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RED BLUFF CROWNS CHAMPIONS

World champions, contenders leave northern California with gold buckles

Red Bluff, Calif. (April 22, 2018) – Two world champions won their events at the 97th annual Red Bluff (Calif.) Round-Up this weekend.

Tyler Pearson, the reigning steer wrestling champion, and Zeke Thurston, the 2016 saddle bronc riding champion, both collected gold buckles for their efforts in Red Bluff.

Pearson, Louisville, Miss., had a combined time of 21.0 seconds on four runs to win the steer wrestling. He had seen another cowboy make a 5.2 second run on his steer earlier this week, and “I knew I had a chance. I trusted in the horse and the hazer, and all went well.”

Pearson’s first world championship, won last December at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR), has been a big confidence booster. It was a “dream come true,” he said. “It was one of those story book endings, and it’s rolled over to this year. It’s been fun.” Pearson is currently ranked in the top ten in the PRCA world standings.

The horse Pearson rode has his own special resume. Outlaw, a twenty-year-old palomino, has been ridden by the last four Red Bluff champions: Pearson this year, Chance Howard in 2017, Ty Erickson in 2016, and Tyler Waguespack in 2015.

Owned by Waguespack, the horse does well with long scores and larger arenas, and at this year’s Round-Up, was ridden by five cowboys: Pearson, Erickson, Waguespack, Timmy Sparing and Rowdy Parrott.

Outlaw is a former barrel horse who was purchased by Waguespack five years ago. “My dad and I got to playing around with him one day, and we wound up training him (for steer wrestling) one summer. We found out what he was good at, and we took him into rodeo kind of slow.”

Outlaw is well loved by his riders and his owner. “I’m really proud of him and how he performed today, and really proud of all the guys who rode him,” Waguespack said.

The saddle bronc riding title went to Zeke Thurston.

The world champion from Big Valley, Alb., scored 86.5 points on the Calgary Stampede horse Urgent Delivery. It wasn’t the first time the two had met.

Five years ago, when he was eighteen, he rode the horse at the Canadian Finals Rodeo during the novice saddle bronc riding, winning the round. “I rode that horse when he was just a baby and I was pretty young myself,” he said. “We were both pretty green. He’s a big strong bucker but I made a good ride on him and got a little money for it.”

Thurston is the son of Skeeter Thurston, a six-time WNFR qualifier. The world title the younger Thurston won two years ago was “awesome. That’s the pinnacle of our sport, what everybody works their way towards. Every year I rodeo, I rodeo for a world title.”

He and his wife are expecting their first child in August.

The tie-down roping title went to an Oklahoma man.

Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla., had a time of 38.2 seconds on four runs to win the Round-Up buckle.

Milligan is the 2017 Resistol Rookie Tie-Down Roping of the Year, a title that goes to the contestant in each event who has won the most money during their rookie year.

He was aboard a fifteen-year-old sorrel named Big Time, who has enabled him to do well. “He’s the best horse I’ve ever had,” Milligan said. “I wouldn’t have won near what I won last year without him. He’s phenomenal. He’s the same trip every time.”

Milligan is all business in the rodeo arena, not letting wins or misses affect him. “I just keep doing the same thing, just take one calf at a time. Every time you win, it’s a confidence booster. But I always try to stay the same, not get too high or too low.”

Other Red Bluff champions include bareback riders Jamie Howlett, Weatherford, Texas (87.5 points); team ropers Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif. and Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas (29.1 seconds on four runs); barrel racer Jessi Fish, Franklin, Tenn. (34.53 seconds on four runs) and bull riders Jordan Hansen, Ponoka, Alb. and Garrett Tribble, Bristow, Okla. (88.5 points each).

During the rodeo, which was the annual Tough Enough to Wear Pink event, a VIP rodeo package was auctioned off. Rose Crain and Dan Davidson, owners of Haleakala Ranch, purchased it for $26,000. The “Run for the Roses” package includes a trip to the Kentucky Derby, a behind-the scenes tour from an official veterinarian, hotel stay, and round-trip airfare. Monies raised during the Round-Up’s “pink” campaign go to breast cancer treatment at the St. Elizabeth Imaging Center.

Next year’s Red Bluff Round-Up will be held April 19-21, 2019. For more information on the rodeo, visit RedBluffRoundup.com.

Results, Red Bluff Round-Up, April 20-22, 2018

All-around winner: Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah (tie-down roping and team roping)

Bareback Riding – 2018 Red Bluff Champion:  Jamie Howlett, Weatherford, Texas

1. Jamie Howlett, Weatherford, Texas 87.5 points on C5 Rodeo’s Virgil; 2. Zack Brown, Red Bluff, Calif. 87; 3. (tie) Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas and Jake Brown, Cleveland, Texas 85 each; 5. (tie) Seth Lee Hardwick, Ranchester, Wyo., Mason Clements, Springville, Utah, and Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah 84.5 each; 8. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. 83.5

Steer Wrestling 2018 Red Bluff Champion –  Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss.

