Monthly Archives: September 2009

By OWEN R. SMITH
The East Oregonian

PENDLETON – During the majority of the afternoon, the livestock got the better of the cowboys during Wednesday’s timed events at the Round-Up, which should take a bit of the pressure off Thursday and Friday’s competitors.

Only four men were able to turn in a qualifying time during the first timed event, calf roping. Matt Shiozawa grabbed the low score by roping his calf in 12.8 seconds, while PRCA points leader Trevor Brazile gave a 15.2 effort that was good for second on the day.

Shiozawa had an 8.3 during Tuesday slack, giving him a 21.1 and likely assuring him a spot in Saturday’s short round.

Of all the events, the steer wrestlers had the most success, with just three men failing to turn in a qualifying time. Todd Suhn, of North Platte, Neb., turned in the best time at 5.6 seconds. Three men were right on his tail: Clayton Morrison at 6.2, Dane Hanna at 6.5 and Jake Rinehart at 6.6.

Brazile, the legendary $3 million man, and his teammate Patrick Smith made up for a no-score in team roping slack by posting the fastest time of the day, a 5.1-second blast down the famous Round-Up Arena slope.

Two teams came close to besting Brazile and Smith. Turtle Powell and Travis Graves posted a 5.3, while Chad Masters and Jade Corkill came close at 5.9.

“It was pretty uneventful at the Round-Up for me so far,” Brazile said from his bus as he headed toward Albuquerque, N.M.. “We felt like we had a pretty good chance (of turning in a good second time). There’s really not a lot to think about as you come down the chute.”

Brazile, leading the PRCA world standings with $419,868, said he is feeling physically and mentally sound as he heads into the stretch run toward the PRCA Finals in Las Vegas. (read more)

ST. GEORGE – On Friday, from 6 to 7 p.m., Southern Utah’s home-grown world champion bronc rider Cody Wright will be present at a screening of the film documenting his 2008 quest for the title.

The event will be on the newly remodeled upper floor of the St. George Art and Community Center, 86 South Main Street.

The program is free and open to the public.

Lyman Hafen, writer and co-producer of the film, said, “This will be a unique opportunity for folks to meet the reigning Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world champion saddle bronc rider and see an excerpt of the film that shares his dramatic run for the title last year.”

The event is sandwiched between the Dixie Roundup Rodeo parade at 5 p.m. and the rodeo starting at 8 p.m.

Wright was born in Hurricane and lived there until he was 16, when his family moved to Milford. The 32-year-old father of four boys and a new baby daughter will be in St. George on Friday to compete in the Dixie Roundup Rodeo at the Sunbowl.

“He’ll be pulling in from Pendleton, Ore. just in time for the 6 o’clock event,” (read more)

JOE KUSEK Of The Gazette Staff | Posted: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 12:55 am

Rodeo is family.

Every summer weekend somewhere in Montana, families hauling trailers compete at rodeos.

Fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, chew a little dirt, yell some encouragement and share the common bond of competition. They celebrate the good days, shake off the bad ones.

And families take care of each other.

It’s not uncommon to have one set of parents ask another set to watch their children when it’s time to ride, rope or race. And why not? The children, the families, have grown up together.

 Tight-knit group

 ”It’s a pretty tight-knit group,” said Great Falls stock contractor Dick Lyman of the Montana rodeo community. “You’re going down the road together every weekend. You get to know each other pretty well.”

So when a member of the rodeo family stumbles or falls, everybody is ready to reach with a helping hand.

In late July, a “small spaghetti dinner,” blossomed into a huge fundraiser as the rodeo world help raised more than $100,000 for Jace Peterson, the three-year-old son of PRCA steer wrestler Jesse Peterson and his wife Jenny of Dillon.

Jace Peterson has suffered seizures since he was three months old. Numerous visits to the hospital had left the Petersons with staggering medical bills…(read more)

With the PRCA 2009 season ending Oct. 1, there is a meaningful race for the 15th slot in barrel racing.

Savannah Reeves of Dublin is sitting in the 15th in her bid to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in December in Las Vegas. However, her season earnings of $53,219 as of Monday is only $2,575 ahead of 16th place Rachael Ross of Murrieta, Calif.

Reeves is a member of the Koenig family in Cross Plains. Her father, Sam, is in town competing in steer wrestling.

Terra Bynum of Colorado City is up Thursday in barrel racing. Her earned money total of $49,474 in 17th place is only $1,170 out of the 15th place NFR qualifying slot.

Another local barrel racer, Lizzy Allen of Potosi, is up tonight, while Reeves and Raylene Cox of Abilene are up Friday. Jan Burns of Anson, Lee Ann Rust of Abilene and Angela Ganter are up Saturday night. (read more)

PUYALLUP, Wash. — In Las Vegas, drawing 21 can win you a lot of money — the ultimate lucky number in blackjack.

