Saving the best for last

LEWISTON — The 89th Lewiston Roundup on Friday night saved the best for last as fans cheered and stomped their feet for the bucking bulls as cowboys held on for eight seconds.

The crowd of 5,074 at the Lewiston Roundup Grounds was a sea of pink as attendees came to support the Gina Quesenberry Foundation, an organization that helps local families battling breast cancer, and watch the rodeo events.

Bull riding was the last event of the night, and fans got wild in the stands during the excitement.

The longer Jordan Spears, of Redding, Calif., stayed on his bull, named 74, the louder the crowd roared. Spears, a champion in Hermiston, Ore., and Lakeview, Ore., can now add Lewiston to his list. His score of 87 was the highest in the bull riding.

“It always feels great to win,” Spears said. “It’s always great to get a score but to get to the top is even better.”

Spears said he’s been to the Lewiston Roundup several times and has had some success here and there. He added the fans, atmosphere and energy keep him coming back.

“I stayed on my bull and the crowd went nuts,” he said. “It’s nice to come up here and see all the nice people, and feel their energy.”

Coming in second in bull riding was Mason Moody, of Letcher, S.D., on Line Drive. His score of 86 was the third-highest of the week.

Moody said his bull was hard to ride but it felt good to be in the arena. Other than clinging to bulls, he said his favorite part about the Lewiston Roundup is the people.

“There’s so many rodeos in the summer all you really do is ride, get some sleep and go to the next one,” he said. “This one you can sit around for a couple days and hang out with some buddies. This is as close to home as we get when we’re rodeoing. This is home for us right now.”

The bulls entertained when the cowboys were bucked, tossed and flipped, but some remained ornery even after the cowboys flew off. A bull fighter had to get between Night Hawk, and Cody Russell, of Oakdale, Calif., who fell off the bull. Another bull, Dynamite, remained explosive with kicks after Jeff Bertus, of Avon, S.D., was bucked off. Dynamite headed to rodeo clown JJ Harrison, of Asotin, who was in the arena in a barrel. The bull twisted and kicked with his back legs in Harrison’s direction. The bull then received some insults from Harrison, who made fun of the bull’s short horns.

Horses and cowboys in the Jackson Sundown Saddle Bronc riding also kept the action going when one horse, Linebough Iris, ridden by Kole Ashbacher, of Arrowwood, Alberta, Canada, took time for cowboys to wrangle out of the arena. Another cowboy, Jake Clark, of Crane, Ore., had his foot slip from his stirrup and he got bucked off his horse, Outclassed.

But it was Shorty Garrett, of Eagle Butte, S.D., who had the best score of the night, 88.5, and took home a Pendleton blanket.

Garrett was reunited with Black Tie, the horse he’d ridden Friday night. He said he’d been on him a few years ago and had been asking for him ever since.

“This is the first time I’ve rode him in three years,” Garrett said. “It felt good.… Hopefully I match up with him all the time. He makes it fun.”

Garrett was the last rider in the event, but that didn’t stop the crowd from going wild when he came off Black Tie, a world champion horse.

Three cowboys came in with a score of 86: Brady Hill, of Onida, S.D.. Kolby Wanchuk, of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, and Houston Brown, of Miles City, Mont.

Hill said his horse was really strong, and in the past he’s bucked him off.

“It felt so good to get a rematch,” he said.

This is the second Lewiston Roundup Hill has attended. He said the crowds stand out from other rodeos he’s been to because they’re so loud.

The crowd watched bareback riders hold on as horses gave high kicks, often lifting all fours off the ground. Tucker Zingg, of Crow Agency, Mont., and Kody Lamb, of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, both took a score of 84.0.

This is Zingg’s fourth Roundup, and he said he was able to ride a horse, Great Nation, he’s been eyeing for a long time.

“It felt great,” Zingg said. “I knew that horse was good but I didn’t know she’d be that good.”

Lamb is No. 20 in the world and rode Outlaw Tunes to tie for the top spot.

Lamb said the Lewiston Roundup always has a great crowd and a good production. It’s his second time coming to ride, and said he got a great horse.

“I just had to get out there and make the best of it,” Lamb said.

Some riders got to perform closer to home. Local barrel rider Shawnee Watenpaugh, of Asotin, got loud cheers from the crowd as she turned her last barrel. She ended with an 18.10 score.

Watenpaugh said this is her second year riding, and she’s improved from last year.

“I’m very happy about my ride,” Watenpaugh said. “I got 0.3 seconds shaved off this year, which is big.”

She added her dream is to become a professional barrel racer, and riding close to her hometown was a perk.

The other focus was breast cancer awareness.

Tania Hosking of Lewiston said she’s been coming to the rodeo since she was born, around 40 years ago. She added the community keeps her coming, and she enjoys that it has a little bit of everything.

Hosking and her daughter wore pink tops to support Friday’s cause and breast cancer awareness.

“They always donate money for everyone who wears pink,” Hosking said. “We definitely want to support that. We have to support the community.”

The rodeo even drew crowds from outside the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley.

Chris and Tom Volpe drove from Beaverton, Ore., to watch for the second year. Chris said their oldest son moved to Kendrick about three years ago, and it’s an opportunity to come to the rodeo.

Tom said they follow the rodeo circuit, and it’s become a tradition to watch rodeos in the fall. Chris said. of a handful they come to see, the Lewiston Roundup is different.

“It’s more honest,” Chris said. “It’s more of a small-town feel.”

Chris said their favorite part about the rodeo is the Nez Perce Tribe’s entrance.

“It’s beautiful,” Chris said. “It’s the biggest thing for us.”

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297. Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com