Ceremonial debut pays off for Utah cowboy

CHURCH ROCK, N.M. – Throughout his rodeo career, Clay Ramone had never competed in the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Rodeo.

And although he has roots in the Crownpoint area, Ramone grew up near Salt Lake City.

“I used to come down here two times a year to visit my nálís,” Ramone said. “But it’s a nine-hour drive from Salt Lake City.”

The 32 year-old cowboy made his Ceremonial debut worthwhile as he captured the bareback event by covering two horses for an aggregate score of 138 points.

“I’m sure I have some family here, so this is pretty special,” the Diné and Hoopa Valley Tribe native said.

Ramone won the first round with a 71-point ride on Friday afternoon aboard Wicked Stick, a Beshbetoh Bucking Horse product. On Sunday afternoon, he added another first-place win of 67 points on Poncho, a Key Ranch equine.

“That horse was strong, and he was long,” Ramone said of Poncho. “I knew that because my buddy drew him, and he turned him out on Friday. He didn’t want to get on him, so I knew my hands were full.”

For winning the Ceremonial, Ramone was awarded a trophy saddle, which is a first for him.

“I’ve never won a saddle before,” Ramone said. “This is the first time ever. I don’t win that many buckles either. Some of the amateur rodeos that I go to in the Salt Lake area only give out cash.”

Ramone wasn’t the only one to walk away with a saddle as the Ceremonial rodeo committee awarded 11 saddles at the conclusion of Sunday’s short round. All the major event winners and the men’s and women’s all-around winners took those coveted prizes home.

In the tie-down event, Dennis Boone won his first Ceremonial title with a two-run aggregate of 29.47 seconds. Boone placed third in the long go round with a 15.26 run. He then placed first in the short round with a 14.21 effort.

“I’ve been chasing this (title) since I moved here in 2010,” said Boone, who currently resides in the Tohatchi area.

“We had a longer score and fresher calves for the short round,” Boone said. “Everything kind of went right for me.”

The bull dogging crown went to Hawaii cowboy Cameron Haumen, who turned in a pair of first-place runs of 5.01 and 5.02 for an aggregate of 10.03.

“I didn’t expect to win the bull dogging,” Haumen said. “I bulldogged in college, and I just tried my best and I ended up winning it”

During his short round run, the Sul Russ University cowboy had to do a little extra work to reach his steer.

“My horse kind of went wide so I had to jump for it,” Haumen said. “I have to thank my hazer, Zane Cline, really helped me out. He made my run a whole lot better.”

The 19 year-old also got entered in the buffalo riding contest, finishing with a first-place score of 74 points.

“I did the buffalo riding to have fun and I ended up winning that, too,” Haumen said. “I wasn’t really nervous; I was just more excited than anything. I just wanted to ride a buffalo.”

In the saddle bronc, Creighton Curley swept the event with an aggregate of 144 points. He was the only rider to make the eight-second whistle in both rounds with scores of 66- and 78-point rides.

The ladies breakaway crown went to Kadin Jodie as the Crownpoint cowgirl also swept her event with a 6.00 aggregate. She turned in a pair of first-place runs of 2.28 and 3.72 runs.

In the open team roping, Westley John and Myles John emerged as the winners with a 13.70 aggregate. The pair placed third in the long go before winning the short round with an 8.07 run.

Coyote Canyon, New Mexico, cowgirl Faith Holyan won the barrel racing (see separate story) with a 36.649 aggregate while X-Man Antez won the open bull riding on a coin toss.

Antez finished in a two-way tie with Luke Mackey as both cowboy turned in 79-point scores during the long go round. Unfortunately, the duo got bucked off during Sunday’s round.

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