Team ropers Steve Purcella and Jhett Johnson may come to think of 21 as being their lucky number if they end up making it to Las Vegas for the big money offered at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Entering the Justin Boots Playoffs, Sept. 11-13, at the Western Washington Fairgrounds in Puyallup, Purcella (header) and Johnson (heeler) were both 21st in the PRCA World Standings and scrambling to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Three days — and $14,277 — later, they were assured of a berth in the Justin Boots Championships, Sept. 24-26, in Omaha, Neb., and were a lot closer to spending December in Vegas.

“It was huge,” Johnson said after the Wyoming cowboy had won the four-team final round with 1996 World Champion Purcella and the duo jumped from 22nd in the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour Standings to eighth place for Purcella and sixth place for Johnson. They both advanced to 15th in the PRCA World Standings. (read more)

By BRETT HOFFMAN

Special to the Star-Telegram

Stran Smith is in one big clutch situation.

The defending world champion tie-down roper has had an off year, plagued with cold streaks and nagging injuries. Last weekend, he entered the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Justin Boots Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., ranked 45th in the world standings with almost $27,000 in regular-season earnings.

Smith entered the rodeo knowing that he must earn an estimated $35,000 to $40,000 over the next month to qualify for the December Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Well, Smith made a huge stride in his attempt to earn a berth to the 2009 Las Vegas championships by winning the tie-down roping title at the Puyallup rodeo. The Childress cowboy pocketed $17,038.

“That’s what you go for, you go to win,” Smith said. “For me, I have no other option. I have to win. Really, I feel like instead of me being at a disadvantage, I’m sort of at an advantage. I have everything to gain and really nothing to lose.”

When the title was at stake in the final round, Smith turned a blistering time of 7.0 seconds to clinch the title. (read more)

Brett Hoffman
Rodeo Writer

In the world of pro rodeo, most husbands leave their wives and children behind as they travel the national circuit.

But that’s not the case with Stran Smith and his wife, Jennifer, a Childress couple who flourish in their high-profile careers within the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Stran Smith, 39, is the defending world tie-down roping champion. Jennifer Smith, 36, is a sports commentator who is often called upon to interview the winners of major rodeos.

The Smiths will be honored this weekend at the National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration in Lubbock. The duo will receive a rodeo achievement award during a banquet celebration.

It’s one busy weekend for the Smiths, who are also participating in a lucrative rodeo in Puyallup, Wash. The show is called the Justin Boots Playoffs, and it’s an invitational rodeo that features 24 credentialed contestants in each event.

Stran Smith is scheduled to compete in tie-down roping and Jennifer Smith will conduct the interviews for the ESPN broadcast.

While they’re on the road, the Smiths travel in a large motor home. And Stran Smith said he thrives on having his wife by his side.

“I’m not able to do what I do without her,” Stran Smith said. (read more)

BALCO Lawyer Released from Prison

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer

Posted: 09/08/2009 02:56:19 PM PDT

 NEW YORK—The lawyer who leaked confidential grand jury testimony of Barry Bonds and other athletes to the San Francisco Chronicle five years ago was released from prison after serving 16 months of his 30-month sentence.Troy Ellerman was released Jan. 16, according to the Bureau of Prisons Web site. Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Traci Billingsley said Tuesday he was let go under a program in which a term can be reduced by one year if a prisoner successfully completes a substance-abuse treatment program….(read more)

Courtesy of the PRCA

Jesse Kruse scores 91 points and sets an arena record at final tour stop

ELENSBURG, Wash. – It is not too difficult to image the possible newspaper headlines, such as “Kruse Control” or maybe “Krusin.’” Jesse Kruse was the cowboy to make the news at the Ellensburg ( Wash. ) Rodeo Sept. 7. The Great Falls , Mont. , cowboy continued his dominance in the saddle bronc riding with an arena record 91-point ride on Flying Five Rodeo’s Kool Toddy. Kruse’s effort produced the top score of the finals and lifted him to the average title.

“It feels great,” Kruse said. “I can’t ask for much more. I got on a great horse and I was able to get a little revenge on her. I had her at the Dodge (National Circuit) Finals (Rodeo in April in Pocatello , Idaho ) and got bucked off.”

Kruse was ready this time, as he broke the previous record of 89 points set by South Dakota ’s Jesse Bail in 2007. Kruse finished with a total of 176 points on two head in the final regular-season stop of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots. Next up is the Justin Boots Playoffs in Puyallup , Wash. , Sept. 11-13, and heading into the postseason, few cowboys have been as hot as Kruse. The 23-year-old holds the No. 1 spot in the PRCA World Standings and is third in the Tour standings. He has finished first at more than 15 rodeos and has won more than $120,000 this year. He is poised to win more cash en route to his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December (read more)