Bullfighter Donny Sparks returns to the Phillipsburg arena for the ninth time. He brings with him a wealth of expertise in protecting bull riders. He has been chosen to fight bulls in the Wrangler Bullfight Tour 6 times, and three times he was the Wrangler reserve champion bullfighter. He is a three-time Southeastern Circuit Finals Rodeo bullfighter, and a two-time Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo bullfighter.

Donny became a PRCA member in 1989. He makes his home in De Kalb, Texas, with his family.

When we caught up with Donny, he was working a rodeo in Texas. Here are his thoughts on “fill-in-the-blanks.”

The best thing about the Phillipsburg rodeo is . . . . the fellowship at Shelly Ann’s.

If I could change one thing about rodeo in general, it would be . . . . I don’t know. Rodeo’s getting better every year. I can’t think of anything at all.

Sum up the Phillipsburg rodeo in one sentence . . . . it’s the very best rodeo I’ve ever had in August. With the committee that just does a great job and the town and the surrounding area that supports it and backs it and comes out to watch a great show.

The best up and coming bull rider I’ve seen is . . . . there are so many young guys in the PBR. They’re 18 years old and they’re at the highest they can go. Speaking of the PRCA, right now, Matt Austin is the one. He’s a good kid, with a good background, well respected, and tends to business. He’s my pick right now, Matt Austin.

The second bullfighter at Kansas' Biggest Rodeo is Greg Rumohr. Greg is so well-loved by rodeo fans in Phillipsburg that he has his own fan section at the arena named after him – “Rumohr’s Rowdies.” Greg has served as a bullfighter in Phillipsburg for 16 years. In fact, when he moved from Canada to Texas, Kansas' Biggest Rodeo was one of his first rodeos to work in the U.S. Greg has been a bullfighter in the Wrangler Bullfighting Championships 10 times, winning the title in 1990. He was selected to work the Pace Picante ProRodeo Classic in Dallas in 2003.

When not on the rodeo road, Greg lives in Rio Vista, Texas, with his wife and daughter. Greg was glad to share his opinions for “fill-in-the-blanks.”

The best thing about the Phillipsburg rodeo is . . . . the stock and the crowd. The crowd, mostly.

If I could change one thing about rodeo in general, it would be . . . . politics. There wouldn’t be any.

Sum up the Phillipsburg rodeo in one sentence . . .a rodeo I look forward to coming to and enjoy while I’m there. The people enjoy me. I’ve had as much fun at that rodeo as any other rodeo in the world.

The best up and coming contestant I’ve seen is . . . . there’s some good young contestants. I don’t go enough any more to really get close to any of them. I visit more with the horse guys (bareback and saddle bronc riders) than I ever do with bull riders. I don’t ever know them kids’ names. I noticed a kid last year at Phillipsburg, and I looked at Bennie, and I said, “Man, did you see that kid make a spur ride?” and Bennie said, “Man, did he ever.” But I don’t remember that boy’s name.

Rhett Beutler has been working the Phillipsburg rodeo since he was a teenager in the 1980’s. He is the 4th generation of the Beutler family to be part of the Beutler and Son Rodeo Company, the stock contractor for Kansas' Biggest Rodeo. The Beutler family has been bringing their string of bucking horses and bulls to Phillipsburg for nearly a half-century.

Rhett lives in Oklahoma with his wife, daughter and son. Rhett was at home, between rodeos, when we asked him to “fill-in-the-blanks.”

The best thing about the Phillipsburg rodeo is . . . . the crowd, the enthusiasm of all the fans and Rumohr’s Rowdies.

If I could change one thing about rodeo in general, it would be . . . . diesel prices.

Sum up the Phillipsburg rodeo in one sentence . . . .a fun rodeo with lots of nice people. Everybody’s so enthusiastic and they ask about your horses and bulls. Whenever you go eat downtown, everybody asks. I go to a lot of rodeos and nobody ever asks a word about them.

The best up and coming contestants I’ve seen are . . . . well, there’s Matt Austin (bull rider). He rode everything that stuck its head out the gate. You can go back to them bareback riders, that carload of bareback riders, Will Lowe, Royce Ford, Wes Stevenson, and Tom McFarland. Will’s won the world the last 2 years, but any year those other 3 could win it. There’s bound to be a world champion in that bunch, right there, in addition to Will.

Rodeo announcer Randy Corley is no stranger to Phillipsburg rodeo fans. Randy, who is a ten-time PRCA Announcer of the Year, has been entertaining and informing at Kansas' Biggest Rodeo for 22 years! That’s before some of today’s bull riders were born! Randy’s announcing resume includes rodeos such as the Pace Picante ProRodeo Tour Finale in Las Vegas in 2002, and the Pace Picante Prorodeo Classic in Omaha in 2003.

Randy calls Silverdale, Washington, home, with his wife and children. We asked Randy to “fill-in-the-blanks,” and here are his comments.

The best thing about the Phillipsburg rodeo is . . . . The best thing is truly the production of the Beutler and Son Rodeo Company and the fans that respond to it. And the committee who works to bring it all together. But overall, the whole thing is a show, in reality. And the Beutler and Son Rodeo Company puts on an entertaining rodeo that so many great fans enjoy. And one feeds off the other.

If I could change one thing about rodeo in general, it would be . . . . how much they pay the announcer! Why would you ask that question? Seriously, if I could change any one thing about rodeo, it would be a little more understanding between the committees and the cowboys. I’ve encouraged cowboys to talk to a committee, when they have a problem with something, to ask the committee. Because the committee might not even be aware of their problem, and vice versa. They might find there is a real reason why a committee can’t do something, that the cowboys hadn’t thought of. So I would say, a little more hands on contact between the committee and the cowboy, for better understanding.

Sum up the Phillipsburg rodeo in one sentence . . .I don’t think any rodeo in the Midwest has a better fan base that enjoys every performance of their rodeo, in a community of that size.

The best veteran contestant I’ve seen is . . . .you know what, Billy Etbauer. He has maintained 17 trips to the National Finals Rodeo and will make it 18 this year and tie the record. Tom Reeves (retired saddle bronc rider) has the record and Billy’s going to tie it. Billy Etbauer, in all of that time, has never been anything less than a class act. And the guy owns 5 world titles and has been to 17 NFR’s and continues to keep winning. Let me tell you a little something that happened the other day at San Antonio. Billy came back to the final round in the number one spot in the saddle bronc riding, leading the top 12 in total scores. Because of a de-icing problem, he missed his plane to San Antonio and he never made it there and had to turn out of the final round. In Tucson, a week later, he won the first night, and Hadley Barrett (rodeo announcer in Tucson) said to him, “Boy, what a tough deal last week in San Antonio. You were leading it and couldn’t ride in the final round. Billy, how much do you think it cost you to not make it back to San Antonio?” And Billy said, “I don’t think it cost me anything. I’d kinda hurt my hip on my 3rd horse, and it was God’s way of saying, ‘You don’t need to be on that finals horse (in San Antonio.)’
“ The guy is just a class act. There’s nobody like him. What a great role model for anybody, whether it’s a young kid or an older person, to learn from. ”

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