New Season starts in Odessa

 

Six of the PRCA's nine 2006 World Champions will compete at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo in Odessa, Texas. 

 

Odessa is the first of 21 rodeos taking part in the new Tour Format this year.  The last one will be in August in Dodge City, Kansas. 

 

The seven performance rodeo in Odessa gets started January 4-6, takes three days off and then will finish with performances concluding with the Tour Round January 13. 

 

The World Champions who skipped Odessa include steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch from Nebraska, Bull rider BJ Schumacher from Wisconsin, and bareback rider Will Lowe from Texas. 

 

"I'm just taking a break," Lowe said.  "I decided not to enter Odessa or Denver and thenc come back to ride in Rapid City."  I need a little time off."

 

Lowe won more than $280,000 and his third world title last year.