Jace Hutchison turned 19 yesterday, but the Raft River bullrider received an early birthday present Monday morning when he picked up the phone to receive a call from his cousin, Tyson Hutchison.
Tyson Hutchison is a bullfighter for Homedale's Red Eye Rodeo Co., which provides the stock for Hailey's Days of the Old West rodeo. So Tyson was one of the first to hear the big news when the three-day holiday rodeo wrapped up Sunday.
The news? Well, Jace Hutchison ended up winning an unprecedented $3,244 for placing first in the Days of the Old West bullriding contest.
Hutchison was the only one of 27 bullriders to complete an eight-second ride. That meant he pocketed the entire $3,244 purse, which included $340 in day money. His winning 73-point ride came in Friday night's Family Night Rodeo.
The cowboy paid fees of $113 to enter, so he profited by about $3,131. That's a pretty good return on a Fourth of July weekend normally called "Cowboy's Christmas" in rodeo circles.
Anybody who watched the Hailey rodeos last weekend knows Red Eye's stable of bulls was pretty uncompromising. The cowboys in general were lucky to make four seconds.
To illustrate how unusual Hutchison's victory was, last year's Hailey bullriding winners, Jason Anderson and Tom Newsom, each had 84-point rides and each earned $786.28. Hutchison placed sixth last year with 71 points for $355.36.
Hutchison's monetary win was perhaps the biggest ever at the Hailey rodeo, which observed its 63rd anniversary July 2-4 staged by the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club. It was the final holiday rodeo held in the current arena, due for demolition this summer to make room for a new arena in 2011.
And it was Jace Hutchison's top payday on the bulls.
"I was pretty excited to hear," said Jace Hutchison Monday. "At first I thought my cousin was messing with me. Then I was glad he wasn't. It will help pay for my mission to Kentucky later this year."
He couldn't remember the bull's name. Hutchison said, "He was #519, that's all I remember—just a bull, nothing too exciting. I just got lucky."
After Friday's rodeo, Hutchison drove over to Rexburg, where he finished fourth in the bullriding for $200 Saturday. He didn't ride Sunday.
He plans to "keep going and try to keep winning" on the Intermountain Pro Rodeo Association (ImPRA) circuit through the 2010 finals Sept. 6-7 at Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds in Blackfoot.
Hutchison has been riding bulls for most of his young life, starting when he hopped aboard sheep when he was a little more than knee high.
Two of his three older brothers have rodeoed. Zach Hutchison is a professional bareback bronc rider who competed for the College of Southern Idaho.
Coincidentally, it was Jace's older brother Jed who once pocketed $2,200 for being the only bullrider to make time at a Rupert rodeo, Jace said. So Jace now has bragging rights in the family. His father and stepmother are Terry and Dawnett of Malta. His mother Linda lives in St. George, Utah.
Hutchison was the District 6 high school rodeo bullriding champ in 2009, the same year he graduated from Raft River High—where he also played running back and nose tackle in football for coach Randy Spaeth. He qualified for the state high school rodeo finals in Pocatello four times, placing seventh his senior year.
<
2010 Days of the Old West pay window
Here are the final results of the 63rd annual, $31,876 Days of the Old West rodeo sponsored by the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club July 2-4 at Hailey Rodeo Arena.
Heading up the Rangers are president Bill Bobbitt, vice president Bud Amend, treasurer Mary Ann Knight and secretary Shelly Shoemaker. Directors are Bruce Hazelton, Jim Pierce, Bill Sherbine, Richard Smith and Brad Taylor.
The eight classes in the Idaho Cowboys Association (ICA) and Intermountain Pro Rodeo Association (ImPRA) event are ranked in order from the biggest purse, on down.
Stock contractor was Red Eye Rodeo Co. of Homedale. Arena director was Bud Amend. Announcer was Jason Kelly. Pick-up men were Casey Brunson and Richard Nelson. Judges were Ryan Scherer and Gayland Brower. Timers were Nancy Durham and Mindy Hoggan, and the bullfighters were Phil Krop and Tyson Hutchison. Writing the checks was secretary Wade Durham.
The 2010 ImPRA schedule also includes rodeos at Carey July 23-24, at Shoshone July 30-31, at Fairfield July 31-Aug. 1 and the ImPRA finals Sept. 6-7 at Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds in Blackfoot.
