Stars shine brightly at N.M. Stampede

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It was also a good morning for competitors at the Santa Ana Star Center. Event organizers ran a "slack" competition to handle the overflow of entries in three events - barrel racing, tie-down roping and steer wrestling - and the overall event leaders emerged from that 9 a.m. performance conduced only in front of a handful of rodeo workers.

Lowe, who won national titles in 2003, 2005 and 2006, had a good time on a horse named Good Time Charlie, earning 88 points to edge out Bo Casper of Fort Scott, Kan., by a point. Casper was thrown from his mount seconds after his ride and lay stunned for a few seconds before leaving under his own power, the closest anyone has come to apparent injury in front of the audience.

Even though the effort still left him a point shy of opening-night winner Tim Shirley of Bailey, Colo., Lowe was happy with the performance but wasn’t ready to say it was a sign of things to come this year. His string of back-to-back world titles was broken in 2007 in part because of a broken leg he sustained at the Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco in April that kept him out of competition for more than two months.

“It was a really nice horse. It’s pretty early. We’ve got a lot of the year left,” he sad. “You just keep trucking, nodding your head and hope things keep going your way.”

Despite the injury, the Canyon, Texas cowboy came back to finish second in the world standings in 2007 after entering the year-ending National Finals Rodeo in 10h place. At the NFR, , Lowe rode 10 horses for a Wrangler NFR record 846 points to win the average race by 16 points, including a Finals record core of 91.5 points to win the last round. Lowe finished with $116,214 in NFR earnings, part of a season where he topped the $1 million career mark.

Unlike some competitors who focus solely on their performance, Lowe said he does keep an eye on the competition, even when it sets a high mark like Shirley did on opening night.

“I like to watch everybody else. When my buddies jump out there or whoever jumps out there and makes a great ride it just pumps you up and makes you want rider better,” Lowe said. “It’s a lot of fun to watch these horses and these guys riding them.”

Even knowing he faced a tough mark to beat, “You just do the same thing, but dang sure you’re giving it all you’ve got and having a lot of fun,” he said.

Hay’s 85-point total was not only the top ride of the night but best of the rodeo by three points over opening-night co-leaders Tyler Corrington of Hastings, Minn., and J.J. Elshere of Quinn, S.D.

The $100 prize for winning the night didn’t even cover his expenses to Rio Rancho, but the competition was more about regaining form to Hay.

“It always feels good to get on a good horse and make a good ride and decent points, whether it’s small bait in the back yard or the NFR it always feels good,” he said. “I love riding bucking horses so any day you can get on one is a good day.

“I took a month off and I’m just getting back at it now,” he said. “I just started yesterday (Thursday). I got on my first one in Forth Worth, I’m here tonight and I get on two tomorrow in Fort Worth.”

He said it doesn’t take too long to get back to peak form.

“I wouldn’t say that 10 years ago, but this is my 20th year riding with my (PRCA) card,” he said. “A month off does me more good now than riding every day because I can get good and healthy, and craving it and wanting to go. It’s good to get on every day for your timing and instincts and stuff, but it’s also good to be healthy.

“I could have (just stayed in Fort Worth), but when I go rodeoing I like to go every day. I always have,” he said. “Scotty Lovelace and Classic Pro Rodeo have always got a really nice bunch of saddle bronc horses. It’s a fairly even contest for us. Entering the rodeo you know you’re going to have a pretty good chance of winning something if you do your part, and that’s a big part of it.

“It’s a start-up rodeo. A guy always likes to come to new places and it’s a first time in Rio Rancho for me.”

Lowe also went out of his way to praise the stock contractor.

“One the main reasons I come to rodeos like this is because guys like Scotty are putting them on,” he said. “Classic Pro Rodeo is a great, great company. He has a great production everywhere he goes. I like coming to his rodeos.

