June 2007 June 18, 2007 I hope everyone has been enjoying my new site. I have gotten some great responses and would like to thank everyone for their interest in the site. Things have been rolling since I last wrote. I’ve been consistently placing, which is key in this game of rodeo. Since my last entry I have been to Ft. Smith (Ark.), Santa Maria (Calif.) and Palmdale (Calif.). I won a little at both Santa Maria and Palmdale, probably about $1,000. From there we went to Sisters (Ore.), Livermore, Calif., and Union, (Ore.) and I won about $3,000 that week. In Sisters, I was third in the first round with a 4.8-second run and finished third in the average with a total time of 11.0 on two. In Union, I tied for sixth with Jake Rowen with a 6.2. In Livermore, I again tied for sixth with Jake Rinehart and Wade Sumpter with a 5.3-second run. We took a little break before heading up to Innisfail (Alberta, Canada). I broke the barrier on my first one to win the round and was placing on my second one (5.0-second run) when I left but not sure how it ended up. From Innisfail, we went to Reno (Nev.). I was no good on my first one after taking a butt busting in slack to receive a no time and I was long on my second (5.2 seconds) so I probably won’t win anything. Now we look to the Fourth of July. We are going to have a busy one. One of the guys I travel with is Billy Bugenig and his uncle has a plane so we are going to be using it to get from place to place. We are going to go to about eight rodeos starting with Greeley (Colo.), then Ponoka (Alberta, Canada), Williams Lake (British Columbia), back to Greeley, then Eugene (Ore.), Cody (Wyo.), St. Paul (Ore.), hopefully back to Ponoka for the finals, if not we will hit Livingston (Mont.), Red Lodge (Mont.) and back to Cody and if all goes well back to Greeley for the finals. My traveling partners this year are Billy (Bugenig), Nick Stubblefield and Brad McGilchrist. We enjoy bickering and arguing back and forth with each other for no apparent reason. I am a very good verbal jouster. They have a tough time beating me but every now and then they can slip in there. I think the back and forth fun we have with each other is good for the team atmosphere and helps everyone out as far as winning. It is a fun group to travel with. Before I was with Trav Cadwell and Brock Andrus, which was fun and I was the new kid on the block so to speak, but now I feel like the older guy and more experienced guy in the crew so it is a role reversal for me. It is a different feeling but I am getting used to it. I remember growing up looking up to other bulldoggers and wanting to be like them. I enjoy helping these guys out and I think back to about five years ago when I was asking all the same questions they are asking. So it is neat to see it from another side now. This year, I am riding a grey horse we call Skids and he is owned by a team roper in California named Rance Thrall. He is good and a lot of guys have been getting on him. I have won the majority of my money on him this year. I have been hazing on the horse I bought from Frank Thompson. I call him Frank because he is ignorant. Billy has his horse Smarty that a lot of guys rode last year and he has been working really well. Brad, Nick and Billy are all riding him. Jason Miller has been entering around us so that he can ride the grey horse as well. The plan for the Fourth is to keep our horses for Greeley, Cody, Livingston, Red Lodge. We are going to get on Brad Gleason’s mare in St. Paul and Eugene. Then Curtis Cassidy’s horses in Ponoka and Williams Lake. It is going to be a busy couple weeks but hopefully very profitable for all of us. I will update you after we make it through “Cowboy Christmas.” Until then, enjoy the Fourth of July and again thanks to all those who support me as I couldn’t do this without you. Ride hard, |
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