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August 12, 2009

Rodeo Insider: Young bull rider on the verge of pro stardom

By Brett Hoffman

There’s a young bull rider who just might make it big in the pro ranks.

His name is Wrangler Dunda.

Write it down. Remember it.

During the weekend of Aug. 5-8, Dunda, 18, who lives in Odessa, earned his second consecutive title at the Youth Bull Riders World Finals in Fort Worth.

Dunda was the only rider who stayed on three bulls. Though he was bucked off in the final round, no one surpassed him. Dunda entered the finals with the lead and kept it after everyone was bucked off during the finals.

Since he was a small boy, Dunda has aspired to become a prize winning bull rider. He began at 2 when his father put him on a sheep. After that, it was calves, steers, small bulls and then full grown bulls.

Dunda said he was inspired to compete by his father, Gary, 43. The elder Dunda began riding at 14 and now competes on the World Senior Pro Bull Riders circuit.

“Everything that I’ve really learned, I’ve learned it from him,” Wrangler Dunda said his father.

The Fort Worth-based youth championships featured about 320 contestants ages 4 through 19 who competed for cash and prizes valued at about $67,000.



Gathering of greats — Many of the world’s top rodeo hands gathered in Lovington, N.M., to ride and rope in the Aug. 5-8 Lea County Fair & PRCA Rodeo.

There was defending Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world all-around champion Trevor Brazile of Decatur who won the 2009 Lovington rodeo’s all-around award after earning 2,322 in team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping. There was 2007 world champion Brittany Pharr of Victoria who snared the barrel racing title.

There was four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Ryan Gray of Petersburg who came in third in bareback riding. And there was Cash Myers of Athens, another former National Finals qualifier, who won the first round of steer roping.

Dan Fisher of Andrews won the steer roping average after finishing with the best aggregate time on three runs. He’s a former National Finals Steer Roping qualifier.

In team roping, Chad Masters and Jade Corkill added to their leads in the PRCA world standings by winning the two-head average in 10.4 seconds and earning $6,621 each. Former NFR qualifier Zack Oakes won the bull riding ($5,487) and moved from 18th to 14th in the standings.

The other champions were bareback riders Clint Cannon and Kelly Timberman (89 points each), steer wrestlers Lee Graves and Matt Reeves (8.5 seconds on two head), saddle bronc riders J.J. Elshere and Isaac Diaz (85 points), tie-down ropers Ryan Watkins, Cimarron Boardman and Cody Owens (17.4 seconds on two head).



A bittersweet victory — Mike Lee of Decatur, the 2004 Professional Bull Riders world champion, clinched the title on Aug. 7 at the Ross Coleman Invitational in Molalla, Ore., and earned $7,716.

However, the victory was bittersweet for the Decatur cowboy, who dislocated his shoulder after being slammed against the chute by a bull named Big Tease.

According to the PBR, Lee underwent an MRI on Monday and was questionable for this weekend’s Built Ford Tough Series tour stop in Nashville. However, he is listed in the draw for the Nashville show, meaning that he expressed a desire to compete if his health permits.

Fans can watch Lee’s rides in Molalla by logging onto www.pbr.tv. The broadcast features both the Aug. 7 and the Aug 8 competitions. Fans can purchase one night for $1.99 or both nights for $3.49.



Trevor Brazile watch — After earning all-around titles during the past weekend in Sikeston, Mo., Lovington, N.M., and Lawton, Okla., Trevor Brazile kept his bid for a record-tying seventh all-around world championship on track.

According to the PRCA, Brazile earned $10,871 at the three rodeos to push his season total to $182,926. Brazile has a lead of $81,485 over second place Curtis Cassidy. Brazile is $4,030 ahead of his pace in 2007 when he set the single season earnings record of $425,115.

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