Steer Wrestler Garners Back
To Back Titles In Fort Worth

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Mickey Gee of Wichita Falls, Texas, had to share the steer wrestling spotlight in Fort Worth last year. But in 1999, he made the two-hour drive to the major PRCA rodeo to win the event fair and square.

Gee, 23, claimed $9506 and the steer wrestling average title for the second straight year at the $324,225 Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Gee and four-time world champion Ote Berry of Checotah, Okla., tied for the Texas title last year with times of 13.3 seconds on three head. Gee won more money with his '99 title, but his performance last week was similar to last year.

This year's win moves him into sixth place in the Crown Royal world steer wrestling standings and into early contention for his first National Finals Rodeo qualification.

The ice has been broken in the 1999 Crown Royal world all-around standings, but the name atop the list is not Murray. Two young timed-event hands have won the required $3000 or more in two events to break into first and second place in the all-around standings. Chad Hagan, of Leesville, La., won $2041 last week calf roping and steer wrestling at rodeos in Los Fresnos, Texas, and Lake Charles, La. Hagan, a '97 NFR qualifier in steer wrestling, jumped to the lead in the all-around race with $9324. And B.J. Zieffle of Consort, Alberta, Canada, made the best of the first round in Fort Worth. Zieffle placed third in the first round of calf roping with a run of 8.8 seconds for $3672 and turfed a steer in 4.7 seconds in the first round of steer wrestling for $1734, giving him $6719 in total all-around winnings. The three-time Canadian Finals Rodeo qualifier was the '93 Resistol steer wrestling rookie of the year.

Standings by event:

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, Canada, $16,787; 2. Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla., $15,377; 3. T.C. Holloway, Eagle Butte, S.D., $13,597; 4. Dean Schlattmann, Basin, Wyo., $10,929; 5. Rod Warren, Water Valley, Alberta, $10,031.

Bareback riding: 1. Chris Harris, Arlington, Texas, $13,586; 2. Eric Mouton, Weatherford, Okla., $13,058; 3. Jeffrey Collins, Redfield, Kan., $12,534; 4. Pete Hawkins, Weatherford, Texas, $9897; 5. Mark Garrett, Nisland, S.D., $8898.

Bull riding: Rex Phillips, Elko, Nev., $13,970; 2. Owen Washburn, Lordsburg, N.M., $13,093; 3. Vince Stanton, Weiser, Idaho, $12,937; 4. Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., $12,757; 5. Royd Doyal, Pittsburg, Texas, $12,007.

Calf roping: 1. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $17,060; 2. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $15,878; 3. Cody Ohl, Stephenville, Texas, $12,951; 4. Ronnie Hyde, Bloomington, Ind., $12,545; 5. Jeff Coelho, Long Creek, Ore., $10,363.

Steer wrestling: 1. Brad Gleason, Touchet, Wash., $16,215; 2. Justin Davis, Sidney, Mont., $15,059; 3. Jason Lahr, Emporia, Kan., $14,756; 4. Rope Myers, Van, Texas, $14,192; 5. Randy Suhn, Laramie, Wyo., $12,803.

Team roping (heading): 1. Jake Barnes, Cave Creek, Ariz., $9137; 2. Larry Harris, Checotah, Okla., $7692; 3. David Motes, Fresno, Calif., $7590; 4. Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas, $7260; 5. Billy Stephens, Channing, Texas, $4795.

Team roping (heeling): 1. Clay O'Brien Cooper, Bandera, Texas, $9137; 2. Mickey Gomez, Norman, Okla., $7692; 3. Wayne Folmer, Stephenville, Texas, $7260; 4. J.D. Yates, Pueblo, Colo., $6001; 5. Jeff Medlin, Tatum, N.M., $4795.

Steer roping: 1. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., $6299; 2. Marty Jones, Hobbs, N.M., $5976; 3. De Lynn Jones, Hobbs, N.M., $4306; 4. Hicks Harris, Agua Dulce, Texas, $3518; 5. Bucky Hefner, Chelsea, Okla., $3499.

Barrel racing: 1. Talina Bird, Post, Texas, $11,597; 2. Monica Wilson, Cardston, Alberta, $9995; 3. Ruth Haislip, Acampo, Calif., $8938; 4. Janet Stover, Decatur, Texas, $8548; 5. Sherry Cervi, Midland, Texas, $6737.