DeZort can RIDEM4 8Kalispell cowboy wins bareback title at Silver State, earns college scholarship

By DAVID LESNICK

The Daily Inter Lake

Neil DeZort's vanity plates - RIDEM4 8 - on his white Pontiac Grand Am are more like reality plates.

The 18-year-old Kalispell cowboy, after all, is an international rodeo champion.

DeZort did just that - ride them for eight seconds - three times to win the bareback riding at the Silver State International Rodeo in Fallon, Nevada, earlier this month. His winning point total was 213.

DeZort's performance helped Montana finish second in the overall team standings, the Treasure State's best showing in the 21 years the rodeo has been held.

"I was looking for the top five," DeZort said.

"There were 28 in the bareback."

Over 500 contestants from the U.S. and Canada were in attendance.

"It was a good week," DeZort said of his showing.

"I've put in a lot of hard work."

DeZort had the top ride in Fallon during the first go with his 75-point effort. He turned in a 63 for the second session despite borrowing a friend's rigging. His broke his when the horse reared in the chute before that ride.

He was second in the average going into the short go, or the finals.

The top 15 qualified for the finals.

"They were pretty good," DeZort said of the horses.

"A few just ran off, but for the most part, they were pretty good."

Then on DeZort's final ride, he scored 75, again, to win it all.

DeZort also qualified for Silver State a year ago, his first year of high school rodeo, but didn't make the trip because of a broken arm.

This year he qualified again by finishing fifth at the state rodeo in Helena last month.

Those placing fifth through 10th at state events qualify for Silver State. The top four state placers advance to the National High School Rodeo Finals, which will be held in Springfield, Ill., later this month.

"I bucked off my first horse (at state), which cost me going to nationals," DeZort said.

"I missed fourth place by four points."

DeZort was awarded a SSIR saddle for being the champion. He also received a bronze statue of a saddle bronc rider for being the short go champion and a spur for winning the first go.

Perhaps more importantly, he also earned a college scholarship to the University of Wyoming.

Wyoming rodeo coach George Howard saw DeZort in action the first day and offered right away.

DeZort was scheduled to attended Montana Tech, where he would major in civil engineering.

"He (Howard) said 'They (Montana Tech) don't have a rodeo team so why don't you come ride for us,'" DeZort said.

"I told him I had to think about it."

Which he said didn't take very long.

DeZort has only been competing in the bareback event for two years. He switched to rodeo after playing baseball for many years. He was a starting catcher for the Kalispell Lakers.

"I was getting tired of baseball and wanted to try something new," he said.

"I've always had an interest in rodeo."

One of his best friends is Chad Marquardt, who also competes in bareback riding.

"We wanted to ride bulls, but our parents talked us out of it," he said.

DeZort, like Marquardt, attended a bareback riding school in Arlee.

"I got on five horses and got bucked off all of them," he said.

"That's what's so humbling. You watch the pros do it and they make it look so easy. When you get on, the power of the horse is so amazing."

When it came time to compete for the first time, DeZort said he was scared, nervous and anxious.

"The first time, it takes a lot of courage," he said.

"You have to force yourself."

DeZort said he probably was probably bucked off 15 times before he finally managed his first eight second ride during the Winter Series Rodeo at Carpenter Arena.

"A good sense of accomplishment when you finally get one of them," he said.

"It was a little discouraging when I kept getting bucked off. I just kept plugging along, just kept getting on and getting better every ride. I guess it's like anything, it takes a lot of practice."

DeZort, along with Marquardt, practice several times a week on a bucking machine the Flathead Valley High School Rodeo Team (FVHSRT) purchased.

"You gotta be able to take a beating on your body," said DeZort of what it takes to be successful.

"It's pretty physically demanding. You need a good mental attitude because your are not going to ride them all. And a lot of help from friends."

Montana had a super showing in the bareback at Silver State was three more finishers in the top six slots. Chase Edwards of Billings was second, 208, A.J. St. Goddard of Browning was fifth, 175, and Buck Demers of Boulder was sixth, 131.

The FVHSRT's Lexy Rianda and Maddie Matelli also competed at Silver State. Rianda placed fifth overall in goat tying. She was the leader after the first performance with a time of 8.58 seconds and placed 10th in her second go, 9.09 seconds. She was 15th in average, 17.67 seconds, heading into the finals.

Matelli competed in barrel racing, placing 20th out of 95, and pole bending, finishing 42nd out of 74.