Earlier this month, the Lincoln County Fairgrounds played host to the Lincoln County Fair and Rodeo. Dozens of participants showed up on those two days to compete for the buckle and fortune, but only a talented few walked away with a prize.
The rodeo royalty court was comprised of Queen Brianna Holmgren and her attendant, Faith Griffin; Princess Trinity Brackenbury and her attendant, Macy Bundy; and Tiny Princess Adlee Robinson and her attendant, Charlee Mason.
During the junior rodeo an energetic group of youngsters showed off their skills. Tru Richards and Raelynn Yellowhorse respectively won in the boys and girls 5-8-year-old age group. CJ Christian and Josie Lindbury respectively won in the boys and girls 9-13-yearold age group. Destry Mason and Wylee Mitchell respectively won in the boys and girls 14-18-year-old age group.
Tyler Bundy, who gave the crowd a great show, won the buckle for bareback bronc riding. He earned it without a doubt, despite being the only one to ride.
While the competition was fierce in the barrel racing, Rita Cheeney came out on top. In the breakaways, due to her consistent results and talent, Aspyn Civil ended up with the buckle.
Bull riding was as intense as usual, but Tye Hardy’s talented ride on Friday night was enough to catapult him into the winner’s circle.
Due to his consistency and focus, Tony Steele won the calf roping. Joel Baer then took the ranch saddle bronc buckle, followed by John Burkholtz’s saddle bronc win. Finally, the roping teams took to their saddles, with Justin and Rawlan Platt’s team emerging victorious.
The combined efforts of Alan Cole, Eric Bernal and Logan Reifsnyfer won the wild cow milking prize.
But cowboys and cowgirls weren’t the only ones fighting for the prize in this year’s festivities. The cow dog trials, held on Aug. 7, were attended by a wide variety of canine competitors. With prizes ranging from $333 all the way up to $1,232, there was a lot at stake for these pups, but they came to win and they showed it. A dog named Drover, owned by Clint Johnson of Baker City, Oregon, won in the open category. In the young dog/nursery competition, the winner was a pup named Penny, owned by Loren Holmes of Red Bluff California. In the started/intermediate group, the winner was Willow from Granite Bay California, owned by Elliot Roberts. Last but not least, local dog Wik, owned by Jared Brackenbury of Caliente, won the rancher/novice category.
All in all, the competitors put on a good show, and while there were a handful of minor injuries, everyone was able to walk away from the event with the same enthusiasm and grit they had when they arrived, if not more.
