Lunatic Fringe and Lufkin Bronc Riding Match Up at Caldwell Night Rodeo
By Susan Kanode for the Caldwell Night Rodeo
CALDWELL, Idaho – When saddle bronc rider Joe Lufkin arrived at the Caldwell Night Rodeo on Tuesday, he couldn’t stop smiling.
The Sallisaw, Okla., resident was anticipating getting on the Burch Rodeo horse named Lunatic Fringe, a big paint stallion that is known for getting contestants to the pay window. That is exactly what happened here at the opening performance of the 81st Caldwell Night Rodeo.
When the judges added up their scores, Lufkin had taken command of the leaderboard with an 87.5-point score. For a man that is 20th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings, this ride could make the difference in his season. While Lufkin may not keep his first place position through the next three performances, he is likely to get a good check in the first round and be among the top 12 saddle bronc riders that advance to Saturday night’s championship finals.
“This was a dream come true,” Lufkin said. “I’ve been wanting to get on that horse for a long time. He’s been on my bucket list because he is one of those horses that is nice to ride but you can be 90 on him.”
One of the other horses that is on Lufkin’s list is a son of Lunatic Fringe that will be bucking here on Wednesday. Nick LaDuke from Livermore, Calif., will attempt to ride Lunatic from Hell. He will be hoping that the bucking horse bloodlines work in his favor.
Lufkin has just returned to competition after tearing his groin in Sidney, Iowa. He took a 10-day doctor’s release from rodeos and his first horse back was here.
“I was so pumped to get back on and to ride Lunatic,” he said. “I didn’t have any expectations coming in. You can’t overthink things when you have a horse like that. He’s unpredictable and I just knew if I set my feet and did my job I’d get a good score.”
The first performance also featured bull fights from members of the Bull Fighters Only organization. With four talented bull fighters and bulls from Darrell Diefenbach who is a former bull fighter here, the competition was fierce. The winner was Cody Webster who has been among the personnel here for several years.
The second performance of the Caldwell Night Rodeo will begin at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 17. More information is available at www.caldwellnightrodeo.com.
The following are results from the Caldwell Night Rodeo.
FIRST PERFORMANCE —
Bareback Riding: 1, Cody Kiser, Carson City, Nev., 77 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Big Show. 2, Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 76. 3, Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas, 74. 4, Zack Brown, Red Bluff, Calif., 72.
Steer wrestling: 1, (tie) Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisc., and Judd Austin, Preston, Idaho, 4.9 seconds each. 3, Clay Lloyd, Dingle, Idaho, 5.0. 4, (tie) Cody Kroul, Solon, Idaho, and Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 5.9.
Team roping: 1, Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 4.8 seconds. 2, Colton Campbell, Klamath Falls, Ore., and Daniel Holland, Bonanza, Ore., 6.2. 3, Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga., and Junior Nogueiria, Burleson, Texas, 6.4. 4, Tee Luttrell, Woodlawn, Texas, and Clay Sieber, Arp, Texas, 7.0.
Saddle bronc riding: 1, Joe Lufkin, Sallisaw, Okla., 87.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Lunatic Fringe. 2, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, 82.5. 3, Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 79. 4, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 76.
Tie-down roping: 1, Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas, 9.5 seconds. 2, Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash., 10.1. 3, J.C. Malone, Hooper, Utah, 10.6. 4, Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah, 11.4.
Barrel racing: 1, Danna Jo Whitford, Browning, Mont., 17.41 seconds. 2, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 17.44. 3, Jolee Lautaret, Jordan, Kingman, Ariz., 17.49. 4, Kellie Collier, Hereford, Texas, 17.55.
Bull riding: no qualified rides
Current Leaders in the timed events:
Steer wrestling: (second round) 1, Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La., 4.1 seconds. 2, (tie) Straws Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, and Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 4.2. 4, (tie) Olin Hannum, Malad, Idaho, and Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 4.4. (total on two) 1, Judd Austin, Preston, Idaho, 9.8 seconds. 2, Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 9.9. 3, Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisc., 10.1. 4, Olin Hannum, Malad, Idaho, 10.2.
Team roping: (second round) Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D., and Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 4.7. 2, Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 4.8. 3, Spencer Mitchell, Colusa, Calif., and Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif., 5.0. 4, John Alley, Adams, Tenn., and Clark, Adcock, Smithville, Tenn., 5.6. (total on two) 1, (tie) Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga., and Junior Nogueiria, Burleson, Texas; and Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev., and Jory Levy, Logandale, Nev.; 12.1 each. 3, J.B. James Jr., Bennett, Colo., and Brock Hanson, Casa Grande, Ariz., 13.7. 4, Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Dugan Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 17.0.
Tie-down roping: (second round) 1, Tyson Durfey, Weatherford, Texas, 7.9 seconds. 2, (tie) Westyn Hughes, Caldwell, Texas, and Cody McCartney, Ottawa Lake, Mich., 8.2. 4, Sterling Smith, Stephenville, Texas, 8.4. (total on two) 1, Westyn Hughes, Caldwell, Texas, 16.9. 2, Tyson Durfey, Weatherford, Texas, 17.7. 3, Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 18.1. 4, J.C. Malone, Hooper, Utah, 18.4.
Barrel racing: (first round winners) 1, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 17.28 seconds, $2,123. 2, Benette Little, Ardmore, Okla., 17.36, $1,820. 3, Brittany Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 17.37, $1,516. 4, Amber Leigh Moore, Salem, Ore., 17.38, $1,314. 5, Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Colo., 17.40, $1,011. 6, Jane Melby, Burneyville, Okla., 17.41, $809. 7, Jana Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D., 17.50, $607. 8, Kimmie Wall, Roosevelt, Utah, 17.51, $404. 9, Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 17.52, $303. 10, Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, 17.57, $202. (second round leaders) 1, Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 17.37. 2, Danna Jo Whitford, Browning, Mont., 17.41. 3, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 17.44. 4, Jolee Lautaret – Jordan, Kingman, Ariz., 17.49. (total on two) 1, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 34.72. 2, Jolee Lautaret – Jordan, Kingman, Ariz., 35.41. 3, Danna Jo Whitford, Browning, Mont., 35.52. 4, Kellie Collier, Hereford, Texas, 35.69.
Courtesy of PRCA