2 THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
BEN WRZESINSKI rides Delta Magnum to a 78.5 in the bareback riding at the NRA Rodeo on March 12, 2011. Wrzesinski and his son, Cavan, are competing in the bareback event at the NRA Finals for the 2011 title. BOB ZELLAR / THE BILLINGS GAZETTE
Father, son vie for bareback title BY PAT RYAN of The Montana Standard
BOULDER — If things don’t work out with rodeos or the family fencing business, there’s probably enough saddle leather in the Wrzesinski home to start a tack shop. So far, however, the two endeavors have done pretty well for Ben Wrzesinski and his family. Wrzesinski, a bareback rider and small businessman, has earned a total of six championship saddles from his years competing in the Northern Rodeo Association Finals, and most of them are
proudly displayed in the family home northeast of Boulder. The reigning All-Around Cowboy from the 2010 NRA Finals makes his rodeo bread and butter without the use of saddles, however, as he has earned four bareback titles in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Throw in some paychecks from team roping, and Wrzesinski was able to lay claim to the title of NRA All-Around Cowboy in 2008 and 2010. Gerald Eash won the All-Around saddle in 2009, and looks poised to do this same this season, as he leads both the NRA bull riding and saddle bronc
standings. Eash may win a rare triple crown in the process this year. The battle for Wrzesinski, this year anyway, is centered in the bareback competition. John Salois of East Glacier leads the pack with $6,061.13 in winnings, and Wrzesinski sits third in the event standings, about $500 back. In second place? Look out for Cavan Wrzesinski, Ben’s 17-year-old son, who has taken his father’s signature event and begun to make it his own. The three cowboys will be vying along with seven others at the NRA Finals for the 2011 bareback title, as one good ride could change the
standings quickly. Ben and his son began riding bareback at a young age — both were right around 13 years old — though Cavan had the benefit of his father’s instruction. “It’s a hard thing for some of the younger guys to learn the tricks before they get hurt,” Ben said. “It’s an event where you’ve got to be willing to take a beating before you get it figured out.” Ben said he tried saddle bronc as well in his younger days, but decided then that he liked the bareback. “I team rope some, and I’ve done
See BAREBACK, Page 4
THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 3
WELCOME TO BUTTE RODEO FANS
DEPARTMENT STORES
ATHLETIC SPORTSWEAR BEAUTY - HEALTH - NUTRITION
CARDS - GIFTS - SPECIALTY
CASINO CLOTHING
494-5366 494-4008 494-3907 533-1568 494-6317 494-6668 560-2744 494-2244 494-2565 494-4499 494-4595 494-8385 494-3287 494-5168 494-3536
Herberger’s JCPenney Sports Connection Bath & Body Works General Nutrition Center JCPenney Styling Salon Solutions Mind, Body & Soul Higgin’s Hallmark JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts Montana Magic Double Eagle Casino Christopher & Banks Maurices Moses for Men & Junior Girls Vanity
ELECTRONICS FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
FAMILY SHOES FOOD - RESTAURANT GOVERNMENT OFFICE
782-1221 494-7775
MOM’s Club Minor’s Pit Play Area Our Lady of the Rockies Gift Shop & Tour Office Spirit of Columbia Gardens Carousel Project Carving Room & Display Room
404-3340 494-3341 494-4149 221-7035 560-2585 723-3361
494-8412
JEWELRY & ACCESSORIES
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY ATTRACTIONS & PROJECTS
494-3151
494-8115 494-2897 494-4534 494-3362 782-1593 494-4400 494-5777
Radio Shack Plaza 6 Theatres /Carmike Cinemas Phone & Go Movie Info Manager Payless ShoeSource Asia Garden Garden of Eating Butte Public Library South ext: 6400 Montana Army National Guard Recruiting OffIce Claire’s Keenan Jewelers Riddle’s Jewelry Butte Plaza Mall Management Butte Plaza Mall Security First Citizens Bank ATM WHY USA/Kivela Real Estate
REGULAR MALL HOURS Monday–Friday 10am to 9pm Saturday 10am to 6pm Sunday Noon to 5pm
SOUTHWEST MONTANA’S CENTER OF IT ALL! 3100 Harrison Avenue, Butte, MT 59701 BPM Management Office • (406) 494-3362
4 THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
BEN, LEFT, AND SON CAVAN WRZESINSKI will be competing in the bareback riding competition at the NRA Finals Rodeo in Butte.
