This year was the 30th annual Jim Owens Memorial Ranch Rodeo, also known as the JP Ranch Rodeo, since JP was his brand. Bill and I attended each rodeo since the 3rd rodeo. Missed the first two since we were busy with our cattle. Jim was shipping calves when he died in a corral in Plumas County. He used to buy our calves when we would ship from rented fall feed in Lassen County. “With his passing, there have been many wonderful stories retold about Jim; his love of life and great sense of humor are mentioned by nearly everyone. Some people say that Jim Owens was who John Wayne wanted to be.”

The Founders Award was started in 2025 when the JP Ranch Rodeo Founders: Kenneth Owens, Judd Miller, Tyler Martinez, Bub Raegan, Terrill Ostrum, and Henry Heitman (In Memoriam) chose Pat Cannon as Top Hand.

2026 Founders Award to Snooks Smith, who had two top horses.

2026 Arena Director was Mert Bradshaw; Announcer Steve Smart; Judges: Don Awbrey, Will Pennebaker, Andrew Stieger; PRCA photographer Crystal Amen; PRCA music Austin Lopeman; Secretaries: Patti Martinez, Amanda Bradshaw, Mahlon Owens, Jenn Gruber, Julie Kelley, Ashleigh Martinez; Timers: Jolie Thurston, Jessica Andrews; Pick-up men: Rick Moffett and Riley York. Livestock from Jack Owens Ranches, Colby Camacho, and saddle broncs from Rockin’ M Rodeo.

AR Ranch, Lincoln, CA was first place team receiving the silver buckles and ropes, with Tucker Bourdet, Andy Holcomb, and Chant DeForest. In the finals Saturday night, they sorted seven head wearing red tags in 2.28; counted 79 head in 34 seconds correctly, and Tucker Bourdet had an 84 in bronc riding.

2nd place and the silver spurs to Norcutt Livestock, Ely, NV, with Clay Norcutt and his horse Seth, scoring 150 in finals and 146 in long go on the Top Horse, and receiving a silver bit, handmade headstall, and reins from Jack Armstrong, donated by Orland Livestock Auction. Zalin Arritola was 88 in finals, and 85 in long go bronc riding. Unfortunately, the audio was poor Saturday night on Cowboy Channel Plus, and I don’t know if he won the Wild Ride buckle donated by the committee. Gus King was a calf roper.

The Wildest 2026 Ranch Bronc Horse Ride goes to @cooperwilliams1212 Cooper Williams team was - Chief & the Pale Faces from Wisdom, MT. Thanks for coming all this way to compete in our JP Ranch Rodeo Cooper.

3rd place to Indian Valley Ranch, San Miguel, CA, with Top Hand Tucker Robinson receiving the trophy saddle handcrafted by Judd Miller and donated by Animal Health International. Tucker Robinson scored a 146 in the Ranch Horse finals and 151 in lthe ong go, plus the team received the Stirrups for placing third. Rowdy Russel was a bronc rider, and Danny Leslie was a calf roper. In the long go, they sorted 7 head of cattle with blue tags in 2:23, while finals were 5 head in 2:54.

Lazy Spade Ranch, Red Bluff, was the only local team to make the finals and receive the saddle blankets for fourth place. Tanner Kerr was 146 and 148 in Ranch Horse, with Hank Bunting and Ernesto Madrigal, they were 2.11 in calf branding long go and 2.20 in finals. I missed Hanks time in calf roping due to the audio, and Ernesto had two wild bronc rides that ended before 8 seconds.

Knives were the 5th place award, going to Cal-Ore Livestock with Colton Campbell on ranch horse, Jordan Ketcher calf roping, and Kade Holman as bronc rider. Last year, Cal-Ore Livestock was the top team, with the same contestants. In branding, they were 2.0 and 2.39; they counted 80 heads in 43.1 in long go, but missed one in finals. Jordan was 24.1 in long go calf roping and 41 in finals. Kade was 87 in bronc riding finals.

Halters to Rice and Sparrowk, Clements, CA, for 6th place this year. I believe they have had a team every year since 1997, and 1999 Sparrowk Ranch was the top team, andin 2003 Rice Sparrowk Ranches was the top team. Rich Rice on Scarlett won top horse in 1999 and 2003, and in 2014 he won with Kozy. Thirty years ago, I was on the California Beef Council board with Rich’s father, John Rice, and his parents would attend the JP Ranch Rodeo, and we would visit. Now, Rich and son Daniel, with Chance Machado, are the team.

The 2025 Henry Heitman Scholarship recipients were Madison Duarte, attending Cal Poly; Bayli Ladner, attending Kansas State University; Adelia Martinez, attending Shasta College; Colt Piazza, attending Cal Poly; and Carson Pray, attending Cal Poly also.