By: Kendra Santos
Bareback rider Clayton Biglow and Northcutt-Macza’s badass bucker Stevie Knicks go way back, and have a bit of love-hate history. But Biglow says it’s his bad—and absolutely not the challenging chestnut’s doing—when things go south between them. They both made the best of their July 24 get-together in the finals at the $562,500 Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo in Salt Lake City. Their reunion ride resulted in a gold-medal lovefest and $26,600 on the week for Biglow.
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“I’ve been on Stevie Knicks four times,” said 2019 World Champion Bareback Rider Biglow. “I screwed her up twice, but the other two times were pretty special trips, including tonight. I got on her once when she was a filly, and was 84. She was good, but she was still figuring herself out.
“I got on her again a year later in the Calgary (Stampede) four-man round, and screwed her up bad. She had the best trip of all the horses, and it was my fault we didn’t win it.”
Their rocky long-term relationship took a dramatic turn for the better when Biglow drew Stevie Knicks again in the 10th round at the 2019 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with a gold buckle on the line. They made magic together, won the round—which was his fourth of the week—and clinched Clayton’s first world title. Fast forward to Salt Lake City, where their fourth meeting resulted in a gold medal.
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“I love her,” Biglow said of Stevie. “I wish I could take her home.”
Instead, the native California cowboy left town with his best girl and bride, Annie Rose, who’s the niece of ProRodeo Hall of Fame Saddle Bronc Rider Joe Marvel.
“We’ve been honeymooning in Salt Lake the last three days,” Clayton said. “We’re having a blast. It’s a busy week with a lot of rodeos going on, but it’s well worth being here.
“This is my first WCRA win. They had great horses here all week, and the rules are great, including instant replay. The pay is awesome, and getting $500 to sign autographs is unheard of, not to mention not having to pay any entry fees. I’ll be back.”
About instant replay, which got more than one Cowboy Games call right on review…
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“I’m for instant replay, because there are so many times they say a guy misses a horse out when he didn’t,” Clayton continued. “There are just so many moving objects going on in every ride. It’s hard for judges to make every call right then and there when everything’s happening so fast. Instant replay is awesome, because it gives contestants a chance to make sure the right call is made. I don’t know anyone who’s against making sure the right guy gets the money.”
With 85 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Two Buck Chuck, Richmond Champion—who won the WCRA’s Rodeo Corpus Christi in Texas in May—won the silver medal in Salt Lake City. Nebraska’s Garrett Shadbolt racked up 84.5 points aboard Legend Rodeo’s Uptown Flash for the bronze.
The next WCRA Triple Crown of Rodeo major will be the December 15-18 Cowtown Christmas Championship Rodeo at Cowtown Coliseum in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards.
