GUYMON, Okla. – Seth Hardwick has been a rising star in ProRodeo the last couple of years.
Night Bells is an established bucking horse that performed at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
The two entities got together Sunday for 88 points and the bareback riding championship at the 81st edition of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. It was a magical afternoon for Hardwick, a 24-year-old bronc buster from Laramie, Wyo.
“I’d heard of that horse, but I’d never seen him,” Hardwick said of the Carr Pro Rodeo horse, which was sired by the great stallion Night Jacket. “He was supposed to be really good and very rider friendly. He made the finals last year, so that was good enough for me.”
It was good enough for a check worth $4,147 for Hardwick, who attended college on a rodeo scholarship at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, just 10 miles southwest of Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena.
“Guymon’s like a hometown rodeo for me,” he said. “I went to school here at Panhandle for four years. Craig Latham was my coach, and we had a lot of help from the Etbauer brothers. They taught me how to keep getting on time after time. They taught me how to do it.
“It feels great to be able to win this rodeo in front of those people. It’s one of the best rides I’ve ever had.”
Hardwick is just one of two Panhandle State cowboys to have won 2013 titles, joining three-time world champion Rocky Patterson in the winner’s circle. Patterson roped and tied down five steers in 65.7 seconds and earned $8,347 – it was the most money won by any contestant at this year’s rodeo.
“This is pretty big because it’s a circuit rodeo, No 1,” said Patterson, who also won the Guymon title in 2010. “No 2, it’s just a great rodeo. The committee here does such a great job.
“It’s a rodeo with a lot of tradition, and it’s a nice one to win.”
Patterson also borrowed a friend’s horse in order to secure this year’s title.
“I rode my sorrel homes on Monday and Tuesday and got along really good,” he said. “Friday I went home to ride him, and he was pretty sore. That’s the great thing about rodeo and steer roping in particular.”
So Patterson rode a horse owned by Chet Herren, a seven-time National Finals Steer Roping qualifier from Pawhuska, Okla., on Sunday afternoon.
“There are a lot of good people in steer roping,” Patterson said.
While this was Patterson’s second Pioneer Days Rodeo title, it was the first for steer wrestler Stockton Graves, a seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Newkirk, Okla. It’s not that Graves has performed poorly in the Oklahoma Panhandle, but it’s the first time he’s earned the championship.
“I’ve had Guymon start my year off more than once,” said Graves, who also is the rodeo coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “It’s always been a good rodeo for me. It’s good for our circuit and good for the world standings, too.
“This is one I’ve always wanted to win. We got a good win off early this year, so hopefully it’ll just keep going.”
Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo
April 29-May 5
Final results
All Around Cowboy: Tuf Cooper, $3,527
Bareback riding: 1. Seth Hardwick, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Night Bells, $4,147; 2. Jason Havens, 86, $3,179; 3. Caine Riddle, 85, $2,349; 4. Ty Breuer, 84, $1,520; 5. (tie) Kaycee Field, Tyler Scales and Clint Cannon, 80, $737; 8. Clint Laye, 79, $415.
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Seth Brockman, 3.3 seconds, $1,908; 2. Matt Mousseau, 3.9, $1,659; 3. Jacob Talley, 4.0, $1,410; 4. (tie) Bray Armes and Sean Santucci, 4.1, $1,037 each; 6. (tie) Kyle Irwin and Cole Edge, 4.2, $539 each; 8. (tie) Josh Peek, Ty Lang and Wyatt Smith, 4.4, $55 each. Second round: 1. K.C. Jones, 3.4 seconds, $1,908; 2. (tie) Tooter Silver, Gary Gilbert, Hunter Cure, Stockton Graves and Miles Mark Switzer, 3.8, $1,162 each; 7. Bray Armes, 3.9, $415; 8. (tie) Josh Peek and Stan Branco, 4.0, $83. Third round: 1. Stockton Graves, 3.8, $1,908; 2. (tie) Wade Sumpter and Matt Reeves, 3.9, $1,535 each; 3. (tie) Riley Duvall and Kyle Irwin, 4.1, $1,037 each; 6. (tie) Ryan Mims and Weston Taylor, 4.2, $539 each; 8. Tyler Pearson, 4.3, $166. Aggregate: 1. Stockton Graves, 12.5 seconds on 3 runs, $2,862; 2. Kyle Irwin, 12.8, $2,489; 3. (tie) Wade Sumpter and Josh Peek, 13.5, $1,929 each; 5. Trell Etbauer, 14.1, $1,369; 6. (tie) Tyler Pearson, Jace Melvin and Hunter Cure, 14.3, $622 each.
