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Jess Jones clinches second Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo saddle bronce title

OAKDALE, CA – There will always be something special about the “Cowboy Capital of the World” for saddle bronc rider Jess Jones.

Jones of Spring Creek, NV, has claimed the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo title twice in the last four years, and it’s where he met his wife, Katie.

“I stayed over to celebrate when I won in 2008, and she was at one of the get-togethers,” Jones said. “We’ve been married for over a year now, and we have a son, Keston.”



Katie didn’t live in Oakdale. She was down from Livermore, in the Bay Area, visiting friends. It was pure chance they met. And that’s sort of how Jones sees his run of luck in the arena on East F Street.

Oakdale is the most prestigious title Jones has won in his nine years as a PRCA member, and he’s won it twice. Apart from winning the progressive round at the Reno Rodeo in 2004, it has also provided the two biggest checks of his career.



His 81-point ride on Flying U Rodeo’s Laurel Canyon paid $1,959 when the rodeo concluded on April 10.

“I work a lot of hours in the summer as a farrier and horse trainer,” Jones said, “and the closest I can come to guessing why I have success at this (spring) rodeo is maybe it’s early enough in the year that I’m not worn out from shoeing horses all day.

“There is a bit of luck involved, and a lot of that comes down to drawing right.”

It’s an eight-hour drive from his home near Elko, NV, and Jones only decided to make the trek to Oakdale once he knew he’d drawn a good one.

Ad Bugenig had been bucked off Laurel Canyon at Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco last fall, and traveling partner Max Filippini, from Battle Mountain, NV, was 0-for-2 against the horse. Both vouched for his ability to produce check-winning points.

“I figured I’d better make the trek,” Jones said. “My wife was really happy when I called to tell her I’d won ‘our’ rodeo.”

The other champions were all-around cowboy Blake Hirdes ($1,930 in team roping and tie-down roping), bareback rider Cody DeMers (82 points), steer wrestler Garrett Boekenoogen (10.1 seconds on two head), team ropers Britt Williams and Derick Fleming (11.2 seconds on two head), tie-down roper Monty Lewis (18.6 seconds on two head), bull rider Cody Whitney (80 points) and barrel racer Christina Richman (17.39 seconds).

OAKDALE, CA – There will always be something special about the “Cowboy Capital of the World” for saddle bronc rider Jess Jones.

Jones of Spring Creek, NV, has claimed the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo title twice in the last four years, and it’s where he met his wife, Katie.

“I stayed over to celebrate when I won in 2008, and she was at one of the get-togethers,” Jones said. “We’ve been married for over a year now, and we have a son, Keston.”

Katie didn’t live in Oakdale. She was down from Livermore, in the Bay Area, visiting friends. It was pure chance they met. And that’s sort of how Jones sees his run of luck in the arena on East F Street.

Oakdale is the most prestigious title Jones has won in his nine years as a PRCA member, and he’s won it twice. Apart from winning the progressive round at the Reno Rodeo in 2004, it has also provided the two biggest checks of his career.

His 81-point ride on Flying U Rodeo’s Laurel Canyon paid $1,959 when the rodeo concluded on April 10.

“I work a lot of hours in the summer as a farrier and horse trainer,” Jones said, “and the closest I can come to guessing why I have success at this (spring) rodeo is maybe it’s early enough in the year that I’m not worn out from shoeing horses all day.

“There is a bit of luck involved, and a lot of that comes down to drawing right.”

It’s an eight-hour drive from his home near Elko, NV, and Jones only decided to make the trek to Oakdale once he knew he’d drawn a good one.

Ad Bugenig had been bucked off Laurel Canyon at Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco last fall, and traveling partner Max Filippini, from Battle Mountain, NV, was 0-for-2 against the horse. Both vouched for his ability to produce check-winning points.

“I figured I’d better make the trek,” Jones said. “My wife was really happy when I called to tell her I’d won ‘our’ rodeo.”

The other champions were all-around cowboy Blake Hirdes ($1,930 in team roping and tie-down roping), bareback rider Cody DeMers (82 points), steer wrestler Garrett Boekenoogen (10.1 seconds on two head), team ropers Britt Williams and Derick Fleming (11.2 seconds on two head), tie-down roper Monty Lewis (18.6 seconds on two head), bull rider Cody Whitney (80 points) and barrel racer Christina Richman (17.39 seconds).