Wednesday Mini Mag

General consensus is “The selection committee couldn’t have picked a better one for this important honor.” “Being a pickup man is the best job in rodeo,” Bugbee had surmised. “It’s bittersweet said Rex’s wife, Teri, who accepted the award on Bugbee’s behalf. “I would much rather Rex was here to accept it in person but that didn’t happen. Rex would have really been proud that he was nominated by his peers,” she appreciated Growing up at Emporia, Bugbee had said, “The Flint Hills cowboys were my heroes. I wanted to be like them.” He became friends with renowned rodeo contractor Emmett Roberts, father of rodeo world champions. “Mr. Roberts was an outstanding pickup man and inspired me to be a pickup man,” Bugbee said earlier. Riding in Lyon County and regional horse activities as a youngster, Bugbee started rodeo bull riding as a teenager. “I won some at rodeos, but most importantly, I started picking up for rodeo contractor Jimmy Crowther,” Bugs said. “I owe a lot to Jimmy for helping me get started as a pickup man and working major rodeos,” Bugbee credited. Following his cowboy profession, Bugbee moved to Medicine Lodge in 1977 working for area ranches more than 30 years. Bugbee and wife Teri have two grown sons, Josh and Jay, and granddaughter Ila and grandson Tripp. “They’ve been supportive in all of my cowboy endeavors; especially when being gone so much to rodeos,” Bugbee had recognized. From picking up for Crowther’s JC Rodeos, then New Frontier Rodeo, Bugbee had recently worked mostly for Frontier Rodeo Company.