Bennett scores Lovington victory on River Boat Annie
Ted Harbin

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Caleb Bennett tugged on his riding glove, seeking a quick release for his nervous energy.

The Morgan, Utah, bareback rider was about to attach his hand to one of the greatest bucking horses in the game, and he knew the Lea County Fair and Rodeo was his chance to make a big move in his 2010 season.

“I told Pete Carr that I’d been looking forward to this matchup,” Bennett said, referring to the owner of Carr Pro Rodeo, the livestock firm that owns River Boat Annie. “I had her at the Heartland finals a couple of years ago, and I was 88 points on her down there. I was really excited to have her in Lovington. It’s one of those deals that when you find out your draw, you just can’t wait to ride.”

Bennett made the most of his efforts by matching moves with River Boat Annie for 89 points to win the bareback riding and $4,446. He bettered a field that was full of the elite bareback riders in the game. It helped that the random draw matched him with the 2007 Reserve World Champion bareback horse and a proven winner.

“She’s just a pretty solid horse and is pretty consistent in how she bucks,” Bennett said of River Boat Annie. “She’s a great bucking horse and has been for a long time.”

Bennett’s score held up against some pretty talented cowboys who had drawn some great horses from Carr Pro Rodeo. D.V. Fennell, a 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Neosho, Mo., rode Deuces Night for 87 points to finish second, and 2008 world champion Justin McDaniel of Porum, Okla., rode Real Deal for 86 points, good enough for third – Real Deal was named the top bareback horse in the business in 2005.

But there was plenty of action throughout the four-day rodeo in New Mexico’s southeastern corner. Nineteen-time world champion Guy Allen – who also serves as a pickup man for Carr Pro Rodeo – won the steer roping, finishing three runs in 34.9 seconds; he earned $4,464. Reigning world champions Nick Sartain and Kollin VonAhn won the team roping in 9.9 seconds. They placed in both go-rounds and earned $5,154.

But they weren’t the only world champs to claim Lea County Fair and Rodeo crowns. Bull rider Wesley Silcox, who won the world title in 2007, scored 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Charlie’s Bandito en route to the event championship and $4,389.

Dane Hanna wrestled two steers to the ground in 7.5 seconds to win his event and $4,698. Tie-down roper Ryan Watkins finished in 18.1 seconds, winning the title and $3,819. Kenna Squires rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 17.32 seconds to win the barrel racing.

Louie Brunson matched moves with the Carr horse True Lies for 88 points to win saddle bronc riding. He edged out Scott Miller’s 87 and Cody Wright’s 86 and earned $4,161.

Lea County Fair and Rodeo
Aug 4-7, 2010

Lovington, N.M.

Bareback riding: 1. Caleb Bennett, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s River Boat Annie, $4,446; 2. D.V. Fennell, 87, $3,409; 3. Justin McDaniel, 86, $2,520; 4. Will Lowe, 85, $1,630; 5. (tie) Luke Creasy, R.C. Landingham and Jerad Schlegel, 83, $790 each; 8. Cody DeMers, 82, $445.
 

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Erik Johnson, 3.8 seconds, $2,058; 2. (tie) Ryan Jarrett and Sean Mulligan, 4.0, $1,655 each; 4. Wade Sumpter, 4.1, $1,252; 5. (tie) Curtis Cassidy, Nick Guy, Dane Hanna and Les Shepperson, 4.2, $582 each. Second round: 1. Dane Hanna, 3.3 seconds, $2,058; 2. (tie) Curtis Cassidy and Stockton Graves, 3.5, $1,655 each; 4. Matt Reeves, 3.7, $1,252; 5. (tie) Dean Gorsuch, Nick Guy, Kyle Hughes and Alex Robertson, 3.8, $582 each. Average: 1. Dane Hanna, 7.5 seconds on two head, $2,058; 2. Curtis Cassidy, 7.7, $1,789; 3. Erik Johnson, 7.9, $1,521; 4. (tie) Nick Guy and Sean Mulligan, 8.0, $1,118 each; 6. (tie) Olin Hannum and Alex Robertson, 8.4, $582 each; 8. Stockton Graves, 8.5, $179.
 

Team roping: 1. (tie) Dakota Shipp/Dax Stuart and Colby Siddoway/Justin Wade Davis, 4.7 seconds, $2,111 each; 3. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.9, $1,669; 4. (tie) Chris Lawson/Josh Patton and Kelsey Parchman/Michael Jones, 5.0, $1,227 each; 6. Kaleb Driggers/Cody Doescher, 5.2, $785; 7. Caleb Mitchell/Matt Zancanella, 5.4, $491; 8. (tie) Brooks Dahozy/Bobby Baize and Brad Hamilton/Tyler McKnight, 5.6, $98 each. Second round: 1. Garrett Tonozzi/Kinney Harrell, 4.2 seconds, $2,258; 2. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.5, $1,963; 3. Charly Crawford/Russell Cardoza, 4.6, $1,669; 4. (tie) Kelsey Parchman/Michael Jones and Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 5.0, $1,227; 6. Keven Daniel/Caleb Twisselman, 5.1, $785; 7. (tie) Joel Bach/Paul Eaves and Turtle Powell/Jhett Johnson, 5.2, $344 each. Average: 1. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 9.9 seconds on two head, $2,258; 2. Kelsey Parchman/Michael Jones, 10.0, $1,963; 3. Charly Crawford/Russell Cardoza, 11.3, $1,669; 4. Brooks Dahozy/Bobby Baize, 11.6, $1,374; 5. Caleb Mitchell/Matt Zancanella, 12.0, $1,080; 6. Jake Kropik/Michael Fortenberry, 13.1, $785; 7. Phil Burris/Shain Sproul, 14.4, $491; 8. Luke Brown/Martin Lucero, 16.5, $196.
 

