Moses Lake Round Up rounds out weekend
Joe Rosenburg has been around the block.
After winning the Columbia River Circuit steer-wrestling competition last year, the 54-year old Pendleton, Ore. resident is on the verge of calling it quits. Saturday night at the 61st Moses Lake Round Up, Rosenburg just missed the money list after posting a 4.9 ride in the steer wrestling competition.
It was Teddy Johnson of Checotah, Okla. who brought in the $2,338.71 first-place prize money in the event. But, even with a blank finish, the old-timer in the group was able to put the heat on.
"I just refuse to feel old. If you let age get to you, you get old," Rosenburg said. "I have done it for many years and don't want to quit yet."
It has been 41 years in the business, turning the cowboy dream into a weekend reality while maintaining a business during the week. As a hobby, Rosenburg has moved to fifth in the Columbia River Ciruit with an opportunity to defend his win from last year.
But, this might be the last year for the oldest steer wrestler at Saturday's competition. This time, family reasons have pressured Rosenburg into finally hanging up his hat, but hasn't ruled out one big run for the National Finals Rodeo, an event the 41-year veteran has never made.
"If I have a big sponsor next year like Ford next year or a bigger sponsor to help send me down the road, I will continue with it," Rosenburg said.
Rosenburg was one of 403 entries at the Moses Lake Round Up, making it the biggest number of contestants the rodeo has had in its 61-year history. The Columbia Basin Rodeo Association and the Moses Lake Round Up rolled the dice this year and got the result it wanted.
The biggest change was the stock contractors, signing with Corey and Horst early this year. That change, included with the increase in total winnings drew a record number of contestants to Moses Lake.
Rob Weber, president of the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association, tipped the hat toward the stock contractors f#3Ae#cP
"Mike and # *n Corey have to be the best people to work with because in their heart, they want everything to be bigger, better and more beautiful and I think we attained that," Weber said.
The three-day event witnessed a total of 403 cowboys, up from last year's ##### and gave out a total of $67,918 to 65 cowboys and cowgirls.
"This is how they make their living and the more money you hand out, the more cowboys you get," Weber added. "The more cowboys and the better stock bring in better crowds."
The gamble to switch contractors proved its worth, allowing Corey and Horst and the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association to take the Moses Lake Round Up to a new level.
"Whenever you make a change, you hope to make a change for a positive future," Weber added.
Results for the Moses Lake Round Up
Bareback
1. Nate Graves $2,141.67
2. Joe Ketter 1,641.94
3. Cleve Schmidt 1,213.61
4. Tim Wilkinson 785.27
Total purse: 7,138.90
Saddle Bronc
1. Josh Reynolds $2,121.30
2. David Howard 1,626.33
3. Bobby Griswold 989.94
4. Josh MacKenzie 989.94
Total purse: 7,071.00
Calf Roping
1. C.R. Bradley $2,251.01
2. Caddo Lewallen 1,957.40
3. Rusty Sewalt 1,663.79
4. Blair Burk 1,370.18
Total purse: 9,787.00
Steer wrestling
1. Teddy Johnson $2,338.71
2. K.C. Jones 1,969.44
3. Brandon Christensen 1,969.44
4. Lee Graves 1,600.17
Total purse: 12,309.00
Team Roping
1. David Motes/Bruce Zane $1,510.80 each
2. Clay Tryan/Bory Petska 1,510.80 each
3. Blaine Linaweaver/B.J. Campbell 1,510.80 each
4. Kevin Stewart/Richard Durham 881.30 each
Total purse: 12,590.00
Bull riding
1. Bryan Richardson $2,017.76
2. Shane Gordon 2,017.76
3. Cory Melton 1,294.41
4. Zeb Lanham 837.56
Total purse: 7,614.20
Barrel racing
1. Terri Kaye Kirkland $1,696.42
2. Pamela Capper 1,454.07
3. Tammy Key 1,211.73
4. Katy Bremner 1,050.16
Total purse: 8,078.20