James’ record run nets her barrel racing title

Published 10:22 am Sunday, September 15, 2002

PENDLETON – After two F-15 Eagle fighter jets blasted over the rodeo arena during the national anthem, the final round of the 92nd Pendleton Round-Up featured two Texans who broke arena records Saturday.

Calf roper Scott Kormos from Mexia, Texas, broke the arena record with a time of 8.0 seconds, breaking the 8.6-second mark set by Joe Lucas in 1985.

Professional rodeo legend and 10-time world champion barrel racer Charmayne James of Athens, Texas, shattered the barrel racing arena record with a time of 27.50 second.

Kormos took the final round and third in the calf roping average. Ricky Hyde, from Mount Vernon, Ark., placed second in the round with a run of 10.0, and it was enough to earn him the championship saddle in the calf roping competition.

“This is one of the biggest wins I’ve ever had and a pretty big accomplishment to win this rodeo that’s one of a kind,” Hyde said. “I have about 20 more rodeos this year and I want to make it to the National Finals, so I guess I will be pretty busy ’till after the Cow Palace (in San Francisco).”

For James, she cruised to victory on her horse, Cruiser, with two runs under 28 seconds during the week, adding to her number one spot in the Jack Daniel’s World Standings. She broke Kelli Currin’s arena record time of 28.32, set in 2001.

“This is definitely a rodeo that I wanted to win and I really like it because of the old wild west feeling that it provides,” James said.

James claimed her first Round-Up title since the event began at the Round-Up in 2000.

Kristin Weaver of Temecula, Calif., claimed the number two spot in the average and Delores Toole of Manter, Kan., finished third in the average.

B.J. Campbell, a Benton City, Wash., cowboy, won the All-Around title with his performances in team roping and steer wrestling (see related story, page 1A).

The bull riding featured an amazing ride by Casey Baize of St. Angelo, Texas. Baize rode Crank Shaft for 91 points and it earned him the average championship.

“The bull felt like he really kicked well, from what I can remember. I got hit in the head in the end, but the ride sure felt good,” Baize said.

It has been a relatively slow year for Baize, but he found a big win at the Round-Up.

“Man it feels great to win the Round-Up, this is the first major rodeo that I’ve ever won,” he said .

Jason McClain of Lewis, Colo., came in second in the average. Jesse Bail of Camp Creek, S.D., the number one bull rider in the world standings, rode for a third-place finish in the average.

Last year’s Round-Up saddle bronc champion, Glen O’Neill of Didsbury, Alberta, went into the final round with a ride of 87 early in the week, and he backed it up to claim his second straight title with a ride of 87 on Skitso. The ride tied him for first in the round with Scott Johnston of Gustine, Texas, who had a fine ride on Surprise Party.

“That horse I had is an outstanding horse, really a bucky horse, and it worked out for the best,” O’Neill said. “This is probably my favorite rodeo of the year, and the horses here are always outstanding.”

Jesse Martin of Dillon, Mont., placed second in the average and Johnston claimed the number three spot.

In the bareback riding, Ken Lensegrav of Kyle, S.D., rode a horse named Williams for 81 points and he claimed the number one spot in the average.

“I knew I had my hands full with that horse. He’s been around for years now and he kicks just as hard now as he did then,” Lensegrav said. “I do not know if words can even say how I feel right now, but it feels really good.”

Lensegrav tied for second in the round with Darren Clarke from Lewisville, Texas, with Clarke finishing third in the average.

Entering the steer wrestling final round with an arena record of 3.8 seconds from Friday, K.C. Jones of Las Animas, Colo., claimed the number one spot in the average with a time of 5.7 seconds. His time placed him second in the round and it also earned him a victory lap around the arena.

“This is one of the greatest rodeos in the world and I feel pretty lucky,” Jones said. “I think that my perseverance is starting to pay off in a big way.”

Placing second in the average was Michael Reger of Dexter, who had the best run of the day at 5.4. Brad Gleason of Touchet, Wash., nabbed the third spot in the average.

Round-Up champions in 1996, Brent Lockett of Ivanhoe, Calif., and Liddon Cowden of Merced, Calif., placed first in the team roping average with a time of 5.4 seconds Saturday, and their time earned the number one spot in the round as well. The team of Charly Crawford of Canby and Matt Funk from Wenatchee, Wash., finished second in the average.

The only man to tie all three steers in the steer roping at the Round-Up was Jarrett Blessing of Paradise, Texas, and he claimed the championship with his final run of 12.9.

“I go to as many rodeos as possible to win money and this will sure help out,” Blessing said.

Jim Folk of Lenapah, Okla., claimed the second in the average and Rocky Patterson of Pratt, Kan., finished third.

Sports reporter Joe McHaney can be reached at 1-800-522-0255 (ext. 1-236) or by e-mail at jmchaney@eastoregonian.com.

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