Attendance and arena records were broken, as well as some cowboy and cowgirl spirits, in the 81st Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo on Thursday through Saturday at Bob Banks Memorial Arena at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds.
A couple of local Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association wranglers treated the home fans to proud cheers, and some of the Four Corners states best also delighted. A total payout of $33,355 was distributed.
Well, I tell you, this has been a phenomenal rodeo, Ute Mountain Roundup chairman Slim McWilliams said. The horses are bucking great, and the stock that the Honeycutts are bringing continues to get better. Its great weather, great crowds. Weve had the largest attendance weve ever had.
Honeycutt Rodeo Stock Contractors of Alamosa provided the Ute Mountain Roundup stock for the 51st consecutive year.
The three-day rodeo drew a record 3,750 people. Rodeo fans were entertained by six-time PRCA Comedy Act of the Year Troy Lerwill, aka The Wild Child, in between each rodeo event. The Payson, Utah, native displayed his clown/barrelman antics to many laughs, but highlighted his performance by jumping over his truck and trailer, which shot out flames, on a dirt bike off of a ramp.
On Thursday, Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., tied an arena record in bareback bronc riding with 82 points. On Friday, Briggsdale native Royce Ford broke the record with an 83-point, eight-second ride on Standing Tall to take home the championship and $1,011 in winnings.
Its what I do for a living. I had an opportunity to get on a good horse and capitalized on it, so Im pretty happy about it, Ford said, while wrapping his right arm in athletic tape. I feel healthy. Everything is going great. I hope to make National Finals Rodeo (in Las Vegas in December).
Another arena record was set in saddle bronc riding by Eagles Cody Martin. He rode the horse Elvis to an 81-point score Friday night, bettering Darrell Tripletts 77-point score on Thursday. Triplett also saddled Elvis.
That horse, Ive been seeing him in the results quite a bit at the Honeycutt rodeos. Theyve been winning first on him, so Im really happy to see that I had Elvis, said Martin, who won $1,451. This is my second time here, and I will definitely be back. Its a great rodeo with a great atmosphere, great crowd. Just overall the production is professional. This is the kind of rodeo we like to come to.
Martin hopes to qualify for NFR.
Steer wrestling saw Russell Armenta of Bloomfield, N.M., win in 4.8 seconds to take home $1,019. Jesse Sheffield of Austin won $1,102 in tie-down roping, winning in 8.4 seconds. Team roping was won by Garret Tonozzi (Fruita) and Cody Doescher (Oklahoma City, Okla.) in 4.5 seconds. The duo each won $1,180.
In Womens Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing, Nikkie Gosney of Scottsdale, Ariz., broke the arena record on Saturday night with a time of 17.36. Denise Chambliss of Albuquerque, N.M., came in second with her Thursday time of 17.48.
Well, coming in, I didnt really know what to expect, said Gosney, who took home $857. I knew the ground was good. I just had to give it all I had. It was a great run, flawless turns and ran hard in between (the barrels). I was a little surprised to have an arena record. I wasnt expecting it. Its always a great arena to do a good job. Its a good rodeo.
Its Gosneys first arena record, and she has competed at the Ute Mountain Roundup for eight years.
The last event of the evening is always the most anticipated one, bull riding. In what is dubbed the most dangerous eight seconds in sports, fans had plenty to cheer about. Lewis resident and PRCA and Pro Bull Riding member Jason McClain lit up the crowd and score sheet to an 85-point total on Friday night, which ended up winning the event for him. McClain won $1,340.21 on the bull Gravy Train and says he is feeling better this season after battling injuries.
(Ive) been hurting pretty bad the last couple years. I feel good now and might make a run at the (National) Finals (Rodeo), McClain said. I love it at home. I got 20 miles to drive to the arena. My wife and kids can come. Its fun for everybody.
Another fan favorite is Cody Samora of Cortez. The 22-year-old went eight seconds on Black Gold and received the loudest roar from the stands on Saturday night. Samora scored 77 points, the highest total of the evening and was good for fourth overall, winning $487.
I felt pretty good. I didnt have the greatest bull in the world that I wanted to get on. Hes pretty back and forth, but he bucked all right. I got the score I got, so Im pretty happy, Samora said. Its real nice to hear from your hometown. To hear that cheer, it really brings the hopes up inside. Its pretty nice.
Samora and McClain will be at the Evergreen Rodeo on Friday through Saturday at the El Pinal Rodeo Grounds in Evergreen.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com