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POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Day two of the Bannock County PRCA rodeo brought more excitement, talent and fierce competition to Pocatello at the matinee show on Saturday afternoon. The PRCA team of announcers, bullfighters and of course, Dustin “The Jester” Jenkins as rodeo clown, bring the event to life. As the final results rolled in, Idaho cowboys made the top three in multiple competitions.

Rodeo announcer Kade Rogge is from Paul, Idaho and says it’s something special to bring pro rodeo back close to home in Pocatello. “It was always a big moment for me as a kid to come and see all my heroes,” Rogge said. “It means a little more to me this week that pro rodeo is back in Pocatello, I tell everybody that Idaho is the Texas of the north.”

He said pro rodeo can be overlooked in Idaho, but the local talent is truly inspiring. “In my humble opinion, the Wilderness Circuit is one of the toughest circuits in pro rodeo out of the 12, and they [Idaho cowboys] prove themselves time and time again at the national finals, NFR open, places like that,” Rogge said.

With so many nationally ranked cowboys, the competition is fierce right in Bannock County.

Hundreds came to the Bannock County Fairgrounds both for the evening show on Friday night and the matinee on Saturday. The afternoon show also featured a horse race following the rodeo, which many fans were excited for.

Big Bucks Pro Rodeo doesn’t just give away money prizes to the winners of each competition, they give away custom belt buckles.

“Not very many people give away belt buckles anymore,” Rogge said. “And not only for the contestants, but if you show up and you’re the wildest, craziest fan and you have the most fun out of anybody, you got a shot to win a belt buckle.”

The crowd and the announcer alike both love the bareback riding competition, when the energy in the stands is high and the stakes on the riders are higher. Rogge said the cast of bucking bulls in Bannock County with Big Bucks and Summit Pro Rodeo bulls is top-notch.

“This town is a big time rodeo town, and it’s been over a decade since we’ve had a professional rodeo, we want to keep it here,” Rogge said. “You do that in your town by buying a ticket, come support it.”

Pocatello Mayor Mark Dahlquist was in attendence at the Saturday afternoon show, stating it’s incredibly exciting to have pro rodeo back in Pocatello after such a long hiatus.

“I’m just really pleased and excited that PRCA Rodeo is back in Pocatello,” Mayor Dahlquist said. “I know the organizers have done a really great job of putting this together, so I’m out here to support it. I think it’s going to grow and grow and it’s exciting for our community.”

Several Idahoan cowboys placed in their respective competitions. Details and photos are below.

Lucas Cruz out of New Mexico took the All Around Cowboy first place prize. The PRCA gave out a total of just over $42,000 in prize money over the weekend.

All photo credits to Greg Westfall, pro rodeo photographer.

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 Board of Trustees is actively seeking applications to fill an upcoming vacancy following the resignation of long-time board member Jim Facer.

On Thursday, May 21, the board accepted Facer’s resignation, which will take effect on June 8, 2026. Facer served two separate tenures on the board—first from 2012 to 2015, and again from 2020 to the present—culminating in more than nine years of combined service.

According to District 25, Facer has been a staunch advocate for public education. During his tenure, he guided the district through major initiatives, including the development of the Pocatello Valley Technical Education Center (PV-TEC), and was widely recognized for his thoughtful leadership and unwavering commitment to students.

“Jim has served this district with integrity, consistency, and genuine care for learners and families,” said Board Chair Raymond Knoff. “His leadership and dedication to public education have made a lasting impact on our district and community.”

Timeline for Filling the Vacancy

Following the acceptance of Facer’s resignation, the Board adopted a resolution declaring a vacancy for the Zone #3 trustee seat. Under Idaho code, the Board has up to 90 days to appoint a qualified replacement to serve out the remainder of Facer’s term.

The Board has established a preliminary timeline to review applications, conduct interviews, and swear in the new trustee.

Residents of Zone #3 have until Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. to submit their resumes and letters of interest. Following a review of residency and qualifications, the Board will host candidate interviews on June 25 and Monday, June 29, in the East Fork / West Fork Board Rooms. If a candidate is selected at the completion of this process, they will be sworn in and administered the Oath of Office at the regular board meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.

To be eligible for the role, applicants must permanently reside within the boundaries of Trustee Zone #3. Prospective candidates are highly encouraged to review the district’s interactive zone boundary map online HERE.

For more information or to submit an application, click HERE.

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The Bannock County PRCA Rodeo is finally back in Pocatello, bringing intense competition, clown comedy, and stellar trick riding cowgirls to the community.

“It’s the best show on dirt. Rodeo is the number one sport in America,” stated Dustin Jenkins, rodeo clown for PRCA. “It’s the reason why sporting events go on today.”

The show is partnered with Big Bucks Rodeo to bring nationally ranked and competitive cowboys to perform and compete in many events. Attendees can look forward to 15 bull riders each night, bronco riding, trick riding, team roping and an Indian relay race.

“There’s some NFR stock here, some NFR guys too,” said Lelo Garcia, PRCA bullfighter. NFR means national finals rodeo, meaning cowboys from there compete at the highest level and showcase their top-notch talent. “It’s going to be epic, especially in the bullriding with 15 bull riders each night.”

Something special about the shows is the award given to one lucky fan by Jenkins as the rodeo clown. The “Fan of the Night” Big Bucks Buckle is awarded to the loudest fan in the crowd.

“Each night gets a buckle and I’ll give it away, they can take this thing home, it’s gorgeous,” Jenkins said. “So that’s the fun thing about the performance is getting to give stuff away.”

Jenkins added no matter where he is, the crowd is his favorite part of every show. He not only saves lives by distracting the bulls once they’ve tossed off the rider, but provides entertainment throughout dead spots in the show.

“It’s me and him [the announcer] all night long, we try to put on a performance to make sure everybody’s happy that’s here,” Jenkins said.

The rodeo world isn’t for the faint of heart, but these two have been at it for years, and wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I’ve always liked mean cattle,” Garcia said. “Since I was a little kid, it didn’t make sense to me that everybody sells them and gets rid of them, I love them. There’s some mean ones that will be out at the shows.”

For tickets and showtimes for this weekend’s shows, visit https://www.bannockcountyprcarodeo.com/.