Sultry day three sees scorching bull and bareback performances

    American Pride night at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo bore witness to the first weekend crowd of the 2008 edition and to one of the most star-studded fields ever to hit Dodge City. As rodeo announcer Boyd Polhamus honored each branch of the United States Armed Forces, Blackhawk helicopters from Bravo Company in Salina flew over Roundup Arena as the crowd cheered in support of veterans and troops currently serving their country.
    After a tough start for the cowboys in the week's third installment of the bull riding competition, 19-year-old Jeston Mead of Ashalnd seized his moment in the Dodge sun when he completed an eight-second run aboard the bull Frontier Park and moved to the top of the week's point standings with his 87-point run.
    "He kind of got tangled with his horn on the way out and it was hard to stay on him," Mead said after his ride. "I just had to keep on him, he was good."
    But Mead's stint at the top of the week's points standings was short-lived. J.W. Harris of May, Texas capped off the night with one of only two eight-second rides in the second section of Friday's bull riding competition and a score of 89. Polhamus described Harris' run on the bull named Wolf as being one of "all speed and no control."
    Harris kept a healthy sense of skepticism while being congratulated by fellow bull riders when asked if he thought his score would keep him at the top of the standings until Sunday's short-go finals.
    "There's a lot of guys left to go," Harris said.
    No one challenged overall leader Bryce Segotta's 3.6 second run in Friday's steer wrestling competition. Only Tyler Pearson of Louisville, Miss. put up a fast enough time (a tidy 4.2 seconds) to help his aggregate time move into position for the short-go.
    Dave Worsford may have stolen the show when he moved into a tie for first in the bareback competition with Texan Jason Jeter after an 84-point ride on Guiding Light.
    Worsford, who is in his fourth professional season on the pro-rodeo circuit said that he got lucky to draw a pretty good horse and that the crowd in Dodge was great. Number one ranked bareback rider Steven Dent of Mullen, Neb. scored a 79 and may miss out on Sunday's big payday.
    "We've got more national qualifiers here this week than I've ever seen before in Dodge," said Roundup President R.C. Trotter. "I think it's because: one, we upped the payout, but also because guys realize they need to be here. There are four half-million dollar rodeos between here and [the National Finals Rodeo in] Las Vegas, and no lead is safe at this point."
    Another Aussie cowboy in Scott Keogh of Queensland tied for the best ride of the night with a score of 81. Casey McGooden of Doniphan, Neb. rode Bald Border to the other 81 on the night.
    "She was an outstanding horse," McGooden said of Bald Border. "I think I could have rode her a little better, but she was flawless for me."
    Keogh and McGooden appear to be safely in for Sunday's short-go, barring a rash of mid-80s runs in today's saddle bronc competition. 2008's PRCA leading money winner in saddle bronc competition Billy Etbauer still sits atop the Dodge City saddle Bronc standings with his 86 from Thursday.
    Ryan Watkins of Stephenville, Texas moved atop the three-day standings list in the tie-down roping competition with his 8.3-second run Friday, but Watkins was not impressed with his run.
    "It was OK, not that great for the calf I had," Watkins said of the run that put him into first place overall.
    The fastest time of Friday's team roping competition went to Charles Pogue and Britt Bockius, both of Oklahoma. They roped their steer in 5.3 seconds, and should be into the short-go with a similar run tomorrow.
    Cassie Moseley of Farwell, Texas moved into first place overall in barrel racing with her run of 16.96 seconds. With only one day of competition left before Sunday's short-go, those at the top of their respective leaderboards just need one more solid run to finish high in the money.