First round:

1. (tie) Jesse Brown, Baker City, Ore. and John Henry Franzen, Riverton, Wyo. 4.8 seconds each; 3. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisc. 5.1; 4. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta 5.2; 5. (tie) Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La. and Ty Talsma, Avon, S.D. 5.3 each.

Second round:

1. (tie) Stan Branco, Chowchilla, Calif. and Aaron Vosler, Cheyenne, Wyo. 4.2 seconds each; 3. (tie) Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, Mont. and Brad McGilchrist, Marysville, Calif. 4.4 each; 5. Jesse Brown, Baker City, Ore. 4.6; 6. (tie) Rhett Kennedy, Chowchilla, Calif. and Sterling Lambert, Fallon, Nev. 4.7 each.

Third round:

1. Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, Mont. 3.8; 2. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. 4.8; 3. (tie) Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Idaho and Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss. 5.1 each; 5. Harley Cole, Okotoks, Alb. 5.3; 6. (tie) Taylor Gregg, Walla Walla, Wash. and Cody Cabral, Hilo, Hawaii 5.4.

Finals:

1. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. 4.5 seconds; 2. Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss. 4.9; 3. Tucker Michael Allen, Oak View, Calif. 5.0; 4. Jesse Brown, Baker City, Ore. 5.1.

Average:

1. Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss. 21.0 on 4 head; 2. Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, Mont. 21.8; 3. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. 22.6; 4. Aaron Vosler, Cheyenne, Wyo. 23.8; 5. Will Lummus, West Point, Miss. 24.1; 6. Jesse Brown, Baker City, Ore. 24.4.

Saddle bronc riding 2018 Red Bluff Champion – Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alb.

1. Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alb. 86.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Urgent Delivery; 2. (tie) Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, and Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M. 85 each; 4. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah 82.5; 5. Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D 82; 6. (tie) Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah, Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa and Louie Brunson, New Underwood, S.D. 81 each.

Tie Down Roping 2018 Red Bluff Champion – Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla.

First round:

1. Cooper Martin, Alma, Kansas 9.1 seconds; 2. Randall Carlisle, Athens, La. 9.6; 3. Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla. 9.9; 4. Jordan Ketscher, Squaw Valley, Calif. 10.0; 5. Ty Baker, Van Horn, Texas 10.3; 6. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev. 10.5.

Second round:

1. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas 8.6 seconds; 2. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas 8.8; 3. (tie) Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas and Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla. 8.9 each; 5. Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash. 9.0; 6. (tie) Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah and JC Malone, Plain City, Utah 9.3 each.

Third round:

1. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas 8.1 seconds; 2. Bo Pickett, Caldwell, Idaho 8.4; 3. Cooper Martin, Alma, Kan. 8.8; 4. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev. 8.9; 5. Cimarron Boardman, Stephenville, Texas 9.1; 6. (tie) Ty Baker, Van Horn, Texas and Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah 9.7 each.

Finals:

1. Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla. 8.9; 2. Cooper Martin, Alma, Kan. 9.4; 3. Ty Baker, Van Horn, Texas 9.7; 4. Bo Pickett, Caldwell, Idaho 9.8.

Average:

1. Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla. 38.2 seconds on 4 head; 2. Cooper Martin, Alma, Kan. 39.5; 3. Ty Baker, Van Horn, Texas 39.7; 4. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah 40.9; 5. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas 42.7; 6. Bo Pickett, Caldwell, Idaho 43.1.

Team Roping 2018 Red Bluff Champions  – Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif. and Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas

First round:

1. Bubba Buckaloo, Kingston, Okla./Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla. 6.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D./Cody Cowden, Atwater, Calif. and Chant DeForest, Wheatland, Calif./Bronc Boehnlein, Riverside, Calif. 6.8 each; 4. Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif./Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas 6.9; 5. Ryan Reed, Modesto, Calif./Dalton Pearce, San Luis Obispo, Calif. 7.3; 6. Brenten Hall, Jay, Okla./Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont. 7.6; 7. Brock Hanson, Casa Grande, Ariz./Ryan Motes, 7.7; 8. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash. 7.8.

Second round:

1. Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan. 6.3; 2. CJ DeForest, Jr., Wheatland, Wyo./Andy Holcomb, San Juan Batista, Calif. 6.7; 3. (tie) Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif./Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas and Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Ty Arnold, Midway, Texas 6.8 each; 5. Spencer Mitchell, Orange Cove, Calif./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nevada 7.0; 6. (tie) Zane Barnson, Washington, Utah/Cole Wilson, Lake Shore, Utah and Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Georgia/Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prudente, Brazile 7.3 each; 8. (tie) Joshua Torres, Ocala, Fla./Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla and Levi Simpson, Ponoka, Alb./Jeremy Buhler, Arrowwood, Alb. 7.4 each.

