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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cowboy Christmas here again

Most Americans celebrate Independence Day this weekend, but professional cowboys are celebrating Christmas.

The Fourth of July weekend is the most lucrative of the year on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit, with 35 rodeos in the United States and Canada combining for $1.4 million in prize money.

Hence, the expression Cowboy Christmas.

In 2004, six-time world champion saddle bronc rider Dan Mortensen was the big money winner over the Fourth of July, banking $26,415. Bareback rider Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., won $26,302, which vaulted him to the National Finals Rodeo in December, where he snagged his first world title. Mortensen missed the National Finals Rodeo with a broken ankle.

The PRCA rodeos on the Columbia River Circuit are at Oregon sites Eugene (July 1-2-4), Molalla (July 1-4) and St. Paul (July 1-4) and Toppenish, Wash. (July 2-4).

A good weekend for bareback rider Ryan Gray would leave the Cheney cowboy well on his way to the NFR.

Gray has earned $40,930 to put him fifth in the standings.

The recently completed Reno Roundup is generally considered the start of the busy summer rodeo schedule, but it wasn’t local cowboys who had a big week.

Bucking stock from the Flying 5 and Big Bend rodeo companies, owned by Don Hutsell of Ritzville and Sonny Riley of Pomeroy, helped others pick up big checks at the lucrative rodeo that uses more than one stock contractor.

Saddle bronc rider Cody DeMoss won the first round on Flying 5’s Rolling Cloud, edging Matt Marvel who had an 85 on Big Bend’s Faded Dice. In the second round DeMoss tied for third with an 80 on Big Bend’s No Dice.

With an 81 in the final round, DeMoss won the overall title with 248 points. In second was Jeffery Willert, who won the final round with an 84 on Flying 5’s Sundance.

However, the big star for Hutsell and Riley was, as usual, Spring Fling. The highly honored bareback carried Royce Ford to a 90 in the final round, allowing the Hudson, Colo., native to share the title. Ford won $9,596 for the week and leads the bareback standings with almost $55,000.