Bareback ... Continued from Page 2 some bulldogging, but I never wanted to ride the bulls,” he said with a smile and a shake of the head. Bareback riding is tough enough. Considered by many the toughest event in the rodeo, numbers of bareback competitors have been dwindling in recent years. Still, the Wrzesinskis have found a niche, and do well in the event. It’s not the first trip to the NRA Finals for the father-son duo, as they both qualified in bareback last year. While Ben came away with the allaround title, Cavan was still learning the ropes as a 16-year-old. “Cavan really has a shot at it this time,” Ben said. “He’s improved nightand-day from last year. Before too long we might be moving some of my saddles out of the house to make room for his.” Cavan gets in plenty of practice. The family has a bucking machine outside the house, and 15 head of bucking horses that see regular use in high school rodeo practices in Helena. There’s plenty of opportunity to practice in the off season, but during the summer the youngster is riding three or four times a week in rodeos. And Ben, now 42, said he’s had more than enough practice over the years. “I don’t get on ’em for free any more,” he said with a laugh. The elder Wrzesinski said he’d like to rodeo for at least another year, partly so he can ride in his 20th Montana circuit finals, and also so he can compete in a
few PRCA events with his son, who will turn 18 this winter and then be eligible to ride in the pro rodeos. “He’s been saying ‘one more year’ for about four years now,” Cavan said. While Ben’s rodeo career is in its twilight, Cavan’s is just beginning. The Jefferson High senior hopes to earn a rodeo scholarship to Montana State, where he’d like to study Agriculture Business. “Well, that’s just Fencing 101,” said Ben, owner-operator of 4/W Fencing. As his own boss, Ben Wrzesinski is able to travel to the rodeos he wants to, and does a pretty good job padding the family income with the winnings he brings home. “You can do pretty well rodeoing,” he said, “but I couldn’t do it without working. Being your own boss makes it so a guy can do it.” Ben and Cavan aren’t the only Wrzesinskis who will be competing in the NRA Finals this year. Little sister
Sweet T.E.A. Music
BOB ZELLAR / THE BILLINGS GAZETTE
GERALD EASH rides Preacherman to a 74.5 in the saddle bronc riding at the NRA Rodeo in March. Eash is also competing in the bareback event with the Wrzesinskis.
Lauren, 15, will be competing in the junior breakaway this year, and has previously made the finals in junior barrel racing. “This is Lauren’s last year as a junior,” Ben said. “After this, she’ll have to step up and compete
against the ladies.” Rounding out the Wrzesinski family is Ben’s wife Kirsten. Though she doesn’t compete in the rodeos, she’s fully involved with her family and helps hold the whole thing together, Ben said.
CALL TODAY
to book us for your Christmas Party, Wedding, Anniversary, Birthday Party or any event for great music.
Natasha Clements (406) 498-2713 Patty Clements (406) 491-3578 sweetteamusic.net
Ted Odle & Blake Nuffer, Owners
100 Cattle Drive Ramsay, MT 59748 406-782-1884
THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 5
37th Annual NRA/NWRA Finals
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28 Afternoon: Contractors and stock arrive 5 p.m. — Stock Contractor meeting, Metals Sports Bar 8 p.m. — Cowboy Poker tournament THURSDAY, SEPT. 29 7 a.m. — Complimentary hot breakfast, host hotels 7:30 a.m. — Break in stock, Butte Civic Center Noon — NRA “Country Christmas” Tradeshow, Butte Plaza Mall 1 p.m. — Contestant check-in / General membership meeting, Butte War Bonnet Hotel 5 p.m. — Cowboy auction / Hospitality suite & pig roast, Butte Civic Center 7:30 p.m. — NRA/NWRA Finals first performance, Butte Civic Center 10 p.m. — Dance, Butte War Bonnet Hotel FRIDAY, SEPT. 30 7 a.m. — Complimentary hot breakfast, host hotels 9 a.m. — Junior events check-in, Butte Civic Center 10 a.m. — Junior events, Butte Civic Center 10 a.m. — NRA/NWRA Board of Directors meeting, Butte War Bonnet Hotel 10 a.m. — NRA “Country Christmas” Tradeshow, Butte Plaza Mall 2 p.m. — Cosmic bowling tournament, King Pin 3 p.m. — Kids’ Stick Horse Rodeo (kids 10 & under), BBQ, fashion show, live broadcast, Murdochs 3 p.m. — Cowboy Auction, Butte War Bonnet Hotel 5 p.m. — Hospitality suite & pig roast 7:30 p.m. — NRA/NWRA Finals second performance, Butte Civic Center 10 p.m. — Dance, Butte War Bonnet Hotel SATURDAY, OCT. 1 7 a.m. — Complimentary hot breakfast, host hotels 9 a.m. — Cowboy golf tournament, Fairmont Hot Spings 10 a.m. — NRA “Country Christmas” Tradeshow, Butte Plaza Mall 10 a.m. — Committee / Stock Contractors meeting, Butte War Bonnet Hotel 2 p.m. — Secretary & Timers seminar, Butte War Bonnet Hotel 3 p.m. — Cowboy auction, Butte War Bonnet Hotel 5 p.m. — Hospitality suite & pig roast 7:30 p.m. — NRA/NWRA Finals third performance (Tough Enough to Wear Pink), Butte Civic Center 10 p.m. — Dance, Butte War Bonnet Hotel SUNDAY, OCT. 2 9 a.m. — Cowboy Church Service, Butte War Bonnet Hotel 10 a.m. — Breakfast & awards presentation, Butte War Bonnet Hotel 10 a.m. — Larry Jordan Sr. Memorial Crisis Fund silent auction, Butte War Bonnet Hotel
BOB ZELLAR / THE BILLINGS GAZETTE
DUSTAN BIRRER rides Double Stud in the saddle bronc riding at the NRA Rodeo in March.
