CONTRACT PERSONNEL

Frontier Rodeo Company owner, Jerry Nelson, was heavily involved in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) before starting Frontier Rodeo Company in 1991. His bulls, Big Bucks, Scene of the Crash and Smoke Screen earned PBR Bucking Bull of the Year honors and PBR Bull of the Finals.

A business trip to Freedom, Oklahoma made Jerry fall in love with the land, and he purchased his first acreage in 1997. Now, Frontier Rodeo Company spans over 10,000 acres in northwest Oklahoma and is home to the vast herd of rodeo livestock and over 500 head of beef cattle.

Frontier’s famed bucking horse string began when Jerry purchased 20 head of mares from Harry Vold in 1998. They began a breeding program that has produced award-winning bucking horses for years. Frontier Rodeo’s first horse to be selected to go to the NFR was a Saddle Bronc, Linda Lou. Now an average of 20 head are selected annually for the NFR.

In 2011 they were awarded both Bareback and Saddle Bronc of the Year and were the first rodeo company to do so in the same year; they repeated this again in 2013. Famed 302 Medicine Woman was a 4x PRCA Saddle Bronc of the Year and 83 Maple Leaf earned the 2013 PRCA Saddle Bronc of the Year. Jerry purchased the 2x PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year 215- Full Baggage from Jim and Maggie Zinser to add strength to their string.

Frontier Rodeo has been the recipient of the Remuda Award in 2012 and 2016. This coveted award is presented by the PRCA to a stock contractor for their high caliber herd of bucking horses. They are the current PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year (2023) and have earned this prestigious award a total of 10-times to date. In 2019 they were presented the Stock Contractor of the Year by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) as well.

Jerry is quick to credit both Heath Stewart and Don Gay for the success and growth Frontier Rodeo has accomplished over the years. Stewart became Ranch Manager in 1997 and 8x PRCA Bull Riding World Champion, Don Gay, was hired as the General Manager in 2000.

Heath oversees the day-to-day operations at the ranch and handles rodeo contracts and scheduling. Don can be found on the road co-announcing the bull riding and commentating on telecasts of major rodeos such as the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The Frontier team produces rodeos from Florida to Utah and has produced one of the largest rodeos of the year, The American in Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium since its inception in 2014.

Frontier’s success can be attributed to the dedicated staff and Jerry’s love of rodeo, his foresight to build the business and put knowledgeable people in place to continually keep the business strong.

Ever gone to a rodeo and wondered how the sound and music fit so perfectly with events that couldn’t have been choreographed? You probably have Benje Bendele to thank.

Benje, owner of Crazy Heart Sound & Lighting LLC, is the very best sound producer in professional rodeo. Proof of his status is in one simple statement – he is the official soundman for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and almost all of the largest events in the sport.

The key ingredient that makes Benje the best is an insider’s understanding of what takes place in the arena. Beginning at age 9, Benje began his competitive rodeo career in tie-down roping and team roping.He competed through his college years, and then got into announcing by accident – when an announcer was unable to make it to his appointed post, Benje jumped in. What happened after that has become ProRodeo history.

Benje served many years as an announcer and sound technician. As he developed his skills, Benje noticed there was an avenue of production that had primarily been untapped. “Rodeos have picked up this format,” he said. “They’ve left the traditional brass bands, and they realize that this is another aspect of the performances.”

Really, it’s just a testament to his passion and understanding of rodeo. It’s what makes Benje Bendele the very best.

A dedicated fan of the cowboy as both athlete and individual, Boyd Polhamus’ career has put him behind the microphone at the biggest rodeo events in the world. Polhamus started this life and career as a cowboy in Wisconsin. He was the state’s first three-time All-Around Champion Cowboy on the High School level. That feat earned him a scholarship to compete on the college level in Texas; and that’s where his announcing career began. “It was clear that God gave me a lot more talent with a mic than he did with a rope; so it was an easy decision to go with the announcing,” he said.

Polhamus’ schedule includes about 40 venues a year and close to 170 performances, and that adds up to being on the road between 260 and 280 days a year. Boyd has been married for over 25 years to his wife, Sandee. She travels with him as much as she can, while at the same time taking care of their “Band-Aid Ranch” along with all their pets and animals in Brenham, Texas.

Noted for his depth of research Polhamus’ journey includes many accolades, including Announcer and Production Manager for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s the youngest announcer ever selected to work the NFR, (25 years of age in 1990).He’s been voted the WPRA Announcer and Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association Announcer of the Year multiple times.