Tie-down roper Quade Hiatt, of Canyon, Texas, won the night with the time of 7.6 seconds Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, during the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston.

HERMISTON — Hunter Cure has made five trips to the National Finals Rodeo, and he’s on the cusp of earning his sixth in steer wrestling.

It’s now or never for the Texas man, who said he is retiring at the end of the year

Sitting 16th in the world standings, and about $1,100 out of 15th place, Cure took down his steer in 3.6 seconds on Friday, Aug. 13, at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo to win the performance and move into a tie for second in the go-round.

“This is one of my favorites rodeos all year long,” Cure said. “I have never won this rodeo, but I seem to place every other year.”

Cure, 37, said the money will help in his quest for the NFR, but he has to stay focused to get the job done.

“If I stay inside myself, the rest will take care of itself,” he said.

Cure said he decided to retire after getting hurt earlier this year.

“Too many concussions have taken their toll,” he said. “I’ve been contemplating it since January. I’ve come to grips with it. I would like to finish on a high note and get back to the NFR.”

Saddle bronc riding

Announcer Randy Corley has sounded like a broken record the past two nights.

Aug. 11, Brody Cress set an area record with an 89-point ride. Aug. 12, Stetson Wright topped that with a 90-point ride. Aug. 13, Corley was announcing yet another arena record as Ben Anderson took Special Delivery for a 90.5-point ride.

“I have watched that horse my whole life and I wanted to get on him,” Anderson said. “I was so excited when I drew him here. I don’t have a record anywhere.”

Aug. 13 was the Canadian cowboy’s first trip to the FCPR, and he made a good impression.

“The scores are up to the judges,” he said. “I knew if I rode him good, it would turn out good. It was better than I expected.”

Anderson, who is sitting 14th in the standings, with less than a $2,000 lead over the 15th man, is working toward his first NFR.

Barrel racing

Jessi Fish had the hot run of the night with a 17.28-second run, but it was the mother-daughter duo of Jodi and Josie Goodrich of Stanfield that had the crowd cheering.

Jodi, riding her new horse, Ringo, turned in a time of 18.38 seconds, while her daughter Josie, and her horse Keeper, covered the route in 17.79 seconds.

Josie, who is riding on her permit, competed at the FCPR for the first time.

Bareback riding

Bodee Lammers, who is riding on his PRCA permit, took over the lead in the event with a score of 88 on Scarlet Lady.

“That was a really good horse,” the Texas cowboy said. “I had never been on her before. My travel partner (Jacob Lees) was 86 on her in Reno.”

Lees finished second on the night with an 86 on Bucking Knight.

Being that he is on his permit, and at a Columbia River Circuit rodeo, Lammers got his entry fee paid by the rodeo committee, received a $25 gas card and dinner at the hospitality tent.

The cowboys also earn points for an end-of-season award. There are 12 CRC rodeos.

“That really helps a lot,” Lammers said. “I don’t have to worry how I’m going to pay for the next rodeo.”

Bull riding

Ruger Piva rode Louisiana Lighting to win the event with a score of 83 — edging out Jordan Hansen’s 82.5 on Jackpot.

The Idaho cowboy said it felt almost like cheating since he’d seen Louisiana Lightning compete multiple times and was good friends with someone who had ridden him before.

“He said he’s gonna fake hard right really hard then come back left and it should eat him up,” Piva said. “And, it worked.”

Piva is in the top 10 in the world standings and said he slept for most of the day since he knew he’d have a bucking bull. He felt pretty confident coming in, but to keep the rankings up, he said he just needs to keep riding consistently.

In the coming weeks he’ll be doing events in Canby, Caldwell and Moses Lake. “It’s gonna be going fast and hard the rest of the year and I just got to be ready for it,” he said.

Team roping

The fastest time of the night went to Brenten Hall of Jay, Oklahoma, and Chase Tryan of Helena, Montana, with a time of 4.5 seconds.

“The steer stayed straight and made slow speed,” Tryan said, “made it really easy to deal with”

According to Tryan, they didn’t really know their steer and weren’t sure how to handle him since it was one of the only ones they didn’t watch Aug. 13. But Tryan said that it was almost better to not know your steer since it won’t get in your head.

“Just gotta react to what the cow’s going to do,” he said. “He was good feed-wise, just right down the middle. Brenten got it on him as fast as he could and it made it really easy for me as a heeler.”

Tryan, who has competed at the NFR four times, and Hall, who has made two trips, have been roping together since 2018 and have found some success together.

“He’s one of the best headers in the world so it’s super easy for me to go for him,” Tryan said.

Tryan, who has competed at the FCPR many times, said that he loves the rodeo and that the crowd and arena are great.

“It’s just a fun one.”

Tie-down roping

Quade Hiatt shot out of the gate to tie down his steer and win the event in a blazing time of 7.6 seconds.

Hiatt, who drove all the way from his home of Canyon, Texas, will be heading to Omak, Washington, next and will be attending the Pendleton Round-Up in September.

The only competitor to go under nine seconds, Hiatt said that he was trying to keep it simple and stay relaxed for his event.

“I just try not to think about anything,” Hiatt said.