6 THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
Murray brothers team up for roping event BY PAT RYAN of The Montana Standard
I
t’s a good thing hunting season doesn’t go all year long. Otherwise brothers Cory and Bryson Murray would never have any time to practice team roping. The pair from Ramsay qualified for the 36th annual Northern Rodeo Association Finals slated for the Butte Civic Center Sept. 29-Oct. 1, but they’d rather be hunting that just about anything else. “We practice (roping) just about every day,” said Bryson, 21. “Well, every day we’re not rodeoing and every day we’re not hunting. We never seem to get much practice during hunting season.” The work they have done on their craft has paid off, as the brothers have earned a total of more than $5,000 on the NRA circuit alone this season. Not bad for 15 rodeos in an event where, more often than not team ropers come away with no time. Of the 15, they received a no-time in only five. The brothers will be looking to move up in the standings, but they are more than $5,000 behind the leaders, the father-son team of Shane and Shawn Bessette of Vaughn. Team roping involves a “header,” in this case Cory, who is first out of the gates on his horse in chasing down a steer. After he ropes the animal’s head, the “heeler,” or Bryson, throws another lasso from his horse in an attempt to loop the animal’s hind legs. “There are so many variables,” Cory, 24, said, pointing to the header, his horse, the heeler, his horse, and a steer that may or may not move in a straight line. “The draw affects you big-time, and you can’t win on every (steer). Some run harder, and some don’t handle as well for the heeler.” The brothers got the desire to rodeo from their father.
“He rodeoed when we were just kids,” Cory said. “I guess he got us into this whole deal.” Cory began roping when he was about 7 years old, heeling behind his dad, and Bryson picked it up later on as well. Now the team is traveling across Montana, hitting as many rodeos as the brothers’ jobs will allow. Cory works for H&H Contracting, while Bryson is a welder for Afco Foundry and Fabrication. Four 10-hour shifts allows Bryson some flexibility, while Corey said he told his boss before he was hired that rodeo was a big part of his life. “They’re real good to work for,” Cory said. Bryson said he was happy to be able to work full-time and still be competitive among top-level ropers, but stopped short of taking too much credit. “About three quarters of this event is the horse,” he noted. “The horse is the athlete,” Cory agreed. Cory raised “Lucky” and Bryson has had “Charlie” since he was three. The brothers agreed that the people they meet on the rodeo circuit was one of the best things about the whole experience. “The best part about rodeo is the competitive, but friendly atmosphere,” Cory said. “Everyone wants to win, but everyone helps each other out with info on the draw or the move on the cattle.” “Winning is great,” Bryson said, “but I think I’d rather place at 10 rodeos than win two.” The Murrays said they don’t spend much time on the night life that accompanies rodeos, but the atmosphere is fun to be around. “Every time you go to a rodeo, it’s usually during a big celebration for whatever town it’s in,” Cory said. “It’s always fun.” But don’t look for the Murrays at the celebration after the rodeo. More than likely they’re getting their gear ready for an early start on a hunting trip.
THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 7
NRA Finals not just another event BY PAT RYAN of The Montana Standard
The Northern Rodeo Association Finals rodeo was, to put it plainly, an institution in Billings. In fact, the NRA Finals was the first event ever held at MetraPark Arena following its construction nearly four decades ago. After 36 years at Metra, the Finals will be held at the Butte Civic Center. Butte promoter Bill Fisher, along with Doug Clark and Tim Matich — officials of Train Wreck Productions — had tried to get the event once before, but without success. “We talked with them a couple of years ago, and they wanted to know if we would promote the event in Billings at Metra,” Fisher said. “That wasn’t what we were trying to do.” After two more years in Billings, Fisher’s group gave it another shot. “We looked at what Billings did that was strong and what Butte could do better,” he said. “I think what sold the committee on Butte was Butte. In Billings it’s just another event. We told them that they would be welcomed with broad arms here.” Theresa Walker, executive secretary of the NRA, said her organization liked what it heard.
“The Butte committee came to our board of directors and they really brought in some new and refreshing ideas,” Walker said. “The board was looking for a positive change, and that’s what they brought.” One of the biggest selling points for the move was the time of year the event would be held. For 36 years it had been a February event, but Butte proposed a fall date. Part of that is due to the size of the Civic Center, which dictates that some of the event staging needs to be done outside behind the facility, and winter is a bad time for that in Butte. “We were looking to get it in 2012,” Fisher said. “The committee knew the Civic Center would have challenges due to size constraints, but we gave ’em the Butte promise. Later they told us we get it in 2012, and 2011 too.” So, after a firestorm of organization, Train Wreck Productions has the works in place to put on a top-notch professional rodeo. Walker said her office is very mobile, and the physical move for the NRA to Butte for the Finals wasn’t a problem. “We have a lot of rodeos in Billings,” Walker said, noting some of the bigger ones that include the PBR,
BOB ZELLAR / THE BILLINGS GAZETTE
JAMIE CLARK ropes her calf in the breakaway roping at the NRA in Billings in March.
Billings Fair and the NILE. “Here, it’s just an event. Coming to Butte, we feel we’re more of an attraction.”
ENJOY THE RODEO... WHILE IN TOWN TRY A BUTTE TRADITION! Home of the Original Pork Chop Sandwich
BU-20276317
2400 Harrison • 782-1783 8 W. Mercury • 782-0812
WELCOME RODEO FANS!
