Triplett back in business

By the skin of his teeth or the hair of his chin ... whichever saying you prefer ... doesn't matter. Matt Triplett got it done in the bull riding on Friday night.

The Columbia Falls cowboy barely made the bell, but the way he rode King of the Road scored 79 points. That won Friday's round and put him into second place overall. He and Luke Gee of Stanford were the only two to turn in complete bull rides.

A jubilant Triplett flung his helmet as high and as far as he could, then dropped to a knee in thanks.

"It was awesome. (King of the Road) is a good one. All my buddies rode him before," he said.

"I've kind of been in a slump all of July - and to start riding good again just feels awesome.

"It was close," he admitted. "But I'm happy. I'm trying hard again and not quitting. It feels good. I've started working out again, got back in shape," he said.

Triplett said his recent struggles are his own fault.

"I made it on tour for awhile and I got lazy, because I thought I was on top. But since I started working out again and got back to business, it feels good."

Another local cowboy not feeling so great after Friday's ride was West Glacier's Beau Hill.

Monkey Business got the better of him this day.

"The bull had a good day. I won Helena on that bull last year. He's a pretty good bull. I probably had a chance to be winning here with him. I just didn't get it done today. But I've got a couple more this weekend, so I'll try to stay on them."

Hill and Triplett are in Billings today, then head to Baker on Sunday.

The fans were definitely pulling for Hill. Big cheers went up as soon as his name was announced.

"It's always fun riding here. I've got a lot of friends and family here and that makes it a lot of fun for me.

"I just don't like bucking off here in front of everybody, so I'm a little disappointed," he added.

As for the rest of the evening, the Friday crowd saw several first place performances.

Shawn Downing of Silver Star turned in a 4.5-second time in the steer wrestling. That just beat out Rian Conway of Browning and Jim Pat Smith of Melrose. They both turned in 4.8.

In the bareback riding, Chance Madsen of Pine Bluffs, Wyo., barely edged out first night leaders Bobby Mote and Tyler Nelson. They each posted a 77 on Thursday. But Madsen turned in a 78-point effort on Wish List.

And in tie-down roping, Shane Slack of Idabel, Okla., turned in a 9.6 - a full second faster than second place Clint Arave of Blackfoot, Idaho.

Fair rodeo action continues tonight at 7:30.

Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo

Friday's Results

Second go

Flathead County Fairground

Kesler Rodeo Co. stock contractor

Bareback - 1. Chance Madsen, Pine Bluffs, Wyo. (Wish List), 78.

Saddle bronc - 1. Roy Johnson, Etna, Calif., (Starburst) 82; 2. Ad Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., (Avalanche), 72.

Steer wrestling - 1. Shawn Downing, Silver Star, 4.5; 2. Jim Pat Smith Smith, Melrose, 4.8; 3. Cody Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 7.3; 4. Luke Gee, Stanford, 10.5, 5. Walt Anseth, Helena, 10.8; 6. Todd Maughan, Airdrie, Alberta, 16.8; 7. Josh Boka, Dillon, 17.5; 8. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 31.5.

Team roping - 1. Drew Horner, Plano, Texas/Trey Johnson, Canyon, Texas, 7.4; 2. Bubba Buckaloo, Kingston, Okla./Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D., 12.7; 3. Brant Davis, Sand Coulee/Sam Levine, Wolf Creek, 21.8.

Tie down roping - 1. Shane Slack, Idabel, Okla, 9.6; 2. Clint Arave, Blackfoot, Idaho, 10.9; 3. Donnie Benson, Ronan, 13.6.

Ladies barrel racing - 1. Maegan Reichert, Mt. Pleasant, Texas, 18.08; 2. Erica Norwood, Carthage, Texas, 18.35; 3. Benette Barrington, Lubbock, Texas, 19.2; 4. Jane Melby, Backus, N.M., 20.02; 5. Kristen Zancanella, Aurora, S.D., 20.34; 6. Annie Novotny, Billings, 23.59; 7. Theresa Walter, Billings, 26.99.

Bull riding - 1. Matt Triplett, Columbia Falls, 79; 2. Luke Gee, Stanford, 71.