PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. -- A steady rain throughout most of the final performance did little to hinder the Saturday night crowd at Kansas Largest Night Rodeo. It certainly didn’t keep the contestants from making their best efforts.
The two highest-scored bull rides and saddle bronc rides over the four evenings were posted in the Saturday night slush.
Bradley Harris, Udall, led the way with an 88-point ride aboard Beutler and Son’s bull Turbo Ryder, to claim the win and $1,730.52 in prize money. Daniel Bradley, Protection, came in second with 84 points on the bull Cowtown Red.
“It felt good to come out and win it,” said Harris, who like many Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association athletes has used the last week to compete at rodeos in Hardtner, Manhattan, and Woodward, Okla. Harris said the bulls he had got on at the other rodeos had been pretty rough on him, and he took several hard knocks. “I was debating even coming.”
His decision to make the trip to Pretty Prairie paid off.
Harris, who has ridden in several other rodeo and bull riding associations over the past several years, is only in his second year in the PRCA. He filled his permit in 2006, but hasn’t competed in PRCA rodeos since. He admits he may not have been ready in 2006.
“I wasn’t consistent enough back then to cover my (entry) fees,” he said. “Now, I can stay on a couple every week and earn more than I’m paying to enter.”
The money earned in Pretty Prairie should help keep him going as he heads to ride at three different competitions in Nebraska over the coming week, and at his own county fair’s rodeo on Sunday in Winfield.
The saddle bronc riding on Saturday resulted in a leader board change. After the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night performances, there was a three-way tie for first as Travis Sheets, Hyannis, Neb.; Merritt Smith, Gillette, Wyo.; and Jesse James Kirby, Dodge City, each had 80-point scores. Will Payne, Beaver, Okla., would go on to match their score. However, Townsend Prince, Livermore, Colo., and Weston Ireland, Sallisaw, Okla., moved into the top two spots. Prince scored 84 aboard Foxtrot to earn $1,768.14.
Ireland got on two horses because he was awarded a re-ride after the flank strap fell off his first horse midway through the ride. He made the most of his second ride, and even though he finished second, he was pleased with his performance and just happy to be in Pretty Prairie.
“I was sure hoping for the best,” said Ireland. “All of Beutler’s horses are tough and you just have to try to do all things right or you’ll end up on the ground.”
Ireland was also appreciative of the many fans who came out and didn’t let the rain keep them away.
“Kansas rodeo fans are the best fans. They’ll stay and watch no matter what the weather’s like,” he said.
Matt Crumpler’s Thursday night ride aboard Mucho Motion held on to win the bareback riding and $1,655.28. Crumpler is from Stephenville, Texas.
In the barrel racing, it was Diane Martin of Ulysses, who came out on top. She rode in the Wednesday morning slack, and held off the entire field of competitors to win it with a 17.30 clocking. She earned $1,342.63 for her efforts.
The team roping, tie-down roping and steer wrestling were two-round competitions.
Mound City’s Trenton Johnson has the fastest aggregate time of 21.3 on two runs in the tie-down roping. Ryan Swayze, Freedom, Okla., was the winning steer wrestler, downing two steers in 8.7, and the tandem of Jeremy Wiebener, Alva., Okla., and Austin Reed Rogers, Crescent, Okla., won the team roping with a time of 14.4 on two head.