FULL PARTS AND SERVICE DEPT. 310 East Legion St. • Whitehall, MT
406.287.3801 406 6 287 3801
Sales Mon.-Fri. 9am - 5:30pm 30 0 •S Sat. t 9 9am - 4 4pm
S Service Mon.-Fri. 8am - 5pm
8 THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
Town Pump 20276301 DT
THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 9
Town Pump 20276301
DT printed separately
10 THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
NRA Finals stock list Bareback horses BIG CIRCLE RODEO COMPANY I (J BAR J RODEO COMPANY) T315 Timber Tail 374 Dirty Promise 842- Ziplock 037 Rollin Lizard 077 First Dance R77 King Of The Lizards 179 Outcast 466 Wild Mountain Honey
Bulls
BIG CIRCLE RODEO COMPANY I (J BAR J RODEO COMPANY)
BIG CIRCLE RODEO COMPANY I (J BAR J RODEO COMPANY)
742- Preacher Man 65 Rex 255 Passionate Kisses 293 Treasure Chest 302 Bell Ringer 457 Cat Man Do 458 Cat Power 500 Wild Lizard 534 Chick Flick
BIG CIRCLE RODEO COMPANY II (J BAR J RODEO COMPANY) 352 Willie Jump Or Not 691 Bugs Spot 924 I’m Freckles II 943 All Lizard 5302 Mr Good Bar 7900 Rivers End 6L4 Smack Daddy 52 Money Maker 215 Kattle Bank 277 First Place 7L0 Daddy’s Sensation
313 James Dean 24 Johnny Cash 42 Sky High 60 Desert Child 023 Bad Medicine 50 Barbwire Bait
BIG CIRCLE RODEO COMPANY II (J BAR J RODEO COMPANY) 317 Charley Sheen 343 Flat Top
BIG CIRCLE RODEO COMPANY II (J BAR J RODEO COMPANY) 242- Zippin Out 842 Sagebrush 868 Lindy Lou Who 6355 Deal or No Deal 49T1 Cold Cream Lagoon 6T1 Painted Canyon 94H Gringo Honeymoon 036 Cowtown
JACOBS LIVESTOCK RODEOS P415 Vegas 649 Oliver Shag Nasty 549 Time Bomb 36 (Black) Cowboy Casanova 39 Painted Desert 17 Spit Fire
RED EYE RODEO 58 Cowtown After Dark 19 Full Metal Jacket F23 Come Apart 71 Badger Milk 513 Toby 761 Trigger Treat 517 Lucky 75 Power Play 734 Fireball 60 Gentle Ben 57 Painted Cowtown T42 BB Guns
JACOBS LIVESTOCK RODEOS 288 Lightning McQueen 610 Bubble Up
JACOBS LIVESTOCK RODEOS 215 Handicap 44 Right Spur
RED EYE RODEO
RED EYE RODEO
BEAU MICHAEL rides Red Top to a 74 in the saddle bronc riding at the NRA Rodeo on March 12, 2011.
Saddle broncs
G904 Cody Rose 201 Lights Out M5 Kaehl’s Revenge K514 Royal Ice M9 No Respect B5 Suki Stackhouse 369 Pantyline
LUNAK BIRD RODEO 027 Dirty Diapers X10 Vegas
66 Dynomite 984 Angel Dust 400 Indian Paintbrush G004 Double Stud K503 Whiskey Tango K500 Fu Bar K307 Sassafrass
LUNAK BIRD RODEO
LUNAK BIRD RODEO
307 Fashion Plate 069 Snatch It Back 057 Super Chief 729 High Heels
5 Chocolate Thunder 70 Bandit 78 Overdraft 612 Mellow Yellow
BOB ZELLAR PHOTO / THE BILLINGS GAZETTE
Welcome Rodeo Fans!
WELCOM COWBOYS, COWGIRLS WELCOME AND RODEO FANS! A
Sagebrush Sam’s Gentlemen’s Club & Casino
Remember Continental Fence for all your farm & ranch fencing needs!
OPEN 7 Days a Week 6 pm - 2 am
3” & 4” Vinyl Ranch Fencing starting at $ 5.45 per ft
Continental Fence 2601 Lexington • 782-4158 • 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri.
ADULT GAMING A
723-4757 BU-20276350
21 & Older Only
Exit 122
THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 11
PRCA primer: Know your rodeo BAREBACK Bareback riding, developed in the rodeo arena many years ago, consistently produces some of the wildest action in the sport. A bareback rider begins his ride with his feet placed above the break of the horse’s shoulder. If the cowboy’s feet are not in the correct position when the horse hits the ground on its first jump out of the chute, the cowboy has failed to “mark out” the horse properly and is disqualified. Throughout the eight-second ride, the cowboy must grasp the rigging (a handhold made of leather and rawhide) with only one hand. Optimum spurring action begins with the rider in control, his heels at the horse’s neck. He then pulls his feet, toes turned outward, to the horse’s withers until the cowboy’s feet are nearly touching the bareback rigging. A rider is disqualified if he touches his equipment, himself or the animal with his free hand. The rider is judged on his control during the ride and on his spurring technique. The score also is based on the rider’s “exposure” to the strength of the horse. In addition, the horse’s performance accounts for half the potential score. Four-time World Champion Bareback Rider Marvin Garrett holds the record for most money earned by a bareback rider in a single year. In 1995, Garrett won $156,733 en route to the world title.
this early competition that today’s event was born. Each rider must begin his ride with his feet over the bronc’s shoulders to give the horse the advantage. A rider who synchronizes his spurring action with the animal’s bucking efforts will receive a high score. Other factors considered in the scoring are the cowboy’s control throughout the ride, the length of his spurring stroke and how hard the horse bucks. Model spurring action begins with the rider’s feet far forward on the bronc’s point of shoulder, sweeping to the back of the saddle, or “cantle,” as the horse bucks. The rider then snaps his feet back to the horse’s neck a split second before the animal’s front feet hit the ground. Disqualification results if, prior to the buzzer which sounds after eight seconds, the rider touches the animal, himself or his equipment with his free hand, if either foot slips out of a stirrup, if he drops the bronc rein, or if he fails to have his feet in the proper “mark out” position at the beginning of the ride. The late Casey Tibbs, perhaps the most famous professional rodeo athlete of all time, is best known for his saddle bronc riding prowess. The South Dakota cowboy won six saddle bronc riding titles, as well as two all-around titles and a bareback riding championship, between 1949-59. Tibbs is immortalized by “The Champ,” a 20-foot bronze statue outside the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo.
