Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who voted during the PRCA Photo of the Year Contest. After the votes were tallied, the picture Tony Bruguiere captured of me at the famed Cheyenne Frontier Days received 18% of all votes...good enough to finish 2nd place out of the 25 entries. Congrats Tony! You can read the full story at http://www.prorodeo.com/News.aspx?xu=973

On 22 Jan approximately 70 PRCA cowboys/cowgirls made the trek to Steamboat Springs, CO, to partake in the 34th annual Cowboy Downhill. 2008 marked my fourth year to compete in the winner-take-all downhill ski race. The course is tough for cowboys who ski/snowboard once per year (aka me). It must be quite a spectacle to see 70 out-of-control cowboys zooming by trying gamely to stay upright. The course is highlighted by a six-foot jump!

I've already admitted to snowboarding once per year. Nonetheless, my intention is winning! (I mean surviving) This year I was determined to land the big six-foot jump. In previous years I've been a strong contender for the worst wreck champion. My 2007 crash was good enough, or should I say bad enough, to be a featured picture on the 2008 promotional poster.

I'm proud to say I landed the jump this year! In the timed slalom race, I was paired with good friend and world champion Charlie Sampson. Charlie had a little hard luck on the jump and I was able to pull ahead and race to the finish line. When announcer Bob Fiest interviewed me at the finish line, all I could say was how "stoked" I felt landing that jump, especially after three previous failed attempts. Goes to prove if you put your mind to something you can do it. The link below is from the Steamboat Pilot.http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2008/jan/23/tabernash_bull_rider_wins_annual_cowboy_downhill/

The 2008 rodeo season is in full swing and my schedule is taking shape. 2008 will mark my busiest pro rodeo season since entering the Air Force after 9/11. I'm excited to go coast-to-coast and even travel abroad in '08 representing the Air Force & Wyoming alike. My schedule is from New Jersey to California and once again to South Korea. My major stops are at Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Cody Stampede, Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls and the College National Finals - all in the great state of Wyoming! I look forward to keeping you updated with every exciting event. Forever West,Jeremy

Jeremy A. Sparks
Captain, USAF
PRCA Bullfighter
http://www.jeremysparks.com/

Happy New Year!

2001 marked the last time I was at my parents’ home for Christmas…not by choice. The Air Force has a core value “Service Before Self” and previous Christmas’ and New Years have been spent with my brothers and sisters in arms.

It was great trip with time well spent in the company of family and friends in Arkansas. I felt like Santa Clause saved all my gifts since my last homecoming…Lord knows I wasn’t that good of a boy in 2007!

My parents surprised me by giving me a compound bow! It had been a while since my last archery experience but I often think about shooting dozens upon dozens of arrows with my brother Jeff growing up. Ever since harvesting my first Mule Deer, while hunting in Wyoming, I’ve had the hunting fever. My main goal with my new bow was to harvest a Whitetail Deer. As you know time flies when you’re having fun…and running out of time was fast approaching.

December 31st ended up being the only day I had to hunt. My bow was ready to go but with one exception…it needed to be sighted in. Around 1:00 pm my Dad and I arrived at the deer camp to sight-in my bow, by 2:00 pm it was sighted-in and I was in the woods.

It was a touch warm and abnormally windy for Arkansas but I was determined to test my skills. Mind you it had been 10 years since my last archery experience, well except for the few arrows I shot in November while at Bass Pro. Nonetheless, my brother put me on a hot spot and I was convinced to stay until sun down. When my dad dropped me off, my last words were “I’m shooting the first legal deer I see!”

I sat patiently and observed quail, doves and even spiders…everything but a deer. My luck would change at 4:00 pm when a young button buck walked 10 steps from me! Archery hunting is much like playing chest…the wildlife has such the advantage and hunters must calculate their every move in order to avoid being spotted and missing their one chance to harvest the game.

Patience is not my strong point but I was able to wait for the right time to draw my bow back, take aim and release. It was a 15 minute process that seemed to take forever. When I released I knew it was a good shot…I text messaged Jeff and told him I was successful. Before my dad and Jeff could arrive I found the buck and waited for them to arrive.

Within 3 hours of shooting my new bow for the first time, I had my first successful archery hunt!

I asked my brother if he thought I would be successful in the hunt. He replied, “I really didn’t think you would sit and wait!” He’s an avid archer and was proud to see me succeed.