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Lawrence cowboy wins riding event at Shrine Rodeo

By Ruth Nicolaus - | May 28, 2013

RODEO RESULTS

Steer wrestling

  1. Stewart Gulager, Garland, 4.7 seconds; 2. Kyle Harlow, Mound City, 6.2; 3. Mike Bush, Whitefield, Okla., 6.6; 4. Milt Pattillo, Skiatook, Okla. 9.9.

Bareback riding

  1. Justin Williams, Lawrence, 79.5 points; 2. Mark Kreder Jr., Collinsville, Okla., 76.5; 3. (tie) Brian Leddy, Cheyeane, Okla., 76 and Beejay Scott, Marshall, Mo., 76.

Tie down roping

  1. Will Howell, Stillwater, Okla., 9.7; 2. (tie) Cooper Martin, Alma, 9.8, and Trenton Johnson, Mound City, 9.8; 4. Hadley Deshazo, Salem, Ark., 10.2; 5. Ryan Domer, Topeka, 10.6; 6. Cole Wilson, Waynoka, Okla., 10.8.

Saddle bronc riding

  1. Sean Prater, Sedan, 80.5; 2. Eddie Parlier, Johnson City, Tenn., 74.5; 3. Shane Hand, Weatherford, Okla., 70.

Team Roping

  1. Tim Victory, Chelsea, Okla./Tyler Hutchins, Rose, Okla., 5.4 seconds; 2 Terry Crow, Miami, Okla./Brian Reece, Welch, Okla., 5.8; 3. Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla./Lane Reeves, Wann, Okla., 5.9; 4. John Giles, Vinita, Okla./Cody White, Big Cabin, Okla., 6.0; 5. Gable Hildebrand, Bartlett/Nathan Enyart, Seneca, Mo., 6.2; 6. Ralph Williams, Skiatook, Okla./Boop Williams, Skiatook, Okla., 7.4.

Women’s Barrel Racing

  1. Pamela Bowersock, Sedan, 14.54 seconds; 2. Kasi Prather, Ochelata, Okla., 14.791; 3. Tiffany Teehee, Claremore, Okla.; 4. Nicole Elam, Miami, Okla., 15.03.

Bull Riding

  1. Jessie Tillman, Olathe, 86.5 points; 2. Ross Burney, Coffeeville, Miss., 74; 3. Nick Franchett, Edwardsville, 73.

All results are unofficial.

A Lawrence cowboy left his young competitors in the dust as he spurred his way to the Shrine Rodeo’s 2013 bareback riding title.

Justin Williams scored 79.5 points to win the title for the 54th annual event, which took place Thursday and Friday at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds in Tonganoxie.

And even though he’s been riding bucking horses for more than two decades, the years, the miles and the wear and tear haven’t worn him down.

It’s not common for a 40-year-old cowboy to still be getting on bareback horses, but Williams is, and he loves it.

“I’ve never lost any desire to get on,” he said. “I always said that if my riding abilities were to diminish with age, I’d retire, and find something else to do.”

He doesn’t travel as much as he used to, and that helps keep the desire fresh.

“I work 50 or 60 hours a week for UPS, and it’s a short season for me for rodeoing,” he said. “It’s usually May to September, every weekend, and I don’t travel very hard, so I still stay fresh and in riding form.”

The younger cowboys may tease him about his age, but it doesn’t bother him.

“They kinda give me the business about being older, and that’s fine,” Williams said. “I remember when I was young, and I was rodeoing against (world champions) Marvin and Mark Garrett, and Bruce Ford, and Wayne Hermann, and all those guys. I always looked up to them. I wanted to know what they did for preparation, so I could learn, and I’d ask questions. I was never bashful.”

He also said he doesn’t mind mentoring the next generation of bareback riders.

“If they come up and ask me questions, I’ll give them every bit of information I’ve got that will help them, because I don’t want them to get hurt, and I want them to continue the sport,” he said.

Other winners at the 54th annual Shrine Rodeo, which wrapped up May 24, were steer wrestler Stewart Gulager, Garland; tie-down roper Will Howell, Stillwater, Okla.; saddle bronc rider Sean Prater, Sedan; team ropers Tim Victory, Chelsea, Okla. and Tyler Hutchins, Rose, Okla.; and barrel racer Pamela Bowersock, Sedan.

Next year’s dates for the 55th annual Shrine Rodeo and Demo Derby will be May 22-24, 2014.