“It’s great here in Rio Rancho. It’s the first year and it’s going to take a little bit to get things going, but as a testimony to the rodeo you’ve got an 89, 88, 87 and 86 (scores in his event). Every event has been really tough, it looks like. You’ve got great facilities here and I think it will grow and get bigger and bigger each year like it’s supposed to.”

Added Hay, who resides in Wildwood, Alberta, Canada: “Everything was great here. It’s perfect. A lot of arenas I ride at in Canada are hockey barns. This is a beautiful little place. There’s not a bad seat in the house and they put on a great little rodeo here. It will definitely build because they’ve got seating and Scotty puts on a good rodeo.”

While it was a good night for those riding horses, with and without saddles, it wasn’t so good for the bull riders. Only three of 15 riders could hang on for the full eight seconds, with Ben Longhofer of Stover, Mo., and Terrance Granger of Tuba City, Ariz., tying for the nightly prize with 81 points. Albuquerque’s Justin Archibeque scored 80 points to lead off Part II of the competition after handlers couldn’t get Archibeque and his bull situation in the opening section.

Opening-night winner Douglas Duncan of Alvin, Texas, maintained his lead in the event with his 85-point total.

In addition to Hay, team ropers Marco and Lucius Sells of Rough Rock, Ariz., won both the nightly performance and took the overall lead going into Saturday night’s performance. The Sells’ 5.2 second time was one-tenth of a second faster than opening night winners Tanner Bryson and Tom Bill Johnson, both also from Arizona.

The three leaders who emerged from the slack competition were tie-down roper Stran Smith of Childress, Texas (7.8 seconds), steer wrestler Jonathon Ferreira of Fort Jones, Calif., who posted a blistering 3.3 second time, and barrel racer Marlene McRae. Her time of 14.20 seconds in the morning session was two-tenths faster than Jessie Moody of El Paso in the night performance.

Two other racers also ran under 14.3, knocking opening-night co-leaders Benette Barrington of Lubbock, Texas, and Andrea Clark of Lusk, Wyo., down to a tie for fifth.

Rodeo notes: The 20-year-old Muncy, a native of Corona, N.M., pulled off a rare double victory in 2007 by winning both the NFR and collegiate national titles in the saddle bronc … Though there are many New Mexico cowboys and cowgirls competing in the event, none are from Rio Rancho. The closest connection appears to be team roper Chris Francis from Las Vegas, N.M., whose uncle John Francis is the spokesman for the city’s Department of Public Safety … There is at least one other Sandoval County connection besides the sponsors: Dustin Murray, the arena director for the event, is originally from Corrales. His wife Jennie Murray is serving as the rodeo secretary.

Friday night's results

The results of Friday night's performance at the New Mexico Stampede, with place, name, hometown and result. Winners in each category (including ties) earn $100 in coupons redeemable at the Santa Ana Casino.

Bull riding

1, Ben Longhofer, Stover, Mo., 81
1, Terrance Granger, Tuba City, Ariz., 81
3, Justin Archibeque, Albuquerque, N.M., 80

Steer wrestling

1, Jordan Auker, Byron, Ill., 4.8
2, Cody Moore, Artesia, N.M. 4.9
3, Jeremiah Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 5.1
4, C.J. Aragon, Tucumcari, N.M., 11.4
5, Michael Bates Jr., Mexican Springs, N.M., 16.1

Bareback riding

1, Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 88
2, Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 87
3, Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 85
4, Wes Stevenson, Kaufman, Texas, 84
5, Andy Martinez, Pavillion, Wyo., 83
6. Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo., 82
6. Forest Bramwell, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 82
8, Tom McFarland, Wickenburg, Ariz., 80

Tie-down roping

1, Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 7.8
2, Jerrad Hofstetter, Portales, N.M., 9.3
3, Jon Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 11.4
4, Wes Mack, Raton, N.M., 13.1
5, Tyson Runya, Las Cruces, N.M., 20.5
6, Christian Sanchez, Bloomfield, N.M., 28.8
7, Jeremiah Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 17.2

