Rodeo: Bareback gets SandHills off to rocking start

Bareback riding is the first event at every rodeo and Friday night in the first performance of the 75th SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo, the event kicked things off in style.

Leading the way is Jess Davis of Payson, Utah, who covered Guiding Light for 85 points to take the lead in the go-round. Davis is fresh from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, where he finished second in the 10-day competition, earning more than $82,000.

Davis wasn’t alone above the 80-point barrier as Heath Ford of Greeley, Colo. (83), Kaycee Field of Elk Ridge, Utah (82), and Eric Swenson of Bonham (81), all put themselves in position to win some money at the end of the six performances.

>> TIMING IS EVERYTHING: Sterling Smith of Stephenville was third out in the tie down roping — and the first to post a time — but just barely.

After roping the calf, Smith quickly dismounted to put the animal down on the ground and then wrapped three legs to stop the clock at 10.1 seconds. Smith quickly got back on his horse because a calf must stay tied for six seconds after the contestant remounts.

And, just after the judges had determined the six seconds had elapsed, the calf struggled to its feet and then broke free.

That run was good enough for second on the day as Curt LaDuke of Bozeman, Montana went 9.0 to take the lead.

>> SLACKING: The timed-event competitors will get a chance to show off their skills in the Outback Arena on Monday when one-half of the field of tie-down ropers competes in slack at 8 a.m.

In the afternoon, 180 barrel racers will take over as the first round of competition concludes.

>> WHITE HOUSE HELLO: With all the pomp and circumstance of the Grand Entry on display on the Ector County Coliseum floor, all eyes turned to the message board as President George W. Bush sent a recorded video message to the organizers of the event in celebration of its 75th running.

>> TONIGHT, TONIGHT, TONIGHT: Rough stock fans are going to get their money’s worth tonight when the saddle bronc riders strap their rigging on some of the rankest broncs in the sport.

That’s when two of the top riders in the world — six-time world champion Dan Mortensen and five-time world champion Billy Etbauer — are expected to settle in and break from the chutes.

Mortensen will be making a return to the sport after taking time 2007 off to recover from injuries suffered in 2006. Etbauer recently qualified for his 19th consecutive National Finals Rodeo.

Second Performance

Saturday's competitors

At Ector County Coliseum

BAREBACK RIDING

J.R. Chino, Mescalero, NM; Clay Geronimo, Mescalero; Dennis Foyil, Guthrie, OK; Buck Lunak, Cut Bank, MT; Silas Richards, North Zulch; Cody DeMers, Kimberly, ID; Joe Gunderson, Agar, SD; Josh Luger, Fort Yates, ND; Joe Wilson, Kyle, SD; Zane Forster, Dickinson, ND; Beau Le Doux Kaycee, WY

STEER WRESTLING

Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, NE; Clay Schaack, Wall, SD; Colby Price, Loraine; Clayton Morrison, Wellington, CO; Seth Brockman, Wheatland, WY; Wade Sumpterm, Fowler, CO; Ken Lewis, La Junta, CO; Clint Knutson, Gillette, WY; Clay Dahl, Camp Crook, SD; Ty Talsma, Springfield, SD

BULL RIDING - 1st section

Shawn Coleman Springfield, SD; Jake Kearns Melrose, MT; Emmy Cannan Gonzales, TX; Clayton Savage Cheyenne, WY; Kyle Joss Douglas, WY; Cody Hodges Omaha, TX; Jordan Edward Hooton Daingerfield, TX

TIE DOWN ROPING

Kelsey Garrison, Channing, TX; Josh Crow, Levelland, TX; Clay Kobza, Brighton, CO; Tyler Thiel, Belle Fourche, SD; Trevor Thiel, Greeley, CO; Steven Catalani, San Antonio, TX; Jabe Herring, Huntsville, TX; Guy Miller, Lamesa, TX; Travis Lewis, Lubbock, TX; Rusty Sewalt,

Del Rio, TX

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

J.W. Todd, Loving, NM; Tyler Corrington, Hastings, MN; Louie Brunson, Interior, SD; Jordan Furnish,Baird, TX; Bobby Griswold, Geary, OK; JJ Elshere, Quinn, SD 911

James Willert, Kadoka, SD; Billy Etbauer, Edmond, OK; Tyrell Smith, Vaughn, MT; Dan Mortensen, Billings, MT; Loren Barber, Slate Shoals, TX

BARREL RACING

Liz Pinkston, San Antonio, TX; Kimmi Byler, Bellville, TX; Mac McEwin, San Saba, TX; Anisa Coates, Poolville, TX; Martha Wright, Dublin, TX; Jana Jarreau, Greenwell Spgs, LA; Megan Williams, Daingfield, TX; Sallye Williams, Skiatook, OK; Laci Smith, Mullin, TX; Kathy Hunt, Goldthwaite, TX; Cassidy Carpenter, Gail, TX; Denise Adams, Lipan, TX;

BULL RIDING - 2nd section

Mike Stanley, Alamogordo, NM; Tater Hins, Huron, SD; Jamie Leddy, Huron, SD; Cody Buller, Glendive, MT; Myron Duarte, Auburn, WA; Ted Bert, Modesto, CA; Clay Hindman, Belvidere, SD; Parker Greenwood, Cheyenne, WY