SADDLE BRONC
BULL RIDING
Rodeo’s “classic” event, saddle bronc riding, has roots that run deep in the history of the Old West. Ranch hands would often gather and compete among themselves to see who could display the best style while riding unbroke horses. It was from
Unlike the other roughstock contestants, bull riders are not required to spur. No wonder. It’s usually impressive enough just to remain seated for eight seconds on an animal that may weigh more
Welcome Rodeo Fans!
“If You’re Not Checking Our Prices, You Are Paying TOO MUCH!”
See PRIMER, Page 12
SOUTHWEST MONTANA’S #1 DENIM HEADQUARTERS
Any single regularly priced item! Expires Oct. 1, 2011. One coupon per customer, per visit.
50 FORD LANE, BUTTE 1-888-661-8890 HOURS: M,TH,FRI: 8-7• T,W: 8-6• Sat: 9-6
494-6868 t 2214 Amhers
12 THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
NRA standings
Primer ... Continued from Page 11
Rank Name
Town
Earnings
than a ton and is as quick as he is big. Upper body control and strong legs are essential to riding bulls. The rider tries to remain forward, or “over his hand,” at all times. Leaning back could cause him to be whipped forward when the bull bucks. Judges watch for good body position and other factors, including use of the free arm and spurring action. Although not required, spurring will add points to a rider’s score. As in all the riding events, half of the score in bull riding is determined by the contestant’s performance and the other half is based on the animal’s efforts. A bull rider will be disqualified for touching the animal, himself or his equipment with his free hand. Bull riding was the subject of the feature film “Eight Seconds.” The movie chronicled the life of 1987 world champion Lane Frost, who died as the result of a bull riding accident at the 1989 Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days Rodeo.
1 Gerald Eash
Trego
$14,363.60
2 Tyler Holland
Bozeman
7,526.02
3 Sam Levine
Wolf Creek
6,422.73
4 Nolan Conway
Cut Bank
6,405.34
5 Brant Davis
Sand Coulee
6,365.37
6 J.D. Harrell
Roy
6,315.64
7 Dustin Bird
Cut Bank
6,265.25
8 Duston Stephens
Corvallis
5,316.53
9 Chris Witcher
Roberts
5,004.20
10 Delon Parker
Worden
4,837.43
11 Andrew Evjene
Two Dot
4,370.22
CALF ROPING
12 Bridger Chambers
Stevensville
2,758.03
13 Ryan Siemsen
Worden
2,694.93
14 Ben Ayre
Glendive
2,114.04
15 Monty Johnson
Hamer
1,745.34
Like bronc riding, calf roping is an event born on the ranches of the Old West. Sick calves were roped and tied down for medical treatment. Today, success in calf roping depends largely on the teamwork between a cowboy and his horse. The luck of the draw is also a factor. A feisty calf that runs fast or kicks hard can foil a roper’s finest effort. After the calf is given a head start, horse and rider give chase. The contestant ropes the calf, then dismounts and runs to the animal. After catching and flanking the calf, the cowboy ties any three of the animal’s legs together using a “pigging string” he carries in his teeth until needed. If the calf is not standing when the contestant reaches it, the cowboy must allow the animal to stand, then flank it. When the cowboy completes his tie, he throws his hands in the air as a signal to the judge. He then remounts his horse and allows the rope to become slack. The run is declared invalid if the calf kicks free within six seconds. As with any timed event, a 10-second penalty is added if the calf roper breaks the barrier at the beginning of the run. Though calf roping involves the incorporation of several distinct skills, the action is incredibly fast. At the 1997 National Finals Rodeo, Jeff Chapman of Athens, Texas, roped and tied a calf in 6.8 seconds to set an arena record.
STEER WRESTLING Wrestling a steer requires more than brute strength. The successful steer wrestler, or bulldogger, is strong, to be sure, but he also understands the principles of leverage. The steer wrestler on horseback starts behind a barrier, and begins his chase after the steer has been given a head start. If the bulldogger leaves too soon and
breaks the barrier, he receives a 10-second penalty. The steer wrestler is assisted by a hazer, another cowboy on horseback tasked with keeping the steer running in a straight line. When the bulldogger’s horse pulls even with the steer, he eases down the right side of the horse and reaches for the steer’s horns. After grasping the horns, he digs his heels into the dirt. As the steer slows, the cowboy turns the animal, lifts up on its right horn and pushes down with his left hand in an effort to tip the steer over. After the catch, the steer wrestler must either bring the steer to a stop or change the direction of the animal’s body before the throw or is disqualified. The clock stops when the steer is on his side with all four legs pointing the same direction. Steer wrestling is often known as the “big man’s event” and with good reason; at the 1997 National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, the average steer wrestler weighed in at 215 pounds.
