Round Five

Pink Jhett Flies

No matter what you think about “Pink Night” in rodeo you have to admire Wrangler for the millions of dollars donated toward cancer research by selling pink clothes to “tough” cowboys and girls. One Wyoming tough hombre is in the pink and sharing lots of wide smiles after a round five win at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas Monday night.

Not long after he finished college in Oklahoma, Jhett Johnson of Casper was diagnosed with testicular cancer and was told he might not live two years. Successful surgery and treatment ensued. We are all most grateful the big fellow remains at, and on, our side. He and partner Turtle Powell blew the roof off the Thomas & Mack Center Monday after a sizzling run of 3.8 seconds:

Jhett Monday 5th .mp4

Johnson and Powell have eclipsed the $60,000 mark for national finals money and inched up to third overall in the world standings.

Bronc Stompin’Fun

Wyoming horses had a hay day in the Monday night edition of the finals. A horse called “Chugwater Blue” owned by the Burns Rodeo Co. of Laramie was handled by the hottest rider in Las Vegas – Jesse Wright – for a 90-point delight and best saddle bronc ride of the night. Blue’s owner J.D. Hamaker willed the draw for Wright who has now won three rounds in a row:

Chugwater Blue Monday 5th .mp4

The darlin’ of BIG WYO, Miss Congeniality, proved her meddle in round five as she was crammed in the box far longer than the (pardon us) big girl wanted. But the star of Powder River Rodeo Company’s stable came out with a vengeance sending her rider to an early swirl of arena dirt:

Miss C Monday the 5th.mp4

Miller Maintains

Lance Creek’s Jason Miller stayed consistent much like his championship tilt in 2007 and finished a steer wrestling run in 4 seconds for fourth-place money of $7,500 Monday. Miller has won more than $56,000 so far in Vegas. Would that one of us could ever cite such success in Sin City.

Burch Bull Bucks

The Burch Bros. of Rozet, WY own some highly talented bucking bulls with, well, unique names. It was “Zombie Zoo” to the rescue Monday in a match with reigning world champ J.W. Harris who - fractured foot and all – manned up to the extreme:

JW Harris Monday the 5th.mp4

Harris and Zombie were scored at 90.5 to win the round.