Club record participation at Cavalcade
The 69th-annual International Roundup Clubs Cavalcade concluded Sunday following six straight days of amateur rodeo action at the Osage County Fairgrounds.
During the last day’s finals, 24 championships were awarded for 10 different roping and riding skills. More than 800 entries representing over 120 area roping, riding and roundup clubs — the largest number ever — participated in events held at the OCF’s Ben “Son” Johnson Arena.
The Cavalcade 2015 event drawing the most entries was the Senior Women’s Barrel Race, with 84, and other divisions for barrels had 77 and 73 riders entered. Intermediate Pole Bending was contested by 70 entries, while the Junior Poles and Junior Girls’ Flag events both drew 65 amateur competitors.
Hometown dynamo Gannyn Gower won a Girls Intermediate Calf Roping title and reached the finals in three other events — barrels, poles and team roping. (Last month, the Pawhuska teenager also participated at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo held in Des Moines, Iowa.) Another Osage County high school girl, Fayth Holloway of Hominy, claimed the Girls Intermediate Barrel Racing championship.
Chelsea Bracken of the 7-H Outlaws successfully defended her title in Senior Women’s Breakaway Roping by catching her two calves in a combined 8.11 seconds. Edna (Kan.) Roundup Club’s Addie Weil added a Junior Girls Calf Roping crown to the pair of Cavalcade championships she won last year in pole bending and flag racing.
A variety of events were held in conjunction with the week-long Cavalcade Queen Contest. Also, nightly dances started with Tuesday’s kick-off Street Dance in downtown Pawhuska, then continued Wednesday through Saturday — after the rodeo performances — in the outdoor concert area adjoining the arena.
On Sunday, Mia Freeman of Skiatook was crowned as the 2015-16 Cavalcade queen. She had been named as a finalist Saturday night when the 16-candidate field was reduced to five. Freeman, a 16-year-old from the Skiatook Roundup Club, took an early lead by finishing first in the Queen’s Horsemanship event on Monday’s opening night of judging.
First runnerup in the Queen contest Anna Woolsey also hailed from Skiatook, although she represented the Owasso Roundup Club. The second runnerup was Greyhorse Roundup Club’s Ketrina Koons, a 15-year-old from Ochelata who had also been a final-five pick in last year’s contest.
The other Cavalcade Queen finalists included the 4 Bar Club’s Erin Edwards of Muldrow and Leslie Henderson from Vinita, who represented Circle H Ranch. Completing her year-long reign as the 2014-15 queen was Taylor White of Bartlesville, who won the title for Owasso RUC after finished as runnerup the previous year when she had represented the Skiatook club.
Four Bar Roundup Club was awarded the Best Overall Club honor for a third consecutive year, while Owasso Roundup Club placed second. Sisco Kids, a group of clubs from the Ponca City-area, was named as the winner of Saturday’s Cavalcade Parade judging and finished third in the overall standings. Another club, The Wild Bunch, was recognized for 2015 “Ride-In” honors as nine of its members travelled 122 miles on horseback to participate in Cavalcade.
Morning rodeo performances were held Tuesday through Friday and evening performances were staged Wednesday through Saturday. The finals on Sunday started at 11 a.m. and concluded around 4 p.m. Weather for the event varied between hot and hotter — with an occasional breeze thrown in. Cavalcade security said participants at the week’s events were “exceptionally well-behaved.”
About an hour before the start of Saturday’s Dance Under the Stars, the leader of the night’s musical entertainment — The Casey Donahew Band — proved he could handle a rope, as well as a guitar. Donahew, a Texas singer with a love for rodeo, enlisted the help of Cavalcade chairman Jeff Bute and they proceeded to successfully team rope a steer before he returned to the stage area to prepare for his concert.
CAVALCADE 2015 WINNERS
Bareback Bronc Riding — Mikel Ferrying from H-S Roundup Club had a 65-point ride in the finals to give him a 133 total, which was just enough to edge out T.J. Cummings (C Bar 5 Riding Club) by one point. Travis Cramer of Copan R & R Club placed third.
