Mandan Rodeo’s July 4 Crowd Watches Five Second-Place Finishes

MANDAN, N.D. – The 138th Mandan Rodeo Days Celebration ended with the final rodeo performance on July 4. After a record-setting 100-degree afternoon, just two hours before the rodeo began at 7:30 p.m., a much-needed rain moved through the drought-stricken area, settling the dust and leaving some mud in its wake.

The wet conditions didn’t faze either the contestants or the capacity crowd. Although they did not witness an overall event winner, Tuesday’s crowd watched cowboys take second place in five of the seven events.

Veteran National Finals Rodeo (NFR) steer wrestler Tommy Cook of Waller, Texas, started the trend when he put his steer on the ground in 4 seconds flat, tying Nebraskan Jake Kraupie’s and South Dakotan Jace Melvin’s second-place times set on Monday night. Wyoming’s Aaron Vosler took first with a 3.7-second run.

In team roping Clayton Hass of Weatherford, Texas, and John Robertson of Poulson, Montana, were the first duo to rope. Their time of 4.7 seconds took the number two position, earned them each about $2,500 and aided Hass’s number four standing in the all-around world championship standings. Kellan and Jhett Johnson of Casper, Wyo., roped the win in 4.5 seconds Monday night.

Chad Ferley, the two-time world champion saddle bronc rider from South Dakota, was the final saddle bronc rider to compete. Two nights earlier NFR veteran Wade Sundell had set a Mandan Rodeo record with 90 points on Dakota Rodeo’s stallion Chirrikawa. Ferley competed on the same bronc, but the big paint didn’t have quite as strong an outing as he did on Monday. Ferley scored 85.5 points and won almost $2,500. Sundell’s first-place check was $3,167.

The next event was tie-down roping. Cody Quaney of Cheney, Kansas, who is currently ranked 11th in the world championship standings, roped and tied his calf in 8.2 seconds, just one-tenth behind winner Dane Kissack of Spearfish, S.D., who roped on Monday.

Barrel racers were at a disadvantage, since the rain and resulting mud slowed them down about a second and none of them moved into the overall placings. Sisters Nikki Hansen and Kristi Steffes, who competed Monday, finished first and second.

The bulls had been winning since the rodeo began, with 32 of 35 unridden during the first two performances. Three of the 16 cowboys were able to make eight-second rides Tuesday night. Cain Smith of Pendleton, Ore., was the first to get a score – 75 on Dakota Rodeo’s Battle Sirens.

With just three riders left, Trevor Reiste of Linden, Iowa, who’s current tenth in the world standings, rodeo Dakota Rodeo’s JC’s Special for 83.5 points. Then NFR cowboy Brennon Eldred, the final cowboy to ride, took Dakota Rodeo’s Brown Sugar to the buzzer. Eldred, who’s currently ranked seventh in the world, scored 87 points for second place and nearly $4,700.

In the bareback riding Lane McGehee of Victoria, Texas, the newly crowned college champion, had the highest-marked ride of the night. His 82 on Dakota Rodeo’s American Grafiti tied him for fourth overall. Wyoming’s Weston Garrett took first with his 87-point ride Sunday night.

The night ended with the Tribute to the Six-Pack Match Bronc Riding with six saddle bronc riders competing for a $1,000 winner-take-all check. Parker Kramer of Towner, North Dakota, who was representing the North Dakota High School Rodeo Association, scored 71 points to win the bonus.

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The following are unofficial winners at the 138th annual Mandan Rodeo Days in Mandan, North Dakota, July 2-4.

Tuesday, July 4, evening performance:

Bareback Riding: 1, Lane McGehee, Victoria, Texas, 82 points on Dakota Rodeo’s American Grafiti. 2, Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 81. 3, Paden Hurst, Cypress, Texas, 79. 4, Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 78.5.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Tommy Cook, Waller, Texas, 4.0 seconds. 2, Clayton Hass, Weatherford, Texas, 4.8. 3, Austin Eller, Glendo, Mont., 5.3. 4, Jordan Holland, Dillon, Mont., 5.7.

Team Roping: 1, Clayton Hass, Weatherford, Texas, and John Roberton, Poulson, Mont., 4.7 seconds. 2, Levi O’Keeffe, Mohall, N.D, and Jade Nelson, Midland, S.D., 5.6. 3, Joe Beaver, Huntsville, Texas, and McCoy Profili, Okeechobee, Fla., 5.9. 4, Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala., and Trace Porter, Leesville, La., 14.4.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., 85.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Chirrikawa. 2, Chance Barrass, Yellowhead Count, Alberta, 81. 3, Taylor Tupper, St. Onge, S.D., 78. 4, (tie) Dalton Rixen, Richardton, N.D., and Preston Kafka, Wagner, S.D., 77.5.

Tie-Down Roping: 1, Cody Quaney, Cheney, Kan., 8.2 seconds. 2, Seth Cooke, Weatherford, Texas, 9.4. 3, Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 10.6. 4, Ace Slone, Cuero, Texas, 14.5.

Barrel Racing: 1, TK Lawrence, Williston, N.D., 16.28 seconds. 2, Lindsey O’Keeffe, Mohall, N.D., 16.43. 3, Britta Thiel, Belle Fourche, S.D., 16.51. 4, Calyssa Kindred, Harrold, S.D., 16.55.

Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla., 87. 2, Trevor Reiste, Linden, Iowa, 83.5. 3, Cain Smith, Pendleton, Ore., 75.

Tribute to the Six-Pack Match Bronc Ride: 1, Parker Kramer, Towner, N.D., representing North Dakota High School Rodeo Association, 71 points, $1,000.

Overall winners:

Bareback Riding: 1, Weston Garrett, Gillette, Wyo., 87 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Pulp Fiction, $2,837. 2, Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb., 84, $2,175. 3, Tyler Waltz, Martin, Tenn., 83, $1,608. 4, (tie) Blake Smith, Zap, N.D., and Luke McGehee, Victoria, Texas, 82, $851 each. 6, (tie) Tate Schwagler, Mandan, N.D., and Tanner Phipps, Dalton, Ga., 81.5, $426 each. 8, (tie) Justin McDaniel, Parkfield, Ca., and Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D., $142 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Aaron Vosler, Cheyenne, Wyo., 3.7 seconds, $2,840. 2, (tie) Jake Kraupie, Bridgeport, Neb., Jace Melvin, Fort Pierre, S.D., and Tommy Cook, Waller, Texas, 4.0 $2,252 each. 5, Jarret New, Wimberley, Texas, 4.1, $1,644. 6, (tie) Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., and Sheldon Portwine, Dickinson, N.D., 4.3, $1,196. 8, (tie) Jule Hazen, Ashland, Kan., and Chason Floyd, Buffalo, S.D., 4.4, $598. 10, Jake Fulton, Rosebud, S.D., $149.

Tie-down Roping: 1, Logan Hofer, Magrath, Alberta, 8.5 seconds. 2, Bryson Sechrist, Apache, Okla., 9.1. 3, Jon Peek, Bismarck, N.D., 9.2. 4, Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah, 9.5. 5, Cole Robinson, Moorcroft, Wyo., 9.6. 6, Jade Lyon, Meadow, S.D., 9.9.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Wade Sundell, Coleman, Okla., 90 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Chirrikawa, $3,167. 2, Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., 85.5, $2,428. 3, JJ Elshere, Hereford, S.D., $1,795. 4, Tyler Baeza, Mesquite, Nev., 84, $1,161. 5, Chance Barrass, Yellowhead Count, Alberta, 81, $739. 6, Curtis Garton, Kaitaia, New Zealand, 80.5, $528. 7, Lane Stirling, Buffalo, S.D., 79.5. $422. 8, Taylor Tupper, St Onge, S.D., 78, $317.

Team Roping: 1, Kellan and Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 4.5 seconds, $2,746 each. 2, Clayton Hass, Weatherford, Texas, and John Robertson, Polson, Mont., 4.7, $2,457 each. 3, (tie) J.B. and Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D., and Dylan Gordon, Comanche, Okla., and Hunter Koch, Vernon, Texas, 4.8, $2,023 each. 5, Delon Parker, Worden, Mont., and Ryan Zurcher, Powell, Wyo., 5.1, $1,590 each. 6, Cale Markham, Vinita, Okla., and Austin Rogers, Crescent, Okla., 5.3, $1,301 each. 7, Lane Santos Karney, Cresta, Calif., and Dalton Pierce, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 5.5, $1,012 each. 8, (tie) Turner Harris, Killdeer, N.D., and Ross Carson, Killdeer, N.D., and Levi O’Keeffe, Mohall, N.D., and Jade Nelson, Midland, S.D., 5.6, $578 each. 10, Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah, and Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 5.8, $145 each.

Barrel Racing: 1, Nikki Hansen, Dickinson, N.D., 15.28 seconds, $3,715. 2, Kristi Steffes, Vale, S.D., 15.37, $2,972. 3, Bobbi Grann, Sheyenne, N.D., 15.42, $2,415. 4, Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 15.45, $1,857. 5, Jackie Schau, Almont, N.D., 15.46, $1,486. 6, Hallie Fulton, Miller, S.D., 15.47, $1,114. 7, (tie) Carmel Wright, Roy, Mont., and Lacy Maier, Eagle Butte, S.D., 15.52, $882 each. 9, Bailee Murnion, Bowman, N.D., 15.55, $743. 10, Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., 15.56, $650. 11, Christy Wilert, Kadoka, S.D., $557. 12, Rachel Tiedeman, Rapid City, S.D., $464. 13, Lisa Lockhart, Oehlrichs, S.D., $371. 14, Alexa Lake, Richmond, Texas, $279. 15, (tie) Benette Little, Ardmore, Okla., and Hallie Hanssen, Hermosa, S.D., $93 each.

Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Cole Melancon, Liberty, Texas, 88 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Moldy, $6,001. 2, Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla., 87, $4,653. 3, Trevor Reiste, Linden, Iowa, 83.5, $3,498. 4, Miles Englebert, Burdock, S.D., 83, $2,343. 5, Tyler Taylor, Stephenville, Texas, 81.5, $1,572. 6, Cain Smith, Pendleton, Ore., $1,187.
All-Around Cowboy: Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah

Courtesy of PRCA