Saddle up, Moore County! Sandhills Sentinel was given an exclusive look behind the scenes by professional bareback rider Mark Kreder, a third-generation cowboy promising family-friendly fun for all at the upcoming Carthage Pro Rodeo.
Kreder said rodeo has been part of his life for as long as he can remember. Now in his 16th year competing professionally, Kreder will be among the riders featured during the third annual Carthage Pro Rodeo on May 15-16 at the Moore County Agricultural Fairgrounds.
“I’m a third-generation cowboy,” Kreder explained. “My whole family is rodeo.”
Kreder’s grandfather, Bob, started the family tradition in the 1950s. His father went on to become the 1986 world champion bareback rider, while other family members found success in different rodeo disciplines, including roping and pickup riding.
“I could have done something else, but I didn’t want to,” Kreder said.
Bareback riding—which is markedly one of rodeo’s roughest and fastest events—requires riders to stay mounted on a bucking horse for eight seconds using only a rigging handle for support.
“We hold on with what looks like a suitcase handle,” Kreder explained with a laugh, and when asked what the biggest challenge is, he added, “Staying on!”
Whoa, cowboy! Via Mark Kreder on Instagram / Ryder Slane Photography.
Though rodeo is often stereotyped as wild entertainment, Kreder said many first-time spectators are surprised by the sport’s strong family atmosphere and traditions.
“What surprises people is that it’s as family-oriented as it is,” he said, “and how centered it is around God and country and family.”
Kreder, who frequently competes across the East Coast, said rodeo communities are tightly connected and welcoming to newcomers.
“It’s a big family,” he said. “For a lot of us, this is our livelihood, and we bring our families. We have a lot of camaraderie.”
He also pushed back against misconceptions about animal treatment in rodeo.
“We’re not mean to the animals,” Kreder said. “A lot of the animals get treated better than the riders.”
At each event, riders do not know which horse they will draw until arriving at the rodeo grounds. Kreder said he hopes to reunite with a horse called “Big Show,” which he rode during a previous appearance in Carthage.
When he is not traveling the rodeo circuit, Kreder enjoys hunting, fishing, and helping with his family’s construction business back home in Oklahoma. Still, he said rodeo remains his passion.
“I love to get up and do it every day,” he said. “I’m just a God-fearing cowboy who loves America, and that’s about it. I’m pretty simple.”
The third annual Carthage Pro Rodeo will be held May 15-16 at the Moore County Agricultural Fairgrounds. Gates open at 6 p.m., with rodeo events beginning at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $20, while children ages 5 and under are admitted free. The gate is cash only, and parking is $5 per vehicle.
Feature photos courtesy Mark Kreder on Instagram.
Abegail Murphy | Assistant Editor
Written by Sandhills Sentinel assistant editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
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