Stock gets better of cowboys at Challenge
No air time, no dirt for Gerald Eash.
Just eight-second rides for the Trego cowboy.
Until Eash met up with Tornado Alley.
Eash was bucked off by that bull in the second go on the final night of the Rocky Mountain Extreme Bull and Bronc Riding Challenge at Majestic Valley Arena on Saturday.
"That didn't work on that last one I guess," he said of being bucked off.
"Just a real good one. He was strong."
If it was any consolation for Eash, seven other cowboys also got bucked off in the final go.
"I got a little bit behind," he said of the ride.
"He set me on my pockets, got me on the end of my arm. When he came away from me hard, it got me off on the outside."
That's when Eash was bucked off.
"You try to be ready to ride when the gate opens," he said.
"That's when it's tough because it goes from a standstill to bucking. That gets the momentum going."
In the first go for bulls, Eash was the lone rider out of eight to post a score. He turned in a 79 on Mammas Boy.
Eash, one of the few participants to compete in both events both nights, scored 72 points on Wild Eyes in broncs, but failed to make the short-go finals (top four scores) when Brian Dawson of Wisdom posted a 75 on his third re-ride. That dropped Eash to fifth.
On Friday night during the opening performance, Eash had the top rides in broncs in both rounds.
"You just go with it and then give it all you got," he said.
"Just give it the best ride you can.
"He's got good bulls and horses," Eash said of the stock contractor for this event - Shane Gunderson's CN Stars Rodeo Company out of Baldwin, N.D.
Up next for Eash is a PRCA rodeo today in Stanford. Later it's NRA rodeos in Havre and Eureka and a PRCA rodeo in Shelby.
Browning's Robert Wagner was the star in the broncs on the final night, posting a best 80-point ride on Cowboy in the first go and winning the short-go finals with an 84- point effort on The Factory.
Wagner and The Factory were matched in the finals both nights.
On Friday, Wagner scored 78 on that horse, which was good for third place.
"She (The Factory) came out there bucking the whole way," Wagner said.
"She felt good, bucked better tonight."
Dawson opened the finals with an 80-point ride on Gunslinger.
After the next two cowboys - Jason Beil and Guy Simonton were bucked off - it was Wagner's turn to shine.
"I had fun tonight," he said.
"It feels good. It's been a good week."
Saturday's Results
Broncs
First Go
(Top Four Advance)
1. Robert Wagner (Cowboy), 80; 2. Guy Simonton (Hopper), 78; 3. Jason Beil (Mr. Ed), 75; 4. Brian Dawson (NA), 75; 5. Gerald Eash (Wild Eyes), 72; 6. Chaz Racine (Spook), 71.
Short-Go Finals
1. Robert Wagner (The Factory), 84; 2. Brian Dawson (Gunslinger), 80.
Bulls
First Go
Gerald Eash (Mammas Boy), 79
Short-Go Finals
No rides