Happy Trails with Dawni O’Bryan: Slice of Americana

The Kiowa County Fair, which has been rich in tradition and activities since 1910, continued to host a variety of events for fairgoers to enjoy. I like that it seems to be a reunion of sorts for rodeo people, racehorse people, agriculture people, and good wholesome small-town folks. Volunteers help to put on quality competitions such as a stock dog trial, barrel race, team roping, ranch rodeo, amateur rodeo, horse races, and even a mechanical bull for many to enjoy. The annual barbeque and rodeo was a great time to catch up with people over a good meal. I just love a slice of “Americana” and that is what the Kiowa County Fair offers.

The fair barrel race was held on a lovely evening of September 11th. Barrel horses and their riders congregated at the top-notch fairgrounds in Eads as 62 runners took their turn to go around the cloverleaf pattern. Dennis Ferris and the ICE Box donated several wonderful horse supplies to peewee, youth, and open winners. Talli Lane of Equine Balance donated gift certificates worth $150 to winners of each division and the youth. Taking top honors with the fastest time of the night was Merisa Cominiello with a time of 17.773 seconds and $224. Second in the 1D was Mazie Noe, third was Lana Brown, and fourth was Kamryn Patterson. The 2D saw Karisa Brookshire win first, Dwana Salisbury won second, Bianca O’Bryan win third, and Tiff Watts win fourth. In the 3D, LeeAnn Ridley won first, Sammi Jackson won second, Lindsey Dorenkamp was third, and Braylee Pharo was fourth. In the 4D, Dawni O’Bryan was first, Brookshire was second, Tori Hawks was third, and Tracy Housholder was fourth. The youth was won by Noe in the 1D. The 2D was won by Taelyn Seufer and the 3D by Stormie Lubbers. Harper Hawkins won the peewee division.

As the high school rodeo season has started, young cowboys and cowgirls want to start the new year on a high note. Several area youngsters did just that. At the Kansas High School rodeos in Canton on August 24th and 25th, Heston Seufer of Holly and Treagyn Duarte of Lamar paired up to win the team roping on Saturday with a time of 7.42 seconds. On Sunday, the team roping was a little softer and they placed 4th with a time of 16.66 seconds. However, the combined runs placed them as the average winners. New to the high school division, Briley Seufer won third in the breakaway roping with a time of 3.74 seconds but broke the barrier on Sunday and was 13.82 seconds. Reagan Weatherred of Lakin had a good showing both days. In barrel racing, she was 7th (16.78 seconds) and 4th (15.68 seconds), in pole bending she was 4th (21.8 seconds) and 9th (21.76 seconds), and she dominated the goat tying by winning it both rodeos with times of 6.96 seconds and 7.17 seconds. Zoie Ginter of Kim was 6th in the poles and 5th in the barrels. Quinter Weatherred of Lakin was 2nd in the tie down roping on Saturday with a time of 14.29 seconds. In the junior high division, Hudson Crane of Springfield was 6th in the goat tying with a time of 13.64 seconds. Also of Springfield, Conley Hall, was 9th and 11th in the breakaway roping with times of 14.02 seconds and 13.25 seconds. Kai Calkins of Lakin placed 4th in the breakaway (4.2 seconds), 6th in the goat tying (13.18 seconds), and the pole bending saw her place 1st (21.986 seconds) and 3rd (21.8 seconds).

In the Colorado junior high rodeos, the group navigated Wolf Creek Pass and went to Cortez for their second event of the season. It was a two day/two rodeo competition, as well. Slade Lord of Lamar won the tie down roping one rodeo with a 15.25 second run and was 2nd in the next rodeo with a time of 17.4 seconds. Lord was also 8th and 11th in the goat tying and won 6th in the team roping. Tell Burnham from Kim won the team roping with partner, Jayton Farella, with a time of 9.7 seconds. Bray Burnham placed 7th in the team roping in the high school division with a time of 16.9 seconds.

More results from the KCF will follow as they become available. God bless small-town America.

Happy Trails.