Elshere brand stays on Ram Badlands Circuit Finals
MINOT, ND – Ryan Elshere hung on to win the 2011 Badlands Circuit year-end championship in saddle bronc riding “by something like $177,” and if you believe in numerical patterns, you might just as well write down Elshere’s name for the 2012 title as well.
His younger brother, J.J. Elshere, won the year-end title in 2007-08 and cousin Cole Elshere followed in 2009-10. This was Ryan’s breakthrough win after eight years of making it to the circuit finals. That name is Elshere … sounds something like All Share.
“I’ve finished second three times I think,” said Ryan Elshere, 35, “so it’s a relief to finally get one. It’s fun competing against family. We have a good relationship. We’re always joking around and helping each other.
“It wouldn’t hurt my feelings at all if I followed their example and won it again next year. That would be all right. I’m still holding together, still in one piece. I’ve got a few more years in me. We’ll see.”
Elshere wrapped up his win by finishing second to Ty Manke in the average at the Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo Oct. 6-9 against a field that – in addition to family – included Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers Jesse Bail and Chuck Schmidt.
Elshere totaled 248 points on three head; he was bucked off in the fourth round after earning checks in each of the first three. Elshere won the third round with an 86-point ride on Sutton Rodeos’ Tinker Bell.
“How am I going to celebrate?” Elshere said. “Well, I’ve got a six-hour drive home (to Elm Springs, SD). Then I’ll get the kids to bed and get up tomorrow and go back to work on the ranch.”
He just did all of that with a little bit bigger smile on his face than usual.
For Clay Cowan of Highmore, SD, winning the average championship in steer wrestling came with a little greater emotional charge. He was riding the circuit’s Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year, Cruiser, who belonged to his late friend Levi Wisness, a fellow bulldogger who died of cancer in 2008.
“I used to rodeo with Levi,” Cowan said. “It means a lot to ride Cruiser,” especially with Wisness’ parents, Milo and Julie, in the stands. His time of 17.8 seconds on four head was enough to win the average by a full second over Tyler Haugen.
With an additional fourth-place finish in the tie-down roping average, Cowan was also the rodeo’s all-around champion with earnings of $4,929.
The other winners of the Ram BCFR average titles at the State Fair Center were bareback rider Mac Erickson (314 points on four head), team ropers Brady Williams and Ryan Zurcher (22.1 seconds on four head), tie-down roper Justin Scofield (38.7 seconds on four head), bull rider Shawn Coleman (232 points on three head) and barrel racer Lisa Lockhart (52.91 seconds on four runs).
In addition to Elshere, the Badlands Circuit year-end championships went to bareback rider Joe Gunderson, steer wrestler Seth Murphy, team ropers Preston Billadeau and Jared Bilby, tie-down roper Scofield, bull rider Charles Zoss and barrel racer Lockhart.
Billadeau, of Parshall, ND, donated all of his prize money from the Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo ($1,896) to a fund established to assist those in Minot who lost their homes during massive flooding earlier this year.
MINOT, ND – Ryan Elshere hung on to win the 2011 Badlands Circuit year-end championship in saddle bronc riding “by something like $177,” and if you believe in numerical patterns, you might just as well write down Elshere’s name for the 2012 title as well.
His younger brother, J.J. Elshere, won the year-end title in 2007-08 and cousin Cole Elshere followed in 2009-10. This was Ryan’s breakthrough win after eight years of making it to the circuit finals. That name is Elshere … sounds something like All Share.
“I’ve finished second three times I think,” said Ryan Elshere, 35, “so it’s a relief to finally get one. It’s fun competing against family. We have a good relationship. We’re always joking around and helping each other.
“It wouldn’t hurt my feelings at all if I followed their example and won it again next year. That would be all right. I’m still holding together, still in one piece. I’ve got a few more years in me. We’ll see.”
Elshere wrapped up his win by finishing second to Ty Manke in the average at the Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo Oct. 6-9 against a field that – in addition to family – included Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers Jesse Bail and Chuck Schmidt.
Elshere totaled 248 points on three head; he was bucked off in the fourth round after earning checks in each of the first three. Elshere won the third round with an 86-point ride on Sutton Rodeos’ Tinker Bell.
“How am I going to celebrate?” Elshere said. “Well, I’ve got a six-hour drive home (to Elm Springs, SD). Then I’ll get the kids to bed and get up tomorrow and go back to work on the ranch.”
He just did all of that with a little bit bigger smile on his face than usual.
For Clay Cowan of Highmore, SD, winning the average championship in steer wrestling came with a little greater emotional charge. He was riding the circuit’s Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year, Cruiser, who belonged to his late friend Levi Wisness, a fellow bulldogger who died of cancer in 2008.
“I used to rodeo with Levi,” Cowan said. “It means a lot to ride Cruiser,” especially with Wisness’ parents, Milo and Julie, in the stands. His time of 17.8 seconds on four head was enough to win the average by a full second over Tyler Haugen.
With an additional fourth-place finish in the tie-down roping average, Cowan was also the rodeo’s all-around champion with earnings of $4,929.
The other winners of the Ram BCFR average titles at the State Fair Center were bareback rider Mac Erickson (314 points on four head), team ropers Brady Williams and Ryan Zurcher (22.1 seconds on four head), tie-down roper Justin Scofield (38.7 seconds on four head), bull rider Shawn Coleman (232 points on three head) and barrel racer Lisa Lockhart (52.91 seconds on four runs).
In addition to Elshere, the Badlands Circuit year-end championships went to bareback rider Joe Gunderson, steer wrestler Seth Murphy, team ropers Preston Billadeau and Jared Bilby, tie-down roper Scofield, bull rider Charles Zoss and barrel racer Lockhart.
Billadeau, of Parshall, ND, donated all of his prize money from the Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo ($1,896) to a fund established to assist those in Minot who lost their homes during massive flooding earlier this year.
