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Abe Dillman breaks through at Dodge Badlands Circuit FInals Rodeo

Abe Dillman drew a bull named Transformer for the final round of the Oct. 7-10 Dodge Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, and it turned out to be a transformative moment in the young cowboy’s career.

Dillman, a 20-year-old PRCA rookie, rode the big Korkow Rodeos bull for 86 points, and that was enough to win the four-head average at Minot, ND, and hold off Tater Hins for the year-end Badlands Circuit title.

“I came here and just wanted to place in the top four each night,” Dillman told the Minot Daily News. “I knew I’d be in good shape with the money, and I’d really like to go to the (Dodge National) Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City next spring, so I was pretty excited to cover that last one.”



Dillman placed fourth in the first round, tied for third in the second round and was bucked off in the third go at the All Seasons Arena before locking up the average with that pressure-filled ride in the finale.

He and two-time Badlands Circuit year-end champion Charles Zoss were the only two cowboys to complete three rides. Dillman had 239 total points to Zoss’ 226.



“I wasn’t going to let go,” Dillman said. “I wanted the average really bad. I just gave it my best, and even if I fell off, I still tried 110 percent.”

Dillman, of Grassy Butte, wasn’t the only North Dakota rookie to have a breakthrough weekend in Minot. Tie-down roper Seth Jack Murphy, of South Heart, endured an extremely tight battle in the four-head average to earn a berth in the DNCFR.

Murphy’s total time of 41.1 seconds on four head was just three-tenths of a second quicker than Preston Billadeau and Tyler Thiel, who tied for second place, and five-tenths faster than fourth-place Dane Kissack.

Murphy won two rounds on his way to finishing fourth in the steer wrestling average and won the all-around title at Minot with weekend earnings of $5,672.

Bareback rider Scott Montague closed out his sixth year-end title by winning the average with 320 points on four head. He will make his eighth trip to the DNCFR.

The other champions at the Dodge Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo were steer wrestler Clay Cowan (18.5 seconds on four head), team ropers Jeff Johnston and Quincy Opela (24.6 seconds on four head), Wrangler NFR saddle bronc rider J.J. Elshere (323 points on four head) and barrel racer Lisa Lockhart (53.42 seconds on four runs).

Abe Dillman drew a bull named Transformer for the final round of the Oct. 7-10 Dodge Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, and it turned out to be a transformative moment in the young cowboy’s career.

Dillman, a 20-year-old PRCA rookie, rode the big Korkow Rodeos bull for 86 points, and that was enough to win the four-head average at Minot, ND, and hold off Tater Hins for the year-end Badlands Circuit title.

“I came here and just wanted to place in the top four each night,” Dillman told the Minot Daily News. “I knew I’d be in good shape with the money, and I’d really like to go to the (Dodge National) Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City next spring, so I was pretty excited to cover that last one.”

Dillman placed fourth in the first round, tied for third in the second round and was bucked off in the third go at the All Seasons Arena before locking up the average with that pressure-filled ride in the finale.

He and two-time Badlands Circuit year-end champion Charles Zoss were the only two cowboys to complete three rides. Dillman had 239 total points to Zoss’ 226.

“I wasn’t going to let go,” Dillman said. “I wanted the average really bad. I just gave it my best, and even if I fell off, I still tried 110 percent.”

Dillman, of Grassy Butte, wasn’t the only North Dakota rookie to have a breakthrough weekend in Minot. Tie-down roper Seth Jack Murphy, of South Heart, endured an extremely tight battle in the four-head average to earn a berth in the DNCFR.

Murphy’s total time of 41.1 seconds on four head was just three-tenths of a second quicker than Preston Billadeau and Tyler Thiel, who tied for second place, and five-tenths faster than fourth-place Dane Kissack.

Murphy won two rounds on his way to finishing fourth in the steer wrestling average and won the all-around title at Minot with weekend earnings of $5,672.

Bareback rider Scott Montague closed out his sixth year-end title by winning the average with 320 points on four head. He will make his eighth trip to the DNCFR.

The other champions at the Dodge Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo were steer wrestler Clay Cowan (18.5 seconds on four head), team ropers Jeff Johnston and Quincy Opela (24.6 seconds on four head), Wrangler NFR saddle bronc rider J.J. Elshere (323 points on four head) and barrel racer Lisa Lockhart (53.42 seconds on four runs).

Abe Dillman drew a bull named Transformer for the final round of the Oct. 7-10 Dodge Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, and it turned out to be a transformative moment in the young cowboy’s career.

Dillman, a 20-year-old PRCA rookie, rode the big Korkow Rodeos bull for 86 points, and that was enough to win the four-head average at Minot, ND, and hold off Tater Hins for the year-end Badlands Circuit title.

“I came here and just wanted to place in the top four each night,” Dillman told the Minot Daily News. “I knew I’d be in good shape with the money, and I’d really like to go to the (Dodge National) Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City next spring, so I was pretty excited to cover that last one.”

Dillman placed fourth in the first round, tied for third in the second round and was bucked off in the third go at the All Seasons Arena before locking up the average with that pressure-filled ride in the finale.

He and two-time Badlands Circuit year-end champion Charles Zoss were the only two cowboys to complete three rides. Dillman had 239 total points to Zoss’ 226.

“I wasn’t going to let go,” Dillman said. “I wanted the average really bad. I just gave it my best, and even if I fell off, I still tried 110 percent.”

Dillman, of Grassy Butte, wasn’t the only North Dakota rookie to have a breakthrough weekend in Minot. Tie-down roper Seth Jack Murphy, of South Heart, endured an extremely tight battle in the four-head average to earn a berth in the DNCFR.

Murphy’s total time of 41.1 seconds on four head was just three-tenths of a second quicker than Preston Billadeau and Tyler Thiel, who tied for second place, and five-tenths faster than fourth-place Dane Kissack.

Murphy won two rounds on his way to finishing fourth in the steer wrestling average and won the all-around title at Minot with weekend earnings of $5,672.

Bareback rider Scott Montague closed out his sixth year-end title by winning the average with 320 points on four head. He will make his eighth trip to the DNCFR.

The other champions at the Dodge Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo were steer wrestler Clay Cowan (18.5 seconds on four head), team ropers Jeff Johnston and Quincy Opela (24.6 seconds on four head), Wrangler NFR saddle bronc rider J.J. Elshere (323 points on four head) and barrel racer Lisa Lockhart (53.42 seconds on four runs).