SPORTS

Rodeo: Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo gets started

Scott Mansch
smansch@greatfallstribune.com

A cowboy's life has never ever been called a day at the beach.

Until now.

The Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo kicks off Wednesday night in Kissimmee, Fla., a central Florida locale known previously for its proximity to spring training baseball and Walt Disney World.

Thanks to a new 10-year contract between the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Osceola County that assures prize money in excess of $1 million for the RNCFR, cowboys and barrel racers will be looking to earn more than a tan this weekend at Kissimmee's Silver Spurs Arena.

Stanford bull rider Luke Gee is among the entries, having qualified by winning last year's year-end title in the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit. Average winners at the 2014 respective circuit finals also qualified.

Gee, 24, is in Florida for the first time in his life.

"It was about 75 or 80 when we landed (Monday)," said Gee. "It's kinda cool having it in Florida. I've never been here before. But when it comes to riding a bull it's like anywhere else, I guess."

Two qualifiers per event from each of the 12 circuits, year-end and average winners from the finals, qualified for the rodeo. They will each get two go-rounds: Wednesday and Saturday afternoon for one group, and Thursday and Friday nights for another.

The semifinals and championship finals are slated Saturday night.

Money won at the event doesn't count toward the world standings.

Gee is at the RNCFR for the second time; he rode in Oklahoma City when the event was there two years ago. The rodeo was previously called the Dodge National Circuit Finals and had a long run in Pocatello, Idaho, before moving to Oklahoma for the last four years.

Now it's in sunny Florida. Among the talented Montana athletes entered is saddle bronc star Tyrell Smith of Cascade, a former National Finals Rodeo qualifier.

"Northern boys like us weren't designed to put up with the humidity and stuff down here. Trust me," Smith said with a laugh. "I've never sweated so much in my life as the last few days here in Austin and I know it's going to get worse in Florida. That 'fun in the sun' works good, but I'm a little too pale to get used to it."

Smith competed Tuesday night at the semifinals in Austin, Texas, and then drove 15 hours east to Kissimmee.

"It's the first time I've ever qualified for it. I think it'll be pretty fun. I rode in the Silver Spurs once and it's a nice setup," Smith said.

Geyser rancher Jim Croff, the president of the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit, and MPRC executive Duane Walker of Great Falls are in Kissimmee this week. They'll be pulling hard for all the Montana cowboys and barrel racers.

"We're tough in every event," said Croff. "We've got some young people coming and I look for Montana to make a real good showing. I think we're as strong as any circuit there is."

Gee, who finished second to roper Hank Hollenbeck in the race for MPRC all-around honors last year, is a rare cowboy who works both ends of the arena. He didn't qualify for this weekend's action in the steer wrestling, so his focus is completely on the bull riding.

"I'm healthy and I'm feeling good," Gee said. "My expectations are to ride four bulls and see what happens. And hopefully win this deal."

The RNCFR go-rounds last year paid in excess of $4,500. The average was worth about as much, and there were also lucrative payoffs in the semifinals and championship finals.

According to terms of the new contract signed last spring between the PRCA and Osceola County, the contestant purse increases 175 percent from a year ago. Also, the athletes receive a $1,000 cash stipend.

Winners in each event also receive a $20,000 voucher toward purchase of a new Dodge Ram pickup.

In addition, the new contract calls for each circuit to receive additional funding.

"That starts next year," Croff said. "It's going to be a huge boost to the circuit system, there's no doubt about it. With the new money from down here and the money from the NFR contact, it's going to be life-changing for the circuit."

The Montana Pro Rodeo Finals is at Pacific Steel and Recycling Arena in Great Falls each January.

Cowboys such as Smith have been hitting the rodeo rode pretty hard this winter. That means spending a lot of time in Texas and, perhaps, a little at the beach in Florida.

"I'm doing good, chipping away at it," said Smith, who despite shoulder surgery last spring nearly qualified for the 2014 National Finals Rodeo. "I haven't really been drawing the horsepower that I need, but I'm feeling healthy. I can't complain."

Smith isn't the only NFR veteran who will be representing Montana this week. Jessy Davis of Power (bareback), Beau Clark of Belgrade (steer wrestling) and Parker Breding of Edgar (bull riding) are the others. Breding won a national championship last year by virtue of his victory at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City.

Other qualifiers from the Montana circuit include Chase Erickson of Helena (bareback), the duos of Jade Stoddard-Ike Folsom and Jason Carlson-Sam Levine (team roping), Levi Guenzler of Bynum (steer wrestling), Canadian cowboy Zeke Thurston (saddle bronc), Hank Hollenbeck of Molt and Bode Scott of Pryor (tie-down roping), and Lindsay Kruse of Winston and Carmel Wright of Roy (barrel racing).

Kruse, the wife of former world champion saddle bronc star Jesse Kruse of Great Falls, gave birth to a baby boy last month.