J.W. Harris adds Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo to growing resume
POCATELLO, Idaho – It would be easy enough these days to suppose that J.W. Harris' initials stand for Just Winning.
The May, Texas, bull rider has been amazingly consistent in following his first world championship last December with titles at Fort Worth, Texas; Austin, Texas, and at the April 8-11 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, presented by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco.
Harris rode all four bulls he drew at Holta Arena -- two more than any other rider in the 24-man field -- and closed out his title with an 88-point ride on Burns Rodeo's Blended Red. He finished with a rodeo-best $22,598 (which does not count toward the PRCA World Standings), plus the use of a Dodge Ram truck for a year, a Montana Silversmiths buckle and a Justin Boots gift certificate for a pair of exotic boots.
"This last five or six months have been unbelieveable, just riding well and winning a world title," Harris said. "Also, winning the average at the Wrangler NFR and winning the average here. It has just been a great, great year. Everything seems to be going my way."
Recognizing that no bull rider has won back-to-back world championships since Blue Stone of Ogden, Utah, in 2001-02, Harris was not about to take anything for granted after his big moment on the Las Vegas stage.
"After the Finals I told myself, 'I'm just going to worry about being consistent,' so I went home and got on a bunch of practice bulls," he said. "It's made a difference."
According to the Web site ProBullStats, Harris is in the top three among all bull riders, in all circuits, in points scored per outing over the last 75 days. This includes his four days on the Idaho State University campus, where he averaged 83 points per outing on an outstanding pen of bulls.
Apart from Harris, the bulls had a 50-7 edge for the week. Harris was second to Marcus Michaelis in the semifinal round, then was the only rider in the five-man final round to make it to the eight-second whistle.
And it wasn't easy.
"It was back-and-forth, and then I finally figured him out and I got a seat," Harris said of Blended Red, "and then it went well from there."
The crowd of more than 9,000 in the stands for the final round April 11 got quite the show. Reigning World Champion Steer Wrestler Luke Branquinho produced a rodeo-best 3.9-second run in the finals to earn a DNCFR buckle, and reigning World Champions in the team roping (Matt Sherwood/Randon Adams) and saddle bronc riding (Cody Wright) made it to the final four, along with an array of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers and past DNCFR champions.
No result drew a more popular response than the tie-down roping victory by local favorite Nate Baldwin, who lives in Blackfoot, Idaho, 30 miles from the ISU campus.
Baldwin emerged from a field that started with reigning World Champion Stran Smith and that had five past DNCFR championships in the eight-man semifinals -- Matt Shiozawa (2008), Cutter Parsons (2007), Casey Branquinho (2005), Baldwin (2004) and Brad Goodrich (1999). Baldwin finished second to DNCFR rookie Nathan Steinberg of Conroe, Texas, in the semifinals by a tenth of a second (8.0 to 8.1) and then reversed the order in the finals, winning with a time of 8.7 seconds to Steinberg's 9.5.
"The added money here is terrific, and getting a new truck is awesome, too," Baldwin said. "What this does is help me go into the spring season with some more confidence. It helps me move into the season as I try to make the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Vegas.
"Rodeo is full of ups and downs, so when it works out like this, especially in your hometown, in front of a great crowd, it is just so great. People from Idaho, they like to support cowboys from Idaho. It was the same way last year when Matt (Shiozawa) won. It was awesome. It was so loud (in the arena). It's great we can keep (the DNCFR title) in Idaho."
Baldwin's win, along with a 1-2 finish in the bareback riding by Kaycee Feild of Elk Ridge, Utah, and Cody DeMers of Kimberly, Idaho, helped the Wilderness Circuit run away with the team championship for the third consecutive year. The Wilderness Circuit team had $144,428 in winnings from the total payout of $491,250, and that was more than twice as much as the runner-up team from the Columbia River Circuit.