TEAM ROPING (Heading) If a team roping header isn’t quick, you won’t find him at the National Finals Rodeo. Headers need quickness like brain surgeons need medical training. The slowest round-winning team roping time at the NFR in 1997 was 5 seconds. To win money at most professional rodeos, team roping headers must accomplish myriad duties in less time
than it takes the average person to yawn. First of all, headers must charge out of the box on horseback (without breaking the barrier, mind you), chase down a fast-racing steer and rope him around his protected horns, neck or “half-head” — a partial hornneck catch. Then the header must turn the steer to the left, giving his partner, called a heeler, a chance to rope the steer’s hind feet. The run is completed when the steer is secured and the team ropers’ horses are facing each other on opposite sides of the steer. Team roping is, as its name implies, rodeo’s only true team event. Beginning in 1995, however, the PRCA opted to recognize team roping headers and heelers with separate world titles. At the 1994 NFR, the Arizona team of header Jake Barnes and heeler Clay O’Brien Cooper, both seventime world champions, notched perhaps the finest team roping performance of all time. There, Barnes and Cooper caught 10 steers in 59.1 seconds, including a five-second penalty assessed for Cooper catching only one hind leg in the first round.
(Heeling) In rodeo’s only true team event, two ropers, a “header” and a “heeler,” work together to catch a steer. The header is the first cowboy out of the box. He may rope the steer around the head and one horn, around the neck or around both horns, which are specially wrapped for the event. As with all timed events, if the header fails to give the animal its allotted head start, a 10-second penalty is added to the total time. After making his catch, the header rides to the left, taking the steer in tow. The heeler moves in and ropes both hind legs. Catching only one hind leg results in a five-second penalty. If the heeler tosses his loop before the header has changed the direction of the steer and has the animal moving forward, it’s called a “crossfire” and it results in disqualification. The clock is stopped when the slack has been taken out of both ropes and the contestants are facing each other. In 1997, heeler Rich Skelton and header Speed Williams earned $112,243 and $114,700, respectively, breaking the heading and heeling earnings records.
BARREL RACING Although barrel racing may look less harrowing than some other rodeo events, it certainly is not for the faint-hearted. The horsemanship skills and competitive drive in this fast and furious event make it a crowd favorite. In barrel racing, the contestant enters the arena at full speed on a sprinting American Quarter Horse. As they start the pattern, the horse and rider trigger an electronic eye that starts the clock. Then the racer rides a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels positioned in the arena, and sprints back out of the arena, tripping the eye and stopping the clock as she leaves. The contestant can touch or even move the barrels, but receives a five-second penalty for each barrel that is overturned. With the margin of victory measured in hundredths of seconds, knocking over one barrel spells disaster for a barrel racing competitor.
THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 13
Butte boy becomes icon for rodeo way of life A world championship began in Butte dirt back in the 1950s when a little cowboy from just outside Melrose entered the arena. Benny Reynolds rode one calf and was bucked off the other. He was 6 years old. The next 50-some years saw Reynolds ride a lot of animals, get bucked off a few, and build a career that reached legendary status. That Butte rodeo was his first. The career culminated with several Hall of Fame memberships, including the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo., in which the true Montana cowboys was inducted in 1993. At 15, Reynolds, then attending Butte High School, took a little more serious bent toward his rodeoin’ and by age 20 he had gone pro, becme a signed-up member with the Rodeo Cowboys Association. The national circuit crowned him rookie of the year in 1958 as he proved to be so durable and resilient as to compete in the four more
BENNY REYNOLDS in his rodeo days.
e m o c l e W
BU-20276154
dangerous events — bull riding, bareback, saddle bronc and steer wrestling. Reynolds, now in his 70s, resides on his ranch near Twin Bridges. An attempt to contact him for this article was unsuccessful. He rode into the Hall of Fame, won a world championship, landed a spot on a TV show and helped open the chutes for the beginning of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In a state and region proud of its cowboy heritage, Reynolds has stood out as an example, an icon for the way of life. His Wikipedia biography states that Reynolds practiced his rough stock riding on his father’s team of workhorses, using them for both bareback and saddle bronc. His most successful year in pro rodeo was 1961 when he won the World Champion All Around Cowboy championship, $31,309, a saddle, a silver buckle, silver spurs and a life-sized fiberglass horse.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Reynolds’ world championship rides. He went on to win the the 1966 Linderman Award (named for another legendary rodeo great from Montana), given to the contestant earning the most money in a combination of three or more rough stock and timed events. His son, Rooster, won the National Finals Rodeo title in steer wrestling in 1995. His daughter, Jenny Peterson, married into another noted southwestern Montana ranch and rodeo family and presently serves as head volleyball coach at Beaverhead County High School in Dillon. Rodeos were as intense as they were fun in the early days of the PRCA, Reynolds said in a Billings Gazette article written by Joe Kusek in 2008. “I loved it,” Reynolds was quoted in the story, which noted he had competed in National Finals Rodeos in Dallas, Los Angeles and Oklahoma City. “I wanted to get on 10 head in 10 days. You had a
