End of the road: Dodge City marks final Tour stop
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The final stop of the 2008 Wrangler ProRodeo Tour is this weekend at the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo. The event, marking its fourth consecutive year on the Wrangler Tour, gets under way on July 30 with the first of five daily performances at 7:45 p.m. CT at the Dodge City Roundup Arena and concludes with the final round on Aug. 3.
The rodeo in southwestern Kansas, about a three-hour drive west of Wichita, has been honored by the PRCA nine times – as the Rodeo Committee of the Year in 1985-90, as the Outdoor Rodeo Committee of the Year in 1991-92 and the Large Outdoor Rodeo Committee of the Year in 2001.
Dodge City, stop No. 26 on the Tour that started in January in Odessa, Texas, gives contestants their last shot at qualifying for the Ariat Playoff Series, which starts in Caldwell, Idaho, Aug. 12-16. At the conclusion of the Dodge City’s final round on Aug. 3, the top 35 contestants (35 teams in team roping) in total Tour points and the “Wild Card,” event champions from the 2008 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, will move on to the first Ariat Playoff series event in Caldwell, Idaho. Fox Sports Network and CBS are scheduled to televise the Ariat playoff series.
ProRodeo Hall of Fame stock contractor Harry Vold of Harry Vold Rodeo Company is once again providing his award-winning livestock to the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. Several of his bucking horses are annually selected to perform at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, such as bareback broncs Dippin’ Dusty Dan and I’m a Tiger; and saddle broncs Sun Devil, Storm Burn and Smokeless Big Valley.
Gerke claims second Cheyenne title
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – This time, he didn’t have to share.
Bareback rider Cimmaron Gerke, who has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo the past four years, had to wait that long to win the title outright at the 112th Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, July 19-27.
Gerke, who was co-champion with two-time and reigning World Champion Bareback Rider Bobby Mote in 2004, was four points better than Mote after three rides in Cheyenne. The two entered Sunday’s final round in a first-place tie, but Gerke took the title with a round-best, 88-point ride aboard JK Rodeo’s Brother. Gerke, who scored 253 points on three head, earned $13,672 that vaulted him six spots into 14th place in this week’s Crusher Rentals PRCA World Standings.
Another cowboy who received a much-needed boost from winning a Cheyenne title was Dean Gorsuch, the 2006 world champion steer wrestler. Gorsuch, of Gering, Neb., who missed the second half of last season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle and biceps, bagged a Cheyenne-best $18,840 after turfing three steers in 26.0 seconds. Gorsuch, who had earned $29,717 prior to his Cheyenne haul, moved from 17th into eighth place in the world standings.
The No. 17 was also the place held by team roping heeler Broc Cresta before striking it rich in Cheyenne. Cresta, of Petaluma, Calif., joined forces with header Logan Olson of Flandreau, S.D., to win the three-head title. Their total time of 25.8 seconds on three head was worth $17,303 each and a jump to seventh place.
Saddle bronc rider Dusty Hausauer narrowly missed his first Wrangler NFR qualification last year, finishing 17th in the final world standings. In Cheyenne, Hausauer, of Dickinson, N.D., vaulted 14 places into seventh place after the biggest victory of his career. He rode three horses for 241 points for a one-point win over Cody DeMoss and checks worth $14,819
Speaking of big victories, tie-down roper Todd Brown of Dublin, Texas, enjoyed his finest hour with the three-head triumph in Cheyenne. Brown, who had amassed not quite $5,000 in career earnings since his rookie year of 2005, won $13,480 after roping and tying three calves in 43.9 seconds.
Bull rider Steve Woolsey of Payson, Utah, clinched the Cheyenne average title with some kind of clutch performance, scoring 91 points on 2005 PRCA Bull of the Year Wardance of Broken Arrow Rodeo to win the final round. In doing so, he made up a six-point deficit to 2000 World Champion Bull Rider Cody Hancock, who finished five points behind Woolsey in the final average standings.
Steer roper Tim Abbott of Midland, Texas, topped the Cheyenne leaderboard after three rounds. Abbott earned $15,472 after roping and tying three steers in 49.2 seconds.
