08/30/2026
There are some people you meet through an event who become so much more than people you simply work with — they become part of your rodeo family.
I want to personally thank Justin Thigpen and the entire T-t Rodeo Company family, Kye and Stephanie Lamm and everyone with Sundown Cattle Company, and our incredible announcer and MC, Matt McGee, for everything they poured into Shields & Spurs Pro Rodeo.
You all didn’t just show up to do a job — you showed up with heart.
Justin and the T-t Rodeo family, thank you for the countless hours, the hard work behind the scenes, the livestock, the production, and for doing everything possible to make sure this rodeo was something we could all be proud of.
Kye, Stephanie, and the Sundown Cattle Company family, your support, all the work behind the scenes with the livestock and the encouraging words meant more than I could ever put into words. Thank you for standing beside us, believing in this rodeo and its purpose, and giving your time, hard work, and heart to help make it successful.
And Matt McGee — thank you for being the voice of Shields & Spurs.
A great announcer does so much more than call what is happening in the arena. You set the tone, kept our crowd involved, brought excitement when it was time to have fun, and helped us slow down and remember the meaning behind this rodeo when it mattered most.
Having someone with Matt’s experience and talent behind the microphone was truly an honor, but what meant the most to me was the heart he brought with him.
This rodeo has never been just about putting cowboys on bulls or filling an arena.
It is about Dylan.
It is about honoring our law enforcement officers.
It is about remembering those who gave everything.
It is about bringing a community together for something bigger than ourselves.
And every one of you understood that.
When I stood there and watched everything come together, I couldn’t help but feel proud — not because of anything I had done alone, but because I looked around and saw an incredible group of people who had taken my vision and helped bring it to life.
Justin, Kye, Stephanie, Matt, and all of your families — thank you for believing in Shields & Spurs. Thank you for believing in me. And most importantly, thank you for helping us make sure Dylan’s memory and the meaning behind this rodeo were honored the way they deserved to be.
I will never forget what you all did for us.
T-t Rodeo Company, Sundown Cattle Company, and Matt McGee — you will always have a special place in the Shields & Spurs family. ❤️💙🇺🇸
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
It’s more than a rodeo. It’s a tribute. And it takes some pretty incredible people to bring that tribute to life.
Sundown Cattle Co
Justin Thigpen
Matt McGee
Stephanie Lamm
Laura Kerley Thigpen