FINAL RESULTS
BAREBACK RIDING : 1. Matt Crumpler, Stephenville, Texas, 83, $1,655.28; 2. (tie) Scott Montague, Rapid City, S.D., and Jeremy Mouton, Scott, La., 82, $1,078.44; 4. Dustin Murray, Wellston, Okla., 81, $601.92; 5. (tie) Evan Jayne, Marseille, France; Caine Riddle, Vernon, Texas, and Seth Hardwick, Goodwell, Okla., 79, $200.64
SADDLE BRONC RIDING: 1. Townsend Prince, Livermore, Colo., $1,768.14; 2. Weston Ireland, Sallisaw, Okla., 83, $1,339.50; 3. (tie) Travis Sheets, Hyanis, Neb., Merritt Smith, Gilette, Wyo., Jesse James Kirby, Dodge City, and Will Payne, Beaver, Okla., 80, $562.59
BULL RIDING: 1. Brad Harris, Udall, 88, $1,730.52; 2. Daniel Bradley, Protection, 84, $1,311; 3. Austin Ambrose, Fletcher, Okla., 83, $943.92; 4. Casey Decker, Bennett, Colo., 78, $629.28; 5. Loagan Helton, Pampa, Texas, 73, $367.08
BARREL RACING: 1. Diane Martin, Ulysses, 17.30, $1,342.63; 2. Rachelle Holt, Gruver, Texas, $1,150.83; 3. Tammy Peterson, Cimarron, 17.37, $959.02; 4. Janae Massey, Comanche, Okla., 17.38, $831.15; 5. Jeannie McKee, Lenapah, Okla., 17.44, $639.35; 6. Gretchen Benbenek, Aubrey, Texas, 17.48, $511.48; 7. (tie) Susan Kay Smith, Hodgen, Okla., Hollie Etbauer, Edmond, Okla., Tamara Reinhardt, Canadian, Texas, and Jana Turner, Perkins, Okla., 17.50, $239.75.
STEER WRESTLING
FIRST GO-ROUND: 1. Clay Mindemann, Salina, Okla., 3.9, $1,102.00; 2. Ryan Swayze, Freedom, Okla, 4.0; 826.50; 3. Ace Campbell, Livingston, Ala., 4.5, $551.00; 4. Stewart Gulager, Garland, Kan., 4.6, $275.50.
SECOND GO-ROUND: Kyle Irwin, Altus, Okla., 4.4, $1,102; 2. (tie) Mickey Gee, Wichita Falls, Texas, and Blake Mindemann, Fletcher, Okla., 4.6, $688.75; 4. Ryan Swayze, Freedom, Okla., 4.7, $275.50
AVERAGE: 1. Swayze, 8.7, $1, 102; 2. Campbell, 9.3, $876.50; 3. Irwin, 9.5, $551; 4. C. Mindemann, 10.1, $275.50
TIE-DOWN ROPING
FIRST GO-ROUND: 1. Cody Richmond, Elkins, Ark., 9.0, $1,121.00; 2. (tie) Trenton Johnson, Mound City, Kan., and Chris Taylor, Pocasset, Okla., 9.9; 700.62; 4. Lane Jeffrey, Wilburton, Okla., 10.5, $280.25.
SECOND GO-ROUND: 1. Colby Dorsey, Binger, Okla., 8.8, $1,121; 2. Dustin Raupe, Douglass, 10.2, $840.75; 3. Clayton Shaw, Alvord, Texas, 10.5, $560.50; 4. Blake Eliason, Ponca City, Okla., 10.9, $280.25.
AVERAGE: 1. Johnson, 21.3, $1,121; 2. Taylor, 22.9, $840.75; 3. P.J. Spencer, Collinsville, Okla., 23.3, $560.50; 4. Eliason, 23.9, $280.25
TEAM ROPING:
FIRST GO-ROUND: 1. Rick Anderson, White City, Kan., and Duane Carson, Abilene, Kan., 7.1, $639.67; 2. Gavin Foster, Elmore City, Okla., and Jeremy J. Stewart, Fox, Okla., 7.5, $479.75; 3. Eric Flurry, Sallisaw, Okla., and Rocky Ross Warner, Okla., 7.8, $319.84; 4. Brian Dunning, McClave, Colo., and Chance Cole Frazier, Cimarron, Kan., 8.0, $159.92
SECOND GO-ROUND: 1. Charles Pogue, Ringling, Okla., and Jett Hillman, Jones, Okla., 5.8, $639.67; 2. Jeremy Wiebener, Alva, Okla., and Austin Reed Rogers, Crescent, Okla., 6.1, $479.75; 3. Kyle Elwood, Abilene, and Jason Trent, Burrton, 6.4, $319.84; 4. Brian Dunning, McClave, Colo., and Chance Cole Frazier, Cimarron, 7.6, $159.92.
AVERAGE: 1. Wiebener and Rogers, 14.4, $639.67; 2. Dunning and Frazier, 15.6, $479.75; 3. Foster and Stewart, 15.8, $319.84; 4. Blake Larmon, Jay, Okla., and Kaleb Fort, Gravette, Ark., 17.4, $$159.92.
