Creighton Curley, Tyler Ferguson capture ride-offs at Lions Club Rodeo

By Santiago Ramos Jr.
Special to the Times

GALLUP — Sometimes timing is everything.

Creighton Curley made the long 10-hour drive from Okmulgee, Okla., pay off during the 74th Annual Gallup Lions Club Rodeo Meanwhile, Tyler Ferguson was persuaded to enter his first Gallup Lions Club Rodeo and he also earned a nice payday.

In addition to earning checks for the long go, Curley and Ferguson thrilled the appreciative Saturday night crowd by topping their respective specialty events.

The 27-year-old Curley, who graduated from Ganado High and resides in Beshbetoh, Ariz., just barely arrived in time at Red Rock Park for the second day of the annual Gallup Lions Club Rodeo. That’s because on Friday he was placing second in the saddle bronc at a rodeo in Okmulgee, Okla. Early Saturday Curley woke up and drove back west 10 hours across three states to Gallup for a pair of rides.

On Saturday evening, just an hour or so after arriving in Gallup, he pushed High Roller to a 78.5 score that paid $728 and then captured the winner take-all saddle bronc ride-off. Curley, who in 2019 swept the Lions Club Rodeo,including the ride-off, pushed Badlandz to a winning ride of 79 points that was worth $1,000.

The 30-year-old Ferguson received a call from W/A Rodeo organizer Lisa Webb and was persuaded to enter the Gallup Lions Club Rodeo for the first time due to a low number of bareback riders. During Friday night’s performance, Ferguson rode Silver to a winning score of 71. Coming back for the bareback ride-off, Ferguson conquered Great North for 79 points for the additional $1,000 payoff, $500 for the long go.

Saddle bronc

Curley had drawn Badlandz before.

“I won Apache Junction on Badlandz in February,” Curley said. “I was pretty confident getting that horse drawn. My saddle was feeling pretty good. I was ready to go. It was pretty good, the horse was fast. He did his part. He came out on top.”

Curley, who won the INFR saddle bronc world title in 2018 and is seeking his seventh INFR qualification, was okay with pulling into Red Rock Park around 6 p.m., just in time for the start of the second performance.

“I just came from Oklahoma this morning from Okmulgee,” said Curley of the long 10-hour haul. “I took second over there and won about $2,400 and then came this way. (I) drove all day. I got here at 6 just before the rodeo. It was a good drive. I’m pretty used to it. I do a lot of traveling. It was a pretty good weekend for me.”

Curley, who is sitting second in the INFR Tour saddle bronc standings and third in the Turquoise Circuit standings, is having a good rodeo season after purchasing a new $3,200 saddle three weeks ago.

“It should be a pretty good year,” said Curley, who is competing in a pro rodeo in Santa Fe. “There’s a lot of money to be won.”

Curley earned $728 for the long go. Frank Flores finished second 76.5 ($486), Lorenzo Benally third 74 ($384), Shoshane See fourth 72 ($283) and Listen Charleston fifth 70.5 ($142).

Bareback

The 6-foot-4 Ferguson, who hails from Deer Trail, Colo., which held the world’s first rodeo back in 1869, was excited to compete in his first Gallup Lions Club Rodeo at Red Rock Park.

“I’ve passed through Gallup a lot, but I’ve never been to the Lions Club Rodeo,” said Ferguson, who is second in the Grand Canyon Rodeo Association season standings. “Lisa Webb, the stock contractor for W/A, needed more bareback riders. My friend Cory Hart called me about it. Cory got bucked off so it worked better for me.”

Ferguson, who competes for the PRCA, the Colorado Rodeo Association, the New Mexico Rodeo Association, and the Grand Canyon Rodeo Association, won the first night with a 71 on Silver.

“I’m just happy to be here being 30 years old and still climbing on bucking horses for quite a few years,” he said. “I’m like the fat girl at the prom. I’m just happy to be here.

“Friday night was quite a bit more work,” Ferguson said of his first draw, Silver. “The horse was pretty long. I got him five years ago in Colorado. I rode him. It got me to the 2-man ride-off, which was important. My second horse (Great North) did all the work. I’ve been on him three times this year already. I keep drawing him and we get along good. I’ve won money on him all three times. He wasn’t as bucky tonight. I think I set my rigging different but he’s still fun. He does all the work. He jerks those feet together.”

Frank Flores, who won the first night with a 76.5 point ride, was bucked off Paradise Valley in the ride-off.

Despite not having the usual overflow-packed crowd like in the past at the Gallup Lions Club Rodeo, Ferguson still loved the crowd that filled up approximately two-thirds of Red Rock Park.

“The Lions Club was very good,” he said. “The crowd was crazy tonight. They were loud. It was so much fun. It was electric.”