Saddle bronc

1, Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, Canada, 85 points.
2, J.W. Todd, Loving, N.M., 79
3, Nate Oetter, Basalt, Colo., 77
4, Morgan Forbes, Kaycee, Wyo., 74
5, Brandon Biebelle, San Lorenzo, 72

Team roping

1, Marco Sells, Rough Rock, Ariz., and Lucius Sells, 5.2
2, Reese Kerr, Comfort, Texas, and Jesse Echtler, Huntsville, Texas, 5.6
3, Paul Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., and Bob Scribner, Edgewood, N.M., 13.2
4, Kerstie Allen, Stephenville, Texas, and Dirk Peterson, Navasota, Texas, 13.4 seconds.
5, Shain Sproul, Benson, Ariz., and Bobby Baze, El Paso, Texs, 15.1


Barrel racing

1, Jessie Moody, El Paso, Texas, 14.22
2, Regina Kiehne, Hereford, Texas, 14.24
3, Brittany Hofstetter, Portales, N.M., 14.28
4, Lindsay Black, Sisters, Ore., 14.61
5, Kesstie Allen, Stephenvile, Texas, 15.01
6, Kandace Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., 19.94
7, Julie Baish, Las Cruces, N.M., 20.05
8, Leslie Hurford, Prineville, Ore., 25.01


Friday's slack results

The results of Friday morning's "slack," an overflow for three events for competitors who did not draw into the evening competitions. Slack totals count in the overall standings but no individual performance prizes are given. 

Barrel racing

1, Marlene McRae, Ramah, Colo., 14.20
2, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz.,14.39
3, Cindy Smith, Hobbs, N.M. 14.43
4, Dara Hopkins, Cleburne, Texas, 14.51
5, Rachelle Shure, Queen Creek, Ariz., 14.55
6, Christine Atwell, Santa Fe, N.M., 14.59
7, Marie Autrey, Mountainair, N.M., 14.63
8, Caren Lamb,Ft. Sumner, N.M., 14.66
9, Bailey Gow, Las Cruces, N.M., 14.67
10, Jill Welsh, Prescott, Ariz., 14.69
11, Jenna Cadwallader, Phoenix, Ariz., 14.71
12, Johnna Garcia-Kimble,Clayton, N.M., 14.72
13, Krista Irlbeck, Happy, Texas, 14.91
14, Janet Mosier, Clayton, N.M., 15.02
15, Priscilla Medina,  Elida, N.M., 15.03
16, Leslie DiMenichi, Yoder, Colo., 15.05
16, Chasity Tamburro, Round Rock, Texas, 15.05
18, Lacey Reddell, Dewey, Ariz., 15.19
18, Dylan Carter, Merkel, Texas, 15.19
20, Terri Malia, Shepherd, Mont., 15.33
21, LeAnne Wolfe, Flora Vista, N.M., 19.38
22, Shyann Haddock-Seng, Sonita, Ariz., 15.74
23, Kimberly Howard, Elida, N.M., 15.74
23, Stacy Dial,  Vista, Calif., 19.65
25, Johnna Taylor,Las Cruces, N.M., 19.78
26, Jodi Klind, Worden, Mont., 20.02
27, Whitney Robinson, Mesilla Park, N.M., 20.03
28, Sharon George, Belen, N.M., 20.04
29, Shasta Van Cleave, Show Low, Ariz.,  21.00

Tie down roping

1, Stran Smith, Childress, Texas,  7.6
2, Wes Lockard, Susanville, Calif., 8.7
3, John P. Etcheverry, Carlsbad, N.M., 9.2
4, Wade Watkins, Canyon, Texas, 17.1
5, Troy Trimble, Marana, Ariz., 19.1
6, Joseph Parsons, Marana, Ariz., 19.8
7, Erik Dublanko, Thorsby, Alberta, Canada, 19.9
8, J.D. Kibbe, Portales, N.M., 25.1

Steer wrestling

1, Jonathon Ferreira, Fort Jones, Calif., 3.3
2, Wes Lockard, Susanville, Calif., 5.0
3, Steven Campbell, Midwest, Wyo., 5.1
4, Shawn Schulz, Alamosa, Colo.,5.9
5, Rusty Hamilton, Capitan, N.M., 8.0

Overall standings

Here are the overall event standings after two days of the New Mexico Stampede.
(Each performer will make only one appearance in the three-day event at the Santa Ana Star Center.)

