Wyoming contestants gathered paychecks in four events at the national finals last night. “I’m starting to make the turn and will get this thing figured out,” said Kelly Timberman of Mills who took fifth place money of $4,200 and is currently fifth in the bareback riding average. Jason Miller placed again dropping his steer in 3.8 seconds to collect close to $7,000 and fourth place honors. “My horse acted up a little in the box and I was just a hair slow getting out of there,” Miller told me. He had mentioned earlier in the day that we could expect a fast pen of steers and that was clearly accurate. A time of 4.1 did not pay in last night’s bulldogging competition. Miller holds the second spot in the average (or aggregate) and there’s where the best total at the end of this thing can serve to catapult a cowboy to the top. Carpenter’s Brandie Halls made a clean barrel racing run and won $4,200. And Bobbie Welsh, of Gillette, tied for fifth in bull riding to take away a $3,400 payday.
Missing Out & Making Do
As predicted by Chet Johnson, yesterday’s broncs were twisters of the highest order. They were downright rude tossing their riders with unkind regularity. But professionals don’t give up easily and eventually scores were obtained. Johnson looked back to see a pretty high mark initially and then noticed a flag that took away the score because he did not get his feet parked above the horse’s shoulders upon landing the first jump out of the chutes. It happens to the best. A violation of the mark-out rule hurts most when you’ve gone on to a classic spur like Johnson managed last night. He is not fretting and won’t look back. That’s an unwritten rule of rodeo. It is always better to smile and focus on the next one. You want that chance more than anything. And when your body is facing ten-to-one odds in terms of the animal’s weight to yours, you are also pretty darn satisfied to walk away healthy. Bronc rider Jeff Willert is the first contestant at this year’s Wrangler’s National Finals Rodeo who did not get up after being stepped on following a very respectable outing. Justin Sports Medicine doctors ordered Willert sent to University Hospital and reported a bone in Willert’s upper leg is very likely broken.
Photo: Chet Johnson in round two. Credit: Rick Carpenter
Team Toast
Mornings can start at noon in Vegas so our office hosted an early breakfast with some trepidation yesterday. But WOW did Wyoming show. Stock contractors, contestants, Wyoming rodeo committee people and oh yes, the Governor and First Lady, all came out to share sustenanc
e and support the pro rodeo athletes who are here representing the “Cowboy State.” One of many just desserts out of the get-together was interaction between rodeo committees. They came away saying it was good to meet, talk, and learn more about one another. Sounds like the start of some good progress on the overall Wyoming rodeo scene. Casper team roper Jhett Johnson represented the athletes at the breakfast and he was very thankful for the support from the Wyoming Travel & Tourism office. “It’s truly an honor to have a whole state behind us. We meet people every day who are pulling for us – whether it went good or bad. Thank you and stay behind us. We’re doing all we can,” Johnson told the crowd. Photo: Jhett Johnson speaks at Wyoming breakfast with Governor Dave Freudenthal in attendance. Credit: Rick Carpenter
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