Top PRCA Contractors Selected
For 1998 National Finals Rodeo

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — While 118 contestants will vie for world championships and bragging rights at the $4.2 million 1998 National Finals Rodeo Dec. 4-13 in Las Vegas, the top contract personnel have earned their own bragging rights by being selected to work the prestigious rodeo.

For the second straight year, Joe Baumgartner and Frank Newsom will work together protecting bull riders. Flint Rasmussen, from Stevensville, Mont., was selected as NFR barrelman for the first time.

Each year the top 30 bull riders select the bullfighters and barrelman they want to protect them at the Finals.

Newsom, from Granbury, Texas, leads the Wrangler Bullfight Tour Standings with $22,644. Only the top six bullfighters in the Wrangler Bullfight Tour qualify for the Wrangler Bullfight Finals. Bullfight contestants compete in freestyle matches that can last from 40 to 70 seconds. Contestants earn points according to how well they control the action of the bull and how many risks they take. After four rounds of bullfight competition, the competitor with the highest money earned wins the world championship.

Other Wrangler Bullfight Finalists are Jerry Norton of Mitchell, S.D., with $22,015; Rob Smets, Shamrock, Texas, $21,647; Lance Brittan, Windsor, Colo., $18,587; Loyd Ketchum, Miles City, Mont., $18,360; and defending World Bullfight Champion Mike Matt, Billings, Mont., $18,292.

Rodeo announcers Bob Tallman, Weatherford, Texas, and Zoop Dover, Farmington, N.M., were selected to call the action at this year's Finals.

Billy Ward of LaGrange, Wyo., and Gary Rempel, Black Eagle, Mont., were selected by the PRCA's top 30 bareback and saddle bronc riders as pickup men. This is Ward's second NFR and Rempel's first.

Coordinating the stock will be longtime livestock superintendent Sonny Linger of Miles City, Mont. Linger, who was inducted into the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based ProRodeo Hall of Fame in August, is a fixture at the NFR. This year marks Linger's 14th consecutive year as livestock superintendent. Assisting Linger for the first time as assistant livestock superintendent is Ted Groene of Clayton, Calif.

John Farris of Addington, Okla., will serve as timed-event chute boss for the 13th year. Darrell Barron of Fort Worth, Texas, will take care of duties as riding-event chute boss for the 16th year. Jon Taylor, of Filer, Idaho, was selected as the NFR saddle horse boss for the 22nd year.

Cindy Moreno from Marysville, Calif., is the NFR secretary and Linda Alsbaugh of Alamosa, Colo., will serve as assistant secretary. Tricia Beers from Creston, Calif., Mildred Farris of Addington, Okla., and Kristen Williams of Syracuse, Utah, are the rodeo timers.

The 1998 season wrapped up as follows:

All-around cowboy: 1. Ty Murray, Stephenville, Texas, $173,246; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, $131,032; 3. Herbert Theriot, Poplarville, Miss., $120,662; 4. Joe Beaver, Huntsville, Texas, $97,166; 5. Kurt Goulding, Duncan, Okla., $91,200.

Standings by event:

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Dan Mortensen, Manhattan, Mont., $130,828; 2. Tom Reeves, Eagle Butte, S.D., $77,125; 3. Red Lemmel, Mud Butte, S.D., $76,794; 4. Derek Clark, Colcord, Okla., $75,508; 5. Billy Etbauer, Ree Heights, S.D., $67,772.

Bareback riding: 1. Clint Corey, Culver, Ore., $83,890; 2. Rocky Steagall, Sanger, Calif., $67,535; 3. Deb Greenough, Red Lodge, Mont., $66,786; 4. Larry Sandvick, Kaycee, Wyo., $64,838; 5. Chris Harris, Arlington, Texas, $56,881.

Bull riding: 1. Ty Murray, Stephenville, Texas, $95,826; 2. Mike White, Lake Charles, La., $77,934; 3. Blu Bryant, Nacogdoches, Texas, $72,404; 4. Kelly Armstrong, Nacogdoches, Texas, $66,491; 5. Cody Custer, Wickenburg, Ariz., $66,178.

Calf roping: 1. Cody Ohl, Stephenville, Texas, $123,703; 2. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $95,258; 3. Trent Walls, Stephenville, Texas, $76,578; 4. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $74,389; 5. Stran Smith, Tell, Texas, $74,306.

Steer wrestling: 1. Mike Smith, Baton Rouge, La., $86,613; 2. Rope Myers, Van, Texas, $85,667; 3. Byron Walker, Ennis, Texas, $67,935; 4. Herbert Theriot, Poplarville, Miss., $58,629; 5. Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, $58,477.

Team roping (heading): 1. Charles Pogue, Ringling, Okla., $63,773; 2. Speed Williams, Jacksonville, Fla., $62,509; 3. Bret Boatright, Mulhall, Okla., $55,435; 4. Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas, $48,841; 5. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., $47,471.

Team roping (heeling): 1. Britt Bockius, Claremore, Okla., $64,109; 2. Rick Skelton, Llano, Texas, $61,684; 3. Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas, $52,737; 4. Allen Bach, Turlock, Calif., $50,180; 5. Steve Northcott, Odessa, Texas, $48,841.

Steer roping: 1. Guy Allen, Lovington, N.M., $99,132; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, $55,708; 3. Marty Jones, Hobbs, N.M., $43,754; 4. Jim Davis, Abilene, Texas, $43,088; 5. Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas, $33,743.

Barrel racing: 1. Kristie Peterson, Elbert, Colo., $113,907; 2. Sherry Cervi, Midland, Texas, $111,979; 3. Janet Stover, Athens, Texas, $63,910; 4. Charmayne James, Stephenville, Texas, $57,791; 5. Molly Swanson, Simms, Mont., $44,612.