By Ted Harbin
GUYMON, Okla. – Jesse Bail was the only bull rider in Saturday night’s performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo to have an eight-second qualifying ride.
It was a rough night for most of the bull riders, as they watched Bail – an alumnus of the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo team – overtake the lead with an 86-point ride while matching moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cross Roads during the third of four performances at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena.
But none of the cowboys had a tougher night than Wade Payne from nearby Beaver, Okla. Not only did Payne fail to ride Carr’s P Diddy, he had a little more hope than most that his ride in Guymon would be memorable.
“This is the last deal of these I get to come to for about three months, and I wanted to go out with a bang,” said Payne, who on Monday will begin chemotherapy to treat a form of cancer. “I get emotional, because I really didn’t want to go out this way. I wanted to go out on top.”
Payne was diagnosed with cancer March 13 and underwent surgery. A few weeks later, further testing revealed another spot in another part of his body.
“I found out this last Tuesday that I have to start chemo,” said Payne, 22, who began riding bulls eight years ago. “I’ll go in for three hours a day for five days. The doctors said it’s small enough and that we caught it early enough that we should be able to get it with chemo.”
The Pioneer Days Rodeo always features stories of conquering things, from bull riders overcoming fears to stay atop nearly a ton of twisting beasts to youngsters making a name for themselves against the best in the business. Payne’s next opponent is just a little stickier than most.
He’ll take his treatment in Oklahoma City, staying with his sister in the state’s capital. And he’ll dream of the day he can return to the rodeo arena, when he can look at a bull and know that he’s beaten a tougher foe.
“It stinks that I’ve got to give this up right now,” he said. “I was ready to go after it this year and make a move. If I didn’t make it to the National Finals Rodeo, I wanted to finish high enough to put me in better position next year. After my surgery, I had to sit out a month, and I was so ready to just go.
“But I’ll work through this. I’ve got the best support group in the world.”
Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo
Saturday Evening
Through the third performance
Bareback riding: 1. Will Lowe, 87 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket; 2. Chris Harris, 85; 3. Micky Downare and Bee Jay Scott, 84 points; 5. Wes Stevenson and Casey Colletti, 81; 6. Monte Downare and Jared Smith, 80.
Team roping: 1. Turtle Powell/Cory Petska, 6.4 seconds; 2. Seth Gurney/K.C. Curtis and Jay Adams/Austin Adams, 7.2; 5. Steve Purcella/Jhett Johnson, 7.4; 6. Nick Sartain/Kollin VohAhn and Casper May/Derrick J. Peterson, 7.5; 8. Kaden Richard/Rhen Richard and Jake Cooper/Jim Ross Cooper, 7.9. Average: 1. Adams/Adams, 28.8; 2. Sartain/VonAhn, 33.8; 3. Gurney/Curtis, 34.0; 4. Chance Kelton/Brett McDowell; 5. Powell/Petska, 34.8; 6. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Purcella/Johnson, 35.8; Charles Pogue/Jett Hillman, 35.9.
Steer roping: 1. Neal Wood, 11.6 seconds; 2. Scott Snedecor, 12.0; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.2; 4. Jim Ross Cooper, 12.7; 5. Cody Garnett, 12.8; 6. J.P. Wickett, 13.3; 7. J.D. Yates, 14.8; 8. Chet Herren, 15.6. Average: 1. Wood, 67.0 on five runs; 2. Wickett, 76.5; 3. Yates, 77.7; 4. Herren, 89.0; 5. Snedecor, 52.1 on four; 6. Fisher, 52.2; 7. Rocky Patterson, 53.8; 8. Garnett, 60.7.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Josh Reynolds, 86 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Simple Man; 2. Billy Etbauer, 85; 3. 3. Tyrell Smith, 84; 4. Sam Spreadborough and Anthony Bello, 83; 6. Matt Hebbert and Justin Arnold, 82; 8. Brad Rudolf, Rusty Allen and Bradley Harter, 80.
Steer wrestling: 1. Josh Peek, 3.6 seconds; 2. Clint Robinson, 3.6; 3. Beau Franzen, 3.8; 4. John Franzen, 3.8; 5. Kody D. Woodward, 4.1; 6. Tanner Milan and Casey McMillen, 4.2; 8. Dean Gorsuch, 4.5. Average: 1. Peek, 12.0 on three runs; 2. Robinson, 13.0; 3. Suhn, 13.2; 3. Gorsuch and John Franzen, 13.3; 6. Beau Franzen and Woodward, 13.5; 7. Strahan, 13.9; 8. McMillen.
Tie-down roping: 1. Jeremiah Peek, 7.3 seconds; 2. J.D. Kibbe, 8.1; 3. Justin Truman and Jesse Sheffield, 8.4; 5. Boe Brown, 8.6; 6. Tyler Garten and Cade Swor, 9.1; 8. Caddo Lewallen, 9.5. Average: 1. Jesse Sheffield, 26.4; 2. Kibbe, 27.6; 3. Durfey and Jim Locke, 27.9; 5. Lewallen, 28.3; 6. Peek, 29.3; 7. Darnell Johnson; 8. Garten, 29.9.
Barrel racing: 1. Ashley Leifester, 17.13 seconds; 2. Lacy Wilson, 17.28; 3. Jeanne Anderson, 17.40; 4. Savanah Reeves, 17.43; 5. Sherry Cervi, 17.45; 6. Linda Gail Stewart, 17.46; 7. Trula Churchill, 17.48; 8. Sabrina Ketcham and Diane Martin, 17.50; 10. Kelly Yates, 17.51. Average: Leifester, 34.78 on two runs; 2. Wilson, 35.14; 3. Cervi, 35.16; 4. Anderson, 35.27; 5. Reeves, 35.37; 6. Trula Churchill, 35.38; 7. Robin Beck, 35.42; 8. Benette Barrington, 35.44; 9. Jodi Ray, 35.53; 10. Jessi Eagleberger, 35.55.
Bull riding: 1. Jesse Bail, 86 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cross Roads; 2. Blake Rowen, 83; 2. Cole Hermanson, 82; 3. Shawn Hogg, 80; 4. Jacob O’Mara and Bryan Richardson, 79; 6. Jesse Monroe, 78.
