Church Rock bull rider jumpstarts INFR season with Lane J Silversmith event title

WIDE RUINS, Ariz.

Church Rock, New Mexico bull rider Vinell Mariano needed to jumpstart his season within the Indian National Finals Rodeo ranks.

Mariano did just that during Saturday’s Lane J Silversmith Memorial INFR Stand Alone Event in Wide Ruins with a first-place win among 45-plus bull riders.

“It’s my first time winning one of these stand-alone events,” Mariano said. “The bulls were good and as contestants, we all knew it was gonna be a good event.”

Mariano posted an 86-point ride atop Jacobs Custom Buckers bull Janelle Flirt Alert, beating out Lupton, Arizona cowboy Odey Tom for the win.

“I’ve been on that bull before, so I knew he was gonna be good,” Mariano said. “I was just excited that I drew him. I just had to wait for him. He was standing good in the chute, so I called for it and I had fun.

“This is a good confidence booster, and I’m just ready to keep it rolling,” he added.

Mariano won the top prize of $3,434.76 while Tom collected $2,842.56. Chinle’s Robbie Taylor placed third with a 71-point ride as he netted $2,250.36 while Window Rock’s Mika Clark took home $1,658.16 for his 70-point score. Flagstaff cowboy Jacob David posted a 67-point ride that earned him a fifth-place check of $1,065.96.

Mariano is looking to make the INFR in October as he finished in a two-way tie for second with Tom last season. The two Diné riders covered 3 of 4 bulls at the world finals in Las Vegas for 161 points. The world champion was earned by Teigan Gray as the Eagle Butte, South Dakota won the title by going a perfect 4-for-4 for a 235-point aggregate.

“I was happy with my outcome, but I was still mad at myself for making a mistake and falling off,” Mariano said. “Other than that, it was good.”

At the Wide Ruins event, Tom took second with an 82-point ride aboard 4B’s Bucking Bulls TQ Paint Job.

“I felt like I had the upper hand,” Tom said. “I knew the arena, the bull I had gone on today was really good. I know him as a 4B bull, and I go over there to practice every once in a while, so I watched him buck. Shoot, man, it just all came together the way I thought it would be.”

The Lupton native says he rode for a purpose, honoring his late uncle, Lane J Silversmith.

“My grandpa wanted me out here, so I decided to leave work early,” Tom said “I’m working over by Apache Lake (Arizona) doing ranch work, so I came out here (on Friday), just thinking about my uncle.

“He was always there for me, sponsoring me when I needed it,” he added.

Because of his work schedule, Tom says this was his second INFR event as he is looking to add a few more INFR Tour Rodeos to his schedule last this year.

“I’ll be up north,” Tom said of the upcoming INFR rodeos. “I’ll be traveling to Crow Fair and Box Elder, Montana.”

Tom says he is looking forward to making the INFR, which will be held Oct. 14-18 in Las Vegas, Nev.

“For the past three years, I came up second twice,” Tom said. “This year, I hope to be the world champ. All my buddies have done a great job. They beat me, but this year I have a different feeling.

“I got a good feeling that I might be the champ this year,” he added. “I just want to ride that all the way.”

---