Logan Knibbe Aboard Deuce Bigalo
Logan Knibbe Tops The Field In Longview, TX
Pictures by Teri Lann
by Sheila Totten
As the temperature dropped in Longview, TX the excitement grew; and the fans were on the edges of their seats in this SRO There were even fans crowded around us where photographer Teri Lann and I were working by the arena fence. What a crowd!
. As the race for the event title went down to the wire the excitement grew. When the dust had finally cleared it was Stephenville, TX’s Logan Knibbe who won his first event title. CBR President, 4X World Champion Tuff Hedeman presented Logan with his winner’s check and Resistol hat; and also interviewed him. Logan told Tuff:” I’ve been waiting a long time to win one of these deals.” Tuff called the winning ride “awesome” which it was.
Logan rode in the second section of the long go and took the lead with a great looking 89.5 ride aboard Lonnie Brown’s Copan Cat. The bull came out with power, spinning to the left into Logan’s hand with high kicks then reversed right towards the end of the ride. Some of the best four-year-old bulls in the country were here as this was a NBBA Classic event.
Logan held on to his long go lead until Ardie Maier (Twin Lakes, S.D. [which is on the Cheyenne River Reservation]) the 28th rider out made an incredible 91 point ride aboard the Lyndal Hurst/Cody Ohl/Garrett/Dyess bull Carney Man who made a fast spin to the left away from Ardie’s hand with lots of high kicking and power. Ardie, was perfect and exhibited complete control. Ardie went into the championship round in the lead with Logan right behind him.
Logan had his work cut out for him as first Navajo Nation World Champion Bull Rider Spud Jones (Twin Lakes, AZ) took the lead in the short go with a solid ride aboard Double R Bucking Bulls’ Sharp Shooter for 88.5 points. Spud is the first Native American to win a CBR event (Window Rock) and we were rooting for him. There have been many riders who are of Native American descent, but Spud is one from Indian Rodeo who is carving out a name for himself not only there but also in the CBR and the PRCA. The bull spun to the left away from Spud’s hand then jumped out of the spin before reversing to the right into Spud’s hand. In the long go Spud rode Zorro’s number one rated son Derringer for 85.5.Derringer took one leap out of the chute with high kicks before spinning to the right into Spud’s hand in a fast though low spin. Spud was out of position towards the 8 second mark but held on to his rope till the buzzer sounded. Derringer is currently in first place in the NBBA Classics standings for 4 year olds. Spud’s lead of 174 was quickly overcome when Livingston, Alabama’s Luke Kelly rode Scott Burruss’ Georgia Son for 90 points as the bull took one leap out before spinning to the left with lots of power and action. Luke made a textbook ride with good free arm action and high spurring. Luke had come out aboard Ben Brown’s Bee-Be-Gone in the long go who spun to the left away from Luke’s hand with high kicks and it looked like a buck-off but the bull had fouled Luke at the gate throwing him out of position. Luke got the option of a reride and this time the bull took one long leap out before spinning away from Luke’s hand to the left in a low spin. Luke scored 86 so added to his short go’s 90 that gave him 175 on two head and the lead. That held until Muskogee, OK rider Bronson Butcher rode Henry Wilson’s Black Gold in the short go for 88 points. Bronson rode him jump for jump, as the bull spun to the left with high kicks. Butcher is a young rider to watch. He had been called in as an alternative rider for Cody Hancock. Butcher made a good long go ride aboard Dan Duncan’s Big Red for 88.5 points in his first ever CBR event The bull spun to the left into Butcher’s hand then reversed right at the end of the ride. His score of 176.5 on two took over the lead. Logan Knibbe quickly ended that with his ride aboard Alan Murphy’s Deuce Bigalo for 89 points who took two leaps out of the chute before spinning to the right away from Logan’s hand with lots of rear and drop then jumped out of it and bucked straight. Logan had the lead with 178.5 on two head and it was nail-biting time for the fans. Only Ardie Maier remained to ride and he would need 88 points to win. He had drawn Scott Burruss’ Pole Cat who spun to the right into Ardie’s hand then jumped out of the spin and bucked straight before returning to a right spin. It just was not strong enough and Ardie scored 85 to end up third in the event while the long awaited win went to Logan Knibbe.
There were a lot of good bulls in the event with the best four year olds in the country in the NBBA portion of the event. The winning bull was Lufkin Ranch and Rodeo’s Maverick; another of the great young sons of my all time favorite Zorro. Maverick bucked Skeeter Kingsolver off in the long go. I spoke with Chuck Griffith before the event and he pointed out to me which of their bulls are Zorro’s sons. I can relate to Chuck’s pride in these babies as I feel the same way about my own bulls who buck in the ABA To me Zorro is another Blueberry Wine; maybe even better when he comes out with his rear and drop. Then again I am prejudiced as I have three young bulls that come out like Zorro although they are no relation to him.
