Dreaming of World Titles
Red Bluff Round-Up kicks off; Texas man’s trip to last year’s Wrangler National Finals stokes this year’s work
Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas, tie-down ropes during slack at the Red Bluff Round-Up. The second and third performances of the Round-Up are April 16 and 17. Photo by Hubbell Rodeo Photography.
Red Bluff, Calif. (April 15, 2016) – Jake Brown was in Red Bluff, but he had Las Vegas on his mind.
The Hillsboro, Texas man took the lead in the bareback riding on the first night of the Red Bluff Round-Up with an 84.5 point ride in what he calls the best year of his career, and it’s all because of Las Vegas.
He competed at his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) last December, and it’s stoked him for riding barebacks this year.
“My mindset leaving the Finals made me want to go back really bad, to do what it takes. I’ve been working real hard, practicing, doing whatever it takes to be at the caliber to ride against guys like Orin Larsen and Caleb Bennett, guys who ride awesome. You want to be right there with them, and at that level you have to put a lot of effort forth.”
The 26 year old cowboy won the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver in January, and won several checks in San Antonio, Texas. His win in Denver “really got the ball rolling fast.”
Last year, he competed at 96 rodeos, and he plans to do the same again this year. “I love rodeoing. I’m young, still, so I like getting on a bunch of horses. I feel like I’m riding the best when I’m getting on a bunch of horses.”
He’d seen the horse he rode, Elderado, of the Flying Diamond Rodeo Co., at the WNFR so he had an idea what the horse might do. “She was a little strong, but she felt really good tonight. She jumped real high, and was a good one to get on.”
His goal this year? Make the Wrangler NFR and “win the world,” he said. “We all have the same goal.”
Fellow bareback rider Caleb Bennett is tied for second place with a score of 81 points; Orin Larsen is in eighth place with 74.5 points.
A California cowboy leads the tie-down roping.
D.J. Parker, Hollister, Calif., had a time of 10.1 seconds to set the bar in the third round of the Red Bluff Round-Up.
The 25 year old cowboy hasn’t rodeoed much in the last two years, due to two ACL surgeries and an MCL surgery in 2014 and 2015. Both injuries happened in the practice pen.
The repaired knees are “great,” he said. “I’m fortunate to have good doctors.” His physical therapist, Jon Ceglia, helps out in the Justin Sports Medicine trailer at the Salinas, Calif. rodeo.
Parker credits his equine partner, Chubs, an eight-year-old horse, with his success. Parker bought him when he was five years old, paying the most he’d ever paid for a horse, $6,500, and trained him himself. “He tries hard,” Parker said. “He just wants to please.”
He also team ropes as a header, and steer wrestles.
Other leaders after tonight’s performance are steer wrestler Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Ida., 5.8 seconds; team ropers Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla. and Paul Eaves, Londell, Mo. 6.1 seconds; barrel racer Viki Friedrich, Salkmum, Wash. 17.67 seconds, and saddle bronc rider Dean Wadsworth, Ozona, Texas, 80 points. Bull rider Riker Carter, Stone, Ida., leads his event with a score of 83 points.
The second of three performances of the Red Bluff Round-Up takes place Saturday, April 17. The Kiwanis Pancake breakfast runs from 7-10 am, and the rodeo parade kicks off at 10 am. 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 $30 and are available at the gate and online.
Results after first performance, Red Bluff Round-Up, April 15, 2016
Friday, April 15, 2016 – first performance
Bareback Riding
1. Jake Brown, Hillsboro, Tx, 84.5 points on Elderado, Flying Diamond Rodeo Co.; 2.(tie) Jake Vold, Ponoka, AB, and Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, UT, 81; 4. Evan Jayne, Marseille, France, 79.5; 5. Chad Rutherford, Lake Charles, LA 78; 6. Kyle Bowers, Drayton Valley, AB, 76.5.
Steer Wrestling
1. Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, ID 5.8 seconds; 2. Del Ray Kraupie, Bridgeport, NE 5.9; 3. John Franzen, Riverton, WY 6.8; 4. Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, LA 8.4; 5. Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, LA 9.0; 6. Timmy Sparing, Helena, MT 9.7.
Saddle Bronc Riding
1. Dean Wadsworth, Ozona, TX, 80 points on Cow Camp, Growney Bros.; 2. Cameron Messier, Herald, CA 76.5; 3. Rusty Wright, Milford, UT 76; 4. Cody Wright, Milford, UT 75.5; 5. Taygen Schuelke, Newell, SD 73; 6. Jade Blackwell, Rapid City, SD 72.5.
Tie-Down Roping
1. D.J Parker, Hollister, CA 10.1 seconds; 2. Joseph Parsons, Marana, AZ 10.8; 3. Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, WA 11.3; 4. Josh Peek, Pueblo, CO 12.9; 5. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, LA 14.2; 6. Cody McCartney, Ottowa Lake, MI 21.0.
Team Roping
1. Clay Smith, Broken Bow, OK/Paul Eaves, Lonedell, MO 6.1 seconds; 2. Arky Rogers, Kemp, Texas/York Gill, Stephenville, Texas 7.1; 3. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas/Kyle Lockett, Visalia, CA 7.2; 4. Ryan Reed, Wittmann, AZ/Tanner Luttrell, Oroville, CA 10.5; 5. Rhett Anderson, Anabella, UT/Jade Anderson, Genola, UT 11.0; 6. Seth Hall, Albuquerque, N.M./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, AZ 11.2.
Barrel Racing
1. Viki Friedrich, Salkum, WA 17.67 seconds; 2. Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, CA and Cayla Melby, Burneyville, CA 17.69; 4. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, OR 17.71; 5. Katelyn Mcleod, WhitesBoro, TX 17.83; 6. Kristen Darnell, Goshen, AL 17.89.
Bull Riding
1. Riker Carter, Stone, ID 83 points on Growney Rodeo’s Dream Big; 2. Joseph McConnel, Bloomsfield, NM 80.5; 3. Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, OK 79; 4. AJ Hamre, Los Molinos, CA 68.
** All results are unofficial. For more information, visit RedBluffRoundup.com.