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Louie Brunson, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies, $4,161; 2. Scott Miller, 87, $3,190; 3. Cody Wright, 86, $2,358; 4. Ty Atchison, 84, $1,526; 5. (tie) Justin Berg and Dusty Hausauer, 83, $832 each; 7. Bradley Harter, 82, $555; 8. Rusty Allen, 81, $416.
 

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 8.3 seconds, $2,440; 2. (tie) Trent Creager and Fred Whitfield, 8.6, $1,963 each; 4. Hunter Herrin, 8.8, $1,485; 5. Mike Johnson, 8.9, $1,167; 6. Ryan Watkins, 9.1, $849; 7. (tie) Blair Burk, Joseph Parsons and Cade Swor, 9.2, $248 each. Second round: 1. Josh Peek, 8.0 seconds, $2,440; 2. Wacey Walraven, 8.4, $2,122; 3. Timber Moore, 8.7, $1,803; 4. (tie) Kyle Dutton and Cliff Kirkpatrick, 8.8, $1,326 each; 6. (tie) Houston Hutto, Ryan Jarrett and Ryan Watkins, 9.0, $530 each. Average: 1. Ryan Watkins, 18.1 seconds on two head, $2,440; 2. Houston Hutto, 18.8, $2,122; 3. Fred Whitfield, 19.0, $1,803; 4. Stran Smith, 19.5, $1,485; 5. Doug Pharr, 20.5, $1,167; 6. Tom Epperson, 21.3, $849; 7. Trent Creager, 21.9, $530; 8. (tie) Clif Cooper and Joseph Parsons, 22.0, $106 each.
 

Barrel racing: 1. Kenna Squires, 17.32 seconds, $3,644; 2. Jana Bean, 17.33, $2,916; 3. Angie Meadors, 17.34, $2,369; 4. Jill Moody, 17.46, $1,822; 5. Savanah Reeves, 17.53, $1,458; 6. (tie) Ashley Leifeste and Jean Winters, 17.71, $1,002 each; 8. Trula Churchhill, 17.75, $820; 9. Dena Kirkpatrick, 17.77, $729; 10. Kelly Maben, 17.78, $638; 11. (tie) Callie Chamberlain and Dani Durham, 17.82, $501 each; 13. Diann Bukowski, 17.84, $364; 14. Jessie Moody, 17.87, $273; 15. Cindy Smith, 17.88, $182.
 

Steer roping: First round: 1. C.A. Lauer, 11.5 seconds, $1,884; 2. Trevor Brazile, 11.7, $1,638; 3. Rocky Patterson, 12.0, $1,393; 4. (tie) Buster Record Jr. and J.D. Yates, 12.4, $1,024 each; 6. Cody Lee, 12.8, $655; 7. Jarrett Blessing, 13.1, $410; 8. Paul Patton, 13.3, $164. Second round: 1. Cody Scheck, 9.8 seconds, $1,884; 2. Dan Fisher 10.0, $1,638; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 10.4, $1,393; 4. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Scott Snedecor, 10.7, $1,024 each; 6. Jim Ross Cooper, Jason Stockton and Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.0, $410 each. Third round: 1. Chance Kelton, 9.3 seconds, $1,884; 2. Guy Allen, 9.9, $1,638; 3. J.P. Wickett, 10.7, $1,393; 4. Chance Gasperson, 11.0, $1,147; 5. Wade Shoemaker, 11.1, $901; 6. Chet Herren, 11.3, $655; 7. Buster Record Jr. 12.3, $410; 8. Ralph Williams, 12.7, $164. Average: 1. Guy Allen, 34.9 seconds on three head, $2,826; 2. Trevor Brazile, 35.5, $2,457; 3. J.D. Yates, 37.8, $2,089; 4. Rocky Patterson, 40.0, $1,720; 5. Kim Ziegelgruber, 41.6, $1,352; 6. Matt Smith, 41.7, $983; 7. Travis Mills, 46.4, $614; 8. Jarrett Blessing, 47.8, $246.
 

Bull riding: 1. Wesley Silcox, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Charlie’s Bandito, $4,389; 2. (tie) Ted Bert and Guytin Tsosie, 86, $2,926 each; 4. (tie) Craig Begay and Chris Roundy, 85, $1,317 each; 6. Thor Smith, 84, $732; 7. Clayton Williams, 83, $585; 8. (tie) Howdy Cloud, Chad Denton, Tag Elliott and Sam Wyatt, 82, $110 each.

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