Steer roping: First round: 1. Lawson Plemons, 11.4 seconds, $1,803; 2. Scott Snedecor, 12.2, $1,568; 3. JoJo LeMond, 12.3, $1,332; 4. Shandon Stalls, 12.4, $1,097; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.6, $862; 6. (tie) Mike Chase and K.W. Lauer, 12.8, $509 each; 8. Reo Lohse, 13.0, $157. Second round: 1. Bryce Davis, 9.8 seconds, $1,803; 2. Neal Wood, 10.6, $1,568; 3. JoJo LeMond, 11.4, $1,332; 4. Rocky Patterson, $1,097; 5. (tie) Chance Kelton and Rod Hartness, 12.4, $745 each; 7. Howdy McGinn, 12.5, $392; 8. Mark Milner, 12.9, $157. Third round: 1. (tie) Rocky Patterson and Coy Thompson, 11.6 seconds, $1,685 each; 3. Tim Abbott, 11.9, $1,332; 4. Corey Ross, 12.2, $1,097; 5. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Tony Reina, 12.4, $745; 7. Darin Suit, 12.6, $293; 8. Brent Lewis, 13.0, $157. Fourth round: 1. Tim Abbott, 10.5 seconds, $1,803; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 10.8, $1,568; 3. Chet Herren, 10.9, $1,332; 4. Lawson Plemons, 11.5, $1,097; 5. Trevor Brazile, 11.8, $862; 6. Dee Kyler Jr., 11.9, $627; 7. Shandon Stalls, 12.0, $392; 8. Rocky Patterson, 12.1, $157. Fifth round: 1. Jake DeGeer, 10.5 seconds, $1,803; 2. Rod Hartness, 12.5, $1,568; 3. (tie) Vin Fisher Jr. and J.D. Yates, 12.6, $1,215 each; 5. (tie) J. Paul Williams and JoJo LeMond, 14.6, $745 each; 7. (tie) Howdy McGinn and Ralph Williams, 15.1, $274 each; Aggregate: 1. Rocky Patterson, 67.5 seconds on 5 runs, $5,408; 2. Scott Snedecor, 71.5, $4,703; 3. J.D. Yates, 75.3, $3,997; 4. JoJo LeMond, 76.2, $3,292; 5. Howdy McGinn, 79.8, $2,586; 6. Riley Christopherson, 80.2, $1,881; 7. Will McBride, 81.8, $1,176; 8. John Bland, 82.9, $470.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Heith Allan DeMoss, 87 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Spur Strap, $3,702; 2. (tie) Wade Sundell and Bryce Miller, 85, $2,468 each; 4. (tie) Tyrell Smith and Tyler Corrington, 84, $1,111 each; 6. (tie) Ty Thompson and Lyle W. Welling, 83, $555 each; 8. Cort Scheer, 82, $370.
Team roping: First round: 1. Landon McClaugherty/Tommy Zuniga, 4.6 seconds, $2,285 each; 2. Ryan Jarrett/Marty Yates, 5.9, $1,987; 3. Chaz Kananen/Lee Walker, 6.4, $1,689; 4. Luke Brown/Kollin VonAhn, 6.5, $1,391; 5. Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 6.6, $1,093; 6. (tie) Brandon Vaske/Chase Boekhaus and Quisto Lopez/Christian Morris, 6.8, $646 each; 8. (tie) Lane Ivy/Lane Siggins, Chris Francis/Cade Passig and Colby Lovell/Martin Lucero, 7.1, $66 each. Second round: Speed Williams/Kinney Harrell, 5.3 seconds, $2,285 each; 2. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 6.1, $1,987; 3. Colby Siddoway/Shay Carroll, 6.2, $1,689; 4. Gavin Foster/Derrick Jantzen,6.5, $1,391; 5. Jess Teirney/Justin Hendrick, 6.6, $1,092; 6. (tie) Tuf Cooper/Joel Bach and Adam Rose/Billie Saebens, 6.7, $646; 8. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska,6.8, $199. Third round: 1. Tyler Magnus/Mickey Gomez, 6.6, $2,285 each; 2. (tie) Ryan Von Ahn/Derrick Peterson and Charley Crawford/Ryan Motes, 6.7, $2,838 each; 4. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 6.8, $1,242 each; 6. Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 7.2, $795; 7. Adam Rose/Billie Saebens, 7.6, $497; 8. Nick Pullara/Justin Price, 7.7, $199. Aggregate: 1. Charley Crawford/Ryan Motes, 21.1 seconds on 3 runs, $3,426 each; 2. Adam Rose/Billie Saebens, 22.4, $2,980; 3. Chance Thompson/Jaytin McCright, 23.3, $2,533; 4. Quisto Lopez/Christain Morris, 23.8, $2,086; 5. Nick Pullara/Justin Price, 24.5, $1,639; 6. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 25.1, $1,192; 7. Chris Francis/Cade Passig, 27.4, $745; 8. Jess Tierney/Justin Hendrick, 28.1, $298.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Jesse Clark, 7.7 seconds, $2,039; 2. (tie) Ace Slone and Dane Kissack, 8.1, $1,640 each; 4. Tyson Durfey, 8.3, $1,231; 5. (tie) Justin Maass and Monty Lewis, 8.4, $842 each; 7. (tie) Ryan Watkins and Tuf Cooper, 8.6, $310 each. Second round: 1. Riley Pruitt, 7.1 seconds,$2,039; 2. Sterling Smith, 7.7, $1,773; 3. (tie) Cimarron Boardman and Justin Scofield, 8.1, $1,374 each; 5. Bryson Seachrist, 8.2, $975; 6. Cade Swor, 8.3, $709; 7. (tie) Marty Yates and Tuf Cooper, 8.4, $310 each. Third round: 1. Cade Swor, 7.8 seconds, $2,039; 2. Tyson Durfey, 8.3, $1,773; 3. Boe Brown, 8.9, $1,507; 4. Jeremiah Peek, 9.0, $1,241; 5. Cimarron Boardman, 9.1, $975; 6. Dane Kissack, 9.2, $709; 7. JC King, 9.3, $443; 8. Trell Etbauer, 9.4, $177. Aggregate: 1. Cade Swor, 25.7 seconds on 3 runs, $3,059; 2. Tyson Durfey, 26.4, $2,660; 3. Tuf Cooper, 27.03, $2,261; 4. Jesse Clark, 27.6, $1,862; 5. Cimarron Boardman, 28.1, $1,463; 6. Seth Childers, 28.7, $1,064; 7. Dane Kissack, 29.0, $665; 8. Ryan Watkins, 29.15, $266.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Kendra Dickson, 17.27 seconds, $2,228; 2. Sherry Cervi, 17.40, $1,910; 3. Michelle McLeod, 17.44, $1,592; 4. Alicia Stockton, 17.46, $1,379; 5. Carlee Pierce, 17.49, $1,061; 6. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.50, $849; 7. (tie) Kim Couch and Molly Powell, 17.51, $531 each; 9. (tie) Cindy Woods and Nicole Aichele, 17.64, $285 each. Second round: 1. Michelle McLeod, 17.13 second, $2,228; 2. Brittany Pozzi, 17.21, $1,910; 3. Kassidy Dennison, 17.30, $1,592; 4. Victoria Williams, 17.4, $1,379; 5. Jessica Frost, 17.42, $1,061; 6. Sammi Bessert, 17.43, $849; 7. Kimmie Wall, 17.44, $637; 8. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.45, $424; 9. Alicia Stockton, 17.46, $318; 10. Kendra Dickson, 17.49, $212. Aggregate: 1. Michelle McLeod, 34.57 seconds on 2 runs, $2,228; 2. Kendra Dickson, 34.76, $1,910; 3. Alicia Stockton, 34.92, $1,592; 4.Brittany Pozzi, 34.93, $1,379; 5. Gretchen Benbenek, 34.95, $1,081; 6. (tie) Kim Couch and Sherry Cervi, 35.03, $743 each; 8. Carlee Pierce, 35.14, $424; 9. Tammi Reynolds, 35.26, $318; 10. Jana Bean, 35.29, $212.
Bull riding: 1. Tyler Smith, 93 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Rio Bravo, $3,790; 2. Parker Breding, 89, $2,906; 3. (tie) Cody Whitney and Josh Koshel, 88, $1,769; 5. Rorey Maier, 85, $884; 6. Tyler Willis, 84, $632; 7. (tie) Chandler Bownds, Taylor Toves and Clayton Foltyn, 83, $295.