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Canada Cowboy Rewarded for Long Trip to Red Bluff

by Jim Bainbridge | Apr 18, 2015
By Ruth Nicolaus/For the Red Bluff Round-Up

RED BLUFF, Calif. – Clint Laye was so excited to compete at the 94th annual Red Bluff Round-Up, that he drove 25 hours to get there.

And he was well-rewarded. After the April 17 evening performance, the Canada cowboy led the bareback riding after the first performance of the Round-Up, with 82 points.

He had plenty of time to get some advice from a fellow bareback rider, too.

The 20-year-old left his home in Cadogan, Alberta, on Tuesday morning, and drove 19 hours to Redmond, Ore., where he picked up veteran bareback rider Steven Peebles. Peebles shared his knowledge about the horse Laye had drawn, Black Ice from the Four Star Rodeo Company, as Peebles had won California Rodeo Salinas on that horse last summer.

“I knew that horse was good,” Laye said.

Laye has had his Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association card since 2012. He’s competed at the Canadian Finals Rodeo twice and has been close to making the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the world championship event. But this year is different, and he feels like his goal of making the Wrangler NFR is closer.

“This year feels like the year,” he said. “It’s going really good. I’ve been working a lot harder at it. I started working out a bunch and taking care of business better, not dinking around.”

He’s started an eating plan as well.

“I decided at the beginning of the year, I wanted to be a world champion so I started treating myself like one. About 80 percent of it’s in your head.”

This is his second year to compete in Red Bluff, and even though he got bucked off last year, he was headed back to the Round-Up.

“I was definitely excited (about competing in Red Bluff.) I drove all the way from Canada, by myself, to Redmond (where he picked up Peebles). That’s how much I like this rodeo.”

Peebles scored 80 points in the Friday night performance, to stand second behind Laye.

And Laye’s driving isn’t over. On Saturday, he’ll leave for Dawson Creek, British Columbia, for another PRCA rodeo, “which is even farther north,” he said. “I don’t even want to look at a map to see how far that is.”

Other leaders after the April 17 performance were steer wrestler Billy Bugenig (16.6 seconds on three head), tie-down roper Monty Lewis (30.2 seconds on three head), team ropers Turtle Powell and Dakota Kirchenschlager (22.2 seconds on three head), barrel racer Deb Guelly (35.11 seconds on two runs), saddle bronc rider Troy Crowser (83 points on Flying Diamond Rodeo’s Handsome) and bull rider Wesley Silcox (89 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Hash Tag).

The second of three performances of the Red Bluff Round-Up takes place Saturday, April 18. The Kiwanis Pancake breakfast runs from 7-10 a.m., and the rodeo parade kicks off at 10 a.m. The rodeo begins at 2:30 pm. For more information, visit the rodeo’s website at RedBluffRoundup.com. Tickets range in price from $14 to $26 and are available at the gate and online.

Courtesy of PRCA

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