Five-time and reigning World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, won Cheyenne's all-around title. Brazile was the only cowboy to earn money in three events – team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping – winning a total of $8,268. Timed-event cowboy Cody Lee of Gatesville, Texas, was the top money-earner in two events, bagging $13,939 in team roping and steer roping.
Cheyenne Frontier Days Champions
Bareback Riding
Cimmaron Gerke (Brighton, Colo.), 253/3, $13,672
Steer Wrestling
Dean Gorsuch (Gering, Neb.), 26.0/3, $18,480
Team Roping
Logan Olson (Flandreau, S.D.)/Broc Cresta (Petaluma, Calif.), 25.8/3, $17,403 each
Saddle Bronc Riding
Dusty Hausauer (Dickinson, N.D.), 241/3, $14,819
Tie-Down Roping
Todd Brown (Dublin, Texas), 43.9/3, $13,480
Barrel Racing
Lindsay Sears (Nanton, Alberta), 52.69/3, $11,243
Bull Riding
Steve Woolsey (Payson, Utah), 245/3, $11,494
Steer Roping
Tim Abbott (Midland, Texas), 49.2/3, $15,472
Whitfield, Myers highlight Salt Lake City champions
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Seven-time World Champion Tie-Down Roper Fred Whitfield and timed-event cowboy Cash Myers highlighted the champions from the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour stop at the Days of ’47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City that concluded July 24.
Whitfield, of Hockley, Texas, shared the title with Blake Huckabee of Shreveport, La., both finishing with identical times of 15.8 seconds on two head. Whitfield earned $6,298 and improved to 13th place in the world standings, while Huckabee won $5,928.
Myers, of Athens, Texas, who is seeking his first Wrangle National Finals Rodeo steer wrestling qualification since 2005, moved into fifth place after his Salt Lake City victory. He downed two steers in 8.0 seconds to earn $7,217.
Other Salt Lake City champions were: bareback rider Chris Harris of Itasca, Texas, 83 points, $5,607; team ropers Clay Tryan of Billings, Mont./Walt Woodard of Stephenville, Texas, 10.6 seconds on two head, $2,982 each; saddle bronc rider Bryce Miller of Buffalo, S.D., 85 points, $7,353; and bull rider Jordan Hooton of Daingerfield, Texas, 84 points, $8,678.
Days of ’47 Rodeo Champions
Bareback Riding
Chris Harris (Itasca, Texas), 83 points, $5,607
Steer Wrestling
Cash Myers (Athens, Texas), 8.0/2, $7,217
Team Roping
Clay Tryan (Billings, Mont.)/Walt Woodard (Stephenville, Texas), 10.6/2, $2,982
Saddle Bronc Riding
Bryce Miller (Buffalo, S.D.), 85 points, $7,353
Tie-Down Roping
(tie) Fred Whitfield (Hockley, Texas) and Blake Huckabee (Shreveport, La.), 15.8/2, $6,298 and $5,928, respectively
Barrel Racing
Mary Burger (Pauls Valley, Okla.), 13.43 seconds, $4,299
Bull Riding
Jordan Hooton (Daingerfield, Texas), 84 points, $8,678
Brazile repeats thrice in Deadwood
For the second year in a row, Trevor Brazile won two events, plus the all-around, at the Deadwood (S.D.) Days of ’76 Rodeo.
Brazile, the reigning and five-time World Champion All-Around Cowboy, repeated as team roping and steer roping champion, earning $6,198 between the two events to claim all-around honors once again in Deadwood, which has been honored four times as the PRCA’s Small Outdoor Rodeo Committee of the Year and is the four-time and reigning Medium Rodeo Committee of the Year.
He also won the same two events in 2007 after earning $4,906 as rodeo’s all-around champion.
Brazile roped and tied three steers in 34.9 seconds to win the steer roping title and later joined forces with Patrick Smith of Midland, Texas, to rope two steers in 11.0 seconds to win the team roping title.