In the long go Ardie Maier was first while Logan Knibbe finished second. Bronson Butcher was third in the long go while Houma, LA’s Trent Cormier finished fourth with his 87.5 ride aboard Wes Bruce’s Train Robber who is a little spinner with lots of action who spun to the right into Trent’s hand real fast. Pistol Robinson (Burelson, TX) was fifth with 87 points aboard Harlan Robertson’s Rusty who spun to the left into Pistol’s hand with a roll and lots of high kicking. Pistol stayed up front and looked good. He’s currently in first place in the CBR standings. New Bloomfield, MO’s Corey Davis tied for 6th /7th in the long go with Jena, LA’s Danny McDowell at 86 points. Corey rode Lyndal Hurst’s Rehab who took one leap out then spun to the left into Corey’s hand before jumping out of the spin and bucking straight. Danny rode Terrell Sullivan’s Fat Boy who took one leap forward then spun to the right into Danny’s hand with high kicking while Danny spurred him high. Luke Kelly was 8th in the round with his 85.5 ride aboard Bee-Be-Gone. Luke who finished fourth in the event was #1 in the short go with 90 on Georgia Son while event winner Logan Knibbe was second on Deuce Bigalo. Spud Jones who was fifth in the average was third in the round with his 88.5 on Sharp Shooter while Bronson Butcher who was second in the average was fourth in the round aboard Black Gold. Jarrod Craig who scored 83 in the long go aboard Bryce Cooper’s Chipaway tied for fifth in the short go aboard Alan Murphy’s Buckshot with Danny McDowell aboard Scott Burruss’ Evil Eye with 87 points. Jarrod was 7th in the average while Danny was 6th.Trent Cornier was eight in the average with his 87.5 ride from the long go.
There was so much to see and do this weekend as the event was held in conjunction with Longview Heritage Days. There were autograph signings,vendors,concerts just so much. We saw old friends and met new people .I finally met Alan Murphy and he told me he had just bought Train Robber, Rampage’s Ghost and Mr. Slim from Wes Bruce before the event began. Alan also bought some good bulls from Wes at the Finals and now owns Cherokee Fiddler and Cowboy Cut.
I want to thank Mary Ramos for all her help. That is one hard working woman and I hope to profile her and Scott Davis soon. Scott was a big help to us also and deserves thanks. The fans were lined up Saturday morning at Jack O’ Diamonds Dodge to meet Tuff Hedeman, Matt Baldwin, Layne McCasland.Cody Sousby and Ray Clary.KYFX 105.7 Country was there along with the drum line from the Longview High School Marching band. Danny Tyler Danny and Drew Morning Show) had Teri Lann spin the KYFX “Spin To Win” wheel but alas, our photographer didn’t win a prize. She did get to take Danny’s picture though and also Barbara Biggs who is with the station. Thanks also to David Carter, the sales manager at Jack O’ Diamonds who allowed us to take pictures for Tanasi Journal there. Teri took some shots of the Drum Line (Adonis Centers, Jonathan Marshall, Shawndell McGee, Kyle Stinson, Cameron Peoples, Daniel Pierce, Orey Love, Rosa Sanchez and Melissa Preston) thanks to assistant director Grant Woodson.The band was there doing a car wash to raise money for a spring break trip to Disney World where they get to march and play in the parade there. Teri got pictures of fans and their heroes including Tuff Hedeman.Thanks also to Eli Lux for watching over us. Eli is one of Tuff’s golf buddies and Teri got a good shot of the two of them together.
For those who wonder where Pam Minnick is her obligations to RFD-TV have kept her away from the CBR broadcasts and she is missed by all but we wish her well with her new position.
Tuff is wearing his CBR credentials on a beautiful piece of beadwork, which was given to him in Gallup. He is probably the busiest man I have ever seen. He rushes from appearance to appearance, then works behind the chutes making sure everything goes right; and also greets the fans and does the presentation and interview with the winner! I get tired just watching him. It was good to see Andy Stewart .I think he is one of the better announcers in bull riding and rodeo.
It was good to talk with Jody Newberry who is doing well in the CBR.His wife Amanda is currently taking her clinicals and will be done with college soon for all the Bullriding Fans who have missed Amanda’s posts on the lists.
The CBR now has cheerleaders of a sort-the CBR Bull Babes. They were helpful also. I love these outdoor events but maybe one day I will learn that in some places the heat turns to cold temps at night!
It was great to see CBR Founder Terry Williams. To see the big guy looking healthy and wearing that great smile of his was a prayer come true. I give my thanks to Grandfather for that. During intermission they had a miniature bull riding with junior rodeo riders and a calf scramble for the kids. After the event there was a really good country music concert with Rich McCready and his band. I was really impressed with him.
If I have forgotten anyone I sure am sorry. Watch for my interview with Spud Jones, and try and make it to the CBR’s next event in Jackson, MS on November 17th.Teri and I will be there. Hope to see some of our readers there.
No comments:
Post a Comment