Added money at Hailey ranged from $700 to $1,000 per event.
Final results:
Team roping ($7,392 purse): 1—Wes Tinsley and Ike Folsom 5.1 seconds for $850.08 apiece.
2—Cy Eames and Clayton Hansen 5.5 seconds for $739.20 each. 3—Cody Yerrington and Chad McDaniel 5.6 seconds for $628.32 each. 4 (tie)—Billy Grandsen and Mike Stevie 5.8 seconds for $462.00 each, and Victor Ugalde and Jim Daxton 5.8 seconds for $462.00 each. 6—Casey Brunson and Matt Azevedo 6.0 seconds for $295.68 each. 7—Gene Curtis and Dirk Jim 6.6 seconds for $184.80 each. 8—Jared Griffith and Jerimie Warner 6.7 seconds for $73.92 each (fees $91 per man, 46 teams, $800 added money).
Breakaway roping ($5,424 purse): 1—Kayla Tiegs 1.9 seconds for $1,247.52.
2—Shelby Freed 2.2 seconds for $1,084.80. 3—Megan Crist 2.3 seconds for $922.08. 4—Kara Avery 2.5 seconds for $759.36. 5—Mackenzie Barrington 2.6 seconds for $596.64. 6—Kalena Parker 2.8 seconds for $433.92. 7 (tie)—Kortni Scott 2.9 seconds for $189.84, and Abbie Marvel 2.9 seconds for $189.84 (fee $91, with 66 riders and $700 added money).
Tie down roping ($4,200 purse): 1—Justin Parke 9.1 seconds for $966.00.
2—Pete Jones 10.2 seconds for $840.00. 3 (tie)—Cooper Nuffer 10.5 seconds for $588.00, Austin Clow 10.5 seconds for $588.00 and Hugh Baldwin 10.5 seconds for $588.00. 6—Dan Webb 11.0 seconds for $336.00. 7 (tie)—Kevin Adams 11.1 seconds for $147.00, and Clint Arave 11.1 seconds for $147 (fee $91, with 49 ropers, $700 added money).
Steer wrestling ($3,768 purse): 1—Robb Dansie 4.5 seconds for $866.64.
2—Jimmy Bertalotto 4.9 seconds for $753.60. 3 (tie)—Corey Rogers 5.2 seconds for $584.04, and Wyatt Smith 5.2 seconds for $584.04. 5—Baylor Roche 5.4 seconds for $414.48. 6 (tie)—Clay Lloyd 5.5 seconds for $244.92, and Brant Reynolds 5.5 seconds for $244.92. 8—Judd Austin 5.8 seconds for $75.36 (fee $91, 43 bulldoggers, $700 added money).
Bullriding ($3,244 purse including day money): 1—Jace Hutchison of Raft River 73 points for $3,244.00 (entry $113 including day money, 27 riders, $1,000 added money).
Barrel racing ($2,616 purse): 1—Buffy Walchli 18.025 seconds for $758.64.
2—Hope Jordan 18.076 seconds for $627.84. 3—Hailey Edwards 18.159 seconds for $497.04. 4—Katie Clow 18.305 seconds for $366.24. 5—Marian Maestas 18.460 seconds for $235.44. 6—Gretchen Bilton-Smith 18.480 seconds for $30 (fee $93, 27 riders, $700 added money).
Saddle bronc ($2,832 purse): 1 (tie)—J.D. Johnson 76 points for $750.48, and Shelby Terry 76 points for $750.48.
3—Josh Mackenzie 70 points for $538.08. 4 (tie)—Sam Mackenzie 69 points for $264.32, Cliff Toone 69 points for $264.32 and Joe Harper 69 points for $264.32 (fee $91, with 26 riders and $1,000 added money).
Bareback bronc ($2,400 purse): 1—Morgan Wilde 76 points for $696.00.
2—Justin Stewart 74 points for $576.00. 3 (tie)—Josh Adams 72 points for $336.00, Grant Denny 72 points for $336.00 and Seth Hardwick 72 points for $336.00. 6—Kip Lish 71 points for $120 (fee $91, with 20 riders and $1,000 added money).
Days of the Old West rodeo fans enjoyed rough stock cowboys during one of the three holiday rodeo performances last weekend. Photo by Willy Cook
