One of two Pine River Valley locals able to travel to, and compete in the 32nd annual Silver State International Rodeo (July 3-8), 2017 Ignacio High School graduate Stocker Robbins didn't just finish top-five: he ended up placing third.
Bull-riding inside the Winnemucca Events Complex, Robbins followed an unsuccessful first go-round in the specialty with a strong 75 in the second. And even though he was again unsuccessful in the decisive short go last Saturday, his average of 75 on one ride still put him in a podium position.
With respective scores of 75 and 65, Utah's Colton Humphries (Mount Pleasant North Sanpete H.S.) ranked second prior to the short go, when he logged a buckle-clinching 73-making the former UHSRA State Champion the sole rider covering three head.
With a 72-76 start, Utah's Taylor Bethers led the field by eight points prior to the final performance inside the Complex's Events Center, but he failed on his final try and finished second overall. Following Robbins in the standings were Utah entrants Dakota Madsen (70/1), William Wright (60/1), Austin Glover (60/1) and Chance Ekins (50/1).
Stocker was joined by 2017 IHS grad Dalton Mickey, who was unable to record a scoring attempt.
Bethers would ultimately earn Reserve All-Around Cowboy, trailing Oregonian Riley Fry 50-46 in the points race. Robbins earned 17 points, tying Utah's Keagan Richards farther down in the A-A order, while Mickey tied Ekins and three others with ten.
Utah easily won the combined team championship, 926 points to Nevada's 462, with California (411.5), Oregon (342.5) and Idaho (300.5) rounding out the top five. Colorado totaled a ninth-place 27-two points fewer than eighth-place New Mexico.
