Field of 12 set for PRCA Heartland's challenge round

By Courtesy PRCA
Posted Thursday, October 9, 2008

WACO, Texas - The warm-up is over and the field has been thinned as the preliminary rounds of the Heartland ProRodeo Championships concluded Oct. 8 at the Heart O'Texas Fair Complex. The field of 30 in each event was cut to 12 through six rounds of preliminary action that began on Oct. 3.

Cowboys begin a playoff format Oct. 9 with hopes of becoming the inaugural Heartland ProRodeo champion. Scores are erased and competition begins again as the field is then further reduced to 10 on Oct. 10 and then eight at 7 p.m. (CT) on Oct. 11, immediately followed by a final four battle for championship buckles.

The Heartland ProRodeo Championship is the culmination of the Heartland ProRodeo Series that was created in October 2007 to provide support for rodeos with a committee purse of $30,000 or less. However, with total prize money of $482,500 at the Heartland Finals, cowboys are hungry for the prize money, along with using the competition as a tune up for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo that kicks off Dec. 4 in Las Vegas.

Eight-time World Champion Fred Whitfield, a qualifier for Thursday's challenge round, is among those hoping to win a buckle, stay in the top 15 in the Crusher Rentals PRCA World Standings and head into the Wrangler NFR with some momentum. On Wednesday, he rode a 14-year-old gelding owned by Sammy and Pat Martin and stopped the clock in 8.5 seconds to finish second in the round.

"I want to make sure we are on the same page," said Whitfield of Hockley, Texas, about horse Captain. "That's why I'm riding him."

In other events, steer wrestler Zack Cobb of Pampa, Texas, had the fastest time, turfing his steer in 3.6 seconds. Crossroads, Texas cowboy Steven Anding scored 83 points on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock Company's Little Joe for the high-marked ride of the night. J.C. Malone, of Hooper, Utah, edged Whitfield for first-place round money with a time of 8.1 seconds. In the saddle bronc riding, Clayton Zibell, of Wann, Okla., scored 75 points on Rafter G Rodeo Company's Willy Buck to advance to the challenge round.

Cody Odell, of Como, Texas, and Dee Rampy, of Bertram, Texas, roped their steer in 4.7 seconds to post the fastest time in the team roping.

Bull rider Clay Lewis capped off the evening by scoring 87 points on Rafter G Rodeo Company's Sparky. The Mount Pleasant, Texas, cowboy was all smiles as he looked at the Heartland buckle he received for winning the round. He was bucked off a bull Tuesday night in 7.8 seconds, narrowly missing the 8-second whistle.

"He caught a lot of air," Lewis said about Sparky. "He kicked really high. It felt really good. He had a lot of whip for a smaller bull."

Despite getting bucked off one of his bulls, Lewis qualified for Thursday's challenge round.
"I hoped I would make it," Lewis said.
 

Bareback riding - Bryan Jones, Matt Bright, Silas Richards, Wes Stevenson, Evan Jayne, Dave Worsfold, Dennis Foyil, Ryan Stutes, Jessy Davis, Steven Anding, Tim Shirley, Caleb Bennett.

Tie-down roping - Fred Whitfield, Stran Smith, Cimarron Boardman, Matt Kenney, Kody Curry, Shane Hanchey, Adam Gray, Justin Maass, J.C. Malone, Ian Welles, Doug Pharr, Scott Kormos.

Steer wrestling - Rodney Burks, Joey Bell Jr., Sean Lanciano, Kyle Whitaker, Chad Van Campen, Zack Cobb, Darrell Petry, Gary Daniel, Cale Emmett, Stan Branco, Jack Hodges, Spud Duvall.

Saddle bronc riding - Brody Bolton, Kobyn Williams, Kyle Whitaker, Sam Spreadborough, Lyle Wellling, Jake Griffin, Marty Hebb, Curtis Garton, Leland Wood, Clayton Zibell, Bryan Hammons, Heith DeMoss.

Team roping - Cody Odell/Dee Rampy, Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, Bubba Bohac/Twister Cain, Nick Sartain/Mickey Gomez, Justin Lovell/Colby Lovell, Kelsey Parchman/Jake Long, Tommy Edens/Wade Clayton, Casey Gattis/Seth Smithson, Robert Pixley/Tyler McKnight, Caleb Mitchell/Kipp Harrell, Chance Kelton/Boogie Ray, Joel Bach/Wes Goodrich.

Bull riding: Jerry Shepherd, Chad Cole, Logan Allen, Bandy Murphy, Jason Beck, Jay Morrow, Clay Lewis, Josh Barentine, Ty Hamaker, Bobby Welsh, Tylor Wojciechowski, J.W. Harris.
 

Bareback riding: 1. Steven Anding, 83 points on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock Company's Little Joe, $2,596; 2. Bryan Jones, 76, $1,947; 3. (tie) Ryan Stutes and Evan Jayne, 75, $974 each.

Tie-down roping: 1. J.C. Malone, 8.1 seconds, $2,596; 2. Fred Whitfield, 8.5, $1,947; 3. Shane Hanchey, 9.3, $1,298; 4. Camron Fambro, 9.6, $649.

Steer wrestling: 1. Zack Cobb, 3.6, $2,596; 2. Dean McIntyre, 4.3, $1,947; 3. Kyle Whitaker, 4.4, $1,298; 4. Rodney Burks, 5.2, $649.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Clayton Zibell, 75 points on Rafter G Rodeo Company's Willy Buck, $2,596; 2. (tie) Curtis Garton and Jake Griffin, 73, $1,623 each; 4. Todd Rangel, 71, $649.

Team roping: 1. Cody Odell/Dee Rampy, 4.7 seconds, $2,596 each; 2. Robert Pixley/Tyler McKnight, 5.6, $1,957; 3. Nick Sartain/Mickey Gomez, 5.7, $1,298; 4. Jake Kropik/Paul Eaves, 6.4, $649.

Bull riding: 1. Clay Lewis, 87 points on Rafter G Rodeo Company's Sparky, $2,396; 2. Thor Smith, 78, $1,797; 3. Ty Hamaker, 73, $1,198.