Champs come out strong at Pioneer Days Rodeo

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Reigning world champion Jhett Johnson, who graduated from nearby Oklahoma Panhandle State University, ropes heels for seven-time world champion Jake Barnes on Friday night in Guymon, Okla. (ROBBY FREEMAN PHOTO)
Reigning world champion Jhett Johnson, who graduated from nearby Oklahoma Panhandle State University, ropes heels for seven-time world champion Jake Barnes on Friday night in Guymon, Okla. (ROBBY FREEMAN PHOTO)

GUYMON, Okla. – The opening night of the 80th annual Pioneer Days Rodeo was a showcase of the sport’s best.

Reigning world champion bareback rider Kaycee Feild rides Carr Pro Rodeo's Cool Change for 86 points to take the lead in bareback riding in Guymon. (ROBBY FREEMAN PHOTO)
Reigning world champion bareback rider Kaycee Feild rides Carr Pro Rodeo's Cool Change for 86 points to take the lead in bareback riding in Guymon. (ROBBY FREEMAN PHOTO)

Six world champions took the lead in their respective events on Friday night at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena, led by a couple from 2011: Bareback rider Kaycee Feild and heeler Jhett Johnson. Feild matched moves with Carr ProRodeo’s Cool Change for 86 points to carry the lead heading into the three weekend performances set for 2-7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Johnson teamed with seven-time world champion header Jake Barnes of Scottsdale, Ariz., to lead the aggregate with a three-run total of 21.8 seconds. While they posted an 8.7-second run on Friday night, they’ve already earned $2,274 by placing in the first two go-rounds.

“This is our first rodeo together,” said Johnson, who won his first Montana Silversmiths gold buckle last season while roping with Turtle Powell. “I guess, with a little luck, hopefully we’ll win it.”

It’s worked pretty well so far. Of course, Johnson understands what it takes to win here. He graduated from Oklahoma Panhandle State University in nearby Goodwell, and he understands how important it is to do well on familiar turf.

“It’s always fun to come to Guymon, going to school here, being one of the alumni and all that,” he said. “I know the area real well. I know the people and the people putting on the rodeo. Then to come here and do well is always a good deal.”

Besides Barnes, Feild and Johnson, other world champions who took the lead on Friday night were barrel racer Sherry Cervi of Marana, Ariz.; saddle bronc rider Jesse Kruse of Great Falls, Mont.; and bull rider Dustin Elliott of North Platte, Neb.

Cervi, a three-time world champion who placed second in the opening go-round on Friday morning, rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 17.25 seconds in the evening performance to take the lead. Kruse, who won the gold buckle in 2009, rode Carr’s Corner Guard for 85 points. Elliott, the 2004 champion, matched moves with Carr’s Charlie’s Bandito for 82 points.

“You couldn’t ask for one any better than that bull,” Elliott said. “He’s just a good bull. He’s just what you enter for. There was only one bull out that a guy really didn’t want to get on.”

Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo
First performance
Friday, May 4, 2012
Bareback riding leaders:
1. Kaycee Feild, 86 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cool Change; 2. Richie Champion and Ryan Gray, 81.0; 4. Jessy Davis, 80. 5. Matt Bright, 75; 6. Joe Gunderson, 71.
Team roping: Third-round leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 7.2 seconds; 2. Ty Blasingame/Rich Skelton, 7.6; 3. Brock Hanson/Ryan Motes, 8.3; 4. Jake Barnes/Jhett Johnson and David Key/Travis Woodard, 8.7; 6. Cody Lee/Cole Keith Jackson, 8.8; 7. Matt Sherwood/Cory Petska, 12.3. Average leaders: 1. Jake Barnes/Jhett Johnson, 21.8 on three runs; 2. David Key/Travis Woodard and Cody Lee/Cole Keith Jackson, 25.1; 4. Brock Hanson/Ryan Motes, 13.3 on two; 5. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 13.9; 6. Jess Tierney/Jace Crabb, 14.0; 7. Ty Blasingame/Rich Skelton, 14.2; 8. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 14.5.
Steer roping: Fifth-round leaders:
1. Cody Lee, 12.4 seconds; 2. Chet Herren, 13.5; 3. Justin Bay, 15.4; 4. Jeff Wheelis, 21.4. Average leaders: 1. Shay Good, 77.2 seconds on four runs; 2. Cody Lee, 40.9 on three; 3. Chet Herren, 47.3; 4. Shorty Garten, 48.7; 5. Brad Mohon, 53.5; 6. C.A. Lauer, 54.6; 7. Justin Bay, 54.9; 8. Jarrett Blessing, 56.5.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Jesse Kruse, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Corner Guard; 2. Jesse Bail, 83; 3. Cody Martin, 81; 4. Jeremy Ray Melancon, 79; 5. Joaquin Real and Justin Browning, 78; 7. Jacobs Crawley, 75; 8. Bradley Harter and Ty Atchison, 74.
Steer wrestling: Third-round leaders: 1. Casey Martin and Shayde Etherton, 4.3 seconds; 3. Hunter Cure, 4.7; 4. Matt Reeves, 5.1; 5. Tooter Silver, 7.3; 6. Reed Petersek, 8.0; 7. Joe Buffington, 8.2; 8. Tyler Pearson, 14.3. Average leaders: 1. Shayde Etherton, 22.8 on three; 2. Casey Martin, 23.0; 3. Hunter Cure, 23.1; 4. Matt Reeves, 23.7; 5. Tyler Pearson, 24.7; 6. Joe Buffington, 25.0; 7. Reed Petersek, 25.7; 8. Tooter Silver, 26.2.
Tie-down roping: Third-round leaders:
1.Cody McCartney, 7.9 seconds; 2. Ace Slone, 8.1; 3. Blair Burk, 8.5; 4. Cody Prescott, 9.0; 5. Colby Lovell and Jeremiah Peek, 10.1; 7. Taylor Smith, 10.4; 8. Clint Cooper, 11.1. Average leaders: 1. Blair Burk, 24.2 seconds on three; 2. Cody McCartney, 24.4; 3. Jeremiah Peek, 27.4; 4. Cody Prescott, 28.3; 5. Clint cooper, 29.7; 6. Ace Slone, 31.9; 7. Colby Lovell, 35.3; 8. Taylor Smith, 37.3.
Barrel racing: Second round leaders:
1. Stevi Hillman and Sabrina Ketcham, 17.19 seconds; 3. Sherry Cervi, 17.25; 4. Fallon Taylor, 17.36; 5. Meagan Reichert, 17.46; 6. Rainy Graham, 17.56; 7. Kara Large, 17.55; 8. Jesse Fish, 17.61; 9. Lacinda Bengston, 17.64; 10. Blazi Weippert, 17.66.  Average leaders: 1. Sherry Cervi, 34.55 seconds on two; 2. Meagan Reichert, 34.99; 3. Stevi Hillman, 35.22; 4. Rainy Graham, 35.44; 5. Kortney Fisher, 35.60; 6. Paige Conrado, 35.62; 7. Kandace Blanchard, Sharin Hall and Ceri McCaffery, 35.74; 10. Kim Schulze, 35.75.
Bull riding leaders:
1. Dustin Elliott, 82 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Charlie’s Bandito; 2. Jimmy Anderson, 77; 3. Clayton Savage, 74; 4. Brett Stall, 66.

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