First night of Red Bluff Round-Up sets the bar for cowboys, cowgirls
Red Bluff, Calif. (April 21, 2023) – Tanner Aus traded the cold winter of Minnesota for California sunshine, and he’s loving it.
The bareback rider came to the Red Bluff Round-Up and put on a show, tying for the lead in the bareback riding after the first performance of the Round-Up on April 21.
He scored 86.5 points on the horse called Little Red Hawk, cared for by the Flying U Rodeo Co. Jacek Frost, Browns Valley, Calif., also scored 86.5 points, aboard the Rosser Rodeo horse Yeti Rambler.
For Aus, it was a horse he was anxious to partner with. “That horse is a very good bucking horse,” he said, “one of the best, the funnest horses to get on. She’s fun for me, anyway. She bucks, and she’s very consistent, and she’s been around a long time.” The mare is 17 years old.
The Round-Up is what is informally called part of the California run, rodeos in the state that draw cowboys and cowgirls, because of spring weather and outdoor arenas.
“We got two inches of snow this morning,” he said. “Being from Minnesota, you can expect that, but to be able to come out here for a few days and rodeo in the sunshine, it’s awesome.”
Aus is a seven-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the PRCA’s world championship, and is currently ranked nineteenth in the world standings.
He’s quick to give credit to his wife, Lonissa, who holds down the fort, with their three children, ages 5, 3 and 9 months, in Granite Falls, Minn. “My wife is my rock. She makes it all work. If I didn’t have her support, I definitely couldn’t do this. She believes in the dream that I have and lets me chase it. She’s a blessing.”
For saddle bronc rider Allen Boore, he got a birthday gift on April 21, with a lead in his event at the Round-Up.
The Axtell, Utah cowboy turned 32 years old on Friday and scored 86 points to take the lead after the first performance of the Round-Up.
He was complimentary of the bucking horse he rode, a horse named Houchie Mama and owned by C5 Rodeo.
“She’s a dream horse,” he said, “a horse you want, that feels good, that you have time to spur.”
He noted that the seven-year-old mare jumps higher than the average bucking horse, giving him time to make a better spur stroke. “That horse jumps up in the air high enough that you have time to set your feet, before the horse’s front feet hit the ground. The higher they jump, the longer you have to make that spur stroke.”
Like Aus, Boore was glad to experience springtime in California. His part of Utah has been colder and snowier than normal.
“I came over the (Sierra) Mountains, and dropped into the valley with the green grass, knee high, and it’s 70-some degrees.”
And rodeoing outside is good, too. “After being in the building (rodeos) all winter, it’s nice to get out.”
Boore has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals twice (2016, 2020).
Other leaders after tonight’s performance include steer wrestlers Jake Nelson, Whitehall, Mont. and Brandon Harrison, Cheek, Texas (5.0 seconds each); tie-down roper Tyler Forsberg, Fillmore, Calif. (9.0 seconds); breakaway roper Samantha Fulton, Miller, S.D. (2.8 seconds); team ropers (and brothers) Kellan Johnson and Carson Johnson, both of Casper, Wyo. (6.6 seconds); and barrel racer Timber Allenbrand, Paola, Kan. (17.39 seconds).
In the bull riding, Tristen Hutchings, Monteview, Idaho, scored 90 points to take the lead. Hutchings is a college student at Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas.
The second of three performances of the Red Bluff Round-Up takes place Saturday, April 22. Other activities taking place on Saturday include the rodeo parade at 10 am, Jackson Dean in concert at 6 pm, and more.
Round-Up tickets range in price from $20 to $40 and are available at the gate and online.
Results from the first performance, Red Bluff Round-Up, April 21, 2023
Bareback riding
- (tie) Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn. 86.5 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Little Red Hawk and Jacek Frost, Browns Valley, Calif. 86.5 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Yeti Rambler; 3. Jacob Lees, Caldwell, Idaho 85; 4. Dean Thompson, Altamont, Utah 83.5.
Steer wrestling
- (tie) Jake Nelson, Whitehall, Mont. and Brandon Harrison, Cheek, Texas 5.0 seconds each; 3. Kalane Anders, Bayard, Neb. 5.2; 4. Darcy Kersh, Charters Towers, Australia 7.2.
Tie-down roping
- Tyler Forsberg, Fillmore, Calif. 9.0 seconds; 2. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La. 9.1; 3. Kass Kayser, Ellensburg, Wash. 11.0; 4. Bo Pickett, Caldwell, Idaho 11.6.
Saddle bronc riding
- Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah 86 points on C5 Rodeo’s Houchie Mama; 2. Damian Brennan, Injune, Australia 84.5; 3. Kade Bruno, Challis, Idaho 84; 4. Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D. 83.5.
Breakaway Roping
- Samantha Fulton, Miller, S.D. 2.8 seconds; 2. Josie Conner, Iowa, La. 3.2; 3. Kelsie Domer, Dublin, Texas 4.1; 4. Erika Frost, Randlett, Utah 4.3.
Team Roping
- Kellan Johnson, Casper, Wyo./Carson Johnson, Casper, Wyo. 6.6 seconds; 2. Cole Thomas, Emelle, Ala./Clay Green, Pine Grove, La. 7.1; 3. Braden Pirrung, Hartford, S.D./Lane Siggins, Coolidge, Ariz. 7.2; 4. J7 Bland, Turkey, Texas/Tyson Thompson, Munday, Texas 10.8.
Barrel racing
- Timber Allenbrand, Paola, Kan. 17.39 seconds; 2. Miley Bunting, Red Bluff, Calif. 17.40; 3. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla. 17.57; 4. Paige Dove, Hico, Texas 17.62.
Bull riding
- Tristen Hutchings, Monteview, Idaho 90 points on Big Stone Rodeo’s Dirty Dave; 2. Braden Richardson, Jasper, Texas 86; 3. Trey Benton III, Richards, Texas 83; 4. Robbie Taylor, Chinle, Ariz. 80.
** All results are unofficial. For more information, visit RedBluffRoundup.com.
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Cutlines:
Minnesota cowboy Tanner Aus leads the bareback riding after the first night of the Red Bluff Round-Up. Photo by Crystal Amen Photography.
Allen Boore makes an 86 point ride to lead the pack of saddle bronc riders at the Red Bluff Round-Up. Rodeo action continues April 22-23. Photo by Crystal Amen Photography
