DODGE CITY, Kan. – Steer wrestler Billy Bugenig was never so happy to see Aug. 1 come.
“I had a really slow month of July, so yesterday in Phillipsburg, I told my traveling buddies that July was over, so we can start doing better tomorrow,” Bugenig said Wednesday after posting runs of 3.7 seconds and 4.3 seconds to take the early steer wrestling lead at the 2012 Dodge City Roundup Rodeo.
All timed-event contestants compete in two go-rounds at Roundup Arena – the first takes place each day starting at 8 a.m. The top 10 times from that round earn a shot to compete in the performances, which begin at 7:45 p.m. The schedule runs that way through Saturday night, then the top 12 contestants in the two-run aggregate qualify for Sunday’s championship round.
“It’s an important rodeo to do well at,” said Bugenig, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Ferndale, Calif. “Any rodeo where there’s 90 guys entered and you have a short round, it’s important because you can rack up a lot of dollars in each of the rounds and the average. At a rodeo like this, we have an opportunity to win $2,000 a round.”
That’s big in rodeo, because money not only helps pay the bills, it’s also how championship points are tallied. The top 15 money winners in each event at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for the NFR, ProRodeo’s grand finale that takes place each December in Las Vegas. The contestant in each event who finishes the year with the most money is crowned world champion.
Two years ago, Bugenig won a share of the NFR average championship with eventual champion Dean Gorsuch – the average title is considered by many in rodeo as the second most prestigious title, because it recognizes the most consistent cowboys and cowgirls in each event during the rugged 10-day test in the Nevada desert.
“It’s also important to do good at the tour rodeos,” he said, mentioning that Roundup Rodeo is part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour, a series of 23 lucrative events. “Hopefully we can be standing here Sunday, too.”
There are a set of goals for each contestant in Dodge City. Every cowboy and cowgirl wants to do well in each of the go-rounds; then they want to qualify for Sunday’s short go-round. Once there, the event championship, and the prestigious buckle that goes with it, is the final piece of an elaborate puzzle. Bugenig has never earned that buckle, though he’s made the short round in two of his three previous trips to Roundup.
Of course, any money won in western Kansas goes a long ways to that elusive world title. Bugenig is 19th in the world standings, so he has some ground to make up.
“My goal is to win as much money as I can and get back to the finals and try for a gold buckle,” he said.
Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
July 31-Aug. 5
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Matt Bright, 84 points on J.K. Rodeo’s Little Brother, 84 points; 2. Seth Hardwick, 83; 3. Richie Champion, 70; 4. (tie) Wes Stevenson/Will Lowe, 77; 6. Tom McFarland, 75; 7. George Gillespie IV, 72; no other qualified rides.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Billy Bugenig, 3.7 seconds; 2. Seth Brockman, 3.8; 3. Wade Sumpter, 4.2; 4. Sean Mulligan, 4.5; 5. Nick Guy, 4.7; 6. Kyle Whitaker, 4.8; 7. (tie) Tyler Pearson and Trell Etbauer, 5.0. Second round leaders: 1. Jake Rineharat, 3.6 seconds; 2. Billy Bugenig, 3.6; 3. (tie) Kyle Broce and Blair Jones, 4.7; 5. Dakota W. Eldridge, 4.9; 6. Shawn Mills, 5.0; 7. Kyle Whitaker, 5.3; 8. Seth Brockman, 6.8. Average leaders: 1. Billy Bugenig, 8.0 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Kyle Whitaker and Blair Jones, 10.1; 4. Seth Brockman, 10.6; 5. Trell Ebauer, 18.6; 6. Sean Mulligan, 19.2; 7. Travis Carnine, 29.8; 8. Jake Rinehart, 3.6 on one.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Caleb Schmidt/Joel Bach, 4.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Scooter Nolen Jr./Tim Ross and Blaine Linaweaver/Matt Garza, 5.8; 4. Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 6.3; 5. Casey Mahoney/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.7; 6. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 6.8; 7. Bobby Baize/Byron Wilkerson, 6.9; 8. Jake Day/Lance Allen, 7.5. Second round leaders: 1. Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 5.1 seconds; 2. Blaine Linaweaver/Matt Garza, 5.9; 3. Caleb Smidt/Joel Bach, 6.4; 4. Scooter Nolen Jr./Tim Ross, 7.0; Bobby Baize/Byron Wilkerson, 11.5. Average leaders: 1. Caleb Smidt/Joel Bach, 11.3 seconds on two; 2. Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 11.4; 3. Blaine Linaweaver/Matt Garza, 11.7; 4. Scooter Nolen Jr./Tim Ross, 12.8; 5. Bobby Baize/Byron Wilkerson, 18.4; 6. Casey Mahoney/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.7 seconds on one; 7. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 6.8; 8. Jake Day/Lance Allen, 7.5.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Sterling Crawley, 84 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Table Talk; 2. Taos Muncy, 78; 3. Cody Taton, 77; 4. (tie) Ryan Bestol and Jesse Bail, 76; 6. (tie) Cody Angland and Jacobs Crawley, 74.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Clayton Shaw, 8.5 seconds; 2. Colt Carter, 8.8; 3. Justin Maass, 9.1; 4. (tie) Chris Neal and Trevor Thiel, 9.6; 6. Ace Slone, 9.8; 7. Josh Eirikson, 11.3; 8. Paul David Tierney, 11.8. Second round leaders: 1. Justin Maass, 8.1 seconds; 2. Ace Slone, 8.7; 3. Caleb Smidt, 9.4; 4. Trell Etbauer, 10.6; 5. Clayton Shaw, 11.6; 6. Chris Neal, 12.3; 7. Adam Gray, 18.3; 8. Paul David Tierney, 19.5. Average leaders: 1. Justin Maass, 18.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Ace Slone, 18.5; 3. Clayton Shaw, 20.1; 4. Chris Neal, 21.9; 5. Adam Gray, 30.4; 6. Paul David Tierney, 31.3; 7. Colt Carter, 8.8 seconds on one; 8. Caleb Smidt, 9.4.
Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Hayden Segelke, 17.14 seconds; 2. Tammi Pettis, 17.36; 3. Jeanne Anderson, 17.39; 4. Sabrina Ketcham, 17.43; 5. Sally Young, 17.44; 6. Sherri Dean, 17.46; 7. Kim Schulze, 17.56; 8. Paige Conrado, 17.57. Second round leaders: 1. Hayden Segelke, 16.95 seconds; 2. Kyra Stierwalt, 17.06 seconds; 3. Tammi Pettis, 17.24; 4. Angie Meadors, 17.33; 5. Paige Conrado, 17.39; 6. Sherri Dean, 17.45; 7. Kim Schulze, 17.46; 8. Sandy McElreath, 17.57; 9. Sally Young,, 17.60; 10. Reiney Hatch, 17.75. Average leaders: 1. Hayden Segelke, 34.09 seconds on two runs; 2. Tammi Pettis, 34.60; 3. Sherri Dean, 34.91; 4. Paige Conrado, 34.96; 5. Kim Schulze, 35.02; 6. Sally Young, 35.04; 7. Angie Meadors, 35.15; 8. Sandy McElrerath, 35.69; 9. Reiney Hatch, 36.00; 10. Lauren Underwood, 37.10.
Bull riding: 1. Buck Moon, 81 points on Four L & Diamond S Rodeo’s 2782D; 2. Kanin Asay, 80; no other qualified rides.