Diaz enjoys ‘biggest win’ at Justin Boots Championships

By Courtesy PRCA
Posted Saturday, September 26, 2009

OMAHA, Neb. – Saddle bronc rider Isaac Diaz had seen MJM Rodeo’s Little Stone on television many times over the years and was always impressed by what he saw. She was even better live.

The 16-year-old bay mare, a four-time veteran of the Wrangler NFR, carried Diaz to “the biggest win I’ve ever had,” on Saturday night at the $835,000 Justin Boots Championships in the Qwest Center.

Diaz, of Stephenville, Texas, earned a score of 86 points to edge J.J. Elshere by a single point to earn the $13,251 final-round prize and a total of $21,523 for the weekend.

“Guys dream of just being in this position, and I’m just blessed,” Diaz said. “It was a great rodeo, and I was happy to be here. I look at going to the NFR as a win, but as far as a single rodeo win, this is by far my best. I’ve dreamed of doing this since I was a little kid.”

Diaz can safely count this as a double win. He arrived in Omaha in 16th position and leaves safely in the top 10, assured of qualifying for the Wrangler NFR for a second time.

Not that the evening didn’t have its nervous moments for Diaz. There was a four-way tie for third place in the semifinals, and Diaz only made it into the four-man finals based on a tiebreaker. He had the second-best two-head average among those who ended up tied, and that got him the last seat in the finals.

“It’s a great horse, but I’d never been on him, so I didn’t know what to expect. I just went out there and rode him like I try to ride every horse, and that’s to stay close and build your ride. It was fun.”

Header David Key, one of the last competitors to get into the field for the Justin Boots Championships, came out of it in first. The pairing of Key and Brad Culpepper finished just sixth in the two-head average, but came on strong Saturday to finish second in the semifinals with 5.0-second run and win the finals in 5.6.

They each won $20,643.
J.W. Harris continued his season-long dominance of bull riding. A 91-point ride on Four L and Diamond S Rodeo Velvet Elvis in the Qwest Center, assured the reigning world champ of his 22nd win in a PRCA rodeo this season and kept alive his longshot hopes of breaking the regular-season earnings record in his event.

With $26,099 in Omaha, Harris has season earnings of $216,728 with the $500,000 Heartland ProRodeo Championships in Waco, Texas, next month still on his schedule. Matt Austin set the record of $228,766 in 2005.

Time-event hand Trevor Brazile expanded his lead in the tie-down roping world standings with a winning 7.2-second run in the finals.

With earnings of $20,731 in the tie-down roping and another $5,808 in team roping, Brazile pushed his season all-around total climbed to $253,901 as he seeks to win his record-tying seventh all-around gold buckle.

Justin Boots Championships Qwest Center
Omaha, NE
Sept. 25, 2009
Bareback riding:
Semifinals: 1. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 86 points on J Bar J Rodeo's Faded Charm, $7,040; 2. (tie) Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash., Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., and Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 81, $3,520 each; 5. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 74; 6. Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., 68; 7. (tie) Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, and Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo., NS. Finals: 1. Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash., 92 points on Classic Pro Rodeo's Big Tex, $13,251; 2. Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 89, $9,939; 3. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 87, $6,626; 4. Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 85, $3,313. Total event earnings: 1. Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash., $32,171; 2. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., $19,121; 3. Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, $16,865; 4. Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., $16,626; 5. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, $8,976; 6. Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo., $4,077; 7. Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., $2,552; 8. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, $1,672; 9. D.V. Fennell, Neosho, Mo., $880; 10. (tie) Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., and Heath Ford, Greeley, Colo., $293 each.

Steer wrestling:
Semifinals: 1. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 3.6 seconds, $7,040; 2. (tie) Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., and Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore., 3.7, $4,400 each; 4. Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D., 3.8, $1,760; 5. Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas, 4.3; 6. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 6.4; 7. Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, 13.2; 8. Matt Reeves, Pampa, Texas, 13.6. Finals: 1. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 3.4 seconds, $13,251; 2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 4.0, $9,939; 3. Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore., 4.1, $6,626; 4. Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D., 14.3, $3,313. Total event earnings: 1. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., $31,731 2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., $23,138; 3. Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, $17,424; 4. Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore., $13,578; 5. Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D., $6,305; 6. Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas, $4,400; 7. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, $2,992; 8. Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La., $2,640; 9. Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., $880; 10. Darrell Petry, Beaumont, Texas, $440.

