviously, to get on, so it’s been pretty tough just to get practice. Now, it’s starting back up, and I’m excited for the rest of the year.”

Canceled rodeos meant no opportunity to make a living for most cowboys.

That hasn’t been the case for Carpenter and fellow bull rider Nathan Hatchel. Carpenter works full-time for Industrial West, a construction company that focuses on telecommunications based out of Fort Morgan. Hatchel is a general contractor and a superintendent of Jordy Construction, which specializes in multi-million-dollar buildouts like Chase Banks and AT&T companies.

“I don’t just rodeo full-time anymore,” said Hatchel, who is No. 174 in the world standings. “But I know a bunch of my friends that rodeo full-time, it’s been pretty hard on them. This whole coronavirus has definitely pulled its weight towards the rodeo guys as well.”

A new normal

Double Bar G Rodeo offered perhaps the first blueprint of what a new normal looks like. Contestants and fans alike were itching to get back into the arena one way or another.

“Obviously, it’s a big part of everybody’s life,” said Carpenter, who made his first appearance at Double Bar G Rodeo.

For some cowboys, they not only compete against one another every time out; they’re also close friends. Being able to reconnect, share laughs and memories while doing what they love was rewarding.

“It’s good to get out and see all my rodeo buddies that I haven’t seen that have been stuck in the house forever,” said Fair, who won the rodeo two years ago.

The same can be said for Hatchel, who also made his first appearance before heading to Grover, Colorado, for another rodeo Saturday.

“I’m just stoked just to go anywhere,” he said. “I’m glad to come rodeo, no matter where it is, if it’s a pro rodeo or if it’s an open deal or a series, I’m just so glad to come and rodeo and do what I love. It adds some extra weight off your shoulders being able to do that.”