ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. – Upon his own admission, Craig Wisehart rodeos for fun.
Well, the cowboy who grew up in Kersey, Colo., had plenty of fun this past weekend.
Wisehart won the bareback riding average crown at the RAM Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo (Oct. 22-24) with a score of 233 points on three head.
“I was just trying to ride better every day,” said Wisehart, 28.
This was the second time Wisehart won the bareback riding average crown at the RMSCFR, the other time coming in 2009.
Wisehart’s consistency is what paid dividends for him at the Sweetwater Events Complex. He was second in the first round with 79 points, and then won the second round with a 78-point ride on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Sun Pop. In the third round, Wisehart clinched the average with a 76-point ride on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Painted Coast.
He left Rock Springs with $6,273 in winnings, including a $2,689 check for capturing the average.
“I didn’t even know what score I needed to win the average,” Wisehart said. “I just wanted to ride my best. I had never been on (Sun Pop) before. I saw her on the list and I knew she would be a good one, so I was happy when I had her. I was hoping to score better, but when I caught my breath they announced that I won the average, and it was amazing.”
The victory was even more special because of the family he had in the crowd watching the action.
“My mom (Nancy) and two nieces (Jacey, 11, and Karsyn, 9) got to witness the whole thing, and it was pretty exciting,” Wisehart said. “It was cool they were there. I think the rest of the family will probably come on down to Florida.”
Kissimmee, Fla., is where Wisehart will be April 7-10 to compete in the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo. The 2016 RNCFR is the second year the event will be held in Kissimmee.
“I’m tickled to be going there – I couldn’t ask for more,” Wisehart said.
When Wisehart isn’t rodeoing, he spends most of his time as an assistant rodeo coach at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.
“I got tired of waking up sore (from competing) and I have been the assistant rodeo coach at Tarleton for the last four years,” Wisehart said. “The men’s team won the (2015) national championship. We just got our rings in the other day, and it was pretty awesome.”
Other winners at the $159,154 rodeo were all-around cowboy Josh Peek ($12,415 in tie-down roping and steer wrestling), steer wrestler Cody Pratt (21.5 seconds on three head), team ropers Clayton Van Aken and Cullen Teller (21.0 seconds on three head), saddle bronc rider Lyle Welling (214 points on three head), tie-down roper Josh Peek (25.2 seconds on three head), barrel racer Andrea Busby (46.84 seconds on three runs) and bull rider Cody Johansen (160 points on two head).
Ram Mountain States Circuit FinalsRock Springs, Wyo., Oct. 22-24All-around cowboy: Josh Peek, $12,394, tie-down roping and steer wrestling.Bareback riding: First round:1. Seth Hardwick, 80 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Daisy Duke, $1,789; 2. Craig Wisehart, 79, $1,342; 3. Colton Onyett, 76, $895; 4. (tie) Dylan Wahlert, and Joel Schlegel, 75, $224 each. Second round:1. Craig Wisehart, 78 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Sun Pop, $1,789; 2. (tie) Joel Schlegel, Jerad Schlegel, Seth Hardwick, and Dylan Wahlert, 77, $671 each. Third round:1. (tie) Joel Schlegel, on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Little Linda, and Dylan Wahlert, on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Hypnotic, 78 points, $1,566 each; 3. Jerad Schlegel, 77, $895; 4. Craig Wisehart, 76, $447. Average: 1. Craig Wisehart, 233 points on three head, $2,684; 2. (tie) Dylan Wahlert, and Joel Schlegel, 230, $1,678 each; 4. Jerad Schlegel, 228, $671.Steer wrestling: First round:1. Kyle Maez, 4.1 seconds, $1,771; 2. (tie) Riley Krassin, and Cole McNamee, 5.7, $1,107 each; 4. Joe Buffington, 6.7, $443. Second round:1. Josh Peek, 3.3 seconds, $1,771; 2. Aaron Vosler, 4.9, $1,328; 3. Seth Brockman, 5.3, $885; 4. Dan Cathcart, 5.5, $443. Third round:1. Seth Brockman, 4.4 seconds, $1,771; 2. Josh Peek, 4.6, $1,328; 3. Cody Pratt, 5.2, $885; 4. Tait Kvistad, 5.4, $443. Average: 1. Cody Pratt, 21.5 seconds on three head, $2,656; 2. Josh Peek, 22.0, $1,992; 3. Tait Kvistad, 25.5, $1,328; 4. Dan Cathcart, 42.3, $664.Team roping: First round:1. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 6.3 seconds, $1,770 each; 2. Tyler Schnaufer/Trevor Schnaufer, 7.9, $1,328; 3. Pate Norell/Todd Wilson, 8.3, $885; 4. Brian Dunning/Jesse Jolly, 12.2, $443. Second round:1. Garrett Tonozzi/T.J. Watts, 4.6 seconds, $1,770 each; 2. Ty Blasingame/Josh Fillmore, 4.8, $1,328; 3. (tie) Brian Dunning/Jesse Jolly, and Wade Kreutzer/Jared Bilby, 5.6, $664 each. Third round:1. Ty Blasingame/Josh Fillmore, 4.6 seconds, $1,770 each; 2. Pate Norell/Todd Wilson, 4.9, $1,328; 3. Paul Beckett/Cole Cooper, 5.9, $885; 4. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 6.7, $443. Average: 1. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 21.0 seconds on three head, $2,655 each; 2. Brian Dunning/Jesse Jolly, 24.9, $1,991; 3. Wade Kreutzer/Jared Bilby, 25.9, $1,328; 4. Ty Blasingame/Josh Fillmore, 9.4 on two head, $664.Saddle bronc riding: First round:1. (tie) Colin Stalley, on The Cervi Brothers’ Field Mouse, and Chanse Darling, on The Cervi Brothers’ Story Line, 78 points, $1,549 each; 3. Andy Clarys, 77, $885; 4. Colton Miller, 76, $443. Second round:1. Lyle Welling, 72 points on D & H Cattle’s Big Rig, $1,771; 2. Ryan Montroy, 70, $1,328; 3. Andy Clarys, 64, $885; 4. Eric Gewecke, 55, $443. Third round:1. Colton Miller, 81 points on Burch Rodeo’s Lunatic Fringe, $1,771; 2. Colin Stalley, 77, $1,328; 3. Blaze Cress, 76, $885; 4. Lyle Welling, 75, $443. Average: 1. Lyle Welling, 214 points on three head, $2,656; 2. Colton Miller, 157 on two head, $1,992; 3. Colin Stalley, 155, $1,328; 4. Blaze Cress, 147, $664.Tie-down roping: First round:1. Josh Peek, 8.5 seconds, $1,771; 2. Brice Ingo, 8.6, $1,328; 3. (tie) Darnell Johnson, and Dalton DeWinne, 8.9, $664 each. Second round:1. Josh Peek, 8.0 seconds, $1,771; 2. Jayce Johnson, 8.3, $1,328; 3. (tie) Darnell Johnson, and Don Coffell, 9.0, $664 each. Third round:1. Stetson Stowe-Corman, 8.5 seconds, $1,771; 2. (tie) Josh Peek, and Scotty Shelton, 8.7, $1,107 each; 4. Brice Ingo, 9.2, $443. Average: 1. Josh Peek, 25.2 seconds on three head, $2,656; 2. Darnell Johnson, 27.3, $1,992; 3. Brice Ingo, 29.0, $1,328; 4. Dalton DeWinne, 30.1, $664.Barrel racing: First round:1. Ivy Conrado, 15.07 seconds, $1,771; 2. Kelley Schnaufer, 15.51, $1,328; 3. Laura Lambert, 15.54, $885; 4. CJ Vondette, 15.57, $443. Second round:1. Shali Lord, 15.32 seconds, $1,771; 2. Laura Lambert, 15.55, $1,328; 3. Andrea Busby, 15.59, $885; 4. Mary Cecelia-Tharp, 15.87, $443. Third round:1. Brittany Pozzi, 15.35 seconds, $1,771; 2. Shali Lord, 15.48, $1,328; 3. Ivy Conrado, 15.56, $885; 4. Andrea Busby, 15.57, $443. Average: 1. Andrea Busby, 46.84 seconds on three head, $2,656; 2. Shali Lord, 47.10, $1,992; 3. Mary Cecelia-Tharp, 47.61, $1,328; 4. Ronnie Will, 48.67, $664.Bull riding: First round:1. Cody Johansen, 76 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s No. C97, $1,771; 2. Brady Menge, 73, $1,328; no other qualified rides. Second round:1. Cody Johansen, 84 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s Socks, $1,771; 2. Brian Larson, 73, $1,328; no other qualified rides. Third round: No qualified rides. Average: 1. Cody Johansen, 160 points on two head, $2,656; 2. (tie) Brady Menge, and Brian Larson, 73 on one head, $1,660 each.Total payoff: $158,893. Stock contractors: Burch Rodeo, The Cervi Brothers, Rocky Mountain Rodeo, D & H Cattle and Harry Vold Rodeo. Rodeo secretary: Carole Martinez. Officials: George Gibbs, Gordie Kesler and Bruce Keller. Timers: DeeDee Dickinson and Donna Murphy. Announcer: Bob Edmonds. Bullfighters: Nathan Jestes and Cade Burns. Clown/barrelman: Hig Higley. Pickup men:Duane Gilbert and Scott McClain. Photographer: Dan Hubbell. Music director: Brandy Edmonds.