Bull Riding — Jessi Owens of Beggs RUC recorded the top score (79) early in the week before sealing the championship with a 74-point ride in the finals. Bubba Palmer from the 2-D R & R Club placed second off scores of 74 and 76. Finishing third was Ty Gable, Perkins RUC, 4th) C Bar 5’s T.J. Cummings, and 5th) Heath Smith for Pawhuska High School Rodeo.
Chuck Wagon Race — Trail boss Larry Morphew led the 4 Bar Roundup Club crew to its second consecutive victory across the dusty Osage Downs track. Second place went to Owasso RUC (Michael Spears) and Sisco Kids (David Belair) took third.
Pony Express Race — George Henry of 4 Bar dispatched defending champ Ryan Neel (Rockin’ E Riding Club) and challenger Cody Wright to claim the “rode hard” top honors.
Wild Cow Milking — Dynamic duo Curtis Morphew and Kendal Morphew squeezed out yet another 4 Bar title. Second best was Aaron Belair-Shane Jones, Sisco Kids Wranglers. The No. 3 team was Frank Rasberry-Cody Bledsoe, representing Rocking V RUC, fourth place went to Mike Rexwinkle-Ethan Gustus from Edna RUC, fifth was taken by Bubba Escoe-Ryan Neel of Rockin’ E, and the sixth-place finishers were Jake Horine and Clayton Casebolt of Lazy H.
Wild Horse Race — No winner. Only one of the three-man teams even saddled a mustang and it failed to complete the ride. Final score: Wild Horses 18, Humans 1/2. (“Oh, the humanity!”)
Junior Girls Breakaway Roping — Edna (Kan.) RUC’s Addie Weil rocketed from last place to first place in a short field by getting an 8.56-second time in the finale. Taking second was Mollie Bassett, Circle H Ranch.
Intermediate Girls Breakaway Roping — Gannyn Gower lassoed the championship with a 5.65-second final attempt, which gave her a two-round time of 11.07. The Pawhuskan competed for the T-T Roping & Riding Club. Second place was awarded to Jayden Steel of 4 Bar RUC and the third-place finisher was Savannah Meyers from the Independence Trail Riders. Taking fourth was Fayth Holloway of Greyhorse RUC and Lesley Henderson from Circle H Ranch finished fifth.
Senior Women’s Breakaway Roping — Repeat champion Chelsea Bracken of 7-H Outlaws recorded the fastest early time (4.14 seconds) and clinched the title with a 3.97-second effort in the finals. Second in the event was Pooh Ware, Sisco Kids Next Generation, followed by third-place Shelby Carpenter for Sisco Kids Stampede. Brandi Hamm of Double P R&R Club got fourth place and Dusti Crace from the Owasso RUC placed fifth.
Junior Boys Breakaway Roping — Cash Fuesz posted an opening-round best time of 4 seconds, but needed a quick recovery in the finals to claim the crown for 7-H Outlaws. Second place went to Trenton Crawford of 7-H RUC, third was awarded to Tayzen Cummings of Hilltop Arena and Mason Appleton came in fourth for Copan R & R Club. Also, Hadley McIntyre of 4 Bar took fifth and the eighth-place finisher was Lane Cosby, Pawhuska RUC.
Junior/Intermediate Boys Calf Roping — R.J. Straw of Double P Roping and Riding Club wrapped up a championship by a five-second margin with twin ties of 13-and-change. The second-place finisher was Chisholm Daily of Future Stars Riding Club, followed by No. 3 Dustin Bassett for Circle H Ranch, 7H RUC’s Kylar Walker in fourth and fifth-place Braycen Weaver, Copan Family Rodeo.
Senior Men’s Calf Roping — Willow Creek’s Grant Ellingston over runnerup T.J. Butler of H - S RUC. Third was Jerry Adkins for Ripley RUC, fourth was awarded to Griffin Walker of Independence Trail Riders, and Justin Palmer from Mounce Arena finished fifth
Junior/Intermediate Team Roping — Kyler Kreder and Dalton McCoy of Owasso RUC were the champions. They were followed by Wyatt Christian-Riley Garrison of 3 J’s Riding Club and Dillon Chamberlain-Bryson Chamberlain took third for Copan Family Rodeo. Fourth place was claimed by Cassidy Sissom-Cane Roberts for Willow Creek, fifth place went to Gannyn Gower and Trenton Greenwood of T-T R&R and the sixth-place team was Rafter TM’s Sam Lind and Cade McNeil.
