Billy Etbauer Biggest Money
Winner For 1996 PRCA Season

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Regular season earnings records were broken in two PRCA rodeo events this year.

Billy Etbauer, the 1992 world champion saddle bronc rider, finished in the lead in the Crown Royal world standings with $123,953, breaking the regular-season earnings record for his event. The 33 year-old cowboy from Ree Heights, S.D., also earned the most money of any PRCA cowboy this season and therefore will be wearing the No. 1 back number when he enters the $3.2 million National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Steer wrestler Chad Bedell also broke the regular season earnings record for his event. He earned $80,057, about $18,000 more than second place finisher Ote Berry, the reigning and four-time world steer wrestling champion. Bedell, 30, of Jensen, Utah, broke the record set in 1986 by Steve Duhon, Sonora, Texas, who earned $73,165 prior to that year’s NFR.

In the all around competition, it appears that calf roper Herbert Theriot, Poplarville, Miss., has sewn up first place with earnings of $115,747 to date. Theriot is followed by Chad Klein, Jackson, La., with $98,535; Brent Lewis, Eloy, Ariz., $87,661; Joe Beaver, Huntsville, Texas, $87,333; and Roy Cooper, Childress, Texas, $86,685.

Standings by event:

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Billy Etbauer, $123,953; 2. Dan Mortensen, Manhattan, Mont., $115,735; 3. Glen O’Neill, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, $90,959; 4. Craig Latham, Texhoma, Texas, $84,639; 5. Dan Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., $80,147.

Bareback riding: 1. Marvin Garrett, Belle Fourche, S.D., $91,040; 2. Wayne Herman, Dickinson, N.D., $68,191; 3. Clint Corey, Kennewick, Wash., $65,976; 4. Mark Garrett, Spearfish, S.D., $61,351; 5. Kelly Wardell, Moorcroft, Wyo., $58,867.

Bull riding: 1. Myron Duarte, Peyton, Colo., $81,381; 2. Jerome Davis, Archdale, N.C., $77,133; 3. Chris Littlejohn, Sapulpa, Okla., $69,648; 4. Tuff Hedeman, Morgan Mill, Texas, $60,629; 5. Scott Mendes, Weatherford, Texas, $58,730.

Calf roping: 1. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $97,031; 2. Cody Ohl, Orchard, Texas, $89,845; 3. Mike Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., $80,763; 4. Brent Lewis, $71,196; 5. Herbert Theriot, $66,046.

Steer wrestling: 1. Chad Bedell, $80,057; 2. Ote Berry, Checotah, Okla., $61,912; 3. Todd Suhn, Laramie, Wyo., $56,587; 4. Ivan Teigen, Camp Crook, S.D., $52,040; 5. Brian Fulton, Valentine, Neb., $51,287.

Team roping (heading): 1. Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas, $58,859; 2. Charles Pogue, Ringling, Okla., $55,029; 3. Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas, $50,781; 4. David Motes, Fresno, Calif., $49,542; 5. Shane Schwenke, Zortman, Mont., $40,820.

Team roping (heeling): 1. Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, $58,859; 2. Allen Bach, Toltec, Ariz., $53,778; 3. Steve Northcutt, Odessa, Texas, $50,781; 4. Joe Day, Howe, Texas, $43,419; 5. Monty Joe Petska, Turlock, Calif., $43,211.

Steer roping: 1. Guy Allen, Lovington, N.M., $58,857; 2. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, $33,763; 3. Marty Jones, Hobbs, N.M., $30,095; 4. Jim Davis, Abilene, Texas, $29,928; 5. Roy Cooper, $28,649.

Barrel racing: 1. Kristie Peterson, Elbert, Colo., $92,290; 2. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., $84,540; 3. Kay Blandford, Stockdale, Texas, $74,109; 4. Fallon Taylor, Ponder, Texas, $58,031; 5. Deborah Mohon, Gladewater, Texas, $55,662.