Many of the more than 500 rodeo contestants here know what it is like to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) where world champions are crowned. Becoming one of the elite competitors that earn a gold buckle signifying that they are the best in their event is a goal set by many but achieved by few.
Kelly Timberman from Mills, Wyo., is one of those men that knows what it is like to wear one a gold buckle. He won the title in 2004 and has qualified for the WNFR an additional five times. He is currently ranked 10th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. His ride here during the first performance could certainly add more money to his earnings and move him up in the standings.
When the judges added up the scores for Timberman’s efforts and the bucking ability of Kalispell Whiskey, the Calgary Stampede horse he got on, he had an 86-point score by his name. Timberman now looks like a good candidate to qualify for Saturday night’s finals and could win a Caldwell Night Rodeo championship.
“There were a lot of good horses out today, but I probably drew the pluck of the pen,” Timberman said of Kalispell Whiskey. “I went out there and did everything I could on him and the horse did the rest.”
Timberman is now going to take a couple of days to spend some time at the other end of the arena with Dean Gorsuch, the 2006 world champion steer wrestler. Gorsuch from Gearing, Neb., is going to help Timberman develop some steer wrestling skills. Timberman is entered in that event at a rodeo later this week.
Gorsuch has also been successful here. He won the first round of steer wrestling, and is tied with Luke Branquinho for the overall title. They earh have total times of 8.7 seconds. Branquinho, from Los Alamos, Calif., won world titles in 2004 and 2008.
Rodeo competition continues here on Wednesday with the second performance beginning at 8 p.m.