23rd annual DNCFR champions
Bareback riding: Kaycee Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah, 89 points, total earnings of $21,966
Steer wrestling: Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 3.9 seconds, $13,264
Team roping: B.J. Campbell, Benton City, Wash./Russell Cardoza, Farmington, Calif., 4.8 seconds, $7,720
Saddle bronc riding: Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 87 points, $15,088
Tie-down roping: Nate Baldwin, Blackfoot, Idaho, 8.7 seconds, $14,597
Barrel racing: Barbra West, Oak Harbor, Wash., 15.47 seconds, $7,720
Bull riding: J.W. Harris, May, Texas, 88 points, $22,598
Team: Wilderness Circuit, $144,428
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco recognizes top livestock at DNCFR
Top bucking horses and bulls were honored at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, along with the top contestants, on April 11 in Pocatello, Idaho. The stock contractors who provided livestock for the circuit national championships voted, and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco awarded $2,000 for first place, $1,200 for second place and $800 for third.
Kesler Championship Rodeo bucking horses swept the top spots in bareback riding and saddle bronc riding.
Bonus Alley was selected in bareback riding. Cool Alley, the USST 2004 Saddle Bronc Riding Horse of the Year and 2008 co-Saddle Bronc Riding Horse of the Year garnered the top spot in rodeo’s signature event.
John Smith’s JS Rodeo’s Phess was voted the top bucking bull.
The other stock recognized by the voters: Bareback riding – 2. Magic Wars, Mosbrucker Rodeos; 3. Painted Smile, Kesler Rodeos. Saddle bronc riding – 2. Eight Ball, Bar T Rodeo; 3. Starburst, Kesler Rodeos. Bull riding – 2. Curious George, Southwick’s Rocky Mountain Rodeo Company; 3. Monkey Moves, Powder River Rodeo.
Mulligan gets the better of world champion in Logandale, Nev., rematch
LOGANDALE, Nev. -- And now for your instant replay….
Just 24 hours after he had won the short go in 3.9 seconds at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho, there was reigning World Champion Steer Wrestler Luke Branquinho winning the Clark County Fair & Rodeo short round, in 3.9 seconds.
The 3.9 in Pocatello edged Sean Mulligan of Coleman, Okla., for the DNCFR title. The 3.9 in Logandale on April 12 left him second to Mulligan in the four-head average by four-tenths of a second, 19.1 to 19.5.
It was a remarkable week for Mulligan, a three-time qualifier for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. With his $4,489 in winnings as champion at the Clark County Fairgrounds and his event-best $19,650 at Pocatello, Mulligan banked $24,139 for the week.
"It was fun going head-to-head with Luke in two big rodeos like that," Mulligan said. "That was a real good week for me (financially), and it builds up your confidence for sure when you can compete like that against the world champion."
Mulligan had a 1.5-second lead over Branquinho entering the short go and "safetied up a little bit," to make sure he didn't break the barrier. Still, Mulligan earned a time of 5.0 seconds, just a tenth of a second from earning a check in the short go, too.
In the ongoing discussion of whether DNCFR earnings should count -- they don't currently -- in the PRCA World Standings, Mulligan's vote is for inclusion.
"I've always thought that if the Heartland Championships money is counted, then the DNCFR should be counted too," Mulligan said. "To me, that's just logical."
Trevor Brazile used the $7,423 he earned in winning the Clark County Fair & Rodeo tie-down roping average (along with $2,467 he earned in team roping with Patrick Smith at Oakdale, Calif.) to take over the all-around lead in the PRCA World Standings for the first time this year. The six-time and reigning World Champion All-Around Cowboy is seeking to equal the career record of seven held by Ty Murray.
He has total earnings of $53,366 this year to put him more than $5,000 ahead of second-place Clint Robinson and nearly $20,000 in front of Ryan Jarrett in third place.
Brazile, of Decatur, Texas, won the second round of the tie-down roping, placed in two other rounds and won the four-head average by 2.1 seconds over Jody Green of Marlow, Okla.
