Montana Cowboys Perform Well
At Home Before Billings Crowd

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — In 19 seasons as a ProRodeo steer wrestler, Rod Lyman has endeared himself as a fan favorite at most rodeos. But in front of a home-state crowd at the NILE Rodeo in Billings, Lyman is more than just a favorite. He's more like a favorite son.

Lyman, a 14-time Wrangler NFR qualifier heading to a 15th next month in Las Vegas, gave the fans something to shout about by winning his event title, turfing two steers in 8.7 seconds. He clinched the title by claiming the short round in 4.2 seconds, giving the Victor, Mont. cowboy the average by just a tenth of a second over fellow Montanan Kent Mosher.

He also won $3157 and moved into fourth place in the Jack Daniel's World Standings. Still seeking his first world title, the 41 year-old Lyman seems to be throwing steers better than ever in 2002.

Lyman wasn't the only home-grown cowboy to fare well in Billings. Like Lyman, calf roper Chad Johnson of Cut Bank used a short-round victory to vault himself to an average title. Johnson roped his final-round calf in 8.4 seconds, giving him an aggregate of 25.4 seconds on three head, more than a half-second better than Tim Pharr of Resaca, Ga. Johnson earned $3408 for his efforts.

Team roping header Travis Tryan of Billings and partner Matt Zancanella of Aurora, S.D., claimed their event title, roping three head in 18.2 seconds. While Tryan qualified for the Wrangler NFR last year and is in position to return next month, Zancanella inched closer to reaching his first NFR. The $2496 moved him into 10th place in the Jack Daniel's World Standings in heeling.

Guy Allen didn't finish the ProRodeo regular season as the standings leader and won't wear the No. 1 back number at the National Finals Steer Roping Nov. 23-24 in Amarillo, Texas.

Instead, the honor goes to Buster Record of Buffalo, Okla. Record, 46, who will appear in his 10th NFSR, won $44,562 during the 2002 season, edging Allen by $205 for the top spot.

Allen, 44, whose 16 world titles tie the legendary Jim Shoulders for the most in ProRodeo history, also has won a record 11 consecutive steer roping titles and extended his record streak of NFSR qualifications to 26. He has claimed at least one world steer roping title in the last five U.S. presidencies going back to the Carter administration, when Allen in 1977 became the youngest steer roping champion ever at age 19.

The NFSR offers $115,000 in prize money, and all 15 ropers have a mathematical chance of walking out of Amarillo with a world champion buckle.

In the all-around standings, Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D., leads with $197,720 in season earnings to date. He is followed by Cash Myers, Athens, Texas, with $169,440; Trevor Brazile, Anson, Texas, $159,759; Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $146,884; and Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $146,295.

Standings by event:

Bareback riding: 1. Bobby Mote, Redmond, Ore., $79,131; 2. Jared Lavergen, Ville Platte, La., $74,021; 3. Forest Bramwell, Pagosa Springs, Colo., $70,931; 4. Wes Stevenson, Kaufman, Texas, $68,731; 5. Scott Montague, Fruitdale, S.D., $67,041.

Steer wrestling: 1. Cash Myers, $88,139; 2. Bill Pace, Stephenville, Texas, $87,743; 3. Joey Bell Jr., Salem N.J., $86,270; 4. Rod Lyman, Victor, Mont., $75,215; 5. Sid Steiner, Bastrop, Texas, $74,713.

Team roping (heading): 1. Speed Williams, Jacksonville, Fla., $109,397; 2. Kevin Stewart, Glen Rose, Texas, $70,975; 3. Matt Tyler, Weatherford, Texas, $66,203; 4. Joe Beaver, Huntsville, Texas, $65,935; 5. Jake Barnes, Cave Creek, Ariz., $62,695.

Team roping (heeling): 1. Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, $109,752; 2. Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, $71,911; 3. Wayne Folmer, El Paso, Texas, $67,205; 4. Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga., $61,936; 5. Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas, $60,636.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Dan Mortensen, Billings, Mont., $151,456; 2. Jesse Bail, $111,596; 3. Glen O’Neill, Didsbury, Alberta, Canada, $111,139; 4. Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, $97,526; 5. Tom Reeves, Eagle Butte, S.D., $93,622.

Calf roping: 1. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $143,592; 2. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $142,866; 3. Trevor Brazile, Anson, Texas, $96,902; 4. Brent Lewis, Piñon, N.M., $87,609; 5. Houston Hutto, Del Rio, Texas, $85,734.

Barrel racing: 1. Charmayne James, Athens, Texas, $97,200; 2. Tammy Key, Ledbetter, Texas, $78,266; 3. Rachael Sproul, Arlee, Mont., $61,421; 4. Delores Toole, Manter, Kan., $58,450; 5. Tami Fontenot, Ethel, La., $57,090.

Bull riding: 1. Jesse Bail, $86,124; 2. Jason Legler, Eaton, Colo., $70,682; 3. Vince Stanton, Weiser, Idaho, $69,074; 4. Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., $66,496; 5. Colby Yates, Azle, Texas, $61,336.

Steer roping: 1. Buster Record Jr., Buffalo, Okla., $44,562; 2. Guy Allen, Santa Anna, Texas, $44,357; 3. Trevor Brazile, $32,425; 4. Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas, $32,346; 5. Jason Evans, Huntsville, Texas, $31,386.