20-year-old cowboy grabs bull riding lead

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Duncan's 85-point effort on the last ride on Sadie's Pet on the last ride of he night eclipsed a 84-point effort by Brandon Reynolds of Pike Road, Alberta, Canada in the first section of bull riding.

Because of the number of entries and fan appeal of the event, there were six bull riders to open the performance and nine more as the culminating event.

Duncan said he wasn't even aware of Reynolds' effort.

"In bull riding you don't compete against anyone else, it's just you and your bull," he said. "I just try to stay back and not even watch the bull riding. I just do my business and hope everything works out.

"I try to ride every bull the same. If you do, your average and everything will take care of itself."

In bull riding, two judges give 25 points each for the performance of the animal and the rider. Duncan said he had never ridden Sadie's Pet before, but he thought he could get a good score based on the bull's reputation.

"A couple of my buddies said he was pretty good, so I was pretty happy to get on him," Duncan said.

Asked if the bull did anything special to prompt the winning score, Duncan said, "I couldn't tell you. It was all reaction."

Duncan's total came on a night where a few high point totals and fast times set a tough standard for participants to catch over the next two nights. Tim Shirley of Bailey, Colo. posted an 89 in bareback riding and two riders, Tyler Corrington of Hastings, Minn., and J.J. Elshere of Quinn, S.D., had 82's in the saddle bronc event.

New Mexico had one event leader: J.D. McKinley of Las Cruces was the best among five entries in tie-down roping at 12.3 seconds. The other leaders among the men were Dean McIntyre of Wickenburg, Ariz., in 4.3 seconds in steer wrestling and the team roping duo of Tanner Bryson of Cornville, Ariz., and Tom Bill Johnson of Kirkland, Ariz. in 5.3 seconds.

Benette Barrington of Lubbock, Texas, and Andrea Clark of Lusk, Wyo., shared the barrel racing lead with a 14.32 second time. But Barrington wasn't sure if her time would stand up.

"We were the first barrel racers to go, so we don't know if we set the pace or if it will be a lot faster tomorrow," she said.

Barrington said her 10-year old horse, who has been racing in professional rodeos for three years, did well on the first-time surface brought into the Star Center.

"It seemed to be good to me. My horse seemed to handle it fine. I wasn't able to watch anybody else go, so I don't know how they did," Barrington said. "I ran at the front (of the list) and the other girl who ran the same time that I did (Clark) ran toward the back, so it tells me it's pretty even."

In addition to the nightly prizes to the winner, the top six finishers in each category for all three days will earn cash prizes, meaning both Barrington and Duncan are finished in their specialties. Both said they were impressed by the arena setup and offered the same basic unsolicited comment.

"It seems like a really nice place," she said. "I plan to come back."

"It's a real nice facility," he said. "I'm looking forward to coming back."

A "slack" competition to handle extra entries in barrel racing, steer wrestling and tie-down roping begins at 9 a.m. Friday. Tickets are still available for 7:30 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday.

Friday has been designated as "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" night with proceeds going to benefit breast cancer programs in the area.

Ticket prices begin at $13 for adults. For information, go to www.gettix.net or call 866-443-8849. Tickets are also available at the Star Center box office, Santa Ana Casino player's club and some Ace Hardware stores.

Thursday's results

Here are the results of Thursday night’s opening-round performance of the first New Mexico Stampede PRCA rodeo, contested at the Santa Ana Star Center, with place, name, hometown and total points or time. Round winners, including ties, each earned $100 in coupons redeemable at the Santa Ana Star Casino. Top six after Saturday’s final performance will receive cash prizes. Contestants with no score or time are not listed.

Bull riding: 1, Douglas Duncan, Alvin, Texas, 85. 2, Brandon Reynolds, Pike Road, Alberta, Canada, 84. 3, Camo Mullins, Phoenix, Ariz., 81. 4, Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 80. 5, Willy Ives, Omak, Wash., 78. 6,
Kyle Joslin, Caldwell, Idaho, 74. 7, Clayton Savage, Cheynne, Wyo., 73.

Steer wrestling: 1, Dean McIntyre, Wickenburg, Ariz., 4.3 seconds. 2, Matt Reeves, Pampa, Texas, 4.7. 3, Cody Glover, Tucson, Ariz., 4.8. 4, Trey Tixier, Lindrith, N.M., 4.9. 5, Tanner Winkler, Pampa, Texas, 5.2. 6. Klate Greany, Helena, Mont., 5.7. 7, Jim Bob Allen, Melrose, N.M., 8.7. 8, John Denson, Belen, N.M., 14.2.

Bareback riding: 1, Tim Shirley, Bailey, Colo., 89;  2, Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 86. 3, Jared Green, Socorro, N.M., 83. 4, Wyatt Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 82. 5, (tie) Heath Ford, Greely, Colo., and J.R. Chino, Mescalero, N.M., 79. 7, (tie) Clay Geronimo, Mescalero, N.M., and Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 76.

Tie-down roping: 1, J.D. McKinley, Las Cruces, N.M., 12.3 seconds. 2, Kyle Dutton, Las Cruces, N.M., 16.3. 3, Dustin Pool, Canyon, Texas, 16.4.

Saddle bronc: 1, (tie) Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn., and J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 82 points. 3, (tie) Cody Horwedel, Shandon, Calif., and Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, 81. 5, (tie) Dan Mortensen, Billings, Mont., and  Louie Brunson, Interior, S.D., 80. 7, Cody Taton, Newell, S.D., 78. 8, Robert Aragon, Solano, N.M., 69. 9, Darrell Triplett, Waterflow, N.M., 66.

Team roping: 1, Tanner Bryson, Cornville, Ariz., and Tom Bill Johnson, Kirkland, Ariz., 5.3 seconds. 2, Dustin Pool, Canyon, Texas, and Marcus Elkins, McIntosh, N.M., 5.9.

Barrel racing: 1, (tie) Benette Barrington, Lubbock, Texas, and Andrea Clark, Lusk, Wyo., 14.32 seconds. 3, Julie Pluemer, Bosque Farms, N.M., 14.74. 4, Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 15.00. 5, Juls James, Pinedale, Wyo., 20.35. 6, Lindsay Shaw, Queen Creek, Ariz., 20.38.