Third round:

1. JB James, Jr., Bennett, Colo./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz. 6.6; 2. Joshua Torres, Ocala, Fla./Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla. 6.8; 3. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah/Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas 7.0; 4. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prudente, Brazile 7.2; 5. Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif./Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas 7.3; 6. Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D./Cody Cowden, Atwater, Calif. 7.5; 7. McKennan Buckner, Powell Butte, Ore./Morgan McVay, Sparks, Nev. 8.0; 8. Dale Benevides, Naalehu, Hawaii/Buck McCay, Eugene, Ore. 8.1.

Finals:

1. Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn./Joseph Harrison, Overbrook, Okla. 5.7; 2. Chant DeForest, Bronc Boehnlein, Riverside, Calif. 6.2; 3. Joshua Torres, Ocala, Fla./Jonathon Torres, Ocala, Fla. 6.4; 4. Levi Simpson, Ponoka, Alb./Jeremy Buhler, Arrowwood, Alb. 6.9; 5. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prudente, Brazil 7.9; 6. Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif./Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas 8.1.

Average:

1. Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif./Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas 29.1 seconds on 4 head; 2. (tie) Joshua Torres, Ocala, Fla./Jonathon, Torres, Ocala, Fla. and Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prudente, Brazil 31.6 each; 4. Levi Simpson, Ponoka, Alb./Jeremy Buhler, Arrowwood, Alb. 32.3; 5. Chant DeForest, Wheatland, Calif./Bronc Boehnlein, Riverside, Calif. 33.2; 6. Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D./Cody Cowden, Atwater, Calif. 33.7; 7. Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn./Joseph Harrison, Overbrook, Okla. 34.2; 8. Dale Benevides, Naalehu, Hawaii/Buck McCay, Eugene, Ore. 40.7.

Barrel racing – 2018 Red Bluff Champion – Jessi Fish, Franklin, Tenn.

First round:

1. (tie) Jessi Fish, Franklin, Tenn. and Katie Pascoe, Morro Bay, Calif. 17.23 seconds each; 3. (tie) Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, Calif. and Jolee Lautaret-Jordan, Kingman, Ariz. 17.27 each; 5. (tie) Kellie Collier, Hereford, Texas and Darby Fox, King Hill, Ida. 17.28 each; 7. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Victoria, Texas 17.30; 8. Jennifer Barrett, Buhl, Ida. 17.32; 9. Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas 17.38; 10. (tie) Tyra Kane, Weatherford, Texas and Deb Guelly, Okotoks, Alb. 17.45 each.

Second round:

1. Jessie Telford, Caldwell, Idaho 17.08 seconds; 2. (tie) Katelyn Scott, Odessa, Texas and Jessi Fish, Franklin, Tenn. 17.30 each; 4. Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, Calif. 17.33; 5. Jody Hale, Echo, Ore. 17.38; 6. (tie) Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas and Jana Bean, Ft. Hancock, Texas 17.39 each; 8. Leia Pluemer, Bosque Farms, N.M. 17.40; 9. (tie) Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., Jennifer Barrett, Buhl, Idaho and Syd Wheeler, Greenfield, Calif. 17.41 each.

Average:

1. Jessi Fish, Franklin, Tenn. 34.53 seconds on 2 runs; 2. Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, Calif. 34.60; 3. Jessie Telford, Caldwell, Idaho 34.63; 4. Jennifer Barrett, Buhl, Idaho 34.73; 5. Jolee Lautaret-Jordan, Kingman, Ariz. 34.75; 6.Katelyn Scott, Odessa, Texas 34.83; 7. Darby Fox, King Hill, Idaho 34.88; 8 Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas 34.92; 9. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo. 34.94; 10. Deb Guelly, Okotoks, Alb. 34.95.

Bull Riding 2018 Red Bluff Co-Champions  –  Jordan Hansen, Ponoka, Alb. and Garrett Tribble, Bristow, Okla.

1. (tie) Jordan Hansen, Ponoka, Alb. 88.5 points on Corey and Lang Rodeo’s Rewind, and Garrett Tribble, Bristow, Okla., 88.5 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Compton Kid; 3. J.W. Harris, Goldthwaite, Texas 86; 4. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah 84; 5. Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah 82.5; 6. Trey Benton, III, Rock Island, Texas 81; 7. Jesse Petri, Athens, Texas 75; 8. Aaron Williams, Pismo Beach, Calif. 64.

** All results are unofficial.  For more information, visit RedBluffRoundup.com.  For complete rodeo results, visit ProRodeo.com.