Oklahoma Product Being Used At Rodeos Nationwide

OCHELETA, Oklahoma -- Oklahoma always has a lot of connections to the National Finals Rodeo, especially sending world class cowboys and cowgirls to compete.

There's another state connection with a made in Oklahoma product being used at rodeo arenas all over North America.

While the best rodeo contestants are competing this week at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, a little Oklahoma ingenuity will also be in action.

The Groundhog Arena Tool will plow its way through another successful event. It's a product designed and manufactured in Ocheleta, Oklahoma.

The Groundhog Arena Tool plows up dirt between rodeo events. Its' blades level things out. Spikes break up the dirt clods, and rollers put the finishing touches on a nice, even, consistent, and safe surface.

"People pay a lot of money for horses and they certainly don't want to go out on a hard ground and cripple a horse," said JR Prather, Lucas Metal Works.

At Lucas Metal Works, their primary business is steel buildings, but the success of the Groundhog Arena Tool has become a nice surprise, accounting for about 30 percent of their business.

It started by accident 20 years ago when Raymond Lucas' granddaughter rodeo'd, and he wasn't satisfied with plows and other equipment.

"Came up with this darn thing and it worked," said Raymond Lucas, Lucas Metal Works.

It worked, and before long, word spread. The company has been making hem ever since.

"We had people that came to the arena and saw it work and can you build us one of those? Well, yeah. Probably," Lucas said.

"We ship them all over the United States, Canada and we ship a few into Mexico," Prather said.

All from a family business in Ocheleta that combined a need with action, and roped success. Lucas Metal Works also makes other things like farm implements and metal artwork.