Published: May 13, 2008 09:24 am         

Loudon clear

Aussie bull rider comes out on top in rodeo’s main event – 2008 rodeo pays out more than $24,000 in prize winnings

From Staff Reports

Australian Kyle Loudon left town on Saturday with his jeans fitting a little tighter from the prize money he pocketed as the top bull rider in this year’s Mineral Wells Pro Rodeo.

Loudon won $1,185.93 after he was able to complete two rides in the event, scoring a 76 on Thursday night and an 86 on Saturday, the only one of three riders on the rodeo’s last night able to stay on for 8 seconds.

Loudon’s winnings were among $24,605 paid out to participants over the rodeo’s four-day run at the Palo Pinto County Livestock Association Arena that drew big crowds Friday and Saturday nights.

Dennis Foyil, of Guthrie, Okla., and Jared Keylon, of Fort Scott, Kan., each pocketed $545.30 after tying with scores of 83 in the bareback riding competition. Keylon is currently ranked 41st in bareback riding in the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association standings.

Weatherford’s Bradley Harter showed why he is ranked fourth in the world among saddlebronc riders, scoring a rodeo-best 86 points to take home $912.

Another cowboy who wasn’t worried about the cost of gas to get home Saturday was Granbury’s Blake Doyle, who had a combined score of 9.2 seconds, including a rodeo-best time of 3.7 in his first go, in the steer wrestling competition, earning him $734.66 in prize monies. Lipan’s Cody Redden tied for fourth overall in the event, collecting $107.71 with a combined two-performance time of 10.8 seconds.

Three of the top four tie-down ropers in this year’s rodeo hail from Stephenville. The top winner was Sterling Smith, who totaled 20.5 seconds in two successful attempts, winning $1,019.67 for his efforts. The other two tie-down ropers from Stephenville finishing in the top money were Ryle Smith, who took second overall, and fourth-place finisher Cimarron Boardman.

In the team roping event, the duo of header Scooter Nolen Jr., of Collinsville, Texas, and heeler Steve Ross, of Justin, Texas, each took home $1,033.60 for their two successful performances that resulted in a combined time of 12.6 seconds, including a flat 5-second effort in round one. Header Justin Parish, of Mineral Wells, and heeler partner Will Gasperson, of Decatur, finished second overall, earning $452.20 each with a combined time of 13.8 seconds.

In girls barrel racing, Margo Peters, of Stephenville, was the top prizewinner. Her score of 14.64 seconds won her $895.85. Another Stephenville cowgirl, Whitney Baker, finished third, collecting $662.15 for her 14.87 second performance.

In the local team roping event, header James Whitlow and heeler Jake Hineman won the day money on Friday and were the competition’s top team for the rodeo.

Named 2008 Rodeo Queen on Saturday night was Jacye Smith.