Hoffman: Texas Tech's Creasy rides broncs, writes

Luke Creasy is either writing or riding.

He's a Texas Tech senior English major and a prize-winning bronc rider in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

On the college circuit, Creasy clinched the NIRA Southwest Region regular-season title in bareback riding. The victory advanced him to the College National Finals Rodeo, which begin Sunday and run through June 18 in Casper, Wyo.

On the pro circuit, he is ranked 13th in the PRCA world bareback riding standings with earnings of $18,636. If Creasy can finish the regular season ranked in the top 15, he will advance to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas for the first time.

On weekdays, Creasy has focuses on garnering a bachelor's degree at Texas Tech. On weekends, he travels the rodeo circuits.

Creasy, who grew up in Alberta, and has attended Texas Tech on a rodeo scholarship, said people are surprised to learn he competes in a rough-and-tumble sport but focuses on writing scholarly pieces.

"It's my friends who think it's the weirdest, because I'll say the stupidest things, but yet I make good grades," said Creasy, who has aspirations of writing books about rodeo.

Creasy said he was inspired to become a writer while growing up.

"I was never really good at reading and never liked it that much, but when I was 7 or 8, we always had to write a short story in English class," Creasy said. "When I was in the third grade, I wrote a story about liking spaceships, and I won the award at the county fair. From that point on, I thought I was a good writer, and so every year I took it seriously."

Creasy said he was inspired to become a bronc rider after reading ''Ty Murray: King of the Cowboys'', the autobiography of the seven-time world all-around champion. He said he was about 14 when he read Murray's life story, and he began honing his bareback skills on Canadian circuits.

• NCHA cancels shows: The National Cutting Horse Association canceled all shows last weekend (the traditional AQHA/NCHA Weekend) to help prevent the spread of Equine herpes virus-1 among horses.

The NCHA had made plans to work with the American Quarter Horse Association to provide support for a designated show in each of the NCHA's 25 geographic regions last weekend. With that in mind, the NCHA will review the possibility of rescheduling the AQHA/NCHA Weekend.

While NCHA-approved events will resume this week, the association's executive committee, in conjunction with veterinary experts across the country, will be ready to request or impose additional cancellations of events if new occurrences of the EHV-1 virus are discovered.

Southern Belle Breeder's Classes at 2011 AQHA World Championship ...

The Southern Belle Invitation is proud to announce that Southern Belle Breeder’s Classes will be held at the 2011 AQHA World Championship show. Look for Southern Belle Breeder’s Classes in Western Pleasure, HUS, Trail, Western Riding and more! The Southern Belle Invitation continues to seek high profile venues to expand opportunities for its breeders to display their offspring and for exhibitors to have an additional avenue for showing.  Connie Hill commented, as she was boarding a flight, “This program is bigger than me and further I cannot accept credit for its success, it took all of us every step of the way.  A special thanks to all the people (managers, workers, sponsors, trainers and exhibitors) who believed in this futurity and sacrificed for its success since 1994.  Mike Coggin has given up his professional time over the years to successfully market this futurity to the trainers, Chris Darnell has spearheaded the Breeder’s Program to new heights, our core sponsors that we can always count on: Harris Leather and Silverworks , Mastercraft International, Haylo Farms, Masterson Farms, LLC , Leeman Farms, Pine Meadow Farms , Strickland Quarter Horses, SR Gold, Kendall’s, Hylton Quarter Horses, Starnes Insurance, Connie’s Custom, Show Stop Farms and many, many more class sponsors, trainers and exhibitors…….thank you!  This is a great milestone for The Southern Belle Invitation.”

The Southern Belle Invitation now offers Breeder’s Classes at The All American Quarter Horse Congress, APHA World Show and AQHA World Championship Show.

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