Gallup Ceremonial Rodeo

Daswood wins all-around championship

By Quentin Jodie
Navajo Times

CHURCH ROCK, N.M., Aug. 18, 2011

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(Times photo - Leigh T. Jimmie)

TOP: Shoshane Kee, of Jeddito, Ariz., rides for a score of 65 in the saddle-bronc event at the Navajo Nation Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo at Red Rock Park on Sunday, Aug. 14, in Church Rock, N.M.

BOTTOM: Kyle Smith, of Mulholland Wells, N.M., uses muscle to down the steer at the Navajo Nation Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo at Red Rock Park on Sunday, Aug. 14, in Church Rock, N.M.




It seemed like the perfect opportunity.

After a slow start to the rodeo season, Dee Dee Daswood had to put her trust back into her barrel-racing horse.

Before Sunday afternoon's performance at the 90th Annual Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial rodeo, Daswood always felt that her horse, Leo, had an edge but many times he's been caught out of position.

"He's been kind of on the low lately," Daswood said. "We've been running here and there, but he's not up to speed like he was last summer. He's been out of the money by making little mistakes here and there."

Those mistakes were still there as Leo overshot the second and third barrels but, according to Daswood, he remained persistent.

And when it was all said and done, they finished their run in 16.31 seconds, which was more than enough to garner second-place honors behind Charmayne Gene, who turned in a sizzling 15.93 run.

"We couldn't catch Charmayne today, but that's pretty cool," Daswood said. "Maybe he'll start to turn things around."

As it turned out, that run capped a good day for Daswood as she placed second in the breakaway roping with a 3.73-second run on her roping horse Tom.

"The only thing I changed today was my rope," Daswood said. "For some reason that rope felt a little better, but you know all the credit goes to my horse because he put me in that position to take that shot."

In the end, it also earned Daswood her second consecutive Ceremonial all-around title as she beat out Donnie Barney in total money. The Gallup cowgirl pocketed $1,722 while Barney took home $1,354.96 by placing third in the tie-down roping and fourth in the team roping.

"It's pretty cool, but I want to thank the Lord for blessing me today," Daswood said of winning the all-around title.

In an unusual twist, the steer-wrestling event had three doggers re-do their runs because of a malfunctioning barrier.

"That barrier was coming back and grabbing our legs as we were getting off," said Kyle Smith. "So they gave us a re-dog."



Smith said it's happened to him before at other rodeos but when it happened to William Jim and Hollis Jodie, he knew something was wrong with the barrier.

"If it was just me and nobody else you know that wouldn't have been the case," Smith said. "A lot of guys weren't too happy about that but it's about leveling the playing field."

That re-dog earned Smith another opportunity and he made it work with a quick 3.98-second throw, which earned him the title and a $1,093.60 paycheck.

Smith's run replaced the 4.03-second run by Reg Guy of Chinle, who pocketed $895.20.

Friday afternoon, leader Myron Lee ($596.80) dropped to third with his 4.63-second run followed by Michael Bates' ($298.40), who clocked a time of 5.20 seconds.

April Willie of Standing Rock, N.M., was crowned the breakaway champion after producing a 2.73-second run that paid her $1,033.20 ahead of all-around champion Dee Dee Daswood, who won $861 with her 3.73 second run.

With a time of 3.99 seconds, Theresa John claimed the third-place prize of $688.5, while Latasha Long ($516.60) and Twila Jones ($344.40) rounded out the money winners with a 5.05 and 6.69-second runs respectively.

With a quick time of 9.82 seconds, former world champion Garrison Begay made it look easy as he claimed the tie-down roping title.

"I just went out there and I just tried to make a run," Begay said. "I like going to this rodeo in Red Rock State Park and I basically just went out there to complete my run and hope for the best because the calves were running good and there was good competition out there."

By nailing down the fastest time, Begay picked up a hefty $1,230.40 paycheck while Leroy Etsitty took home $922.80 for his 10.76-second run.

In third place, Donnie Barney netted $615.20 with his 11.60 seconds ahead of Brandon Bates, who pocketed $307.60 with his 11.88 second run.

In the barrel racing, Charmayne Gene took the field by storm as she was the only cowgirl to complete her run under 16 seconds. The Salina Springs, Ariz., cowgirl crossed the finish line in 15.93 seconds to claim the top prize of $1,033.

All-around champion Dee Dee Daswood ($861) came in next with a 16.31 run followed by Winterblossom Chee, who netted $688.80 with her run of 16.39 seconds. In fourth place, Geneva Tsoularakis took home the $516.60 prize after negotiating the cloverleaf pattern in 16.40 seconds, while Vanessa Begay earned $344.40 with a 16.42-second showing.

In the bareback event, Shawn Benally rode Baywatch for 72 points to earn the top prize of $796.80. In a two-way tie for second place, Ferlin Tsosie and Clifford Williams both recorded 67-point rides on their respective draws.

Tsosie got on board Cinch while Williams stuck with the horse they call Six as both cowboys walked away with $265.

Unlike the saddle bronc, Holbrook High senior Shoshane Kee produced the only score in the bareback event. The 18 year-old from Jeddito, Ariz., picked up a $576 paycheck by covering Rampage for eight seconds.

"He was a good horse to get on, but he kind of died out at the end," Kee said.

In the bull riding, Shawntay Henry rode Tombstone Two for 75 points and picked up a $1,254 paycheck, while Matthew Jones won $1,045 with his 67-point ride on Smooth Criminal.

Twin Lakes, N.M., team roper Wes Dayzie happened to be at the right place at the right time. It just seemed that way for Dayzie as he got an opportunity to rope with Myles John.

"I didn't know I was going to rope with him, but (John) was missing his partner," Dayzie said.

As a last minute replacement, Dayzie did his part and after the dust settled both ropers split $2,642 with the 5.03-second run they produced.

"We just made a good run at it," Dayzie said. "Everything about it was quick."

In second place, the team-roping combo of Aaron Tsinnijinnie and Victor Begay split $2,219.28 with the 5.73 run they turned in. Edison Begay and Art Sells shared $1,796.56 on their 6.15 run.

With a 6.21 second run, Donnie Barney and Karlex Capitan split the fourth-place prize of $1,479.52 while Johnny Samuel and Vern Begay shared $1,162.48 on their 6.45 run. The team of Shawn Shirley and Leonard Williams Jr. split $845.44 with the 6.51-second run they produced while Roderick Tso and Stanion Tso ($422.72) rounded out the money winners with a 6.54-second run.

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