Local cowboy tops Black Water rodeo

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Big, husky Robert Bruised Head, a local home town hero, was crowned the all-around champion here July 14 at the 2nd Annual Levi Black Water Open Timed Event Championships.

The big win landed the champ a two-horse trailer home, two trophy buckles and $1,136 stuffed into his Wrangler Jeans.

The gifted 24-year-old timed-event specialist already hit the big time after winning a IRCA calf-roping and steer wrestling title, and made it to the Indian National Final Rodeo in Albuquerque, N.M. four times.

The one-day Black Water event drew more than 150 contestants and featured calf-roping, steer wrestling, and team roping, plus ladies barrel racing.

Bruised Head won the steer wrestling event, placed fourth in the average in calf-roping and also placed in the money in team roping.

Darren Shaw of Cardston won the average in the calf-roping, winning $491.

Two-time world Indian bareback champion Bill T. Head of the Bruised Head clan let it all hang-out at both rodeos, winning a total of $5,262 in his favorite events, the saddle bronc and bareback.

The most satisfying had to be winning the saddle bronc event in Standoff, he said.

"In all my years of riding, I've never won this event, here in Standoff," Head said. "I'm just thrilled, beside winning cash and a buckle, I won this saddle donated the family of late Kenny Wells. It's sure a good feeling," he said, after the presentations.

Head also placed third in the average in the bareback event, winning an additional $809. He won the event at Sarcee with 138 points on two head and $2,471. Head also placed third in average in the saddle bronc event, adding another $819 to his bank roll.

Sarcee's Richard Bish is also on a high roll as he won the bronc riding at Sarcee for $1,173 for a two head total of 147 points.

In the bull riding event at Standoff, Loren Bell of Peigan won $1,444 for a 150 point total on two head. At Sarcee, Hobbema cowboy Roddy Baptiste made a clean sweep, winning the long and short goes with dual 73 points to pocket $1,412.

Two-time world Indian bareback champion Kenton Rondle of Fort Vermillion made it look easy to win the bareback event at Standoff, taking both the long and short

go with 75 and 77 points to win $1,348.

Although three-time all-around IRCA champion, Byron Bruised Head was sore from assorted minor injuries, he showed what a true veteran is all about as he cowboyed up and won the all-around trophy saddle, plus gold and silver belt buckles and $2,200 in change as he placed in all three riding events.