Roper wins all-around at rodeo

A barrel racer makes the turn at Sisters Rodeo.

Trevor Brazile drew All-Around Cowboy honors with high scores in both the calf roping and team roping at the Sisters Rodeo June 8-10.

He was one of many elite rodeo performers who traveled to Sisters for the 61st edition of "The Biggest Little Show in the World."

Part of the draw to Sisters this year was the fact that the Sisters Rodeo was picked up as part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) summer tour. As a result, more of the top cowboys saw Sisters as a "must" in their quest for rankings and -- even more importantly -- earnings. This year also marked the first year that Sisters offered a true final on the last day of the rodeo. Only the top qualifiers from the previous days' rounds were eligible for the "short go."

Prize money was awarded for top scores in the early rounds, best average scores and best performances in the finals.

As soon as the finals were complete on Sunday afternoon, cowboys began packing up and clearing out of the parking lot on the way to their next rodeos.

Meanwhile, PRCA Rodeo Secretary Edie Longfellow was handing out checks for prize money and Rodeo Association President Glenn Miller was being interviewed by Jennifer Douglas of ESPN.

Miller seemed to be constantly on the move and, in the end, he -- and everyone else -- seemed pretty pleased with the finished product.

Miller had special thanks for the sponsors, without whom, he said, the rodeo could not have been possible. He was also grateful for all the help of the people who put the rodeo together.

"Without the help of all the members, both the board and the whole Sisters Rodeo Association, this rodeo wouldn't be the great show that it is," he said.

One of the big winners was bareback rider Eric Swenson, who not only won Sunday's short go but won the prize for the highest cumulative point score, as well. With a score of 80, Swenson scored his Sunday win on the back of a tough horse named "Betrayed."

Swenson was just glad to be back in the competition.

In 1999, a hard landing split his pelvis apart "by this much," he said, gesturing with his fingers to indicate a good three inches or more.

"It didn't heal right, so I had to have surgery in March of 2000. I'm almost back to 100 percent, now," he said.

The bull riding always garners lots of attention.

Danell Tipton, of Spencer, Oklahoma won Sunday's short go with a score of 85 aboard a nasty bull named Happy Hunter.

"I've been riding bulls for 14 years," said the 28-year-old Tipton. "That's what everyone comes to see."

Tipton is one of those top rodeo cowboys who had never been to Sisters before and says he was drawn in by the rodeo's new PRCA status.

He was also one of the relatively few African-American cowboys entered in the rodeo.

As such, Tipton is a reminder of the real cowboy heritage of the West. In spite of Hollywood's lily-white portrayals of the Old West, fully a third of the old-time cowboys were non-white.

Jason Legler won the top prize for best average in the bull riding, and Vince Stanton was second. Stanton was commuting between Sisters and the Livermore Rodeo and was having a good weekend. When he left California he was leading the bull riding competition down there.

In the barrel racing, Charmayne James won both the short go and the average, with three runs totalling only 52.97 seconds. Runner-up Tara Polich of Canby put up an impressive single run of 17.41, but even that was bested by Amy Dale, who blistered the arena with a 17.34.

Saddle bronc rider, Dan Mortenson, was one contestant to win a top average prize without scoring a win in one of the rounds. Mortenson's third place in the first round and second place in the short go were good enough to give him top honors in the event.

Other winners included Bryan Fields in the Steer Wrestling, who put together second and fifth place rounds to piece together a top average. Best average in calf roping went to Johnny Emmons, and Brady Wren and Cody Guess took home top honors in the team roping.