Bull riding

1, Douglas Duncan, Alvin, Texas, 85 points
2, Brandon Reynolds, Pike Road, Alberta, Canada, 84
3, Camo Mullins, Phoenix, Ariz., 81
3, Ben Longhofer, Stover, Mo., 81
3, Terrance Granger, Tuba City, Ariz., 81
6. Justin Archibeque, Albuquerque, N.M., 80
6, Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 80
7, Willy Ives, Omak, Wash., 78
8, Kyle Joslin, Caldwell, Idaho, 74
9, Clayton Savage, Cheynne, Wyo., 73

Steer wrestling

1, Jonathon Ferreira, Fort Jones, Calif., 3.3 seconds
2, Dean McIntyre, Wickenburg, Ariz., 4.3
3, Matt Reeves, Pampa, Texas, 4.7
4, Cody Glover, Tucson, Ariz., 4.8
5, Jordan Auker, Byron, Ill., 4.8
6, Cody Moore, Artesia, N.M. 4.9
6, Trey Tixier, Lindrith, N.M., 4.9
8, Wes Lockard, Susanville, Calif., 5.0
10, Steven Campbell,Midwest, Wyo., 5.1
10, Jeremiah Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 5.1
12, Tanner Winkler, Pampa, Texas, 5.2
13, Klate Greany, Helena, Mont., 5.7
14, Shawn Schulz, Alamosa, Colo., 5.9
15, Rusty Hamilton, Capitan, N.M., 8.0
16, Jim Bob Allen, Melrose, N.M., 8.7
17, C.J. Aragon, Tucumcari, N.M., 11.4
18, John Denson, Belen, N.M., 14.2
19, Michael Bates Jr., Mexican Springs, N.M., 16.1

Bareback riding

1, Tim Shirley, Bailey, Colo., 89
2, Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 88
3, Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., 87
4, Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 86
5, Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 85
6, Wes Stevenson, Kaufman, Texas, 84
7, Andy Martinez, Pavillion, Wyo., 83
7, Jared Green, Socorro, N.M., 83.
9, Wyatt Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 82
9, Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo., 82
9, Forest Bramwell, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 82
12, Tom McFarland, Wickenburg, Ariz., 80
13, Heath Ford, Greely, Colo., 79
13, J.R. Chino, Mescalero, N.M., 79
15, Clay Geronimo, Mescalero, N.M., 76
15, Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 76.

Tie-down roping

1, Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, 7.6
2, Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 7.8
3, Wes Lockard, Susanville, Calif., 8.7
4, John P. Etcheverry, Carlsbad, N.M., 9.2
5, Jerrad Hofstetter, Portales, N.M., 9.3
6. Jon Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 11.4
7, J.D. McKinley, Las Cruces, N.M., 12.3
8, Wes Mack, Raton, N.M., 13.1
9, Kyle Dutton, Las Cruces, N.M., 16.3
10, Dustin Pool, Canyon, Texas, 16.4
11, Wade Watkins, Canyon, Texas, 17.1
12, Jeremiah Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 17.2
13, Troy Trimble, Marana, Ariz., 19.1
14, Joseph Parsons, Marana, Ariz., 19.8
15, Erik Dublanko, Thorsby, Alberta, Canada, 19.9
16. Tyson Runya, Las Cruces, N.M., 20.5
17, J.D. Kibbe, Portales, N.M., 25.1
18, Christian Sanchez, Bloomfield, N.M., 28.8

