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WORK TITLE: Go West
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 5/31/1977
WEBSITE: https://www.jeremysparks.com/
CITY: Fayetteville
STATE: AR
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://www.worldcat.org/title/go-west-10-principles-that-guided-my-cowboy-journey/oclc/950958785&referer=brief_results *
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: nr 98040228
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/nr98040228
HEADING: Sparks, Jeremy
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953 __ |a xx00
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PERSONAL
Born May 31, 1977, in Helena, AR; son of Elmer and Claudie Sparks; married Jamie Jordan; children: three sons.
EDUCATION:University of Arkansas-Monticello, B.A. (magna cum laude); Trident University International, M.B.A. (summa cum laude).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Bullfighter and author.
MIILITARY:U.S. Air Force, 2001, representative bullfighter.
MEMBER:Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Lambda Pi Eta honor society, Alpha Chi honor society.
RELIGION: Christian.WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Since his youth, Jeremy Sparks held a major interest in rodeo—or, more specifically, bullfighting. He has been riding since the age of 14; that same year, he began his tutelage under Donny Sparks, a senior bullfighter who had also made a name for himself in the sport. However, Sparks’s dreams came crashing down in an instant after an electrical mishap left him too injured to ride. Because of this setback, Sparks decided to focus on his studies. It wasn’t until later that he went back to the rodeo, riding as a representative of the University of Arkansas-Monticello. It was this opportunity, as well as several appearances at novice events, that began to cement his notoriety.
However, Sparks decided to put his career on hold yet again to join the military in the year 2001. This decision was influenced by the devastation left behind at the World Trade Center. Sparks became part of the Air Force, and went back to the rodeo a short time later. It was at this point that he began gaining international recognition. He began bullfighting as a representative of the U.S. Air Force, and appeared as a competitor in the Cheongdo International Bullfighting Festival in the year 2002. He also began developing a rapport with the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Throughout his career’s duration, Sparks has earned several endorsements and awards, including a spot in the Rodeo Hall of Fame, sponsored and maintained through Cheyenne Frontier Days. By 2010, Sparks made the decision to step down permanently from his rodeo career. He is now involved in business, and resides in Arkansas with his wife and sons.
Go West: 10 Principles that Guided My Cowboy Journey serves as Sparks’s official autobiography, detailing both his life as a rodeo bullfighter and his main influences for delving into his initial interest in the sport. Sparks cites his involvement in Christianity as a major inspiration behind his bullfighting days, as well as many other facets of and events within his life. The “10 principles” described in the title and the book were a concept imparted to him by his former mentor, Donny Sparks. It is these same principles that Sparks applies to the rest of his life as he tries to find his way in the world, share his faith with others and figure out just what his faith means to him. One Publishers Weekly reviewer commented that “the story is always exciting and flows seamlessly across times and places.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, December 12, 2016, review of Go West: 10 Principles That Guided My Cowboy Journey, p. 144.
ONLINE
Jeremy Sparks Website, https://www.jeremysparks.com (October 24, 2017), author profile.
Check out the Go West blog!
Jeremy Sparks
HOME
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ABOUT JEREMY
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JEREMY SPARKS
About
ABOUT JEREMY
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Jeremy Sparks is an All-American:
Leader. Scholar. Athlete. Author.
Sparks, now retired Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Bullfighter was a 10-year member of the most elite rodeo association in the world; the PRCA. Sparks represented the US Air Force and National Guard throughout his rodeo career. Sparks continues to serve in the Wyoming Air National Guard.
While only 33-years old Sparks, at the pinnacle of his career he retired at the famed Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. In 2000, Sparks was a front-runner at the National Finals Rodeo Binion's Bullfight. During his career, Sparks was 9X bullfighter for the largest rodeo in the world, Cheyenne Frontier Days and performed five times at the College National Finals Rodeo. Sparks is also the only American bullfighter to earn a title in South Korea, accomplishing that feat in 2002, 2005-2007. He is a 3X Military World Finals Bullfighter and is the PRCAs 2006 Mountain States Circuit Finals bullfighter as well as the 2007 Dodge National Circuit Finals alternate bullfighter. In 2008, Sparks was selected to work the First Frontier Circuit Finals Rodeo and in 2013 he was selected into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Hall of Fame.
Sparks graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas-Monticello with a degree in Speech Communication and graduated summa cum laude from Trident University International with an MBA. Sparks redefined what it is to be a Scholar-Athlete. Academically speaking, Sparks was ranked in the top 1% of all university students within the United States earning honors into the 2001 Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. In addition, Sparks is a 3X All American Scholar, a member of Alpha Chi and Lambda Pi Eta honor societies. The PRCA claims, "Jeremy Sparks has one of the most impressive list of academic accomplishments in pro rodeo," (ProRodeo Sports News 7/11/01).
Sparks is married to Jamie Jordan of Arkansas. The couple make their home in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Jeremy Sparks.jpg
“
Never predictable―his life includes a stint in the Air Force, an apprenticeship to a funeral director, and a heart-wrenching broken marriage―Sparks travels across the U.S. finding ways to spread the gospel, and finally lands in a place where it all begins to make sense to him.
