Rough night for cowboys

No scores posted among those who took on saddle broncs

Broncs rule.

At least they did in the saddle bronc riding Thursday during the first performance of the Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

There were eight riders up, but no scores posted.

"No! Not at a Kesler rodeo," Clarence Gilham, of Browning, said when asked if he was surprised no one survived the stiff eight-second challenges.

"It's a good show."

Kesler Championship Rodeo is the stock contractor for this annual event, and the company never disappoints when it comes to providing cowboys with the best bucking stock and bulls.

"Oh man … they ended up throwing everybody off," Gilham said of the broncs.

"The ones they didn't (throw), they missed out (were disqualified)."

Gilham, 29, is a former Indian All-Around World Champion (1992). He's been at two Dodge Circuit Finals and has won one NRA All-Around title (2002).

"Those are the kind of horses guys want to get on," Gilham said.

"They are big, strong."

Gilham was competing in the fair rodeo for the first time in three years. He finished fourth in bareback riding the last time he was here.

"I just go to a lot of rodeos," Gilham said of why he has passed on this event in the past.

"I do three different associations."

Gilham was matched up with a bronc called Knott So. It was the first time he has drawn that horse, and Knott So was not so nice.

"I'm not one of those guys who worries a lot about what you draw," he said.

"I just show up and do my job."

But not this time.

The bulls also held the upper hand with only three cowboys posting scores in that event. Two scores came on the final two rides.

There were 11 bull riders entered.

Kyle Schoenig of Missoula turned in an 83-point go on Coast to Coast, while Cody Buller of Glendive is sitting second, 76, and Travis Jenkins, also of Missoula, third, 75.

Cowboys, however, had more success in the opening event - bareback riding - with five of the eight making the whistle.

Scott Owens of Toston, on Blue Wings, tops the list with an 81-point ride. Dale Stoller of Great Falls is second, 80, followed by Buck Lunak of Cut Bank, 79, Randy VandenBos of Valier, 74, and Andy Bolich of Belgrade, 67.

Owens, 27, was making his first appearance at the fair rodeo in five years.

"Most of the time, I'm down at Baker (for a rodeo)," he said.

"And I'm trying to get my circuit rodeos in (this year)."

Owens is currently sitting eighth in the circuit-point standings. The former Havre cowboy, who won a state high school bareback title in 1999 and advanced to nationals twice, has been riding for 15 years. He finished second in the circuit finals a year ago, but says he's been struggling through a tough 2008.

"I don't know (what's wrong)," he said. "I just can't win."

He says he's cut back big time on his rodeo schedule because of high gas prices.

"Normally, 30 to 40 rodeos (by this time)," he said.

"I've only been to 21, maybe 20. Taking a week off here and there doesn't help anything."

Owens has finished first at rodeos in Chinook and Vaughn, but was well down the pay list at Great Falls and Missoula. He did not compete in Helena.

"It takes a long time to get the hang of it, I know that," he said.

"And just when you get to think that you have the hang of it, something always go wrong. You never get it figured out."

But everything went smoothly for Owens this time out.

"I didn't feel like I was in trouble," he said.

"It felt pretty good. As big as that horse was, and as hard as she was bucking, it felt pretty good."

Other leaders after the first performance are: Shawn Greenfield of Lakeview, Ore., in steer wrestling, 3.9 seconds; Derick Fleming of Worden, and Justin Viles of Cody, Wyo., in team roping, 5.7; Viles, in tie-down roping, 10.4; and Lindsay Knaff of Winston, in barrel racing, 17.27.

Rodeo action continues tonight at 7:30. The third, and final performance, is Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday's Results

Bareback riding - 1. Scott Owens, Toston, 81 on Blue Wings; 2. Dale Stoller, Great Falls, 80; 3. Buck Lunak, Cut Bank, 70; 4. Randy VandenBos, Valier, 74; 5. Andy Bolich, Belgrade, 67.

Steer wrestling - 1. Shawn Greenfield, Lakeview, Ore., 3.9; 2. Jeff Johnston, Seneca, Neb., 4.4; 3. Josh Granell, Havre, 4.5; 4. Jim Pat Smith, Melrose, 5.0; 5. Mike Gollaher, Cascade, 5.3.

Team roping - 1. Derick Fleming, Worden/Justin Viles, Cody, Wyo., 5.7; 2. Cleve Fuller, Augusta/Ike Folsom, Dillon, 6.7; 3. Dustin Bird, Cut Bank/Jimmy Cole, Harlem, 11.9; 4. Chance Bernall, Dillon/John Roberton, Polson, 13.7.

Saddle bronc - No qualified rides.

Tie-down roping - 1. Justin Viles, Cody, Wyo., 10.4; 2. Chance Bernall, Dillon, 10.9; 3. Dean Edge, Rimbey, Alberta, 12.7; 4. Murray Pole, Erskine, Alberta, 20.3.

Ladies barrel racing - 1. Linday Knaff, Winston, 17.27; 2. Terri Kaye Kirkland, Billings, 17.60; 3. Jaime Perry, Vaughn, 17.70; 4. (tie) Jill Ferdina Miller, Lewistown, and Deanna Levine, Dillon, 17.83 each; 6. Maria Gee, Stanford, 17.99; 7. Judy Geldard, Havre, 18.01; 8. Deena Moeykens, Three Forks, 18.02; 9. Cally Goyins, Helena, 18.56; 10. Shelley Murphy, Helena, 22.18.

Bull riding - 1. Kyle Schoenig, Missoula, 83 on Coast to Coast; 2. Cody Buller, Glendive, 76; 3. Travis Jenkins, Missoula, 75.