Rough-and-tumble finish

CHENEY – Corey Gray had his events confused.

The Cheney saddle bronc rider momentarily turned into a bareback rider during Sunday’s final performance of the Cheney Rodeo.

Gray, ranked 15th in the All-Around Cowboy standings on the Columbia River Rodeo circuit, turned in a score of 79 to move into third place and assure himself of prize money Sunday when he had what, in the wake of the Super Bowl, has come to be known as a wardrobe malfunction.

“I tore the seat out of my jeans,” the hometown cowboy said as he discretely reached for his back-up britches.

Despite the seamless finish, Gray was happy with the ride.

“I don’t know exactly what happened there,” he said, “but she got a little flip-floppy there in the middle of the ride, but I finished strong.”

Sunday was only the second time Gray had managed to perform in his hometown rodeo.

“Every year since I got my permit I’ve wanted to get here,” he said. “I had compression fractures in my back and missed one year. This is only the second time I’ve actually ridden here. It’s a good rodeo and they get lots of people out here.

“I think, subconsciously, you try a little harder to do well in your hometown.”

Gray’s ride was the best of the day and earned him a $750.78 check for third place.

Jerad McFarlane’s 82 held up to win the event. Sam MacKenzie was second with an 80. Both cowboys are from Jordan Valley, Ore.

Gray currently sits among the top 12 in the circuit in bull riding and bareback riding and is among the top 20 in saddle bronc riding. The top dozen in each event qualify for the circuit finals at the end of the season.

Gray’s brother, Ryan, turned in an 80 in the bareback riding to earn second-place money.

Ryan Gray, among the top five in his event, finished behind Tyler Barnes of Prineville, Ore., who scored an 81.

While Corey Gray’s wardrobe malfunctioned, Shawn Waite was glad his equipment didn’t.

Waite, from Redmond, Ore., was knocked unconscious when the bull he was riding pitched him forward and caught him in the face with his head.

Waite, who had the bones in his face fractured after a similar incident a few years ago, wears a hockey helmet and metal face cage for just such a situation.

Stunned and motionless for several minutes in front of the bucking chutes, Waite was helped from the arena by paramedics, but was back watching the rest of the bull riding from the chute area minutes later.

Only five riders posted scores in the bull riding, a testament to how tough the bucking stock was during the rodeo’s three-day run.

Haydn Reece from Prineville, Ore., turned in 88 to win the event. Going into the weekend, Reece was third in the overall bull-riding standings on the Columbia River Circuit behind Mead’s Zack Oakes, who did not post a score on his bull Friday night.

Shane Erickson of Terrebonne, Ore., the current all-around leader on the circuit, saw his time of 10.1 seconds hold up in the calf-roping competition, edging out Seth Hopper, from Stanfield, Ore., by a tenth of a second.

Wilson Creek’s Dusty Kimble saw his time of 4.4 seconds in the steer wrestling stand up through Sunday’s performance to win the event and take home a check for $1,462.76.

Josh Bruce, from Jordan Valley, Ore., and Patrick Woodcock, from St. Anthony, Idaho, saw their standings on the circuit rise by winning the team roping.

Bruce was 17th among headers and Woodcock 16th among heelers before turning in a time of 6.5 seconds.

Newburg, Ore., barrel racer Cindy Woods saw her 17.37 second time hold up through Sunday’s go-round to take home first-place money of $892.08.