Ferguson plans to compete in the pro rodeos in Santa Fe this week followed by stops at Alamosa, Colo. and Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Ferguson admitted that he’s going to gamble some of the money he had won at Gallup Lions Club at the Fire Rock Casino.

“I still haven’t checked out the casino. I got all this money they just gave me. I’m going to use some of it,” he said with a wide smile. “I have to check that out and then I’ll take all day to get home. It’s about 8 1/2 hours.”

Alvaro Begay topped the long go with a 75 ($671) with Ferguson second 71 ($504) and Shiloh Amiotte third 68 ($351)

Bull riding

The top three bull riders, Luke Mackey (91), Wade Silversmith (83.5) and Wade Tuni (77) all opted not to return for Saturday night’s lucrative ride off that was worth $3,000 due to other rodeos they were competing in elsewhere.

That gave Latrell Long, who scored a 77, and Vinell Mariano, who had a 74, an unexpected chance to compete for the $3,000 payday. However both Long and Mariano were bucked off their bulls in the ride-off.

That increases next year’s bull riding ride-off payoff to $4,000.

Mackey received $1,592 for first, followed by Silversmith $1,061, Long $619 and Mariano $309.

Team roping

The team roping combination of former world champs Aaron Tsingine and Ty Romo took the open team roping competition with a fast 6.12 run that paid $989 per roper. The team of Jeremiah Jodie and Carletts Murphy finished second with a 6.79 ($742 per roper), followed by the team of Wawa Ben and Romo third with a 6.97 ($495 per roper) and the team of Truman Begay and Chuck Sells fourth with an 8.05 ($247 per roper).

In the incentive team roping, the team of Jeremiah Jodie and Carletts Murphy topped the field with a 6.79 ($592 per roper). The team of Begay and Sells was second with an 8.05 ($444 per roper) and the team of Sheldon Sells and Matt Jones third with a 9.79 ($309 per roper).

Steer wrestling

Tyson Tsosie claimed the steer wrestling by wrestling his steer down in 7.01 seconds that paid $1,231. Matt Jodie was a distant second with a 20.70 ($821) as the rest of the bulldoggers came up empty with no times.

Calf roping

Donte Pacheco captured the calf roping with a quick 10.97 second run ($963). Seth Hall placed second with a 12.45 ($722) followed by Michael Bates 13.31 ($481) and Reno Scribner 17.27 ($241).

Barrel racing

Jodi Mirabal topped the incentive barrel racing with a winning run of 16.387 seconds ($480), followed by Sara Redden 16.428 ($360), Tedra Leonard 16.529 ($240) and Cheryl Baca 16.584 ($120).

In the open barrel racing, Taylor Armenta easily dominated the field with a winning run of 15.633 ($813). Kassidy Dennison trailed with a 16.053 ($672), followed by Patrice Yazzie 16.085 ($532), Danilynn Barela 16.169 ($392), Nancy Montoya 16.236 ($252) and Darci Winner 16.301 ($140).

Breakaway roping

Makayla Boisjoli edged out Shae Rios to claim the breakaway roping – 3.42 seconds to 3.48. Boisjoli earned $1,192 with Rios $987. Justine Doka was third 3.81 ($781) followed by Bailey Bates 3.97 ($576), Whitney Dutton 4.07 ($370) and Lavina Willie Nez 4.23 ($205).

Master’s bull riding

Jimmy Woody captured the master’s bull riding with a 75 ($512), followed by Brandon Cody 70.5 ($384), Julius Y. Begay 70 ($256) and Jeffery Roanhorse 67 ($128).

Junior bull riding

Kyler Notah won the junior bull riding with a 67 ($712). Cylis Jeff was next with a 66 ($534), Duan Chatto and Noah Delgarito tied for third with 65s ($267 each).

Ladies bull riding

Anchelle Delgarito claimed the ladies bull riding with a 78 score ($494). Ma Reid was second with a 75 ($370) with Chasity Rustin and Janelle Cisco tied for third with 73s ($185 each).

Legends recognized

The Gallup Lions Club celebrated the Legends Past, Present and Future at the end of the three-hour performance.

The late rodeo stock contractor Buster Webb, who owned W/A Rodeo, was honored for his past contributions for the past 51 years. Bareback cowboy Delvecchio Kaye, a two-time Indian National finals Rodeo world champion, a PRCA Turquoise Circuit Champion and an International Indian Finals Rodeo world champion, was honored as a Present Legend. Luke Mackey of Bayfield, Colo., a Youth Bull Riding world champion, junior National Finals World Champion, and Lions Club Rodeo open bull riding champ, was recognized as a Future Legend.

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