Pepsi... The official soft drink of the NRA Rodeo Finals in Butte
HARRINGTON PEPSI COLA
See ICON, Page 15
14 THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
The contestants BAREBACK RIDING 1, John Salois, E. Glacier, $6,061.13 2, Cavan Wrzesinski, Boulder, 5,774.71 3, Ben Wrzesinski, Boulder, 5,570.03 4, Justin King, Sagle, 3,556.74 5, Sylvan LaCross, Baker, 2,006.52 6, Ben Richmond, Havre, 911.61 7, Tucker Zingg, Dillon, 901.47 8, Calvin Ophus, Conrad, 719.10 9, Kyle Orr, Great Falls, 599.32 10, Chase Redfield, Opheim, 552.59
BULL RIDING 1, Gerald Eash, Trego, 7,506.37 2, J.D. Harrell, Roy, 6,156.07 3, Nevada Newman, Melstone, 4,299.00 4, Guy Nordahl, Helena, 3,600.65 5, James Warfield, Wolf Creek, 2,949.72 6, Andrew Smith, Shawmut, 2,709.10 7, Ryan Parsons, Boulder, 2,358.23 8, Andrew Evjene, Two Dot, 2,262.73 9, Chase Edward, Billings, 2,117.12 10, Colten Jensen, Bozeman, 1,945.95
LADIES BARREL RACING 1, Mandy Hamilton, Manhattan, 6,585.95 2, Robbi Nace, Roundup, 6,059.24 3, Deena Moeykens, Three Forks, 6,052.88 4, Jody Siderius, Dillon, 5,695.70 5, Stephanie Newman, Melstone, 5,090.78 6, Gayleen Malone, Pray, 4,627.42 7, Shelly Anzick, Livingston, 4,431.17 8, Shai McDonald, Gardiner, 4,149.12 9, Shelley Murphy, Helena, 3,412.39 10, Darae Larson, Belt, 2,879.62
LADIES BREAKAWAY ROPING 1, Cee Cee Tryan, Brodus, 5,768.02 2, Milee Malone, Livingston, 5,503.04 3, Cally Goyins, Helena, 3,073.23 4, Brooke Hirschy, Jackson, 3,041.13 5, Jamee Cameron, Townsend, 2,619.82 6, Katelin Loring, Cut Bank, 2,490.30 7, Mandy Hamilton, Manhattan, 2,323.05 8, Cassie Jumper, Kalispell, 2,241.20
BOB ZELLAR / THE BILLINGS GAZETTE
JOHN SALOIS, above, rides Cidiene’s Cash in the bareback riding at the NRA Saturday March 12.
9, JoBeth Askin, Belgrade, 2,232.69 10, Bailee Stovall, Helena, 2,104.49
SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1, Gerald Eash, Trego, 6,857.23 2, Cole Thoreson, Lovell, 6,800.15 3, Craig Miller, Miles City, 3,865.70 4, Brian Dawson, Wisdom, 3,516.07 5, LeRoy Eash, Fortine, 3,189.19 6, Beau Michael, Browning, 2,914.96 7, Justin Harrell, Roy, 2,882.01 8, Gus Thoreson, Lovell, 2,753.54 9, Clarence Gilham, Browning, 2,575.37 10, Andrew Evjene, Two Dot, 2,107.49
STEER WRESTLING 1, Duston Stephens, Corvallis, 4,276.42 2, Tyler Holland, Bozeman, 3,812.97 3, Jordan Holland, Bozeman, 3,434.07 4, Shannon Blixt, Helena, 3,141.72
5, Michael Gollaher, Cascade, 3,017.53 6, Jason Armstrong, Helena, 2,804.14 7, Nolan Conway, Cut Bank, 2,778.74 8, Garrett Hanson, Helena, 2,515.00 9, Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, 2,347.84 10, Jaren Whitman, Belgrade, 2,207.12
TEAM ROPING HEADER 1, Shawn Bessette, Vaughn, 5,070.05 2, Chaz Kananen, Roy, 4,281.18 3, Brant Davis, Sand Coulee, 4,022.27 4, Chris Witcher, Roberts, 3,379.85 5, Delon Parker, Worden, 2,958.84 6, Clay Robertson, Augusta, 2,794.75 7, Tate Dempewolf, Wordon, 2,687.53 8, Cory Murray, Ramsay, 2,586.92 9, Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, 2,364.90 10, Ryan Counts, Pray, 2,204.64
TEAM ROPING HEELER 1, Shane Bessette, Vaughn, 5,070.05
2, Sam Levine, Wolf Creek, 4,022.27 3, Matt Robertson, Augusta, 3,655.03 4, Sid Sporer, Cody, 2,958.84 5, Jeff Robertson, Augusta, 2,794.75 6, Taner Sorge, Billings, 2,687.53 7, Bryson Murray, Ramsay, 2,586.92 8, Ryle Whitford, Browning, 2,581.10 9, Brent Damuth, Three Forks, 2,204.64 10, Billy Bannon, Livingston, 2,141.60
TIE DOWN ROPING 1, Tyler Holland, Bozeman, 3,713.05 2, Nolan Conway, Cut Bank, 3,626.60 3, Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, 3,414.98 4, Donnie Benson, Ronan, 2,767.17 5, Brett Heggie, Roundup, 2,695.56 6, Kevin Peterson, Kilgore, 2,674.24 7, Ty Hedrick, Frenchtown, 2,424.59 8, Sam Levine, Wolf Creek, 2,400.46 9, Brant Davis, Sand Coulee, 2,343.10 10, Delon Parker, Worden, 1,878.59
THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 15
Icon ... Continued from Page 13 chance to win money for 10 days and you could stay in place for the whole thing.” Rodeo travel has always been brutal. The sport itself is plenty tough, too. The money contestants earned then, in the 1950s and early 1960s, didn’t nearly measure up to what the Las Vegas star-studded extravaganza pays now at its December finals. Reynolds doesn’t begrudge today’s hands. “There are two ways to look at it,” he said in the Gazette interview. “You could be jealous and wish we had the chance. Or you could be proud of what we did. The money wasn’t the same, but it was good for back then. “Gasoline was just 25 cents a gallon and other costs were cheaper. It was still good money in those days.” Reynolds was in on the ground floor of the start of the PRCA, which was started by another legendary contestant, Casey Tibbs, and endorsed by yet another, Shoulders, Kusek’s piece said. Reynolds told him the idea was introduced to the pro cowboys at the 1958
Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo. Deb Copenhaver and Oklahoman Clark McEntire were others considering the possibility at the time, the Gazette story said. McEntire, father of country singing star Reba McEntire, was one of those who voted against the start of the circuit, the article said, quoting Copenhaver. It’s rodeo. Sometimes, you guess wrong. Overall though, the body reckoned right. Reynolds worked the gates for many years after his days were over qualifying for the NFR. “We didn’t think about what we had started then,” he told Kusek of the Gazette. “We just thought about riding our best and having a beer afterwards. It’s (the NFR) a great event for rodeo.” Many of Montana’s past, recent and current rodeo greats are expected to be seen strolling through the Civic Center during the Northern Rodeo Finals, Sept. 29-Oct. 1. The Montana Standard was unable to confirm as of Thursday if Reynolds would be returning to the scene, at least the town, where his rodeo career was spurred. He will be a welcome sight if he does, however. — Bruce Sayler, The Montana Standard
BIG EVENT
The best prices of the year on the best selection of new Toyotas.
