Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association News and Notes September 8, 2008

By Courtesy PRCA
Posted Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Then there were three: Contestants head to 98th Pendleton Round-Up as season winds down
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Pendleton Round-Up, which starts Sept. 10, kicks off the third-to-last weekend of the regular season as time dwindles for contestants to improve on their rankings or qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

The 2008 ProRodeo regular season – with the exception of the inaugural Heartland ProRodeo Series Championship in Waco, Texas (Oct. 3-11), the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour Championship in Dallas (Nov. 7-9) and the Dodge Xtreme Bulls Tour Championship in Indianapolis (Oct. 24) – ends Sept. 30.

The Pendleton Round-Up is world renowned for its atmosphere and competition and earned honors as the PRCA Large Outdoor Committee of the Year in 2003. Annually, the rodeo ranks as one of the most lucrative of the regular season, and 2007 was no exception, awarding a robust total purse of $390,471. In addition, the Pendleton Round-Up was a stop on the summer series of the Wrangler Tour from 2000-06.

All four performances in Pendleton start at 1:15 p.m. (PT), culminating with the final round on Sept. 13. The rodeo is offering $25,000 in added money per event and $50,000 in team roping. Last year, those figures were $21,500 and $43,000, respectively.

Ike Sankey of Sankey Rodeo Company is providing his award-winning livestock in Pendleton, with additional help from Burns Rodeo Company, Corey & Horst Rodeo, Korkow Rodeos, New West Rodeo and Western Rodeos.

Puyallup champs see dramatic rise in standings
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The stakes were raised at the $348,000 Puyallup (Wash.) Pro Rodeo, the second round of the Ariat Playoffs, and the weekend’s top competitors came away with just what the doctor ordered.

For some, their victories bolstered their already solid standings in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour. But others found a way to Omaha, Neb., the next stop in the Ariat Playoffs, with clutch performances at the Western Washington Fairgrounds.

Only the top 11 contestants in total Wrangler Tour points, plus Puyallup champions, advance to Omaha, where $400,000 will be on the line in two weeks.

For example, for the second consecutive year, saddle bronc rider Justin Arnold of Santa Margarita, Calif., won the Puyallup title and an automatic berth into Omaha’s River City Roundup, Sept. 25-27. He clinched the title with an 88-point ride aboard Calgary Stampede’s Fearless Warrior in the final round.

Arnold was one of 18 cowboys – and six Puyallup event champions – to keep their Tour seasons alive after entering the three-day Puyallup Pro Rodeo outside the top 12. In addition to Arnold, bareback rider Chris Harris of Itasca, Texas; team ropers Colter Todd of Marana, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz of Tucson, Ariz.; tie-down roper Jeff Chapman of Athens, Texas; and bull rider B.J. Schumacher of Hillsboro, Wis., picked great times to come through in the clutch.

Schumacher highlighted a group of five world champion cowboys who earned enough points in Puyallup to qualify for Omaha. The 2006 world champion bull rider was joined by steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch (2006); team ropers Speed Williams (1997-2004) and Walt Woodard (1981 and 2007); and tie-down roper Fred Whitfield (1991, 1995-96, 1999-2000, 2002, 2005 and all around, 1999).

Other big movers from the weekend included bareback rider Josi Young of Kimberly, Idaho (14th to fourth); team ropers Brady and Riley Minor, both of Ellensburg, Wash. (19th and 21st to eighth and ninth, respectively); and bull rider Steve Woolsey of Payson, Utah (15th to third).

Ariat Playoff Series – Omaha Qualifiers List
The following is the list of qualifiers for the River City Roundup in Omaha, Neb., the third event of the four-rodeo Ariat Playoffs, which runs Sept. 25-27. By rule, each event’s top 11 competitors in Wrangler ProRodeo Tour standings, plus each event champion from the Puyallup (Wash.) Pro Rodeo, qualify for Omaha. The list is current as of Sept. 8, 2008:

Bareback riding
Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb.
Kaycee Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah
Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo.
Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, Colo.
Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash.
Chris Harris, Itasca, Texas
Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas
Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla.
Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore.
Tim Shirley, Conifer, Colo.
Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo.
Josi Young, Kimberly, Idaho

Steer wrestling
Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif.
Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta
Beau Franzen, Sidney, Mont.
Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb.
Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla.
Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore.
Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La.
Ken Lewis, La Junta, Colo.
Jason Miller, Lance Creek, Wyo.
Cash Myers, Athens, Texas
Les Shepperson, Midwest, Wyo.
Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo.

