76th SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo: Timberman glad to ride again in Odessa

Former bareback world champion Kelly Timberman, of Mills, Wyo., was in Wednesday's third performance of the 76th SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo.

The 2004 champ had a solid ride aboard Sheep Tick, finishing with 80 points, which was third best of the night behind Jared Keylon's 85 and Heath Ford's 81.

Keylon's ride, aboard, Billy the Kid, put him in a tie for the lead with former Odessa College cowboy Ryan Gray.

Timberman was upbeat despite sitting sixth in the first round.

"It was a good night," he said. "My horse did a good job and there were some really good horses tonight - Jared's did a great job and the paint that Heath had always bucks hard.

"This is the first time I've been back in Odessa in a while, because they used to do two head and it was too hard to get back and forth. Now, with just one ride, it's good for the cowboys because the stock is better and the purse is higher."

>> Bulls are winning: Through 50 attempts in the bull riding, just 10 riders have stayed on for the required eight seconds.

A pair of California cowboys are tied for the lead with 80 points - Sean Case of Riverside and Thomas Bert of Modesto.

Ironically, both have ridden the same bull - Bobby Brown - to the whistle.

>> Quick with a loop: With the first round of the tie-down roping in the books, the second round got off to a quick start Wednesday with three ropers putting matching 8.5-second runs on the board.

Tim Pharr of Resaca, Ga., Clint Cooper of Decatur and Cimarron Boardman of Stephenville all matched times, with local favorite Vin Fisher of Andrews posting a 9.1-second run for fourth on the night.

>> Championship pairing: Team ropers Speed Williams and Clay O'Brien Cooper were in the arena Wednesday showcasing the skills that have earned them a combined 15 world championships.

Williams, the header, made a quick catch out of the chute, turning the steer to the left and giving Cooper the chance to loop the heels. The steer, however, stepped out of the rear look for a five-second penalty, giving the team a time of 11.2 seconds.

Williams has won eight world titles as a header, with Cooper, who played one of the youngsters in "The Cowboys" with John Wayne, has seven crowns.

JoJo Lemond of Andrews and Randon Adams suffered some penalties, as well, breaking the barrier and then catching just one heel for a time of 20.2 seconds.