MLK Jr. Rodeo Family Affair
Susan Kanode

            DENVER, Colo.--- Rodeo is traditionally a family-oriented event. No where was that more evident than at the 2008 Martin Luther King Jr. African American Rodeo at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo on Monday.

            The MLK rodeo has been part of the National Western for the past three years. One of the most exciting events to watch that is not seen at Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association sanctioned events is the ladies steer undecoratin’. Similar to steer wrestling, a hazer helps direct a steer between two horses. The ladies are on a horse on the left side of a steer that has a ribbon taped on its’ back.

            They reach down and pull the ribbon off the steer’s back and raise it in the air and the judge drops his flag to signal time is complete. This year’s winner was Denise Williams, from Hempstead, Texas. She was one of three ladies that had a time under two seconds. Williams’ time of 1.4 seconds won the rodeo. She and her husband made the trip from Houston to compete. Her husband was one of the calf ropers that tried to get a check here.

            Kanesha Jackson, from Hempstead, Texas, won her third barrel racin’ title here on Monday night. Her time of 16.10 seconds finished atop the leader board behind Tiphani Carter, who had a time of 16.29.

            Other winners here were: bareback ridin’, Jason Griffin, Dallas, Texas, 77 points; bull doggin’ , Gerald Vaughn, Muskogee, Okla.; 5.6 seconds; calf ropin’, Cory Solomon, Hempstead, Texas, 10.6 seconds; bull ridin’ Tyree Kossie, Houston, Texas, 75 points.

            Rodeo action continues here Tuesday with two performances of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events at 2 and 7:30 p.m.

The following are unofficial results from the Martin Luther King Jr., African-American Heritage Rodeo of Champions at the National Western Stock Show, Monday, January 21, 2008.

Bareback Ridin’ – (two qualified rides) 1, Jason Griffin, 77 points. 2,  Donald Goodman, 73.

Calf Ropin’ — 1, Cory Solomon, Hempstead, Texas, 10.6 seconds. 2, Deon Osborne, 11.3. 3, Sedgwick Haynes, 11.9. 4, Glenn Jackson, 14.4.

Bull Doggin’ --- 1, Gerald Vaughn, 5.6 seconds. 2, Eddie Byrd, 7.7. 3, Wefus Tyus, 8.9. 4, Reuben Haynes, 9.7.

Ladies Barrel Racin’ --- 1, Kanesha Jackson, 15.92 seconds. 2, Tiphanie Carter, 15.93. 3, Stephanie Haynes, 16.78. 4, Tina Howard, 16.87.

Ladies Steer Undercoratin’ --- 1, Denise Carter, 1.4 seconds. 2, Tiphani Carter, 1.8. 3, Angela Blanks, 1.9. 4, Kanesha Jackson, 2.0.

Bull Ridin’ --- (two qualified rides) 1, Tyree Kossie, Houston, Texas, 75 points. 2, Justin Richard, 72.