Shad Bruhn holds on tight to take Corey and Horst

Basin's own Colby Reilly leads long round

MOSES LAKE - Bull riding fans had a lot to be proud of at Saturday's fifth annual Corey and Horst Rodeo Show.

With 18-year-old Colby Reilly from Stratford taking the lead in the long round on Demolition and Shad Bruhn from Roy, Wash., winning the short round on River Rat with a score of 89, the state and Basin were represented well at Saturday's event.

"That kid has got so much potential it's unbelievable," said announcer Wayne White with Wild West Events of Reilly's performance that got him a score of 88 in the long round, taking home nearly $1,000 of the purse. "He came within a half a second of riding (in the short round)," White added.

Of his own performance, Reilly, who has been bull riding since he was 13 or 14 years old, said the competition gave him his share of the challenge Saturday.

"It was tough," Reilly said. "There were a lot of good bull riders out there and I thought I gave a good effort."

"He's a good bull rider," Reilly added of Bruhn's performance.

When asked about the evening's competition, Bruhn said of Reilly and other up and coming riders that they have much to be proud of and will continue to get better with time.

"All those young kids are a lot better than all those old timers," Bruhn said, who himself took home $2,928 out of a $6,100 purse for both rounds. "They'll learn only with more experience." he added.

Reflecting on his own riding and ability to take the lead in the competition, Bruhn said "I just drew well."

"All (the riders) had a shot at getting in the short round," said Mike Corey, co-owner of Corey and Horst Rodeo Company, who prefers to see his bulls outlast the riders under the eight-second qualifying time. "You just got to get your bulls bucking harder."

But that wasn't a problem for Sugar Bear or Seven of Hearts, who both threw their riders within two to three seconds of bursting from the chutes.

"The guy that rides (either of them) is going to have to kick (it) into gear," White said.

The other top four qualifiers in the long round included Bruhn on Black Jack with 83, Cody Bequeath from Caldwell, Idaho., on Roundup with 82; Michael Sparks, also from Caldwell, Idaho., riding Life Saver with a score of 80; and Shane Proctor from Grand Coulee, Wash., on Buckin' Bob who scored 78.

Second to Bruhn in the short round, J.D. Reedy of Mead, Wash., came away with 83 points on Lucky Number Tuesday.

In between rounds, festivities also included giving away a Henrey Goldenboy Rifle which was given to the Moses Lake Roundup, one of the sponsors at Saturday's event.

This year Corey and Horst partnered with Wild West Events to put on the show, an opportunity that White said went well and really gave fans who packed the Kenny Ardell Pavilion, leaving only standing room, a taste of bull riding. "It was awesome; we had a good time," White said.