Team roping:
Semifinals: 1.Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont./Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas, 4.3 seconds, $7,040 each; 2. David Key, Caldwell, Texas/Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga., 5.0, $5,280; 3. Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C./Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 5.1, $3,520; 4. Blaine Linaweaver, Leavenworth, Kan./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 6.1, $1,760; 5. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla., 10.2; 6. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas, 10.5; 7. (tie) Jay Adams, Logandale, Nev./Richard Durham, Morgan Mill, Texas, and Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas/Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., NT. Finals: 1. David Key, Caldwell, Texas/Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga., 5.6 seconds, $13,251 each; 2. Blaine Linaweaver, Leavenworth, Kan./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 14.5, $9,939; 3. (tie) Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont./Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas, and Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C./Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, NT. Total event earnings: 1. Blaine Linaweaver, Leavenworth, Kan./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, $24,194; 2. David Key, Caldwell, Texas/Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga., $20,643; 3. Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C./Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, $16,720; 4. Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont./Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas, $10,208; 5. Jay Adams, Logandale, Nev./Richard Durham, Morgan Mill, Texas, $8,448; 6. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas, $5,808; 7. (tie) Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla., and Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas/Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., $3,784 each.

Saddle bronc riding:
Semifinals: 1. (tie) Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., on Powder River Rodeo's Wyoming's Miss Congeniality, and Shaun Stroh, Dickinson, N.D., on Barnes PRCA Rodeo's Cat Power, 86 points, $6,160 each; 3. (tie) Isaac Diaz, Stephenville, Texas, JJ Elshere, Quinn, S.D., Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, N.D., and Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., 84, $1,320 each; 7. (tie) Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla., and Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, NS. Finals: 1. Isaac Diaz, Stephenville, Texas, 86 points on MJM Rodeos' Little Stone, $13,251; 2. J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 85, $9,939; 3. Shaun Stroh, Dickinson, N.D., 83, $6,626; 4. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 77, $3,313. Total event earnings: 1. J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., $26,658; 2. Isaac Diaz, Stephenville, Texas, $21,523; 3. Shaun Stroh, Dickinson, N.D., $17,625; 4. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., $12,201; 5. Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla., $10,296; 6. Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., $6,336; 7. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., $5,808; 8. Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, N.D., $2,200; 9. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, $880.

Tie-down roping:
Semifinals: 1.Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 7.3 seconds, $7,040; 2. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, 7.4 , $5,280 3.(tie) Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas, and Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 7.7, $2,640 each; 5. Kody Curry, Buna, Texas, 7.8; 6. (tie) Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., and Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, NT. Finals: 1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 7.2 seconds, $13,251; 2. Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas, 7.5, $9,939; 3. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 7.8, $6,626; 4. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, 10.7, $3,313. Total event earnings: 1. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., $28,449; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, $20,731; 3. Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas, $13,810; 4. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, $11,145; 5. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $8,976; 6. Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, $7,744; 7. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, $4,840; 8. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, $4,400; 9. Kody Curry, Buna, Texas, $2,992; 10. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, $440.

Barrel racing:
Semifinals: 1. Kelli Tolbert, Hinckley, Utah, 13.81 seconds, $7,040; 2. Tiffany Fox, Fox, Okla., 13.91, $5,280; 3. Lindsay Sears, Nanton, Alberta, 14.09, $3,520; 4. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 14.35, $1,760; 5. P.J. Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla., 14.61; 6. Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, 19.04; 7. Danyelle Campbell, Beaumont, Calif., 19.16; 8. Jordon Peterson, Chilton, Texas, 24.36. Finals: 1. Lindsay Sears, Nanton Alberta, 13.85 seconds, $13,251; 2. Tiffany Fox, Fox, Okla., 16.54, $9,939; 3. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 19.02, $6,626; 4. Kelli Tolbert, Hinckley, Utah, NT. Total event earnings: 1. Lindsay Sears, Nanton Alberta, $32,787; 2. Tiffany Fox, Fox, Okla., $18,210; 3. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., $11,730; 4. Jordon Peterson, Chilton, Texas, $10,208; 5. PJ Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla., $8,624; 6. Kelli Tolbert, Hinckley, Utah, $7,040; 7. Sue Smith, Blackfoot, Idaho, $5,808; 8. Danyelle Campbell, Beaumont, Calif., $3,168; 9. Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, $2,640.

Bull riding:
Semifinals: 1. Corey Navarre, Weatherford, Okla., 89 points on Four L and Diamond S Rodeo's Foolish Pride, $7,040; 2. (tie) Brad Pierce, Baird, Texas, Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla., J.W. Harris, May, Texas, Colin McTaggart, Las Vegas, Nev., Howdy Cloud, Kountze, Texas, and Wesley Silcox, Santaquin, Utah, NS. Finals: 1. J.W. Harris, May, Texas, 91 points on Four L and Diamond S Rodeo's Velvet Elvis, $13,251; 2. (tie) Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., Corey Navarre, Weatherford, Okla., and Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla., NS. Total event earnings: 1. J.W. Harris, May, Texas, $26,099; 2. Corey Navarre, Weatherford, Okla., $12,672; 3. Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., $9,680; 4. Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla., $8,976; 5. Howdy Cloud, Kountze, Texas, $6,512; 6. (tie) Wesley Silcox, Santaquin, Utah, and Brad Pierce, Baird, Texas, $3,080.