Senior Team Roping — Ryan Dawson and Josh Dawson of 2D Roping and Riding Club earned the final championship awarded at Cavalcade on the next-to-the-last run of the 2015 event. Placing second were Cody Porter-Dalton Cole, Double K Riding Club, third place went to Brian Varner-Jared Lassetter of Kellyville Kidds. The fourth-finishing squad was Aaron Belair and Shane Jones of Sisco Kids Wranglers and fifth place went to Chris Conley-Jerry Inhoff of Bartlesville RUC. Sixth in the running were Bryan Wade-Braxton Wade of Running Iron RUC, and Terry Ehler-Buddy Bledsoe from Sunny Slope Arena finished seventh.
Junior Barrels — Ginger Cohea from the Skiatook club captured the championship of this hotly-contested event. Second went to Josey West of Perkins RUC and third to Kendalyn Stueve from Christ Cross Cowboy Fellowship. Finishing fourth was Trinity Torsak of Sisco Kids Pistols and Mollie Bassett from Circle H Ranch took fifth.
Intermediate Barrels — Fayth Holloway of Greyhorse RUC triumphed on the final run after there were seven lead changes in the last eight attempts. Runnerup was Faith Wickliffe of Nuyaka Riding Club and third went to Jayden Steel of 4 Bar. Taking fourth was the 2012-13 Cavalcade Queen, Tristan Watson of Owasso RUC. Fifth-place finisher was Katy Pendergrass of L & K Roundup Club, while Gannyn Gower took sixth for T-T R & R.
Senior Women’s Barrels — Jayme Wilson from the Owasso Rough Riders won her championship on the last run, as well. Finishing second was Cassidy Higgins of Bar F Roundup Club, third went to Heidi Yocham of Bartlesville RUC. Fourth-place finisher was Teresa Watson of Owasso RUC, who was the 1989-90 Cavalcade Queen, and Jannette Robison of the Skiatook Young Riders tool fifth.
Senior Men’s Barrels — Steve Bruder of Sisco Kids also won as the event leader in the finals. Among the other finalists was 82-year-old Warren Hollis of Nuyak — the oldest competitor in this year’s event. Second-place honors went to Ruste Rennie of the Sisco Kids Legends, third was Paul Sutter from Owasso RUC, fourth Justin Winget of Sisco Kids Wranglers, and finishing fifth was Teddy Mills for the Wild Bunch.
Junior Girls Flags — Mercedez Mills of Wild Bunch Riding Club secured the title after entering the finals in second place. Addie Weil of Edna RUC placed second, Josey West of Perkins RUC was third and finishing fourth was Karlee Jennings of 3 J’s Riding Club. Fifth place went to Abby Myers from Sedan Roundup Club and sixth went to Tatum Kanten of Rockin C Arena.
Junior Boys Flags — Champion was Cutter Weil of Edna RUC, while the runnerup was Jackson Howell from Pawhuska R&R. Braden Wilson of Copan Family Rodeo was third, Trenton Crawford from 7-H RUC was fourth, fifth place went to Witt Edwards of Greyhorse RUC, and the No. 8 finisher was Mason Staehle of the Pawhuska Range Riders.
Junior Pole Bending — Payton Crook from 3 J’s Riding Club took the title and Saylor Smethers of C Bar 5 was second. Third place went to Piper Davis of HUD Livestock, followed by Laney Whitfield of Wild Bunch in fourth and Tayzen Cummings from Hilltop Arena in fifth.
Intermediate Pole Bending — Breana Marts of Hilltop Arena was the winner, while Luke Townsend from Nuyaka RC finished second and Whitney Roberts was third for Lazy O Arena. Next came Gannyn Gower of T-T Roping & Riding in fourth, Cassidy Sissom from Willow Creek got fifth and Shelby Bute of Pawhuska R&R finished eighth.
Senior Pole Bending — The championship went to Janette Robison of Skiatook Young Riders while the 2011-12 Cavalcade Queen, Calli Newman of Copan Family Rodeo Association placed second. Coming across in third was Sheila Stueve from Christ Cross Fellowship, while Kasi Prather of Copan R & R was fourth and Ginger West for Perkins RUC got fifth.