Say hello to your 2024 Grand Marshall of the Westward Ho! Parade!
Sankey Pro Rodeo
To qualify for the title of Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year, it's essential to possess champion livestock.
Sankey Pro Rodeo proudly meets this criterion, having supplied premium stock to Pendleton since the 1990s.
In 2023, Sankey Pro Rodeo stood out at the Pendleton Round-Up by having the top bareback horse, top saddle bronc horse, and top bucking bull, a unique triple-crown achievement that no
other stock contractor has managed at Pendleton. Over the years, Sankey has also received numerous other top stock awards at the event. Additionally, Sankey has been providing bulls for the Extreme Bulls bull riding event, previously associated with the PBR, at Happy Canyon Arena since its inception. The Sankey Rodeo Company was established in Kansas in 1979 by Ike Sankey, his older brother Lyle, and their father, Bud.
It all started when Lyle won a horse show. The prize for the horse show win included paid entry fees to a junior rodeo. It was sure that whatever Lyle did, Ike was going to follow. The brothers began to practice at their home in Rose Hill, Kansas before entering their “first rodeo.” As Ike recalls, when they got to the rodeo, they noticed the chute gates were “what they thought” hung the wrong direction! After the rodeo, Ike said their way was better and a lot easier on your knees! This event was the beginning of the Sankey family legacy in rodeo. Lyle became one of the few men in history to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in all three roughstock events. Ike competed at the NFR three times in the bareback riding and one time in the saddle bronc riding. The two brothers and their father put on rodeos in Kansas with the practice stock they had put together for themselves. In time, they each decided to pursue other endeavors. Lyle, along with his wife Kathy, founded Sankey Rodeo Schools. To this day, Sankey Rodeo Schools remains one of the premier rodeo schools in production. Ike continued to breed livestock and produce rodeos. He married Roberta and moved to Wyoming where they produced the Cody Nite Rodeo for eleven years (82 performances per year). Ike and Roberta have a daughter, Ryan, and a son Wade.
As Ike continued to develop the bucking stock, event production was of primary importance. Through his knowledge gained as a contestant and firsthand experience in understanding rodeo production, Ike progressed Sankey by contracting with professional rodeo’s all over the country. He persistently worked to improve every rodeo event for which he was involved. Ike was not the first to breed rodeo livestock strictly for rodeo, but he remains as arguably one of the most successful bucking horse breeders to date. These bucking horse genetics continue to produce the Sankey bucking horse stock of today. Ike’s goal was to put together a string of horses with heavy confirmation, allowing for an even playing field for contestants.
While raising their family and growing the business and breeding program, Ike was also a college rodeo coach (Northwest College, Powell, Wyoming). Ike excelled at mentoring some of rodeos legendary contestants to include Scott Breding, Clint Branger, Marvin Garrett, Rod Hay, Deb Greenough, and Dan Mortenson. Roberta, selected as a timer to the National Finals Rodeo multiple times, continued to provide an integral component to the growth and success of Sankey. Ike, Roberta, daughter Ryan, and son Wade worked tirelessly over the years to make Sankey the company it is today.
Sankey still exists as a family enterprise today. In 2013, the company added a new chapter when Wade and Ryan became part owners. Each individual brought their own unique qualities to the rodeo company. Ryan created the successful social media marketing campaign. She also possesses a vast equine and ranching knowledge. Wade, being a former contestant himself, assumed the bucking horse breeding and management. Together the family continued to grow the company. In 2020, Ike and Ryan sold their interest of the company to Wade and his wife Danielle. Matt and Kelly Scharping, of
Phenom Genetics Inc., became part owners at this time as well. After a very successful career in sales, Matt Scharping began raising bucking bulls. He has become one of the top breeders in professional rodeo and the PBR. Not being from a rodeo background, Matt has brought in new ideas to diversify the company as well as the industry.
With the addition of Phenom Genetics to the company, there has been bull power added to match the legendary horsepower. The Sankey family has had many roles at Pendleton. Ike Sankey was a contestant in the Steer Roping. Roberta has been an event timer for many years. Their son Wade was a contestant in the Bareback Riding. All have worked with the stock at Pendleton. To date, over 400 head of Sankey animals have been selected for the NFR, with 5 World Champion Saddle Bronc halters. Additional accolades include the PRCA Remuda award as well as the nomination for PRCA Stock Contractor of the year 12 times. When asked about Sankey, Randy Bracher, Past President of the Pendleton Round-Up, commented “The Sankey family is synonymous with rodeo; a household name not only in Pendleton but around North America for providing top-notch stock to events.”