Locals shine at spring rodeo
Trent Tunke seized the chance to shine in front of a home crowd to kick off his team roping season on Sunday at the Cypress Centre.
The Medicine Hat product took second place in the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Broncs and Honky Tonks indoor spring rodeo team roping event alongside new partner Tuftin McLeod after joining forces in the offseason with both of their regular teammates heading off to school.
“We roped at a few rodeos in the past, but both our partners are going to school in Texas right now so we’re hooked up for the spring rodeos then our partners will come back,” said Tunke. “I’ve been in Arizona all winter and we just got home two weeks ago. There’s nothing better than coming to your hometown rodeo.”
Tunke and McLeod’s time of 5.1 seconds was just fourtenths off of the winning mark set by Braidy Davies and Kevin Schreiner, but Tunke says he’s more than happy with a second-place start to the season.
“It was really good. We drew around some bad steers and had one of the better ones so it worked out pretty good,” said Tunke. “It’s a good start. It’s the first rodeo of the season so I’ll take it.”
While Tunke was the only Hatter in action Sunday, Scandia’s Alwin Bouchard took fifth in the tie-down roping event with a time of 8.9 seconds in Sunday’s event, putting him right in the money to kick off his season as well.
“I felt a little rusty. I haven’t been practicing enough, I’ve been working a lot this winter, it feels OK though,” said Bouchard. “It feels good to be here, seeing my old friends. It’s nice to be in competition again.”
Scott Meeks’ time of 8.1 seconds from Saturday was enough to take first place in the tie-down roping event. Logan Hofer took second after an 8.3second run Friday and Josh Ericksen and Eric Dublanko split third at 8.4 seconds.
Cody Lee Coverchuk took home the bull riding buckle after logging an impressive 88point ride on Pink Panther to close out Sunday’s final performance, while Ty Ellis followed up with 86 points for second and Scott Schiffner took third at 83.
Jim Berry stole the show with an 85.5-point ride in Sunday’s saddle bronc event to take the buckle aboard Flash Dance. Sam kelts took second with 82.5 points Sunday and Justin Berg held on for third with an 81.5-point ride from Saturday.
Matt Richardson bested Stephen Culling by one-tenth of a second to win the weekend’s steer wrestling event in 4.3 seconds Sunday. Luke Gee held on for third with a 4.6-second run from Friday.
Ty Taypotat held on to win the bareback event after putting up an 88.5-point ride on the back of Garden Party on Saturday. Ky Marshall’s 87point ride from Friday was good enough to earn him second and Orin Larsen took third with 86.5 points Sunday.
Kirsty White won the ladies barrel racing event with a time of 12.868 seconds Sunday. Carmen Pozzobon followed up in second at 13.163 and Diane Skocdopole took third at 13.199.