Red Bluff Round-Up Continues
Steer wrestlers share help, third round winnings
Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, rides a saddle bronc during the first performance of the Red Bluff Round-Up. The Round-Up continues tomorrow, April 17, with its final performance.
Red Bluff, Calif. (April 18, 2015) – Cowboys are a friendly bunch, known to be kind to children and animals.
And even though they compete against each other, they share in each other’s celebrations when their competitor wins.
That was the case at the second performance of the Red Bluff Round-Up, when fellow steer wrestlers Dirk Tavenner and Jack Vanderlans tied for first in the third round of the steer wrestling.
The two cowboys, Tavenner from Rigby, Idaho, and Vanderlans, from Temecula, Calif., each had a time of 5.8 seconds to earn a paycheck of $1693 each, and advance to the Sunday performance, the fourth round of the Round-Up.
Tavenner, a 25-year-old cowboy, has been rodeoing since he was a child, going through the high school and college ranks. He graduated from New Mexico Highlands University in 2013 with a degree in human performance science. It was rodeo that kept him in college. “I did it for my mother,” he joked, of going to school, but keeping a qualifying grade point average so he could compete helped, too. “I liked school,” he said, “but I went to college to rodeo. (The University) had a good rodeo program, and it kept me getting good grades, too.
Tavenner says there’s a real sense of camaraderie among cowboys, especially the steer wrestlers, and they are willing to help each other. “It’s exciting to help other people win. We all root for each other, and even if we don’t like that person, we’re going to get in there and help them.”
For Vanderlans, who has been rodeoing in the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) since 2001, the Round-Up is one of the rodeos on his spring schedule. During the winter, the husband and father of a two year old girl stays close to home. But when winter is over, he hits the road. “The spring in California is awesome,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of really good rodeos here. Clovis, Redding, Red Bluff, a lot of really good smaller circuit rodeos. I go to those, and when Reno (Nev.) starts (in June), I venture out.” He rodeos as far west as Colorado, usually not traveling farther. “You can stay pretty busy west of Colorado.”
Vanderlans has a new mount who he credits with his success in Red Bluff. Rudy, a sixteen year old quarter horse, has been his partner for the last nine months. Rudy belongs to Vanderlans’ neighbor, Larry Rogers, a former team roper who quit competing due to arthritis. Rogers headed on him, and Vanderlans turned him into a steer wrestling horse. “I was noticing that he wanted to run. Larry let me take him and I trained him to steer wrestle. You can tell he enjoys it. He really makes me proud.”
Vanderlans plans on traveling with two-time world champion Dean Gorsuch this summer. “I tell you what, it’s infectious to be around somebody like that. You want to be as good as him. Vanderlans joked about Gorsuch’s big size. “He looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but he’s the nicest guy.”
In other events, the leads in the bareback riding and bull riding changed hands. Mason Clements, Sandy, Utah, scored 88 points in the bareback riding, and Dallee Mason, Weiser, Ida. scored 85.5 points in the bull riding. Jerrad Hofstetter, Shallow Water, Texas, was 9.6 seconds in the tie-down roping, and team ropers Brooks Dahozy, Warm Springs, Oregon, and Byron Wilkerson, Duncan, Ariz. had a time of 5.4 to take the lead. Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., was the fast time in the performance with a run of 17.34 seconds.
The third and final performance of the Red Bluff Round-Up takes place tomorrow at 1:30 pm. Tomorrow’s event is the annual Tough Enough to Wear Pink day, with funds raised for the St. Elizabeth Imaging Center. A VIP rodeo package will be auctioned off during the rodeo. The package includes a two night stay at a Boyd Gaming property in Las Vegas during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, two Wrangler National Finals gold buckle seats for the Dec. 7 and 8 performances, limo service to and from the hotel to the Thomas and Mack Arena, a $500 Southwest travel voucher, two tickets to the Dec. 8 Boyd Gaming Chute-Out, and a case of Purple Cowboy Wine. For more information, visit the website at RedBluffRoundup.com.
The Wrangler Network webcast today’s performance live, and it will be archived for future viewings at wranglerwestern.com. Tomorrow’s performance will also be webcast live.
Results after second performance, Red Bluff Round-Up, April 16, 2016
Bareback Riding
1. Mason Clements, Sandy UT 88 points on Raggidy Ann, Growney Bros; 2. Delvecchio Kaye, Round Rock, AZ 83.5; 3. (tie) R.C Langdingham, Paso Robles, CA and Gant Denny, Minden, NV 80.5 each; 5. Tray Chambliss III, Fort Davis, TX 79.5, 6. JR Vezain, Cowley, WY 78.
Steer Wrestling
1. Jack Vanderlans, Temecula, CA 5.8 seconds; 2. Ty Erickson, Helena, MT 6.1; 3. Jacob Shofner, Huntsville, TX 6.3; 4. Brad McGilchrist, Marysville, CA 7.1; 5. Jason Thomas, Benton, AR 8.1; 6. Billy Boldon, Oglala, SD 8.7.
Saddle Bronc Riding
1. Samuel Kelts, Millarville, AB 84 points on Last Call, Flying U Rodeo Co.; 2. (tie) Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB and Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, ND 79.5 each; 4. Cooper DeWitt, Rio Rico, AZ 78; 5.(tie) Landon Mecham, Tropic, UT and Andy Clarys, Riverton, WY 77 each.
Tie-Down Roping
1. Jerrad Hofstetter, Shallow Water, TX 9.6 seconds; 2. Randall Carlisle, Athens, LA 11.9; 3. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, UT 12.3; 4. Brad Goodrich, Hermiston, OR 12.5; 5. Ryle Smith, Oakdale, CA 12.6; 6. Stetson Vest, Childress, TX 14.9.
Team Roping
1. Brooks Dahozy, Warm Springs, OR/Byron Wilkerson, Duncan, AZ 5.4 seconds; 2. JB James, Jr, Bennett, CO/Brock Hanson, Casa Grande, AZ 5.8; 3. Wesley Thorp, Stephenville, TX/Jake Cooper, Monument, NM 5.9; 4. (tie) Blain Vick, Dublin, TX/Jim Ross, Stephenville, TX and Garrett Rogers, Baker City, OR/Jake Minor, Ellensberg, WA 6.1; 6. Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, MT/Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, OR 6.4.
Barrel Racing
1. Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, NM 17.34 seconds; 2. Deb Guelly, Okotoks, AB 17.52; 3. Sidney Forest, Lipan, TX 17.72, 4. Victoria Cook, Willows, CA 17.73; 5. Benette Little, Ardmore, OK 17.77, 6. Morgan Breaux, Tomball, TX 17.78.
Bull Riding
1. Dallee Mason, Weiser, ID 85.5 on Mr. Buddy, Corey and Lang Rodeo; 2. Roscoe Jarboe, New Plymouth, ID 83.5; 3. Garrett Tribble, Bristow, OK 80; 4. Wacey Jordan Spears, Redding, CA 76.