Saddle bronc

1, Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, Canada, 85 points
2, Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn, 82
2, J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 82
4, Cody Horwedel, Shandon, Calif. 81
4, Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, 81
6, Dan Mortensen, Billings, Mont., 80
6, Louie Brunson, Interior, S.D., 80
8, J.W. Todd, Loving, N.M., 79
9, Cody Taton, Newell, S.D., 78.
10, Nate Oetter, Basalt, Colo., 77
11, Morgan Forbes, Kaycee, Wyo., 74
12, Brandon Biebelle, San Lorenzo, 72
13, Robert Aragon, Solano, N.M., 69
14, Darrell Triplett, Waterflow, N.M., 66

Team roping

1, Marco Sells, Rough Rock, Ariz., and Lucius Sells, 5.2 seconds
2, Tanner Bryson, Cornville, Ariz., and Tom Bill Johnson, Kirkland, Ariz., 5.3
3, Reese Kerr, Comfort, Texas, and Jesse Echtler, Huntsville, Texas, 5.6
4, Dustin Pool, Canyon, Texas, and Marcus Elkins, McIntosh, N.M., 5.9
5, Paul Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., and Bob Scribner, Edgewood, N.M., 13.2
6, Kerstie Allen, Stephenville, Texas, and Dirk Peterson, Navasota, Texas, 13.4
7, Shain Sproul, Benson, Ariz., and Bobby Baze, El Paso, Texas, 15.1

Barrel racing

1, Marlene McRae, Ramah, Colo., 14.20
2, Jessie Moody, El Paso, Texas, 14.22
3, Regina Kiehne, Hereford, Texas, 14.24
4, Brittany Hofstetter, Portales, N.M., 14.28
5, Benette Barrington, Lubbock, Texas, 14.32
5, Andrea Clark, Lusk, Wyo., 14.32
6, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz.,14.39
7, Cindy Smith, Hobbs, N.M. 14.43
8, Dara Hopkins, Cleburne, Texas, 14.51
9, Rachelle Shure, Queen Creek, Ariz., 14.55
10, Christine Atwell, Santa Fe, N.M., 14.59
11, Lindsay Black, Sisters, Ore., 14.61
12, Marie Autrey, Mountainair, N.M., 14.63
13, Caren Lamb,Ft. Sumner, N.M., 14.66
14, Bailey Gow, Las Cruces, N.M., 14.67
15, Jill Welsh, Prescott, Ariz., 14.69
16, Jenna Cadwallader, Phoenix, Ariz., 14.71
17, Johnna Garcia-Kimble, Clayton, N.M., 14.72
18, Julie Pluemer, Bosque Farms, N.M., 14.74.
19, Krista Irlbeck, Happy, Texas,14.91
20, Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 15.00.
21, Kerstie Allen, Stephenvile, Texas, 15.01
22, Janet Mosier, Clayton, N.M., 15.02
23, Priscilla Medina,  Elida, N.M., 15.03
24, Leslie DiMenichi, Yoder, Colo., 15.05
25, Chasity Tamburro, Round Rock, Texas, 15.05
26, Lacey Reddell, Dewey, Ariz.,15.19
27, Dylan Carter, Merkel, Texas, 15.19
28, Terri Malia, Shepherd, Mont., 15.33
29, Shyann Haddock-Seng, Sonita, Ariz., 15.74
30, LeAnne Wolfe, Flora Vista, N.M., 19.38
31, Kimberly Howard, Elida, N.M., 19.65
31, Stacy Dial,  Vista, Calif., 19.65
33, Johnna Taylor,Las Cruces, N.M., 19.78
34, Kandace Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., 19.94
35, Jodi Klind, Worden, Mont., 20.02
36, Whitney Robinson, Mesilla Park, N.M., 20.03
37, Sharon George, Belen, N.M., 20.04
38, Julie Baish, Las Cruces, N.M., 20.05
39, Juls James, Pinedale, Wyo., 20.35.
40, Lindsay Shaw, Queen Creek, Ariz., 20.38.
41, Shasta Van Cleave, Show Low, Ariz.,  21.00
42, Leslie Hurford, Prineville, Ore., 25.01