Sursa comes up with big perfomance at right time at San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo
SAN ANGELO, Texas – James Sursa worked during the autumn months at his in-laws' ranch in Bluebell, Utah, to be sure he had enough money put away to compete all the way through the big winter rodeos. He was just starting to wonder if it would be enough.
Before his dramatic victory in the 77th annual San Angelo Rodeo Feb. 28, Sursa had struggled through some lean times, failing to earn a check since the NILE ProRodeo in Billings, Mont., last October, a frustrating road swing through Odessa, Texas; Denver, Rapid City, S.D.; Fort Worth, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Tucson, Ariz., and Scottsdale, Ariz.
"I felt like I was riding well," Sursa said, "but I wasn't drawing the right horses. I wasn't too worried. I figured it would turn around. But I probably only had enough money to stay out on the road for a couple of more weeks, so the timing was good for my first paycheck of the year."
Sursa won the first round at the San Angelo Coliseum with an 84-point ride on Big Bend Rodeo's Holly Time and, although finishing just outside the money in round two, his 81 allowed him to hold onto the lead in the average. He sewed up the title by scoring 82 points in the short go, good for a third-place tie with Dusty LaValley.
His 247 points left him four points ahead of Wes Stevenson and Sursa's best friend and traveling partner, Kelly Timberman. Sursa picked up a check for $4,892, his biggest since late in the 2007 season when he finished strong with wins at the Days of '47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City, the Horse Heaven Roundup in Kennewick, Wash., the Omak (Wash.) Stampede and the Amarillo (Texas) Tri-State Fair.
"It's really fun to compete (in the short go)," Sursa said. "It really makes you try hard. The short round is all about the best horses, so it's a good show."
Sursa's enthusiasm proved infectuous. His big smile and exultant hat waving drew a big response from the crowd. And then he got on the phone to share the news.
"I called my wife (Bridget) and my dad (Frank) to let them know," Sursa said. "They have always been my biggest supporters, so I call them every time I ride."
This call was just more fun.
"I think it's awesome," Timberman told the San Angelo Standard-Times. "I want (Sursa) to win so we can keep going down the road and pay the bills, and he can feed his family. And he wants the same for me."
Georgian Ryan Jarrett was the big money winner of the rodeo with $8,792 in tie-down roping. The 2005 World Champion All-Around Cowboy won the short-go and the four-head average in a time of 34.5 seconds, well ahead of Clint Cooper (37.0) and PRCA World Standings leader Clint Robinson (37.7).
Reigning and six-time World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor Brazile was the all-around champion in San Angelo, earning $6,290 in tie-down roping and team roping.
The other champions at San Angelo were steer wrestler Gabe Ledoux (16.1 seconds on four head), team ropers Derick Fleming and Cody Hintz (22.8 seconds on four head), saddle bronc riders Tyrell Smith and Dusty Hausauer (170 points on two head), bull rider Spud Jones (168 points on two head, steer roper Bryce Davis (35.1 seconds on three head) and barrel racer Terra Bynum (43.38 seconds on three runs).
Beaver claims third all-around title at Tucson
TUCSON, Ariz. – The 84th annual La Fiesta de los Vaqueros ended March 1 with seven contestants clinching championships before a sellout crowd of 11,000 fans and a celebrated veteran cowboy taking home the all-around championship buckle for a third time.
Tie-down and team roper Joe Beaver of Huntsville, Texas won the Lynn Beutler Award as this year’s all-around champion with $2,144 in earnings – the all-around champion title is awarded to the contestant who earns the most money in two or more events. The ProRodeo Hall of Famer previously won the all-around in Tucson 1997 and 2000.
Brian Curtis of Belle Fourche, S.D. closed the show with a 92-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Tokyo Drift – one point shy of the arena record set by Dustin Elliott in 2006. Combined with his 84 point effort on a re-ride Saturday, Curtis finished first in the average with 176 points and earned $6,278.
Tyler Johnston of Bridger, Mont., finished second with 172 points on two head.
"I felt pretty good, and any time you get a 92 it's always good," Curtis told the Tucson Citizen. "There are a lot of great guys in the short round, best in the world, and any one of them is capable of doing it. Fortunately it worked out for me and I'm happy."
