BUCKIN’ AROUND: Sandpoint Rodeo sees another year of sellout crowds

SANDPOINT — Cowboys and cowgirls from all over the country showed off their skills to another year of sellout crowds at the Sandpoint Rodeo held Aug. 2-3 at the Bonner County Fairgrounds.

Caleb McMillian, a native of Soap Lake, Wash., was named this year's all-around cowboy. McMillian, who previously competed at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., placed first in both tie-down roping and bull riding and finished fourth in steer wrestling.

Former Montana State University Bobcat, Will Powell, of St. Ignatius, Mont., won the steer wrestling competition for the second straight year with the exact same time of 5.1 seconds.

Clay Jorgenson, who previously competed at Dickinson State University and hails from Watford City, N.D., won the bareback riding competition after scoring 81 points on C5 Rodeo's Little Rotten.

Cameron Irwin and Coley Nicholls, both of Wyoming, won the team roping competition for the second straight year after finishing in an impressive 5.6 seconds.

Jack Bentz, a native of Crane, Ore., who previously competed for Treasure Valley Community College, won the saddle bronc riding competition after scoring 80 points on C5 Rodeo's Big League.

Lacy Diefenbach of Stanfield, Ore. won the barrel racing competition in 17.38 seconds.

The Sandpoint Rodeo, which is a part of the Columbia River Circuit and joined the Professional Cowboy Rodeo Association in 2015, gave out a total of $36,571 in payoffs this year.

All-around cowboy —Caleb McMillan, $3,454, bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling.

Bareback riding — 1, Clay Jorgenson, 81 points on C5 Rodeo's Little Rotten, $1,700; 2, Ben Kramer, 77, $1,288; 3, Dylan Riggins, 74, $927; 4, (tie) Duke Hanson and Christoph Muigg, 67, $489 each; 6, Davis Otto, 59, $258.

Steer wrestling —1, Will Powell, 5.1 seconds, $968; 2, Gus McGinn, 6.0, $801; 3, Jaret Whitman, 6.4, $634; 4, Caleb McMillan, 11.4, $467; 5, Colin Wolfe, 14.1, $300; 6, Hank Sutton, 15.2, $167.

Team roping — 1, Cameron Irwin/Coley Nicholls, 5.6 seconds, $1,295 each; 2, Trevor Patterson/Joey Bergevin, 6.9, $1,072; 3, Bryan Reay/Brent Falon, 11.6, $848; 4, Dillon Johnson/Kory Mytty, 12.2, $625; 5, Jack Fischer/Soly Solomon, 12.3, $402; 6, (tie) Tyler Kaess/Mike Wallen and Ty Schlecht/Sam Parker, 17.7, $112 each.

Saddle bronc riding — 1, Jack Bentz, 80 points on C5 Rodeo's Big League, $1,948; 2, Taylen Nelson, 77, $1,476; 3, Grant Finkbeiner, 71, $1,063; no other qualified rides.

Tie-down roping —1, Caleb McMillan, 10.2 seconds, $1,090; 2, Pacen Marez, 11.0, $902; 3, Ethan Marceau, 11.6, $714; 4, Jason Minor, 12.4, $526; 5, Kass Kayser, 15.5, $338; 6, Gator Goodrich, 16.4, $188.

Barrel racing — 1, Lacy Diefenbach, 17.38 seconds, $1,084; 2, Abigail Knight, 17.46, $929; 3, Lindsey Ham, 17.48, $774; 4, Taylor Eller, 17.53, $671; 5, Pamela Capper-Coker, 17.54, $516; 6, Tamara Barnhart, 17.65, $413; 7, Becky Fuson, 17.66, $310; 8, Whitley Sharp, 17.71, $206; 9, Cheyenne Allan, 17.76, $155; 10, Arley Hughes, 17.80, $103.

Bull riding — 1, Caleb McMillan, 84 points on C5 Rodeo's Hell Follows Rig, $1,896; no other qualified rides. 

    Former Montana State University quarterback and Manhattan High (Mont.) football star, Quinn McQueary, competes in the tie-down roping competition during the Sandpoint Rodeo's second day of action.
  

    Rodeo Clown Zack Cook, who hails from Cody, Wyo., and is also known as Cookie, entertains the crowd during a break in the action at the Sandpoint Rodeo.