CJD rodeo set to host 2006's top cowboys

This year, like many others, CJD will see 14 nationally-ranked cowboys from the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), as well as many others, test their hands at eight different rodeo events, including bareback riding, steer wrestling and roping, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping and several others.

Caravans of trucks have steadily made their way into the Harley Tucker Memorial Arena over the past week because doing last-minute preparations for this year's rodeo is something the CJD committees want to avoid. Throughout the last seven days, trucks have unloaded everything from beer kegs to livestock. The Rodeo grounds was especially bustling with volunteers just hours before the rodeo started as they prepared for "opening day" Wednesday night and the four-day rodeo.

The rodeo began at 7 p.m. Wednesday and will be at the same time each night at the Joseph rodeo grounds. On Wednesday mutton busting took place, and on Saturday night the wildest ride prize will be handed out.

This year's signup has 315 competitors, with 56 in barrel racing, 31 in bareback riding, 47 saddle bronc riders, 46 bull riders, 30 in the team roping, 29 in the steer roping, 42 in the steer wrestling and 29 in the tie-down roping.

The purse will be over $80,000, said Publicity Chair Darlene Turner. Rough-stock fans will be pleased to know that the chutes will be running every night of the event.

Contenders for the coveted Harley Tucker Award are looking to capture a purse of more than $9,000. The award winner will be announced Saturday night at the rodeo.

Returning to Chief Joseph Days this year is Texas Cowboy Bob Tallman. He has been selected as announcer for the National Finals Rodeo 16 times and he has been awarded the Pro Rodeo Cowboy's Association "Announcer of the Year" award six times.

Some of the noteworthycowboy returnees this year to CJD are Bobby Mote of Culver; Zeb Lanham of Sweet, Idaho; Will Yoakum of Vernon, Texas; Cody Wright of Milford, Utah; and Jason Havens of Bend.

Mote returns as the defending bareback champion. He also holds the No. 2 ranking on the Columbia River circuit in the all-around standings. Lanham also will compete a returning champion in the bull riding event. Wright, who finished last season ranked No. 4 on the PRCA, comes to Chief Joseph Days off of a win on July 19 at the Calgary Stampede in saddle bronc riding. He earned $128,000.

Yoakum, who finished sixth on the PRCA in 2005, took third place in the steer roping last year at CJD, while Havens finished second in the bareback riding at Chief Joseph Days.

Other names to look out for during the four-day rodeo will be J.P. Wickett, Ryan Gray, Cody DeMers, D.V. Fennell, Jess Davis, Silas Richards, Ben Lando and Lee Akin.

Joining the competition from the Professional Bull Riding tour (PBR) will be Corey Navarre of Weatherford, Okla. Navarre currently sits in 19th place on the tour.

Joining Navarre at CJD will be Queensland, Australia's Greg Potter who is ranked No. 24 on the PBR. Another name to look out for from the PBR is Kyle Jocelyn.

Mutton busting was the first event of Chief Joseph Days on Wednesday night.

Some of the young cowboys and cowgirls that threw their hats in the rink were Sonora Flair, Ethan Hayes, Coy Ashenbrenner, Chelsea Campbell, Wyatt Edwards, Hadley Miller, Kobe Ketfcher and Kate Olsen.

Other participants in the Wednesday's youth steer riding were Chase Hansen, Clayton Hansen, Tyson Wicklander, Matthew Stagley, Derek Kolbaba and Riley Steen.

Thursday's young bunch of mutton busting riders will include Madison Kuppinger, Cidney Rouse, Whitman Blair, Sebastian Blasch, Wyatt Knowles, Brady Saltzman, Chayanne Kooch and Katie Mallon.

Niki Cammaert-Moran will entertain the crowd with her specialty act. Moran, 25, travels extensively throughout North America performing her specialty act at the top rodeo events in professional rodeo. Together with her three horses, she displays a spectacular show that brings both tradition and innovation to each event. Hailing from the small town of Rockyford, Alberta, Canada, she has performed seven times at the legendary Calgary Stampede. With seven appearances also at The Canadian Finals Rodeo, she has performed at every major rodeo in Canada. South of the border her resume includes three times to Rodeohouston, four times to the San Antonio Exhibition and Rodeo, two times to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo; Denver; Albuquerque, N.M.; Pueblo, Colo.; Austin, Texas; Waco, Texas; and many more.

She has had the honor and privilege of performing for the Canadian Prime Minister, the President of Mexico and the President of the United States of America. In 2001, and again in 2004, Moran was selected to perform at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev.

The important job of bullfighting will be carried out by the combination of Joe Baumgartner of Red Bluff, Calif.; and Ryan Heiser of Cottonwood, Calif.

Baumgartner's main job will be to protect the bull riders competing in the rodeo. He has been selected as a bullfighter in the National Finals Rodeo for the past 11 years and as been voted on by the top 20 bull riders each year. Baumgartner began his rodeo career at the age of 16 in California. He received a rodeo scholarship to Hartnell College in Salinas, Calif. Since becoming a member of the PRCA in 1987, he has worked primarily in the western U.S. for Growney Brothers Rodeo Company of Red Bluff, Calif., and Western Rodeo Company of Flosom, Calif. Baumgartner focuses on protective bullfighting as opposed to competitive bullfighting.

Heiser worked the bareback and bull riding events in high school rodeo. During a junior rodeo, the bullfighter wasn't available, so he volunteered, proved he had the ability to the bull riders and to his family, and the rest is history.

Taking over the clown/barrelman duties this year will be John Harrison of Soper, Okla. He is the grandson of the late World Champion Bull Rider Freckles Brown. He received his first trick riding lesson after watching a famous trick rider perform at a nearby rodeo. She inspired John and since then he has trained and performed with many of the best trick riders in the world.

His trick riding is a crowd favorite where he does numerous vaults and athletic maneuvers, including the difficult shoulder stand while riding a runaway horse around the arena. John's trick roping is a fast-paced act that can be done in any lighting situation and is usually followed by a couple of runs of trick riding. Adding to his repertoire of acts John has created a comedy act to include his performances.

As a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association since 1999, Harrison was selected to perform at the prestigious 2001 Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev. and again in 2002.

Growney Brothers will again provide the stock for Chief Joseph Days this year.