Bareback rider Chris Harris and steer wrestler Cash Myers, who won their respective events at the Days of ’47 Rodeo earlier in the week, also claimed titles in Deadwood. Harris, who earned a share of the Deadwood title one year ago, rode Burch Rodeo’s Big 85 for 86 points and a victory worth $3,206, while Myers earned $3,430 after recording a two-head time of 7.7 seconds.
Other Deadwood champions were: saddle bronc rider J.J. Elshere of Quinn, S.D., 90 points, $3,548; tie-down roper Cimarron Boardman of Stephenville, Texas, 18.5 seconds on two head, $4,075; and bull rider Nick Price of Russellville, Ark., 88 points, $3,506.
Houston FFA awards
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo awarded 70 Texas FFA members with four-year $15,000 scholarships totaling $1,050,000 during the Texas FFA State Convention in Lubbock.
In 2008, the Show’s scholarships increased to $15,000, a significant increase from the $12,000 scholarships previously awarded. For the 2008-2009 school year, the Show has committed $15.8 million to scholarships, research, endowments, calf scramble participants and junior show exhibitors. Also included is support of the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence ™, School Art participants and other educational and youth programs.
Since its beginning in 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has contributed more than $230 million to the youth of Texas.
Upcoming PRCA Rodeos
California Circuit: Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days Stock Horse Show & Rodeo, Aug. 1-3, Santa Barbara
Columbia River Circuit: Santiam Canyon Stampede, July 31-Aug. 1, Sublimity, Ore.; War Bonnet Round Up, July 31-Aug. 2, Idaho Falls, Idaho; Jerome County Fair, July 31-Aug. 2, Jerome, Idaho; Thunder Mountain Pro Rodeo, July 31-Aug. 2, Longview, Wash.; That Famous Preston Night Rodeo, July 31-Aug. 2, Preston, Idaho; Caribou County Fair & Rodeo, Aug. 1-2, Grace, Idaho
First Frontier Circuit: Painted Pony Championship Rodeo, July 30, Aug. 1, Lake Luzerne, N.Y.; Cowtown Rodeo, Aug. 2, Woodstown Pilesgrove, N.J.
Great Lakes Circuit: Iowa’s Championship Rodeo, July 29-Aug. 2, Sidney, Iowa; Carson Community Rodeo, July 31-Aug. 2, Carson, Iowa; Marshall County Fair & PRCA Rodeo, Aug. 1, Warren, Minn.; Freeborn County Stampede, Aug. 2, Albert Lea, Minn.
Montana Circuit: Big Sky Pro Rodeo Round Up, July 29-Aug. 2, Great Falls; Richland County Fair & Rodeo, July 31-Aug. 1, Sidney
Mountain States Circuit: Fremont County Fair & Rodeo, July 29-30, Riverton, Wyo.; Eagle County Fair & Rodeo, July 30-Aug. 2, Eagle, Colo.; Energy Town Pro Rodeo, Aug. 1-2, Gillette, Wyo.; Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series, Aug. 1-2, Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Thermopolis PRCA Rodeo, Aug. 2-3, Thermopolis, Wyo.
Prairie Circuit: Jayhawker Roundup Rodeo, July 28-30, Hill City, Kan.; Thomas County PRCA Rodeo, July 29-30, Colby, Kan.; Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, July 30-Aug. 3, Dodge City, Kan.; Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo, July 31-Aug. 2, Abilene, Kan.; Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo, July 31-Aug. 2, Phillipsburg, Kan.
Southeastern Circuit: Crossett Riding Club Rodeo, July 30-Aug. 2, Crossett, Ark.; Deep South PRCA Rodeo, July 31-Aug. 2, Winnsboro, La.
Wilderness Circuit: Mountain Valley Stampede, Aug. 1-2, Heber City, Utah
Canada: High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo, July 29-30, High Prairie, Alberta; Strathmore Stampede, July 31-Aug. 4, Strathmore, Alberta; Mighty Fraser Rodeo, Aug. 1-3, Abbotsford, British Columbia; North Peace Stampede, Aug. 2-3, Grimshaw, Alberta
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