Sadddle bronc rider Taos Muncy had his first win since suffering a broken right ankle Feb. 17. Muncy, of Corona, N.M., tied with Josh Reynolds, of Corvallis, Mont., in the first round with an 84-point ride and was second to PRCA World Standings leader Bryce Miller in the short go to win the average with 165 points. The 2007 World Champion earned a total of $4,586.
The other winners of the average were bareback rider Steven Dent of Mullen, Neb. (171 points on two head), team ropers Luke Brown of Santo, Texas, and Martin Lucero of Stephenville, Texas (26.1 seconds on four head), bull rider Douglas Duncan of Alvin, Texas (170 points on two head) and barrel racer Layna Kight of Willispoint, Texas (52.35 seconds on three runs).
Eight-time World Champion Team Roping Header Speed Williams retires
Eight-time World Champion Team Roping Header Speed Williams is retiring from active rodeo competition to focus on a new team roping concept called Speed's Match Roping.
Williams, 41, claimed his ProRodeo record eight world titles with heeler Rich Skelton from 1997 to 2004 and surpassed $2 million in career earnings at last December's Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Williams made the announcement after selling his horses and listing his ranch in De Leon, Texas, for sale and moving his family to Scottsdale, Ariz.
"After a lot of consideration after the Houston rodeo, I decided this is the right time in my life to make the decision,” Williams said, “even though it happened about seven or eight years earlier than I expected.”
He first posted the announcement, accompanied by a video message, on his blog at www.matchroping.com on April 10.
Minors get major boost with win in Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo
The brother team of Riley and Brady Minor earned their first big win of the season at the April 11-12 Oakdale (Calif.) Saddle Club Rodeo with a time of 13.3 seconds on two head. The Wrangler NFR qualifiers from Ellensburg, Wash., finished third in the first round and fourth in the fourth round of the team roping to beat a field that included reigning NFR average champions Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith as well as Chad Masters/Jade Corkill.
The other champions at the $103,758 rodeo in Oakdale were bareback rider Teddy Athan of Livermore, Calif. (82 points), steer wrestler Ethan Thouvenell of Menifee, Calif. (14.7 seconds on two head), saddle bronc rider Isaac Diaz of Stephenville, Texas (86 points), tie-down roper Seth Hopper of Stanfield, Ore. (20.2 seconds on two head), barrel racer Rachael Myllymaki of Arlee, Mont. (17.68 seconds) and bull rider Mikey Allison of Marana, Ariz. (85 points).
Inury update: Ferley out for eight weeks with torn MCL
The 2006 World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Chad Ferley, of Oelrichs, S.D., suffered a complete tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee April 10 at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho. Justin Sportsmedicine spokesman Don Andrews said they do not anticipate the need for surgery, but that Ferley will be out of action eight to nine weeks and wearing a brace….Saddle bronc rider Ben Londo of Pendleton, Ore., aggravated an existing sprain of his right knee during the afternoon performance of the April 11 DNCFR and will undergo arthroscopic surgery this week to repair a torn meniscus…After five saddle bronc rides at Pocatello on April 11 (second round, semifinals and a finals in which he had two re-rides), Jesse Kruse reported to the Justin Sportsmedince Team room with a sprained right ankle and a lower back strain…Spud Jones was unable to compete in the DNCFR bull riding finals due to a concussion.
Upcoming PRCA Rodeos
April 16 Great Southland Stampede Rodeo, Athens, Ga., begins
April 16 Broncs and Honky Tonks Rodeo, Medicine Hat, Alberta, begins
April 17 Ralph Morgan Semi Annual Rodeo, Lauderdale, Miss., begins
April 17 Longview PRCA Rodeo, Longview, Texas, begins
April 17 Red Bluff Round-Up, Red Bluff, Calif., begins
April 23 Buc Days Pro Rodeo, Corpus Christi, Texas, begins
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