Van Norman and friends Production Sale

06/27/2025

Steve Friskup breaks down the $1.7M rope horse sale and what it means for the future of team roping, from value to opportunity and heart.

06/24/2025

Joe Marvel was born into ranching, horses and riding. He grew up on his family ranch in Battle Mountain, Nevada. While working on the 530,000-arce family ranch, the Marvel boys – Joe, Mike and Pete – managed to develop a style for sticking to their horses that later served them well in the rodeo arena. Marvel’s father, Tom, supplied he and his brothers with an endless supply of broncs and was always there with encouragement. While his mother, Rosita, said endless prayers for Joe, Mike and Pete. Marvel looked up to, learned from, and respected his brother, Mike, who was the first of the three Marvel brothers to become a Rodeo Cowboys Association bronc rider.

Marvel had an illustrious high school rodeo career, which included the 1973 National High School Rodeo Association Saddle bronc riding title. He followed that up in 1974 by qualifying for his first National Finals Rodeo at the age of 19 and earning the NFR average saddle bronc riding championship the same year. Marvel was considered a highly stylistic bronc rider who distinguished himself from other contestants by his consistent and classic spurring style.

Marvel qualified for the NFR five times in his career and won the 1978 World Saddle Bronc Riding Title. As of 2005, Marvel remains the first and only Nevada cowboy to win a gold buckle in bronc riding. A family man at heart, Marvel never liked the travel involved in rodeo, but he did enjoy winning and the friends he made. Marvel married Camma Dawn Logan in 2008. Their combined family has six children – Sam, Mary Alice, Jake, Luke, Caleb, and Whitney. In keeping with tradition, Marvel’s grandkids are now involved in rodeo.

PHOTO: WILD RIDES INTERVIEW/EPISODE
SOURECE: PRORODEO HALL OF FAME

06/24/2025

👇😎

06/22/2025

We're in the midst of truly amazing times! Our auctioneer, Steve Friskup, was recently at the gavel for the sale of the highest priced horse in western performance horse history. 🤩

06/16/2025

Look for our ad in the new Western Horseman!

06/03/2025

Look for our ad in the new issue of Ropers Sports News !

05/18/2025

When it all starts with an idea on a napkin. Get ready for our episode release next week with Linda Bunch as she tells us more about the beginning of the Van Norman horse sale!

05/16/2025

Look for our ad in the latest Quarter Horse Journal!

04/23/2025

We’re proud to help bring breakaway roping to the Silver State Stampede for the first time ever! Tickets are on sale now at https://www.silverstatestampede.com/ .

New in 2025, BREAKAWAY!! Thanks to Van Norman & Friends Production Sale and Sterling Crane USA for sponsoring this great event. Let's Go Girls! .bunch.52

04/10/2025

So just think what living full time in hundreds of acres of hills, rocks, creeks, and sagebrush does for foals! 🤩

In addition, each one-acre increase in turnout area when foals were four months old reduced the rate of musculoskeletal injury and disease when they were between 6 and 19 months of age by 24 percent

03/22/2025

Every year, we look forward to seeing the beautiful design work for our catalog cover and posters by JE Productions Graphic Design and Layout & The Invitation Nook !

02/08/2025

"To be honest, I don’t think that shopping for a bombproof horse is a very easy task, or a very realistic one. As sellers, we understand the term is sacred and should not be diluted. It’s reserved for the 2% of horses that really have been through the ringer, seen it all, done it all and boldly march into the circus ring without flicking an ear. Most of us love selling horses that are safe, sound and sane, but when I get buyers who say “bombproof,” I usually tell them I don’t think I have what they are looking for. Even my most gentle horses and ponies might react to something I cannot anticipate. In fact, my personal feeling is it’s preferable to have something with a little self-preservation, most days. I once had a pony that was gentler than a drugged tortoise, but when Luke would fire up his welder, he would startle. I’ve seen old, worldly geldings tied to trailers in my driveway try to rip the ring off the side of their Featherlites when they see my old pet pig stroll by. Even if they leave my place with my brand, as gentle as a person could want them to be, who can guarantee it will carry throughout every experience of their lifetime?" — Kelli Neubert