— Publishers Weekly
Jeremy 2.jpg
GOWESTTHEBOOK@GMAIL.COM
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Jeremy Sparks
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Jeremy Sparks (born May 31, 1977) is an American, a retired Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association member, Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Hall of Fame [1] Bullfighter, and author of Go West - 10 Principles that Guided My Cowboy Journey.
Early Life
Sparks was born in Helena, Arkansas to Elmer and Claudie Sparks. He has two brothers, Jeff and Jay Sparks. In 1989, his family moved from Marvell, Arkansas to Fountain Hill, Arkansas. It was there he had a God-given dream to pursue rodeo bullfighting. While only 14 years old, he dedicated himself to pursuing the sport and was mentored by champion bullfighter Donny Sparks. Two months after graduating from Fountain Hill High, Jeremy was electrocuted in a farm related accident and his rodeo plans were temporarily derailed. While originally planning to attend McNeese State University on a rodeo scholarship, the accident forced him to withdrawal and instead enroll at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Sparks pledged Pi Kappa Alpha in the Spring 1996 semester. After three years recovering from the electrocution, Jeremy returned to rodeo. Sparks joined the University of Arkansas-Monticello rodeo team where he completed in the team roping and tie down roping events of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. In addition, he served as a bullfighter at amateur and collegiate events as he trained under World Champion Bullfighter Mike Matt.
Career
In September 2000, while still a student at UAM, Jeremy earned his membership to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In May 2001, he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in communications. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, Jeremy enlisted in the Air Force and went on to earn his commission in December 2001. In March 2002 he was invited by the South Korean Minister of Tourism to perform an exhibition bullfight at the famed Cheongdo International Bullfighting Festival in Cheongdo, South Korea. Soon after his return, he was contracted by the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo to fight bulls at the 2002 event on Military Appreciation Day. He went on to establish a legacy at CFD, working the rodeo nine times and being enshrined in the Class of 2013 CFD Hall of Fame.
He is a 5-time bullfighter for the College National Finals Rodeo [2] in Casper, Wyoming and worked PRCA Circuit Final Rodeos [3] on both the East and West Coasts.
During his career, he was appointed Case 05-195 and represented the United States Air Force [4] as the only professional bullfighter endorsed by the Pentagon [5] in the history of the USAF. He was a Wrangler endorsee, the face of Bresnan Communications, and featured by Mutual of Omaha in the 2010 Aha Moment TV commercial campaign.
In 2008, he appeared on Pressure Cook with Chef Ralph Pagano and later on the Power of 10 with Drew Carey.
Jeremy retired from professional rodeo in 2010.[6]
In 2016, Jeremy contracted with Elevate Publishing to publish his story, Go West and authentically shares the 10 lessons that he learned in route to a hall of fame career.
Personal Life
Jeremy is married to Jamie Jordan. He is the father of three boys, including a set of twins. Currently he works for a Fortune100 company in Organizational Change Management.
References[edit]
Jump up ^ "Old West Museum". Retrieved 2016-07-26.
Jump up ^ "Casper News 5".
Jump up ^ "Denver Post".
Jump up ^ "Casper News Tribune".
Jump up ^ "Denver Post".
Jump up ^ "The Fence Post".
http://www.thefencepost.com/article/20100810/NEWS/100809927
http://www.denverpost.com/2006/11/26/airman-does-double-duty-as-bullfighter/
http://www.jeremysparks.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdR-R-6VW3c
http://trib.com/sports/college/cnfr-tuesday-sparks-leads-duel-life-that-air-force-enjoys/article_921e6c73-2fb7-50d6-a6a9-355cb3ce041f.html
www.arirang.co.kr/Tv/Korea_A_Pop.asp?PROG_CODE=TVCR0109
Categories: Living people1977 birthsPeople from Helena, ArkansasCowboysPeople from Ashley County, ArkansasRodeo clowns
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10/3/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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Print Marked Items
Go West: 10 Principles That Guided My
Cowboy Journey
Publishers Weekly.
263.51 (Dec. 12, 2016): p144.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Go West: 10 Principles That Guided My Cowboy Journey
Jeremy Sparks and Stephen Caldwell. Elevate Faith, $16.99 trade paper (215p) ISBN 978-09964655-9-5
This concise and compulsively readable debut from Sparks documents an unusual faith journey. At the age
of 14, the author experienced a vision that directed him to set out on a career in bullfighting, and to use that
career as a way of fully engaging his Christian faith. An encounter with professional rider Donny Sparks (a
distant relative) led him to adopt 10 principles that would guide him through his bullfighting career and
along his path of Christian discipleship. Never predictable--his life includes a stint in the Air Force, an
apprenticeship to a funeral director, and a heart-wrenching broken marriage--Sparks travels across the U.S.
finding ways to spread the gospel, and finally lands in a place where it all begins to make sense to him. The
writing is uneven, but the story is always exciting and flows seamlessly across times and places. Readers
looking for inspiration (or just a great story) will discover a wild ride that proves just how twisty some paths
to Christ can be. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Go West: 10 Principles That Guided My Cowboy Journey." Publishers Weekly, 12 Dec. 2016, p. 144.
General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475225122&it=r&asid=20fb3389589a58244ab4513a2b38a6a7.
Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A475225122