The buck stops in Polson
PRCA Mission Mountain Rodeo returns to the Polson Fairgrounds Friday and Saturday
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Most people wouldn’t even dare to get on a 1,000-pound plus animal that was bred to buck with nothing really to hold you on, except some simple leather rigging and spurs, but when Justin T. Miller was given a chance to ride a bronc for the third time Saturday night at the Polson Fairgrounds, he didn’t give have to give it a second thought.
The third time was the charm for the Billings cowboy. Miller held on for eight seconds for the third time that night and scored 75 points to win the bareback competition at the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Mission Mountain Rodeo.
In an event that is commonly viewed as the most physically demanding of the rodeo, and even though bareback riders suffer more injuries and carry away more long-term damage than all other rodeo cowboys, Miller said he always takes the re-ride if he thinks he’s got a good shot at the money.
Miller was almost left out of the money, when the Bronc got him sidewards right out of the chutes. Miller recovered to edge out Nathan Bayes by a single point and win the $931 go prize.
“He got me dipped down there a bit. He switched tracks. That was a good horse, but after three jumps I got squared off on him and back in my riggings,” Miller said.
In only his second year on the Montana Rodeo Circuit, the Mission Mountain Rodeo was his second win of the season. Miller also won the Vaughn rodeo, with both wins coming on stock provided by the JS Rodeo Co.
Miller’s ride was just one of the rides that thrilled the fans in the Polson Fairgrounds’ grandstands Friday and Saturday night.
In the seven years since the Polson Fairgrounds Inc. switched to hosting a fully professional rodeo Jesse Kruse has been one of their most distinguished cowboys – the Great Falls cowboy won World saddle title in Las Vegas.
Kruse didn’t disappoint the fans, scoring 80 points after a eight-second ride on Bad Hair Day Friday night to win the $931 saddle-bronc prize. Guy Simanton followed with 79 points and Jake Costello finished in third with 76 points.
Polson’s Tim Bagnell was the highest local finisher. Bagnell finished third in the tie down roping, an event his ranch sponsored, with a 20.5-second ride. Bode Scott won the event with a 15.5-second ride Jay Billingsley finished third with a 17.1-second ride.
St. Ignatius cowgirl Bobbie Reeves finished fifth in barrel racing with an 18.1-second ride, despite blowing her stirrups going into the first barrel.
“Sometimes you get them back (your feet in the stirrups). You just have to cowgirl up, I guess,” said Reeves, who will be heading to the Lincoln rodeo this week.
Summary
Bareback Riding
1, Justin T. Miller,75
2, Nathan Bayes, 74
3, Colter Davis, 69
4, Dan Herman, 57
Saddle Bronc
1, Jesse Kruse, 80
2, Guy Simanton, 79
3, Jake Costello, 76
4, C.J. Thoreson, 83
Bull Riding
1, Justin Time Whiteman, 88
2, Gordon Smith Jr., 75
3, Tyler Dellen, 74
Tie Down Roping
1, Bode Scott, 15.5 sec.
2, J. Billingsley, 17.1 sec.
3, Tim Bagnell, 20.5 sec.
4, Shane Bessette, 23.7 sec.
Steer Wrestling
1, Ty Erickson, 4.6 sec.
2, Rian Conway, 5 sec.
3, Jason D. Schaffer, 5.4 sec.
4, Bode Scott, 6.8 sec.
Team Roping
1, Cy J. Murer and Keith Richmond, 27.4 sec
2, Damon Ward and Randy Sacks, 28.6 sec
3, Dustin Probert and Travis Stovall, 9.3 sec.
3, Donnie Benson and C.J. Mohl, 14.1 sec.
Barrel Racing
1, Lindsay Karp, 17.85 sec.
2, Morgan Knudson, 17.98 sec
3, Theresa Walter, 18.03 sec
4, Chloe Hoovestal, 18.04
5, Bobbie Reeves, 18.10 sec.
