Heat and dust settled a bit here Friday and Saturday night as the 26th annual Allen County Fair Rodeo kicked up its heels.
A cold front with a few sprinkles moved through Friday evening bringing the hot, muggy daytime temperatures down to tolerable. But rodeo fans had to deal with the dust off the very dry arena throughout Friday’s performance.
That’s didn’t keep the fans and contestants from having a good time.
A rain shower put a damper only on the arena dirt Saturday. Hot temperatures swept through during the day but by the 8 o’clock performance clouds had moved in to cool it down a bit. No dust and another good performance by contestants and stock sent Allen County rodeo fans home satisfied.
There was only one repeat event winner in the 2011 Allen County Fair Rodeo. Hannah Holland of Bucyrus captured the girls’ barrel racing again with a run of 16.580 seconds. Yates Center’s Melanie McGee, who had the lead after Friday night’s performance, finished third at 17.098 seconds.
Attendance for the two-night rodeo bounced back this year. After a historical low of 950 last year, this year’s event pulled in 1,555 people. Friday’s performance had a crowd of 730 and Saturday’s drew 825 people.
Before both nights of rodeo action, over 60 contestants competed in the Allen County Fair Mutton Busting. Each night 30 boys and girls rode the sheep provided by stock contractor, C.R. McKellips Rodeo Company of Raymore, Mo.
The top five riders each night were called back to compete again for cash prizes during the rodeo. Clay Shannon, Karter Miller, Dakota Slocum, Curt Shannon and Casey McKarnin rode Friday night. Saturday Shannon and Slocum made repeat rides along with Montain Steinbrooks, Ethan Weide and Meeka Harris.
Shannon turned out to be the top rider both nights.
Also big hits with the crowds were the kid games played during the performances. On Friday night was a boot-and-shoe scramble for the younger kids then a chicken and duck scramble for older youth. It was a stick horse race and the chicken-duck scramble was on Saturday night.
Both nights featured chuck wagon races to open the rodeo between Chuck McKellips and brother, E.J. McKellips. Also rodeo clown and barrel man, Tuffy Gessling kept the crowd entertained between events and with his speciality acts.
Event entries were up from a year ago, 265 from 183, although contestants can enter more than one event and twice in several events. Allen County’s rodeo featured at least 35 of the top 10 ranked contestants in the nine events.
United Rodeo Association (URA) and Missouri Rodeo Cowboys Association (MRCA) sanctioned rodeos lean heavy toward the timed events — calf roping (open and over 40), breakaway roping, steer wrestling, team roping and barrel racing. That’s not to say there wasn’t strong action Friday and Saturday coming out of the bucking shoots.
On Friday, fans saw the top performance in the bareback bronc event as Matt Crooms of Fort Scott set the bar high with an 84-point ride. Two-time Allen County Fair Rodeo bareback champ Justin Williams, DeSoto, made his bid for a third straight title on Saturday. Williams finished second with a 75.
Also on Saturday, Billy Davidson of Dearborn, Mo., won the saddle bronc riding event. Davidson scored 72 points on his ride.
Skyler Sims of Peculiar, Mo., had the only qualified ride in the bulls on Friday night for 75 points. On Saturday, Josh Arceneaux of Geishar, La., made an 82-point ride which the bull from C.R. McKellips Rodeo Company did not appreciate.
Arceneaux’s hand got caught in his rope and he couldn’t get off after the eight-second ride. In came bullfighters Derek Search and Cody Lunceford to help get Arceneaux loose and keep the bull from harming the rider.
Just before that Jeff Houk of Tightwad, Mo., had a 76-point ride on Superman. Billy Allee of Liberal, Mo., came after Arceneaux with a 76-point ride.
Winning the calf roping event was Cody Shelly of Comanche, Okla., with an 8.5-second run. The Over-40 calf roping title went to Tim Kraus of Pacific, Mo., in 10.5 seconds.
Greg Orth of Manhattan won the steer wrestling with a 4.3-second run. The breakaway roping event was won by Dani Miller of Blue Mound in 3 seconds flat.
Bret Christianson of Alva, Okla., and JD Holland of Bucyrus made a 5.4-second run at Saturday’s performance to win the team roping event.
Bareback bronc riding
1. Matt Croom, Fort Scott, 84 points.
2. Justin Williams, DeSoto, 75
Saddle bronc riding
1. Billy Davidson, Dearborn, Mo., 72
Bull riding
1. Josh Arceneaux, Geishar, La., 82.
2. (tie) Billy Allee, Liberal, Mo., and Jeff Houk, Tightwad, Mo., 76.
4. Skyler Sims, Peculiar, Mo., 75
Calf roping
1. Cody Shelly, Comanche, Okla., 8.5 seconds.
2. Cody Griffith, Gilman City, Mo., 9.0.
3. Robbie Pierce, Tahlequah, Okla., 9.0.
4. (tie) Matt Yocham, Wann, Okla., and Jason Arndt, Fort Scott, and Tyler Garten, Kingman, 9.6.
Over 40 calf roping
1. Tim Kraus, Pacific, Mo., 10.5.
2. Jonesey Murray, Butler, Mo., 10.7.
3. Steve Younger, Drexel, Mo., 11.0.
4. Allen Hartness, Locust Grove, Okla., 11.4.
Steer wrestling
1. Greg Orth, Manhattan, 4.3.
2. Chancey Larson, Manhattan, 4.5.
3. Mat Freese, Franklin, Mo., 4.8.
4. Trenton Johnson, Mound City, 5.4.
Girls’ Barrel racing
1. Hannah Holland, Bucyrus, 16.580; 2. Carrie Stark, Centertown, Mo., 17.078; 3. Melanie McGee, Yates Center, 17.098; 4. Taylor Johnson, Bucyrus, 17.262; 5. Kaley Umbarger, Chanute, 17.270; 6. Jessica Ruffolo, Louisburg, 17.289.
Team roping
1. Brett Christianson, Alva, Okla., and JD Holland, Bucyrus, 5.4.
2. Tyler Johnson Bucyrus, and Mitch Murray, Alma, 5.5.
3. Marshall Samples, Centerview, Mo., and Derrick Younger, Fort Scott, 5.8.
4. (tie) Jason Arndt, Fort Scott, and Sam Kueffer, Clever, Mo.; and Donnie McNeece, McLouth, and Travis Alford, Raymore, Mo., 5.9.
Breakaway roping
1. Dani Miller, Blue Mound, 3.0.
2. Cali Griffin, Orrick, Mo., 3.2.
3. Kaitlyn Kraus, Pacific, Mo., 3.4.
4. (tie) Stacia Spencer, Pomona, and Jeanette Jilek, Princeton, 3.5.
6. (tie) Katie Hartness, Locust Grove, Okla., Kashley Schweer, Garden City, 3.9.
Rodeo rides out heat, dust
