76th SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo notebook: Bullfighters on verge of new champion

During the 2008 SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo, a new event was introduced to the fans - the Daisy Protection Bullfighting Tour.

The concept had teams of two bullfighters in the arena during the bull riding, helping the cowboys who were unceremoniously tossed to the dirt safely out of harm's way.

That they put themselves in the paths of upset animals weighing more than 1,000 pounds was the basis for the entire competition.

Odessa was just the first stop of a year-long competition created by Jim McLain. Tonight, after the final performance of the 2009 SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo, McLain will crown the organization's second world champions.

There are five teams competing for the title and entering Friday's competition, Andy Burelle and Dusty Tuckness (Team Cavenders) held a 67-point lead over Jay Brewer and Steve Wangler (Team Mann Creek Buck n Bulls).

In third are Dave Jantzi and Toby Inman (Team All American Dodge) with 4,895 points. With 200 points available each night and then 1,200 for winning the six-day average, Team All American Dodge still is in contention.

Inman may have given them some extra points Friday night, as well, as he went in to grab the bull between the horns, got bumped to the ground and then the bull ran over him.

>> New leader in the clubhouse: With one more performance left in this year's event, Ty Breuer of Mandan, N.D., took over the top spot in the bareback riding.

Riding Molly into the arena, Mandan spurred his mount to an 87-point ride, one better than Jared Keylon of Ft. Scott, Kansas. Former Odessa College cowboy Ryan Gray, of Cheney, Wash., is third with 85 points. Zac Compton, also competing Friday, scored 84 points aboard Brother to move into fourth.

>> One shoe on, one shoe off: Mike Outhier of Utopia is one of the top saddle bronc riders in the world, having made several trips to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. On Friday night, he came into the arena aboard Jumpin Bean and things looked good for the first two jumps.

On the third jump, however, rider and horse got out of rhythm and Outhier found himself in the middle of an unscheduled dismount off the left side of the horse.

But his right foot got caught in the stirrup and as the rider hit the dirt, his boot traveled nearly 20 feet in the air.

>> Reunion: It might have been a National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association event Friday for several members of the Oklahoma Panhandle State Univeristy.

Alums Taos Muncy, Weston Ireland, Logan Hodson and Cort Scheer were competing, Paul Peterson was one of the pick-up men, J.D. Yates was team roping, Chuck Hoss is one of the judges and Wacey Munsell is part of the Professional Bull Fighters event.

>> On tap tonight: In the saddleback bronc riding, Brady Bolton of Odessa, a former Odessa College cowboy, will compete. Also, Kaleb Asay of Powell, Wyo., the 2008 Resistol Saddle Bronc Rookie of the Year, is on the schedule.

In steer wrestling, Spud Duval of Checotah, Okla., who finished third in the first go-round, will be back looking to win both the second go-round and the average.

In team roping, one of the top teams in the world - Jake Barnes of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Monty Joe Petska of Turlock, Calif. - will be in the arena. Barnes has seven world titles, while Petska is a 10-time qualifier for the NFR.