Canadian Davey Shields continued his winter hot streak by winning the bareback riding title at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds. Shields tied for sixth place in the first round with an 84-point ride, then came back with a 90-pointer on the Wrangler NFR horse South Point from the Beutler & Son string.
With his $5,880 payday in Tucson, following the $6,222 he banked from the San Antonio Stock Show & Rode, he has $12,727 in just four rodeos and has moved into 12th place in the PRCA World Standings.
"I've seen that horse for quite a few years now, and I saw him here last Sunday," Shields said, "and he was fantastic. I was really hoping I'd draw him."
The other champions at Tucson were steer wrestler Cole Edge (17.6 seconds on three head), team ropers Kelsey Parchman and York Gill (19.0 seconds on three head), saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell (170 points on two head), tie-down roper Jeff Chapman (26.9 seconds on three head) and barrel racer Brittany Pozzi-Pharr (52.71 seconds on three runs).
The Tucson Rodeo enjoyed a 31-percent increase in attendance over last year. Officials credit outstanding weather and the rodeo’s recognition as a great entertainment value for visitors, families and fans of all ages.
RodeoHouston provides direct path to Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – RodeoHouston – is back for its 77th year at Reliant Park Stadium March 3-22 with $1.3 million in prize money and the best cowboys in the world, all looking for a shortcut to a world championship.
Since Houston switched to its SuperSeries format and began paying out $50,000 to its champions in 2007 ($27,500 apiece in team roping), no one who has earned a RodeoHouston buckle has failed to qualify into the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. A year ago, the $50,000 paydays helped steer wrestler Wade Sumpter and barrel racer Lindsay Sears of Nanton, Alberta, set regular-season earnings records.
Sears ($61,500) and tie-down roper Josh Peek ($58,250) set PRCA regular-season, single-event earnings records last year in Houston.
The retractable roof at Reliant Stadium has been repaired since last year's event, part of a $10 million renovation project prompted in part by damage done by Hurricane Ike's 110-mph winds on Sept. 13. The repairs were financed by insurance, plus Harris County and federal funds.
Pay-per-view television coverage of Rodeo Houston is available March 18-21. For more information, call 1-800-RODEOTX or go online at www.directv.com.
Lane Frost documentary honored by National Cowboy Museum
Lighthouse Productions' The Challenge of Champions: The Story of Lane Frost and Red Rock has been recognized with the Wesern Heritage Award as the top documentary of 2008 by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Okla..
The 90-minute film by David Wittkower details the famous matching of World Champion Bull Rider Frost with Red Rock, a bull that went unridden in more than 300 tries. Clyde and Elsie Frost, Lane's parents, and stock contractor John Growney narrate the story.
Three changes atop PRCA World Standings
Steer roper Leo Campbell, who has four times finished among the top 20 in the final world standings without making it to the National Finals Steer Roping, may finally be on his way to the bright lights of Hobbs, N.M. By winning a round at the San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo Feb. 25, Campbell moved ahead of reigning World Champion Scott Snedecor into first place in the standings with earnings of $10,083. It is one of three changes atop the PRCA World Standings, all involving ropers. Team roping partners Nick Sartain and Kollin Von Ahn earned more than $11,000 each in Tucson and San Angelo, allowing Sartain to push past 2007 World Champion Chad Masters among headers and Von Ahn to surpass Brad Culpepper in the heeling standings.
Two-time World Champion Bull Rider West returns to arena in Sedalia, Mo.
Bull rider Terry Don West's comeback didn't last as long as he'd hoped – only half as long, really. West, who won the world championship in 1996 and 2003, returned to PRCA competition Feb. 28 for the first time in about a year and was bucked off after four seconds at the Federation West Championship Rodeo in Sedalia, Mo. West, 43, told rodeo officials he may compete at a few more PRCA rodeos where his wife, barrel racer Michelle West, is competing.
Upcoming PRCA Rodeos
March 3 RodeoHouston, begins
March 5 Matagorda Fair & rodeo, Bay City, Texas, begins
March 5 Glen Rose Pro Rodeo, Glen Rose, Texas, begins
March 5 Southeastern Livestock Expo Rodeo, Montgomery, Ala., begins
March 7 Desert Pro Rodeo, Idio, Calif., begins
March 7 North Dakota Winter Show, Valley City, N.D., begins
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