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5/1/2007
Segment 1 - Clovis and Corpus Christie...
Courtesy of the PRCA -
DeMers fights odds, wins in Corpus Christi
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Neither the elements, the fear of lost gear, nor prior knowledge of his draw could deter roughstock cowboy Cody DeMers. All that went out the window when the Kimberly, Idaho, cowboy set an arena record at the Buc Days Pro Rodeo in Corpus Christi, Texas, with a 90-point bareback ride aboard Frontier Rodeo’s Buckskin Sal.
DeMers recorded the ride during the first performance on April 25, and the first 90-point ride in the 16-year history of the rodeo stood through the weekend and gave him a championship check worth $5,095.
DeMers also won the rodeo’s all-around title, earning a total of $5,906 in bareback riding and saddle bronc riding.
It did however, come with a few obstacles.
Stormy weather prevented DeMers’ flight from making a scheduled stopover in Houston and instead went directly to Corpus Christi without his luggage, including his rodeo gear bag. Fortunately, DeMers’ gear bag arrived about 40 minutes prior to the start of the rodeo.
“The score being that high and everything was great, but I was just excited to have everything come together,” DeMers said.
DeMers’ haul in Corpus Christi certainly helped his standing on the 2007 Wrangler ProRodeo Tour and his hopes of reaching the first of four Tour Playoff events later this summer. At the conclusion of the 21-stop tour in early August, the top 35 contestants in total Tour money and the “wild card,” event champions from the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, will move on to the first Tour Championship playoff event, Aug. 14-18 in Caldwell, Idaho. Fox Sports Network and CBS are scheduled to televise all four Championship events.
Elsewhere, four saddle bronc riders scored 85 points to share the title, with Jess Martin of Dillon, Mont.; Cody DeMoss of Heflin, La.; Bradley Harter of Weatherford, Texas; and Rod Hay of Wildwood, Alberta, each walking away with $4,107.
Other champions in Corpus Christi were steer wrestler Chad Van Campen of Granada, Colo., 7.9 seconds on two head, $3,497; team ropers Coleman Proctor of Miami, Okla./Jake Long of Alva, Okla., 9.2 seconds on two head, $3,444 each; tie-down ropers Nathan Steinberg of Conroe, Texas, and Joseph Gernentz of Colorado City, Texas, 18.3 seconds on two head, $2,774 and $2,990, respectively; bull rider J.W. Harris of May, Texas, 91 points, $6,491; and barrel racer Susan Simms of New Caney, Texas, 13.22 seconds, $3,753.
Buc Days Pro Rodeo Average Champions
Bareback Riding
Cody DeMers (Kimberly, Idaho), 90 points, $5,095
Steer Wrestling
Chad Van Campen (Granada, Colo.), 7.9 seconds on two head, $3,497
Team Roping
Coleman Proctor (Miami, Okla.)/Jake Long (Alva, Okla.), 9.2 seconds on two head, $3,444 each
Saddle Bronc Riding
(tie) Jess Martin (Dillon, Mont.), Cody DeMoss (Heflin, La.), Bradley Harter (Weatherford, Texas) and Rod Hay (Wildwood, Alberta, 85 points, $4,107 each
Tie-Down Roping
(tie) Nathan Steinberg (Conroe, Texas) and Joseph Gernentz (Colorado City, Texas), 18.3 seconds on two head, $2,774 and $2,990, respectively
Barrel Racing
Susan Simms (New Caney, Texas), 13.22 seconds, $3,753
Bull Riding
J.W. Harris (May, Texas), 91 points, $6,491
Veteran ropers gain ground in Clovis
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Team ropers David Key and Kory Koontz found themselves in unfamiliar positions entering the Clovis (Calif.) Rodeo. Both cowboys, who have 20 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo appearances between them, stood outside the top 15 ropers in both heading and heeling.
Following an impressive performance in Clovis, however, the two returned to familiar territory, serving notice that they could be a force once the season hits full stride next month. Key of Caldwell, Texas, and Koontz of Sudan, Texas, roped their Wrangler ProRodeo Tour-Round steer in a winning time of 5.4 seconds, clinching the average title – 22.9 on four head – and checks worth $5,984 each.
Key and Koontz were just a few of ProRodeo’s top cowboys to earn titles at the Clovis Rodeo, which marked its 93rd edition in 2007.
Reigning and four-time world champion all-around cowboy Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, earned the rodeo’s tie-down roping average crown. Brazile roped and tied four calves in 33.8 seconds, outdistancing Wrangler Tour Round champion Blake Huckabee of Shreveport, La., by one second.
Steer wrestler Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, Calif., the 2004 world champion, topped his event after four rounds. Branquinho recorded a total time of 22.9 seconds and pocketed $3,825 following the three-day rodeo.
The Clovis Rodeo marked the 12th stop on the 2007 Wrangler ProRodeo Tour, which consists of 21 rodeos from January to August. Contestants can choose 15 out of the 21 rodeos to count toward their official Tour rodeo count and compete for earnings, as opposed to Tour points, as in years past.
At the conclusion of the 21st rodeo, the top 35 contestants in total Tour money and the “wild card,” event champions from the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, will move on to the first Tour Championship playoff event, Aug. 14-18 in Caldwell, Idaho. Fox Sports Network and CBS are scheduled to televise all four Championship events.
Clovis Rodeo, Average Champions
Bareback Riding
T: (tie) Wes Stevenson (Kaufman, Texas) and Steven Dent (Mullen, Neb.), 84 points
A: Royce Ford (Briggsdale, Colo.), 165 points on two head, $4,987
Steer Wrestling
T: Josh Peek (Pueblo, Colo.), 4.5 seconds
A: Luke Branquinho (Los Alamos, Calif.), 22.9 seconds on four head, $3,825
Team Roping
T: David Key (Caldwell, Texas)/Kory Koontz (Sudan, Texas), 5.4 seconds
A: Key/Koontz, 22.9 seconds on four head, $5,984 each
Saddle Bronc Riding
T: Cody Horwedel (Cholame, Calif.), 89 points
A: Horwedel, 175 points on two head, $6,306
Tie-Down Roping
T: Blake Huckabee (Shreveport, La.), 8.1 seconds
A: Trevor Brazile (Decatur, Texas), 33.8 seconds on four head, $6,912
Barrel Racing
T: Debbie Renger (Okotoks, Alberta), 17.32 seconds
A: Molly Powell (Stephenville, Texas), 51.85 seconds on three runs, $4,618
Bull Riding
T: Jason McClain (Lewis, Colo.), 89 points
A: Ted Bert (Modesto, Calif.), 169 points on two head, $4,520 |
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