POCATELLO, Idaho, March 14, 2007 – As the 21st annual Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo presented by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. got under way in Pocatello, Idaho, on Wednesday night, a hometown favorite was atop the leaderboard.
Tie-down roper Nate Baldwin of nearby Blackfoot, Idaho, stopped the clock in 9.5 seconds to finish in a tie with Cutter Parsons of Marana, Ariz. Baldwin is no stranger to Holt Arena – he grew up in the area and watched the rodeo as a young kid. In 2004, he roped his way to the title and this year marks his sixth time to compete in this illustrious event. Having secured a time on his first run, he will now travel back to Houston for the semifinals at RodeoHouston. The outcome in Texas will determine if he will be back on Saturday for his second run.
Tying with the hometown favorite was a roper that hadn’t planned to be in Pocatello this week. After his brother, Joe Parsons, decided not to compete, Cutter made his way to the Idaho State University campus and after the first night he’s showing he is here to win his first title.
The Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo (DNCFR) is the crowning event of the PRCA’s circuit system of regional competition. National circuit champions are determined at the elimination-style event. Cowboys compete in two preliminary rounds that are split into four performances. The top eight contestants in each event advance to the semifinals, where all previous scores are erased. After the completion of the semifinals, the top four contestants in each event move on to the final round, known as the Wrangler Round, where the national titles are decided. Each event champion will receive a one-year lease to a brand new Dodge Truck and will automatically be qualified into the first two Wrangler ProRodeo Tour playoffs later in the year.
2002 World Champion Bareback Rider Bobby Mote sits atop the leaderboard after one night of competition. Mote, of Culver, Ore., rode Sankey Rodeo’s Eagle Feather for 84 points to take the early lead. Mote’s closest competitor was Tim Shirley of Bailey, Colo. Shirley rode Brookman Rodeo’s Postage Due for 79 points.
Another competitor who hadn’t planned to be in Idaho this week was steer wrestler Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Ore. Knowles replaced Shawn Greenfield, of Lakeview, Ore., after he chose to stay in Houston for the end of RodeoHouston, which concludes on Saturday, March 17. Knowles is making the most of his time thus far in Pocatello, turfing his steer on opening night in a time of 3.9 seconds. His closest competitor was K.C. Jones of Decatur, Texas, who stopped the clock in 4.1 seconds.
A pair of Wilderness circuit cowboys moved to the top of the leaderboard in the team roping after the first 12 runs on Wednesday night. Jon Stafford of Nampa, Idaho, and Dusty Morse of Ogden, Utah, stopped the clock in 5.7 seconds to outdistance a pair of teams that finished in 5.9 seconds. The Texas team of Todd Arthur and 2005 World Champion Patrick Smith tied with the Southeastern Circuit team of Travis Dorman and Len Dorman for second placed.
Four-time Wrangler NFR qualifier Cody Wright skyrocketed to the lead in the saddle bronc riding on the first night of competition with an 87 on Sankey Rodeo’s Barn Dance. Wright, of Milford, Utah, outdistanced two-time Wrangler NFR qualifier Bradley Harter of Weatherford, Texas, who finished with an 83 aboard Flying Five Rodeo’s Major Disaster.
Barrel racer Kay Blandford has found her groove again, this time aboard a new horse named Angel. Blandford, of Sutherland Springs, Texas, proved she is back in top form and will be gunning for the title and a new Dodge pickup on Saturday. On opening night, she rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 14.96 seconds to outdistance Wilderness Circuit cowgirl Terri Wood Gates of West Jordan, Utah. Wood Gates turned in a 15.12-second run.
The Wilderness Circuit cowboys continued their impressive showing on opening night all the way through the bull riding. Steve Woolsey, of Payson, Utah, finished atop the leaderboard with an 88-point ride on Korkow Rodeo’s Redneck. Cooper Kanngiesser of Zenda, Kan., was second with a 79 aboard Beard Rodeo’s Juke Joint.
First round competition concludes Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Holt Arena.
