For the week of July 9 - 15, 2003

"Cowboy Christmas" comes to Hailey

Days of the Old West rodeo
has $24,369 purse

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Ideal summer weather and big crowds paid off the cowboys and cowgirls in last weekend’s Days of the Old West rodeo sponsored by the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club.

"It was another great year. Great stock and great cowboys," said Sawtooth Rangers secretary Amber McMurdo, who was surprised to receive the Outstanding Volunteer award—a new pair of Justin boots she needed.

Chad Boyd heads out on his Hometown Bullriding ride Saturday night in Hailey. Express photo by Willy Cook

The Hailey arena was sold out Friday for the feature night of the 56th annual Hailey rodeo, now a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) stop on a weekend called "Cowboy Christmas."

McMurdo said, "We had to turn people back on the Fourth." She estimated Friday’s Independence Day holiday crowd at roughly 3,500 spectators—and a three-day attendance of nearly 9,000.

Prospering again were cowboys in rough stock events, bareback and saddle bronc and bull riding. They earned $9,293 or roughly 38% of the total purse of $24,369. Rough stock cowboys accounted for 41% of the total 252 entries.

"Rough stock is what sells tickets," said Pat O’Maley, who provides the Hailey stock with his Slash T Rodeo Co. of Gooding.

Hailey steer wrestlers made some speedy house calls with rapid times of between 4.8 and 6.2 seconds for the top six. The competition was so fierce that there were ties for first-place money in bullriding, bareback bronc and bulldogging.

And Chad Lukkasson, the final Hometown Bullrider Saturday, won the buckle with a really nice 82-point tide.

Slash T stock goes to Carey and Glenns Ferry July 25-26. Meanwhile, the Rangers will stage one more PRCA rodeo Monday, Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. at Hailey Rodeo Arena. McMurdo expects more great cowboys in Hailey on Labor Day weekend.

 

Miss Days of Old West

Cassi Ann Rushton of Bellevue was named the new Teen Queen of the Days of the Old West rodeo Saturday.

The new Senior Queen is Shayne Krasowski of Salmon. And the new Junior Queen is Whitney Summers of Nampa.

More details next week.

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2003 Days of the Old West
pay window

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Barrel racing
($2,563.20 purse): 1—Defending champion Tonia Adams of Plain City, Utah 17.89 seconds July 4 for $666.43. 2—Julie Herman of Bluff Dale, Utah 18.03 seconds July 3 for $538.27. 3—Terri Wood Gates of West Jordan, Utah 18.08 July 3 for $435.74.

4—Katie Whittier of Shoshone 18.10 seconds July 3 for $333.22. 5—Lynette Sanders of West Haven, Utah 18.13 seconds July 4 for $256.32. 6—Annie Jacobs of Pocatello 18.17 seconds July 3 for $153.79. 7—Norma Wood of West Jordan, Utah 18.20 seconds July 3 for $102.53. 8—Deena Moeykens of Big Timber, Mont. 18.25 seconds July 5 for $76.90 (entry fee $65, with 26 riders).

 

Team roping
($6,062.50 purse): 1—Jason Eiguren and Cody Young 6.4 seconds July 5 for $879.06 each. 2—Steve Young and Zane Dansie 7.5 seconds July 5 for $727.50 each. 3 (tie)—Mike Pendergrass and Ira Walker 7.6 seconds July 3 for $424.37 each. 3 (tie)—Bronson Blood and Jason Mock 7.6 seconds July 3 for $424.37 each. 3 (tie)—Bob Thompson and Steve Straatman 7.6 seconds July 3 for $424.37 each. 6—Toby Borkman and Mark Fields 7.9 seconds July 5 for $151.56 each (entry fee $105 per man, with 25 teams).

Saddle bronc
($2,657.80 purse): 1—Defending champion Preston Cutler of Challis on Lark, 81 points July 5 for $1,063.10. 2 (tie)—Ike Thomas of Portage, Utah on Snipper, 78 points July 5 for $664.45. 2 (tie)—Adam Bink of Browning, Mont. on Iron Mountain, 78 points July 4 for $664.45. 4 (tie)—Rusty Cornia of Woodruff, Utah on Krystal’s Angel, 77 points July 4 for $132.89. 4 (tie)—Jim Hill of St. Anthony, 77 points July 3 for $132.89 (entry fee $60, with 31 riders).

 

Steer wrestling
($3,298 purse): 1 (tie)—Kyle Wiese of Jerome 4.8 seconds July 4 for $873.97. 1 (tie)—Hadley Bennett of Riverton, Utah 4.8 seconds July 4 for $873.97. 3—Alex Hover of Ogden, Utah 4.9 seconds July 3 for $626.62. 4—T.J. Wetherbee of Blackfoot 5.4 seconds July 3 for $461.72. 5—Ryan Shaw of Plain City, Utah 5.5 seconds July 3 for $296.82. 6—Lex Smith of Malad 6.2 seconds July 3 for $164.90 (entry fee $70, with 38 bulldoggers).

 

Bareback bronc
($2,386.20 purse): 1 (tie)—Mac Erickson of Dillon, Mont. 81 points on Gone Dipn Wild July 3 for $835.17. 1 (tie)—Defending champion Danny Blackhurst of American Fork, Utah 81 points on Ringtail Dip July 5 for $835.17. 3—Dustin Luper of Jerome 78 points on Ringtail Dip July 4 for $477.24. 4 (tie)—Jeremy Crutchfield of Emmett 76 points on Desperado July 5 for $119.31. 4 (tie)—Chase Erickson of Dillon, Mont. 76 points on Mooncreek July 3 for $119.31 (entry fee $60, with 24 riders).

 

Calf roping
($3,152.50 purse): 1—Brett Fleming of Broadus, Mont. 8.1 seconds July 5 for $914.23. 2—Pete Jones of Twin Falls 8.6 seconds July 4 for $756.60. 3—Brad Carpenter of Nampa 8.6 seconds July 4 for $598.98. 4—Ben Arave of Blackfoot 9.6 seconds July 3 slack for $441.35. 5—Tyler Kunz of Montpelier 9.8 seconds July 3 for $283.73. 6—Jesse Loveless of Spanish Fork, Utah 10.0 seconds July 3 slack for $157.63 (entry fee $70, with 35 ropers).

Pete Jones of Twin Falls cleaned up with an extra prize. He emerged as the Days of the Old West all-around cowboy and won a saddle from the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club and Rafter K Saddle Making.

 

Bullriding
($4,248.60 purse): 1 (tie)—Shawn Silcox of Payson, Utah 85 points on R81 July 5 for $1,232.09. 1 (tie)—Nick Anderson of Salem, Utah 85 points on Bit Buggy July 5 for $1,232.09. 3 (tie)—Lance Donathan of Price, Utah 82 points on Dipn Oreo July 3 for $637.29. 3 (tie)—John Jacobs of Timber Lake, S.D. 82 points on Fist Full of $ July 3 for $637.29. 5—Hadley Hunting of Warren, Utah 81 points July 3 for $297.40. 6 (tie)—Wesley Silcox of Payson, Utah 80 points on Hang Em High July 5 for $106.21. 6 (tie)—Tyler Dellen of Wilsell, Mont. 80 points July 5 for $106.21 (entry fee $140, with 48 riders).

 

Hometown Bullriding
Chad Lukkasson (July 5) was the buckle winner in the 22nd annual Hometown Bullriding contest staged as part of the Days of the Old West rodeo. Lukkasson had a really nice 82-point ride, according to contest organizer Justin Porter. Also making eight seconds Saturday was last year’s Hometown Bullriding winner, Chad Boyd.

 

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