Ryan Divish
Havre Daily News Sports Editor
rdivish@havredailynews.com
Troy Solomon made sure that the local talent wouldn't be shut out at the Great Northern Stampede rodeo this past weekend. The Havre cowboy opened Saturday's competition with a scintillating ride atop Outcast to pick up a score of 79.
Although it was early in the competition, Solomon's score would hold up over the next two days. Solomon's performance improved his second place standing in the Montana Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association bareback standings. His closest competition would come from fellow Havre resident Ben Richmond, who scored a 77 atop Tee in Sunday night's performance. Another Havre cowboy, Scott Owens, finished fourth with a score of 71.
Solomon would be the only local competitor to win an event. The only other local competitor who picked up prize money was Harlem's Kevin Keller in the saddle bronc. Keller finished tied for third with a score of 75. The event was won by Jake Costello of Newell, S. D., who had a thrilling ride aboard High Country on Saturday night.
In the steer wrestling, Shawn Downing of Townsend and Daniel Yates of Red Lodge finished in a tie for first with a time of 4.1 seconds.
In the roping events, brothers Cody and Colt Tew took home the event with a time of 6.5 seconds, while Bryant Mikkelson of Great Falls won the tie-down roping with a 10.2 seconds.
The barrel racing featured almost all of the top racers in the MPRCA barrel standings with Mercedes Knutson finishing first overall with a time of 17.17. She edged Mikell Haugen of Melstone, who finished with a 17.18, while Charlotte Barry of Cut Bank was third with a 17.21.
In the always popular bull riding, Steve Lambert of Bozeman rode to a score of 85 on a bull called Bonus. Cole Burman of Glendive was second with a score 82.
Great Northern Stampede Rodeo
Bareback
1. Troy Solomon, Havre 79
2. Ben Richmond, Havre 77
3. Ben Wrzesinski, Boulder 72
4. Scott Owens, Havre 71
Steer Wrestling
1. (tie) Shawn Downing, Townsend 4.1
Daniel Yates, Red Lodge 4.1
3. Jaren Whitman, Belgrade 4.3
4. E.P. Luchsinger, Red Lodge 4.4
Saddle Bronc
1. Jake Costello, Newell, S.D. 85
2. Boe Reeverts, Browning 79
3. (tie) Keving Keller, Harlem 75
Jarrett Monroe, Dillon 75
Jake Hayworth, St. Anthony, ID 75
Colt Moedl, Laurel 75
Tie-down Roping
1. Bryant Mikkelson, Great Falls 10.2
2. Ross Eickhoff, Grass Range 10.4
3. Casey Currey, Jordan 10.7
4. (tie) Sam Levine, Wolf Creek 11.5
Ryle Harms, Livingston 11.5
Team Roping
1. Cody Tew, Belgrade/Colt Tew, Belgrade 6.5
2. Cleve Fuller, Augusta/John Robertson/Billings 7.0
3. Shayne Bishop, Dodson/Chris Barthelmess, Malta 7.3
4. Rob Kountz, Bozeman/Travis Dempsey, Bozeman 10.8
Barrel Racing
1. Mercedes Knutson, Bozeman 17.17
2. Mikell Haugen, Melstone 17.18
3. Charlotte Barry, Cut Bank 17.21
4. Darcy Mapston, Geyser 17.31
5. Raelen Konzak, Geyser 17.38
6. Donna Leibrand, Peerless 17.38
7. Darae Larson, Belt 17.39
8. Donna Johnson, Belt 17.43
Bull Riding
1. Steve Lambert, Bozeman 85
2. Cole Burman, Glendive 82
3. P.J. Morrion Jr., Libby 79
4. Craig Dalgarno, Harlowton 77