Dodge National Circuit Finals March 14, 2007
Bareback Riding
First round: 1. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 84.0 points on Sankey Rodeo Co.'s Eagle Feather; 2. Tim Shirley, Bailey, Colo., 79.0; 3. (tie) Josi Young, Buhl, Idaho, and Chris Harris, Itasca, Texas, 78.0; 5. (tie) Brandon Holmes, Livingston, Ala., and Dustin Reeves, Owanka, S.D., 76.0; 7. (tie) Tim Wilkinson, Fort Scott, Kan., Ben Londo, Pendleton, Ore., and Dale Stoller, Great Falls, Mont., 74.0; 10. Jared Keylon, Dover, Ark., 70.0; 11. JR Chino, Mescalero, N.M., 66.0; 12. Jason Martin, Coronado, Calif., 61.0
Steer wrestling
First round: 1. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.9 seconds; 2. K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, 4.1; 3. Trav Cadwell, Oakdale, Calif., 5.9; 4. Dane Hanna, Littleton, Colo., 6.7; 5. Jon Ragatz, Cassville, Wis., 7.1; 6. Tyler Miller, McClure, Pa., 8.1; 7. Damian Padilla, Rio Rico, Ariz., 14.1; 8. Ken Holland, Dillon, Mont., 29.1; 9. (tie) Ivon Nelson, Williston, Fla., Tommy Cook, McAlester, Okla., Tom Hansen, Dunn Center, N.D., and Jule Hazen, Protection, Kan., NT
Team roping
First round: 1. Jon Stafford, Nampa, Idaho/Dusty Morse, Ogden, Utah, 5.7 seconds; 2. (tie) Todd Arthur, Navasota, Texas/Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas, and Travis Dorman, Dade City, Fla./Len Dorman, Dade City, Fla., 5.9; 4. C.J. Scheller, Ault, Colo./Lance Allen, Burns, Wyo., 7.5; 5. Alfred Hansen, Dickinson, N.D./Bobby Harris, Ree Heights, S.D., 10.5; 6. (tie) Colt Braden, Dewey, Okla./Jake Long, Alva, Okla., and Jason Handy, Shepard, Mont./Chase Gauger, Bozeman, Mont., 11.0; 8. Larry Cohorn, Las Cruces, N.M./Aaron Tsinigine, Winslow, Ariz., 19.5; 9. (tie) Waylon McCurley, Escalon, Calif./Travis Woodard, Stockton, Calif., Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore./Rick Copher, Molalla, Ore., and Cody Graham, Everton, Mo./Jimmie Allen, Spokane, Mo., NT
Saddle bronc riding
First round: 1. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 87.0 points on Sankey Rodeo Co.'s Barn Dance; 2. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, 83.0; 3. Weston Ireland, Sallisaw, Okla., 80.0; 4. Dan Erickson, La Junta, Colo., 78.0; 5. Scott Miller, Hemet, Calif., 77.0; 6. (tie) Everett Ashurst, Douglas, Ariz., and Ty Atchison, Martin, Tenn., 76.0; 8. Shawn Morehead, Bruneau, Idaho, 75.0; 9. (tie) Shane Moran, Roundup, Mont., Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, N.D., Spencer Turner, Basehor, Kan., and Tim Sloan, Whitehall, Mont., 0.0
Tie-down roping
First round: 1. (tie) Nate Baldwin, Blackfoot, Idaho, and Cutter Parsons, Marana, Ariz., 9.5 seconds; 3. Ronnie Davis, Norman Park, Ga., 10.2; 4. C.R. Bradley, Collinsville, Texas, 10.4; 5. Caddo Lewallen, Morrison, Okla., 13.6; 6. Ryan Siemsen, Huntley, Mont., 13.7; 7. Brandon Neugebauer, Pueblo, Colo., 13.8; 8. (tie) Seth Hopper, Stanfield, Ore., Matt McGee, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Todd Graff, Ainsworth, Neb., Zach Kilgus, Watsontown, Pa., Clint Cooper, San Luis Obispo, Calif., NT
Barrel racing
First round: 1. Kay Blandford, Sutherland Springs, Texas, 14.96 seconds; 2. Terri Wood Gates, West Jordan, Utah, 15.12; 3. Barb West, Oak Harbor, Wash., 15.27; 4. Shawna Bourne, Chapel Hill, Tenn., 15.34; 5. Donna Irvin, Galva, Ill., 15.48; 6. Shelley Murphy, Helena, Mont., 15.57; 7. Brandie Halls, Carpenter, Wyo., 15.64; 8. Jennifer Romriell, Broadalbin, N.Y., 15.74; 9. Sheri Sinor-Estrada, Alamogordo, N.M., 20.36; 10. Kathy Bankston, Gavilan Hills, Calif., 20.50; 11. Tana Poppino, Big Cabin, Okla., 20.53; 12. Josie Jordan, Gillette, Wyo., NT
Bull riding
First round: 1. Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, 88.0 points on Korkow Rodeos' Red Neck; 2. Cooper Kanngiesser, Zenda, Kan., 79.0; 3. Jake Moore, Kneeland, Calif., 76.0; 4. Larry Leist, Red Hill, N.M., 72.0; 5. Steven Lambert, Bozeman, Mont., 57.0; 6. (tie) Will O'Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, Paul Weinberger, Breien, N.D., Travis Campbell, New Braunfels, Texas, Brandon Sartin, Zachary, La., Zeb Lanham, Sweet, Idaho, Justin Kennedy, La Porte City, Iowa, Kyle Johnson, Riverton, Wyo., 0.0
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