PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. -- Bo Casper has had a pretty busy summer hitting the rodeo trail. It’s paid off, as the bareback rider from Fort Scott, Kan., is No. 24 in world standings and well within reach of his first qualification for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
However, while many of the people he is chasing in the standings are at some of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeos in Utah and Idaho, he is enjoying the surplus of PRCA Prairie Circuit Rodeos in Kansas and Oklahoma this week. And in the process, he may find himself edging up in the standings after a 76-point ride on Beutler and Son’s Sox to move into the lead Wednesday evening at Kansas Largest Night Rodeo in Pretty Prairie.
“That was a good horse. He’s an older horse and he’s been around a couple -- well more than a couple of years,” said Casper. “I was wound up and having fun. A couple of my good friends (1998 world champion bareback rider) Mark Gomes and Jody Wiggins showed up and got me even more fired up.”
Casper, a native of Arkansas, first came to Fort Scott in 1999 to compete with the Fort Scott Community College rodeo team. That is where he met his wife, and where he has chosen to remain.
But the rigors of traveling from town to town and state to state make him anxious for opportunities to compete closer to home. On Thursday, he will compete in Manhattan, Kan., on Friday he will ride in Woodward, Okla., and he will either compete in Hardtner, Kan., or Nampa, Idaho on Saturday.
“This is a good rodeo, and it’s good to be close to home and see some family,” Casper said.
Casper has proven himself as one of the world’s top bareback riders and is glad to see that he is ranked close to a top 15 spot that would ultimately land him at the Wrangler NFR in December. But Casper doesn’t let himself worry too much about the standings.
“I hear announcers say I’m in the top 25 when I’m in the chute, so that’s how I know about it. I just come out, have fun, do my best and give the glory to God,” Casper said.
Bobby Griswold, a four-time Wrangler NFR qualifier, won the saddle bronc riding at Pretty Prairie a year ago, and after Wednesday night, leads the competition again in 2010. With the horse 9 Ball as his dance partner, Griswold, Geary, Okla., edged out Joesy Hauser, Meadow, S.D., who scored 72 aboard Come Along.
Only one bull rider was able to make the eight-second whistle. Casey Decker, Bennett, Colo., scored 78 points on Butler and Son’s bull 667.
While the roughstock events will only have one go-round, there are two rounds of steer wrestling and tie-down roping. The first round of both events was held during the Wednesday morning slack.
Clay Mindemann, Salina, Okla., won the first round as he downed his steer in 3.9. Cody Richmond, Elkins, Ark, won the first round of tie-down roping with a 9.0 clocking.
Kyle Irwin, Altus, Okla., leads the second round of steer wrestling after completing his run in 4.4 on Wednesday evening.
Dustin Raupe, Douglass, Kan., leads the second round of tie-down roping with a 10.2.
The duo of Rick Anderson, White City, Kan., and Duane Carson, Abilene, Kan., leads the team roping with a time of 7.1.
Diane Martin, Ulysses, Kan., is the leader in barrel racing, stopping the clock in 17.30.
The rodeo continues nightly through Saturday.
BAREBACK RIDING -- 1. Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 76; 2. Chancy Lovinggood, Alva, Okla., 72; 3. Wes Campbell, Canadian, Texas, 70; 4. Logan Willemsma, Alva, Okla., 63.
STEER WRESTLING (ROUND ONE) 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. (ROUND TWO) 1. Kyle Irwin, Altus, Okla., 4.4; 2. Campbell, 4.8; 3. Beau Clark, Athens, Texas, 5.2; 4. Denard Butler, Morris, Okla., 5.5.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING -- 1. Bobby Griswold, Geary, Okla., 73; 2. Joesy Hauser, Meadow, S.D., 72; 3. Casey McGooden, Doniphan, Neb., 71. (No other qualified rides)
TIE-DOWN ROPING (ROUND ONE) 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. (ROUND TWO) 1. Dustin Raupe, Douglass, 10.2; 2. Clayton Shaw, Alvord, Texas, 10.5; 3. Johnson, 11.4; 4. P.J. Spencer, Collinsville, Okla., 11.8.
TEAM ROPING -- 1. Rick Anderson, White City, Kan., and Duane Carson, Abilene, Kan., 7.1; 2. Jeremy Wiebener, Alva, Okla., and Austin Reed Rogers, Crescent, Okla., 8.3; 3. Jason Arndt, Fort Scott, Kan., and Jeff Brown, Joplin, Mo., 12.1; 4. Philip McCoy, Beggs, Okla., and Pake Stamper, Mounds, Okla., 14.5.
BARREL RACING -- 1. Diane Martin, Ulysses, Kan., 17.30; 2. Tammy Peterson, Cimarron, Kan., 17.37; 3. Jeannie McKee, Lenapah, Okla., 17.44; 4. Kasey Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., 17.53.
BULL RIDING -- 1. Casey Decker, Bennett, Colo., 78. (No other qualified rides)
