Active Pioneer Day Rodeo features dozens of entries

With 12 events this year, the Cowley Pioneer Day Rodeo was a great success on Saturday. The youth events had a breadth of a roster of participants in the barrel race as well as the breakaway roping. It was a perfect hot July day for a rodeo, following the parade and fun in the park.

Talann Perry took first place in the youth barrel race with a time of 18.785 seconds. Second place went to Elsie Callaway, completing the barrels at 19.067 seconds followed by Lily Swank’s time of 19.103 seconds. Fourth place went to Gwenny Gauger at 19.979.  There were many entries for the youth barrel race with a total of 18 entries. Addelyn Swank, Kameron Daley, Dahlia Lara, Ava Wennberg, Isabella Swank and Aspen Adams were all within one second of the fourth-place winner. Josie Loyning, Lyla Rusin, Addison Owen, Lincoln Shepperson and Karli Larsen all finished with times, while Nellie Guccion also competed.

The youth breakaway event had 11 entries, with Elsie Callaway having the best time of 4.11 seconds. Second place went to Lincoln Shepperson at 4.6 seconds, and James Hahn rounded out the top three with 5.7 seconds. Brayson Bilodeau had a close 5.96 seconds with Gwenny Gauger at 8.83 seconds and Gus Loyning at 11.35 seconds. Ava Wennberg, Dahlia Lara, Howdy Hahn, Josie Loyning and Kyland Kienlen also competed.

Steer riding had a great turnout with seven riders, three of which held on long enough to score. Lincoln Shepperson took first place with a score of 80. Gus Loyning took second at 77 points, and Howdy Hahn was third with a score of 71. Ava Wennberg, Chloe Cauffman and James Hahn gave it their all but didn’t make the buzzer to receive a score. 

The ever-popular bull riding event had eight entries, however, only one cowboy earned a score and took first place. That cowboy was Logan Roof. Burl Twitchell, Daren Downer, Kelly Harris, Levi Vold, Randon Wegner, Syrus Bates, Tom Harnack and Traye Hays gave it their all but weren’t able to score any points. 

The junior bull riding contest also only had one cowboy put up a score of 77. That cowboy was Wyatt Blank. Ayden Grey, Benson Jolley, Jayce Lejeune, Kai Saltzgaver, Kooper Apanashk and Zach Thornock were all thrown off and received no score. 

The ladies barrel racing contest had a total of 23 entries. The top three cowgirls were within half a second of each other, providing the crowd with much excitement. Heather Daley won the event with a time of 17.464 seconds. Following Heather was Della Epler at 17.615 seconds, and the third place winner was Becky Sorensen at 17.942. Fourth place went to Katie Bennett with a time of 18.152 seconds, and on her heels was Amanda Brengle at 18.188. The next five riders were also within half a second from each other, Tammy Pollan at 18.228 seconds, Jill Jarrard with 18.332, Kate Cooper with 18.388, Kimberly McMillin at 18.468 and Cassidy Hahn completing the barrels in 18.713 seconds. Stena Bushnell, Bridger Brengle, Brandy Herman, Daisy Carpenter, Dusdee Shepperson and Laney Alexander were within one second of each other. Finishing their run at over 20 seconds were Mataia Henderson, Jess Hahn, Kaitlyn Schmuck, Taylor Sweet, Tillie Brastrup, Xantha Jerome and Jamie Taylor. 

The ladies Breakaway event had six cowgirls finish with times out of a total of 18 contestants. Kelly Goodner grabbed first place with a time of 3.22 seconds, with Tillie Brastrup at her heels with a time of 3.7 seconds. Third and fourth place were also very close, but Jamie Taylor beat Kassie Sweet by 0.03 seconds.

The Bronc contests had 12 cowboys enter the events. The saddle bronc cowboys had a tough day with Adan Cisneros, Ryan Nunn and Justin Howe all receiving no time. The ranch bronc contest produced winner Houston Fraser with a score of 72. Monte Blank had a second-place score of 69, and Brogan Little took third place with a score of 64. Burl Twitchell, Steven Cole and Blevins Little gave the broncs a go but received no score. 

Team roping had a great turnout with 27 contestants, and 12 contestants put up times. The Beckett Tharp and Austin Bennett team had the winning time with 6.72 seconds. Sky Grant and Matt Bitton had a time of 8.25 seconds to clench second place. Beckett Tharp with new partner Cooper Agar posted a time of 8.6 seconds for third place. The Bob and Jordan Herman team came in at fourth with 10.3 seconds. The Gavin Burgess and Kreece Burgess team was on the heels of the Hermans with a time of 10.7 seconds. The Burgess team squeaked out a fifth-place win just ahead of Pablo Good and Ty Blasingame with a time of 10.8. 

Calf roping winner Camillo Rios had an impressive time of  9 seconds flat. Gavin Burgess took second with 13.55 seconds, followed by Bryce Bott with 15.57 seconds. Joe Panetta took the consolation place with a time of 16.1 seconds. Austin Bennett, Tate Woodard, Ty Field, Teigan Wilcox and Mike Albrecht posted times while the rest of the entries had no time. 

Mixed roping had 17 entries with five contestants getting times. Bob Herman and Casey Nelson took first place with a time of 6.9 seconds. Kelly Goodner and Heath Helgerson were a close second with 7.1 seconds. Lacee Good and Nate Rogers took third with 8.59 seconds. The Bob and Brandy Herman team posted 9.2 seconds, and the last team with a time was the duo of Brayson Bilodeau and Matt Paumer with a time of 15.6 seconds.