North Dakota Winners
Badlands Circuit Finals continues with second round of competition
Bareback rider Clay Jorgenson wins the second round of the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot on Oct. 14. Photo by Alaina Stangle Photography.
MINOT, N.D. – A North Dakota man bested the bareback field in the second round of the RAM Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot on Oct. 14.
Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, scored 85.5 points on the Bailey Pro Rodeo horse Colorado Bulldog to be top of the twelve-man field of bareback riders.
The 27 year old has been plagued with injuries for most of the rodeo season. He broke his wrist at the Auburn, Calif. rodeo in April, which took him out for several weeks. Then, at the Killdeer, N.D. rodeo in early July, he tore the SC joint in his collar bone and sat out again.
“I haven’t rodeoed in any significant way since the end of April,” he said.
Jorgenson was thrilled to ride the twelve year old stallion owned by Shane Gunderson and Brandee Moore, Bailey Pro Rodeo. “I’ve seen that horse everywhere, pretty much my whole career,” he said. “He was raised by Steve Waugen, and I grew up getting on Steve Waugen horses.”
The horse, a multiple Wrangler National Finals Rodeo selection, “is pretty bucky,” Jorgenson said. “He gets stronger and stronger as the ride goes on. He’s obviously the one you want.”
Jorgenson, who came into the finals in fifth place, got bucked off last night so is out of placing in the average, the highest scores on three head.
That takes some of the pressure off, as he focuses solely on each ride. “Now I know all I’m going for is the round win, so it’s let it all hang out, all or nothing. It’s go for the round win, get some good checks, and hopefully get a boost in the standings.”
Another North Dakotan won the second round in the steer wrestling.
Reigning Badlands Circuit steer wrestling champion Cameron Morman wins the steer wrestling on Oct. 14 at the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo. The third and final round takes place on Oct. 15. Photo by Alaina Stangle Photography.
Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, had a time of 4.0 seconds to win the Saturday night performance of the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo.
“I knew I had a good steer,” he said. “Joe Nelson won the round on him last night. I didn’t score very good, but Billy Boldon did a good job hazing, and I got around him.”
Morman, a seven-time Badlands Circuit champion, was aboard his seventeen-year-old sorrel named Kenny. Morman won the 2022 Badlands Circuit year-end and finals titles on him, and brought him, instead of his other steer wrestling horse Rio, to Minot.
“Kenny is real quick across the line, and I feel like this arena fits his style,” he said. Morman has another good steer wrestling horse, Rio, on whom he has won several Badlands titles, and on whom he won the Pendleton (Ore.) Roundup last month. “They’re both great horses, but I’ve had really good luck with Kenny at indoor arenas.”
Other second go-round winners include team ropers Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D. and Cash Hetzel, Lemmon, S.D. (5.2 seconds); saddle bronc rider Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D. (84 points); breakaway roper Sawyer Gilbert, Buffalo, S.D. (2.3 seconds); tie-down roper Grant Turek, St. Paul, Neb. (8.9 seconds); barrel racer Molly Otto, Grand Forks, N.D. (13.58 seconds) and bull rider Mason Moody, Letcher, S.D. (86 points).
The third and final round of the Badlands Circuit Finals takes place Oct. 15 with a 1 pm matinee performance. General admission tickets are discounted to $10; gold buckle seats are $35. For more information on the rodeo, visit RodeoMinot.com.