CAMRY((excludes Hybrid)
TUNDRA UNDRA
WIITHOUT A TEN TENT EN NT
NEW 2011 TOYOTA
CLIPPINGS from The Montana Standard show some of Reynolds’ coverage.
NEW 2011 TOYOTA
“Handles everything I throw at it”
“I can’t imagine driving anything else” - Margaret Everson
- Brian Shea
1000
$
Cash Back
or
0
% APR Financing FOR UP TO 60 MONTHS $16.67cost per $1000 borrowed
500
plus $
Cash Back
2500
UP TO
$
or
Cash Back (Crewmax Only)
0
% APR Financing FOR UP TO 60 MONTHS $16.67cost per $1000 borrowed
500
plus $
Cash Back
ToyotaCare covers normal factory scheduled service. Plan is 2 years or 25k miles, whichever comes first. The new Toyota vehicle cannot be part of a rental or commercial fleet or a livery or taxi vehicle. Cash back from manufacturer. APR financing through Toyota Financial Services with approved credit. Tier I+ thru III only. Offers cannot be combined and may vary by region. Other restrictions may apply. For WA, OR, ID, MT state dealerships, a documentary service fee in an amount up to $350.00 may be added to vehicle price. Oregon state dealerships not using an electronic vehicle registration system may only apply fees up to $75 to vehicle price.See your local Toyota Dealer for details. *Based on Polk U.S. Vehicles in Operation registration statistics MY 1991-2010 as of July 2010. Includes Matrix models. **Named 2011 Best Bet by Cars.com. Must take retail delivery from dealer stock by 10/03/2011.
INSERT DEALER INFO HERE AD EXPIRES 10/03/2011
5103 Harrison Ave., BUTTE • 782-9181 • www.toyotaofbutte.com
$// 287 %/2:287 1RZ WKURXJK 6DWXUGD\ 2FWREHU VW
Must be 18 years or older. Giveaways at 3:00 pm at Mile High CJD
*5$1' 35,=( 52'(2 3$&.$*( 7R %H *LYHQ $ZD\ 6DWXUGD\ 2FWREHU VW ‡ S P ‡ 'LQQHU IRU DW 0DUN 6DQGHUVRQ·V ‡ 7LFNHWV ´%HVW 6HDWV LQ WKH +RXVHµ 5RGHR )LQDOV ‡ +RQH\PRRQ 6XLWH DW &RSSHU .LQJ ,QQ
Brought to you by:
21/<
'$< 6$/( Â&#x2021; '$< 6$/( Â&#x2021; '$< 6$/(
'$< 6$/( Â&#x2021; '$< 6$/( Â&#x2021; '$< 6$/(
16 THE MONTANA STANDARD, BUTTE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
'$<6 /$5*(67 ,19(1725< 2) 7+( <($5 /()7 29(5 9(+,&/(6 21 7+( /27 $V /RZ $V
'2:1
3(5 0217+
.,$ 5,2 PR &+2 72
26( )52 0
.,$ )257(
.,$ 237,0$
PR &+2 72 26
( )5 20
&$56 Â&#x2021; 758&.6 Â&#x2021; 689·6
PR &+2 72
26( )52 0
'2'*( '85$1*2 /RZ PLOHV
21/<
'2'*( 63((' *UHDW KXQWLQJ ULJ 21/<
+21'$ +<81'$, 68%$58 &59 621$7$ 287%$&. /HDWKHU ORDGHG RQO\ N 9HU\ QLFH FDU ORZ PLOHV 21/<
21/<
21/<
*All payments figured at 72 months with 10% cash or trade equity OAC. All vehicles subject to prior sale. Vehicles may not be exactly as shown.
12: 7+58 6$785'$< 2&72%(5 67 2Q +DUULVRQ $YH 1H[W WR :DO 0DUW LQ %XWWH
Â&#x2021; ZZZ 0LOH+LJK&-' FRP