Smith reigns in Austin for second straight Tour win

By Kevin Carmody, PRCA Media Relations
Posted Monday, March 17, 2008

Score another Wrangler ProRodeo Tour victory in Texas for Stran Smith. For the second time in three weekends, the Childress, Texas, tie-down roper claimed victory in the Lone Star State, this time at Rodeo Austin, which concluded March 15 after a 13-performance run.

On March 1, Smith earned the average title at the San Angelo (Texas) Stock Show and Rodeo.
In Austin, Smith, a nine-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, tied three calves in 26.9 seconds, good for $8,810. Smith earlier won $11,058 in San Angelo.

His Texas success hasn’t been limited to Tour rodeos; Smith started the 2008 season with a payday of nearly $4,000 in Waco and later earned more than $5,000 at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

Three other Texans shared Smith’s excitement as Rodeo Austin average champions.
Will Lowe, a three-time world champion bareback rider, scored a two-point victory over another world champion, Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., who won it all in 2004. Lowe, of Canyon, Texas, totaled 252 points on three horses – highlighted by a 91-point ride aboard Andrews Rodeo’s Roly Poly in the second round – and walked away with $8,863.

Bull rider Dave Samsel of Haslet, Texas, got better as the rodeo progressed and ended up with the top score (252) on three rides. Samsel, who didn’t earn a paycheck after a 79 in the first round, placed fifth in the second round and finished third in the final round with an 88.

Samsel, who qualified for his first Wrangler NFR in 2007, earned $5,795 in Austin. He finished nine points ahead of 2006 World Champion Bull Rider B.J. Schumacher, the only other cowboy to post three successful rides.

Barrel racer Terra Bynum of Colorado City, Texas, stood tall at the conclusion of Rodeo Austin, winning the average title by the slimmest of margins. Bynum recorded a total time of 45.33 seconds on three runs, just .01 seconds ahead of Layna Kight of Ocala, Fla.

Other champions from Austin were: saddle bronc rider Cody Wright of Milford, Utah, who won a rodeo-best $10,300 after riding three horses for 248 points; steer wrestler Stockton Graves of Newkirk, Okla., 11.6 seconds on three head, $7,719; and team ropers Mike Bacon of Boswell, Okla./Dennis Gatz of Fort Lupton, Colo., 14.7 seconds on three head, $4,023 each.