Missouri bull rider wins Cody Jesus Invite

By Santiago Ramos Jr.
Special to the Times

WINDOW ROCK – Capped off by a dazzling post-4th of July fireworks celebration, Missouri youngster Koltin Hevalow had his own blowout during Saturday’s 2nd annual Cody Jesus Bull Riding Invitational before a packed, appreciative crowd at the Dean C. Jackson Arena.

The young crop of bull riders dominated the field of top rodeo cowboys during the second edition of Jesus’ bull riding event, sweeping the top three spots in the long go and in the average and the top two spots in the short go finals.

The 21-year-old Hevalow emerged as the lone bull rider able to cover both of his bulls. Hevalow, who pocketed $4,650, pushed his first round bull, Houdini Martini, during the long go for an 87-point score that tied 18-year-old Luke Mackay of Ignacio, Colorado, for the high score for the long go. That was worth $2,650 for each bull rider.

Hevalow, who competes with the Kansas City Outlaws in the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) team competition, which gets underway this weekend, then lasted the eight seconds in the top 10 short go finals for an 86-point ride that paid $2,000 for second place. Hevalow enjoys his close relationship with Jesus, who encouraged him to compete in Window Rock.

“Cody (Jesus) and I got close here this past year with the PBR,” said Hevalow, who made the long 15-hour drive from Missouri for his first trip to Window Rock. “Him (Jesus) and my dad are really close. They’ve both been on me and my brother about getting better and to come out here. So we come out this year and it happened to work out.”

Hevalow was familiar with his opening draw, Houdini Martini.

“I’ve known that bull for a long time since I went to college in Odessa, Texas,” Hevalow said. “ I’ve always wanted to get on him but never had the chance to and I drew him tonight and capitalized on the opportunity. He spun into my hand. He went to the left and I’m left-handed so that worked out.”

For the short go finals Hevalow, who won the national bull riding title during the National High School Finals Rodeo several years ago, drew the bull In My Blood.

“I tried to get on him at the house a few weeks ago and he actually ended up causing some chaos in the bucking chutes and I couldn’t get on him,” he explained. “Tonight I got on him and made it work for 86 points.”

When asked what he was thinking knowing that no other bull rider had covered two bulls prior to his ride, Hevalow replied: “It makes you feel a little better and at the same time you want everybody to ride their bulls. You beat everybody on their best day. No matter what I stayed on my bulls. No one else did and that’s what matters.”

Hevalow is headed to the opening weekend of the PBR team competition this weekend in Oklahoma City.

Rock Point, Ariz., bull rider Wade Tuni, 18, thrilled the crowd with a stunning 90-point ride to claim the top money of $3,000 for the short go finals. The other eight bull riders failed to post a score in the short go.

Tuni was bucked off his opening bull, Rip Off, in the long go but came back in the short go finals due to his recorded 7-second buck off time.

“I was pretty happy,” Tuni said of his impressive 90-point score. “It turned to the left away from – my hand. But I like it both ways. He was a nice bull, big bull. It was a lot of bull. He was big. They told me I got a bull to win on so I got no choice but to hang on.

“I’m doing pretty good this season,” Tuni said. “A lot of bull riding. A lot of wins.”

For Tuni, it was his second 90-point ride of his short riding career. Tuni, who will be competing at Wild Thing at Red Rock Park Saturday night, posted a 91-point ride several years ago.

In the bull riding average, Mackey finished second with an 87 in the average for $2,400 with 17-year-old X-man Antez of Lybrook, New Mexico, third with an 86 ($1,900). JaCauy Hale of Beshbetoh, Arizona, placed fourth with an 85.5 ($1,400). PBR bull rider Daniel Keeping of Montague, Texas, was fifth with an 85 ($900). Julio Felix and Alex Cardozo of Graham, Texas, tied for sixth with 82.5s ($250 each).

In the long go, Antez finished third with an 86 ($1,900) with Hale fourth with an 85.5 ($1,400). Keeping was fifth with an 85 ($900), while Cardozo and Felix tied for sixth with 82.5s ($250 each).

Antez, who plans to secure his PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) permit in two months when he turns 18, posted the third-highest score of the long go with an 86-point ride on Mouse Trap.

After getting bucked off at last year’s inaugural event, Antez was able to last the eight seconds getting aboard his first bull, Mouse Trap, going to the right into his riding hand.

“It really doesn’t matter for me. It doesn’t matter which way it goes,” said Antez, who won the recent New Mexico Rodeo Association finals. “As long as it’s a good ride. I just had to be aggressive all the way.”

Halfway through his ride, Antez, who earned $3,800, got into trouble and appeared on the verge of being bucked off.

“It was in the middle of the ride. He kept giving me all he got and I just gave it right back to him,” said Antez, who will also be competing at the Wild Thing this weekend at Red Rock Park where he finished second a year ago. “I heard the crowd and I didn’t hear the buzzer.”

Antez’s biggest payoff was last year at the Breadsprings rodeo where he won the bull riding and pocketed about $4,000.

Jaiden Harrison won the junior bulls with a 69 score ($1,000) while Kacen Hiracheta took the mini bulls with a 66 ($1,000).

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