Mortensen Takes Home Honors
At Original Coors Showdown

COLORADO SPRING, Colo. — At the conclusion of the Original Coors Rodeo Showdown Oct. 2-4 in Phoenix, Ariz., seven rodeo athletes took home the second jewel in the PRCA’s triple crown.

Held annually at the America West Arena, the Original Coors Rodeo Showdown is one of only three events — the other two being the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo and the National Finals Rodeo — where cowboys and cowgirls qualify to compete for national titles. The top 10 contestants in each event in the Original Coors Chute-Out Series Standings qualified to compete at the finals event, which offered about $200,000 and capped the 1998 $1 million Chute-Out Series.

Reigning world all-around and saddle bronc riding champion Dan Mortensen from Manhattan, Mont., walked away with the Showdown saddle bronc riding title and the largest check of the rodeo.

Mortensen, a four-time world champion saddle bronc rider who has dominated the event again in 1998, pocketed $9969 for placing in every round and the average standings of the tournament-style rodeo. Mortensen, 29, made the eight-second whistle in the second round for 78 points and a second-place check for $938. In the third round, the five-time Showdown qualifier scored 81 points to claim $781 for a third-place tie with Bret Franks of Goodwell, Okla.

Mortensen’s three-head total of 241 points was enough to win the average race and another $1250. More important, Mortensen’s total qualified him for the top-six semi-final round.

The top six contestants in each event advance to a sudden-death, semi-final round. From the semi-final round, the top four contestants advance to the sudden-death, final round. In each event it is the final-round winner who claims the Original Coors Rodeo Showdown Championship title.

All previous scores were erased for the semi-final round and Mortensen rode Sankey Rodeo Company’s Surprise Party to 85 points and $2000. The ride qualified him for the final round, where he took an eight-second rendezvous aboard Sutton Rodeo Company’s Iron Moccasin worth 79 points. Mortensen’s ride won him the round, a second Showdown title and another $3750. Mortensen also earned the Showdown saddle bronc riding championship in 1993.

Other 1998 Original Coors Rodeo Showdown titlists include Rocky Steagall, Sanger, Calif., bareback riding, $4719; Vince Stanton, Weiser, Idaho, bull riding, 85 points, $5500; Rusty Sewalt, Del Rio, Texas, calf roping, $7063; Shawn Johnson, Checotah, Okla., steer wrestling, $6563; Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., and Brent Lockett, Ivanhoe, Calif., team roping, $8875 each; and Kristie Peterson, Elbert, Colo., barrel racing, $8063.

In the PRCA all-around standings, Ty Murray, Stephenville, Texas, leads with $171,507. He is followed by Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, with $117,778; Herbert Theriot, Poplarville, Miss., $111,956; Kurt Goulding, Duncan, Okla., $91,200; and Joe Beaver, Huntsville, Texas, $84,021.

Standings by event:

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Dan Mortensen, $127,437; 2. Tom Reeves, Eagle Butte, S.D., $77,125; 3. Red Lemmel, Mud Butte, S.D., $74,578; 4. Derek Clark, Colcord, Okla., $72,020; 5. Billy Etbauer, Ree Heights, S.D., $67,772.

Bareback riding: 1. Clint Corey, Culver, Ore., $80,589; 2. Rocky Steagall, $65,780; 3. Larry Sandvick, Kaycee, Wyo., $61,753; 4. Deb Greenough, Red Lodge, Mont., $61,680; 5. Chris Harris, Arlington, Texas, $56,087.

Bull riding: 1. Ty Murray, $95,057; 2. Blu Bryant, Nacogdoches, Texas, $69,541; 3. Mike White, Lake Charles, La., $68,457; 4. Kelly Armstrong, Big Valley, Alberta, Canada, $65,575; 5. Cody Custer, Wickenburg, Ariz., $63,473.

Calf roping: 1. Cody Ohl, Stephenville, Texas, $121,547; 2. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $90,500; 3. Trent Walls, Stephenville, Texas, $76,578; 4. Stran Smith, Tell, Texas, $68,987; 5. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $68,438.

Steer wrestling: 1. Rope Myers, Van, Texas, $78,446; 2. Mike Smith, Baton Rouge, La., $78,392; 3. Bryon Walker, Ennis, Texas, $67,935; 4. Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, $57,020; 5. Steve Duhon, Sonora, Texas, $56,478.

Team roping (heading): 1. Charles Pogue, Ringling, Okla., $60,961; 2. Speed Williams, Jacksonville, Fla., $59,849; 3. Bret Boatright, Mulhall, Okla., $53,642; 4. Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas, $48,085; 5. Chance Kelton, $45,305.

Team roping (heeling): 1. Britt Bockius, Claremore, Okla., $61,297; 2. Rick Skelton, Llano, Texas, $59,023; 3. Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas, $50,944; 4. Steve Northcott, Odessa, Texas, $48,085; 5. Allen Back, Ceres, Calif., $44,688.

Steer roping: 1. Guy Allen, Lovington, Texas, $87,927; 2. Trevor Brazile, $44,503; 3. Jim Davis, Abilene, Texas, $40,100; 4. Marty Jones, Hobbs, N.M., $33,296; 5. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., $26,495.

Barrel racing: 1. Kristie Peterson, $109,619; 2. Sherry Cervi, Midland, Texas, $105,264; 3. Janet Stover, Athens, Texas, $60,752; 4. Charmayne James, Stephenville, Texas, $54,908; 5. Cheyenne Wimberley, Stephenville, Texas, $44,366.