Team roping (Heading)
Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Matt Funk, Hermiston, Ore.
JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas
Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.
Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D.
Turtle Powell, Alpine, Texas
Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz.
Jake Stanley, Hermiston, Ore.
Colter Todd, Marana, Ariz.
Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo.
Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont.
Speed Williams, De Leon, Texas

Team roping (Heeling)
Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev.
Marty Becker, Edmonton, Alberta
Clay O’Brien Cooper, Morgan Mill, Texas
Broc Cresta, Petaluma, Calif.
Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz.
Travis Graves, Jay, Okla.
Kinney Harrell, San Angelo, Texas
Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas
Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas
Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.
Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla.
Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas

Saddle bronc riding
Justin Arnold, Santa Margarita, Calif.
Anthony Bello, Oakley, Utah
J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D.
Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla.
Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D.
Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta
Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo.
Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont.
Jess Martin, Dillon, Mont.
Ben Morrow, Grafton, Australia
Cody Taton, Newell, S.D.
Cody Wright, Milford, Utah

Tie-down roping
Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas
Jeff Chapman, Athens, Texas
Seth Childers, Cameron, Texas
Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas
Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla.
Jerrad Hofstetter, Portales, N.M.
Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga.
Mike Johnson, Henryetta, Okla.
Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo.
Doug Pharr, Victoria, Texas
Stran Smith, Childress, Texas
Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas

Bull riding
Kanin Asay, Powell, Wyo.
Howdy Cloud, Kountze, Texas
Brian Curtis, Belle Fourche, S.D.
J.W. Harris, May, Texas
Zack Oakes, Elk, Wash.
Shawn Proctor, Tooele, Utah
B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis.
Chance Smart, Philadelphia, Miss.
Jake Wade, Alamo, Nev.
Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo.
Stormy Wing, Dalhart, Texas
Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah

Rookie sponsorships
American Cowboy Coffee and Montana Silversmiths will share sponsorship of the 2008 Rookie of the Year awards, under terms of a Sept. 2 agreement with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Hartville, Wyo.-based American Cowboy Coffee, founded by A.J. Roy and 1991 World Champion Bareback Rider and ProRodeo Hall of Famer Clint Corey, will provide the $23,000 in bonus money to be awarded and Montana Silversmiths the buckles.

Presentation of awards to the top-earning first-year cowboys in each event, in addition to the all-around and the overall Rookie of the Year will take place Dec. 9 during the sixth performance of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Asay returns, shares Lewiston title
Bull rider Kanin Asay, who just two months ago suffered a ruptured spleen, partially torn right ear and a broken rib at the St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo, shared top honors at the Lewiston (Idaho) Roundup after his 88-point ride aboard Frontier Rodeo’s I on U.

Asay, of Powell, Wyo., earned $4,845 for the ride, as did Chad German of Groesbeck, Texas, who scored 88 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Hot Diggity.

Steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch, the 2006 world champion, and 2005 World Champion All-Around Cowboy Ryan Jarrett claimed Lewiston titles in their specialties. Gorsuch downed two steers in 8.3 seconds to earn $3,853, and Jarrett roped and tied two calves in 17.4 seconds to win the crown and $3,363.

At the Fort Madison (Iowa) Tri-State Rodeo, saddle bronc rider Bradley Harter headlined the event champions after his 88-point trip on Cervi and Guidry Rodeo’s Easy Street. Harter, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, earned $4,596.

Hall of Fame winter hours
Effective Sept. 1, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy will observe its winter hours schedule. The building will be open only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The building will be closed Monday and Tuesday. Winter hours continue through April 1. For more information, visit prorodeohalloffame.com

Upcoming PRCA Rodeos

Columbia River Circuit: Pendleton Round-Up, Sept. 10-13, Pendleton, Ore.; Othello PRCA Rodeo, Sept. 12-13, Othello, Wash.

First Frontier Circuit: Liberty Pro Rodeo, Sept. 12-14, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.; Cowtown Rodeo, Sept. 13, Woodstown Pilesgrove, N.J.

Mountain States Circuit: Kiowa County Fair, Sept. 12-13, Eads, Colo.

Southeastern Circuit: Northeast Arkansas District Fair & Rodeo, Sept. 11-13, Jonesboro, Ark.; Harris County Cattlemen’s Association, Sept. 12-13, Hamilton, Ga.

Texas Circuit: West Texas Fair & Rodeo, Sept. 9-13, Abilene; San Patricio Pro Rodeo, Sept. 12-13, Sinton

Turquoise Circuit: New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo, Sept. 11-14, 17-20, Albuquerque; Eddy County Pro Rodeo, Sept. 12-13, Carlsbad, N.M.