Well after a nice needed break to catch up around the house, we were back at it again in August with the 2nd Annual Barron County PRCA Rodeo in Rice Lake, WI. Although the weather didn’t fully cooperate with us this year. The 3 person committee consisting of Jeff Rettenmund, Jarrod Berg, and Bruce Crotteau did an outstanding job getting the word out and the event drew some very enthusiastic crowds. The Friday night spectators may have received more than they bargained for as one of the bulls leaped right out over the front slide gates of chute #1 and gave everyone around an extra thrill. Great cowboying by pick-up man Brian Latterner got things back under control very quickly! It was the first time I had an opportunity to work with rodeo clown Jay Stout from Oklahoma and we had a great time despite the sloppy arena conditions. Will O’Connell was the bullfighter and also picked-up with Brian Latterner. The only bad news of the weekend was that hometown cowboy Christian Greenwald suffered a broken femur during the bull riding on Friday night. He was making an incredible ride on Western Trails Rodeo’s bull #711 when right at the 7 second mark he fell into the well and underneath the bull and was stepped on. According to Fred Boettcher “He underwent surgery in Rice Lake on Saturday morning the procedure went well and Christian should be able to put some weight on it with a walking cast within 3 weeks”. That was the best news of the weekend! Christian is a real fighter who has battled back from injury before and I know he will do it again! It is always great to see old friend Monty Mau who together with his lovely Wife Shannon run a Supper Club just outside of Rice Lake called The Country Inn. This place has a great atmosphere and excellent food too. It is always a pleasure to be able to stop by and visit with them during this event and we are all very thankful of their support of the rodeo as one of it’s great sponsors too!
The following Wednesday found Nicky and I traveling back to Mitchell, SD for the 14th Miller Lite Bull Bash. An event we have been working since 2005, it is always held the Wednesday during “Dakota Fest” a farm show that brings in huge out of town crowds. The bull riding event draws many of them out for some great entertainment and the weather and action made this years event no exception! 36 bull riders squared off in the preliminary round with the top 6 returning for the Championship Round. Young Jobie Dryden of Oelrichs, SD won the opening round with an 87 point effort on a bull from Alan Weischedel called Bunny Ranch. This years event was won by one of my favorite bull riders to watch Charles Zoss of Forestburg, SD who won the Championship round with an impressive 85 point ride on Jack Coleman’s bull Red Punch! Good friends Kaleb Barrett of Missoula, MT and Josh Rivinius of Elgin, ND were the bullfighters, and “The Hitman” Jerry Norton provided the comedy in his hometown event. Lance Carson and Jim Porter do an awesome job of putting this event together and is always one of our favorite stops during the year.
On Friday I went to Owatonna, Minnesota (Nicky had to head back to work at the clinic) for the Steele County Fair Extreme Bull Riding. Good friend LeAnn Sanderson came down to run the music for me and like she has done in the past did an excellent job! This event was produced by Great Frontier Bull Riding Company and although it was the first event that I have worked for them I know Alan Kattevold well as we were both riding bucking horses around the same time in the late 80′s and early 90′s, (Alan was a bareback rider and I rode saddle broncs). Alan & his wife Jennifer run a very nice production and it was a pleasure working with them. Clint Dickes of Alden, IA and young Patrick Crawford from Detroit Lakes were fighting bulls, and my good friend Hippy Englekes was the comedy act. Great bull rider and personal friend Jake Webber of Barron, WI won both rounds and the average title to win stop #9 of Great Frontier Bull Riding Company’s “Dirt Kickin’ Wicked Good Tour” in Owatonna!
Last month during the Hamel Rodeo some of the other personnel and I went to visit Luke Savage a young cancer patient at U of M Amplatz Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. Luke was very active in the 4-H Western Heritage program and has wanted to start riding bulls he is also an avid hunter and outdoorsman. Since our visit I have kept in contact with him and got to spend some time with him yesterday visiting and even played a game of cribbage (which he won!). Luke is very determined and upbeat considering the battle he is facing and quite an inspiration. If everything continues as planned he should be released by Thanksgiving and begin the long road to full recovery. I hope to have a few more visits with Luke while I am going to be close to home this next month working events here in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In between events Nicky and I have enjoyed cooling off in some of the water-parks in the area and I am still continuing to work on expanding my voice-over business and have been making great strides.
As always, until next month God Bless and Happy Trails!
Davie
