Hi-Line Bronc Riders
by Baxter Black
Since 1980 all but two of the World Champion Saddle Bronc riders have come from the Hi-Line; Montana, Alberta, North Dakota or South Dakota. The question is why? Theories abound; bronky horses do better in blizzards, wind, ice and snow, cowboys who can ride bronky horses do better in blizzards, wind, ice and snow, judges are tougher in blizzards, wind, ice and snow, cowboys whose names end in -son, -sen, -ibbs, or -auer do better in blizzards, wind, ice and snow. 2003 was no different; they stormed out of the north and took 6 out of the top 7 places. In the 5th go of the National Finals (NFR) 4 times world champ Billy Etbauer, (South Dakota raised) broke the NFR arena record with a 93 on Kessler Cool Alley Dip. There were 2 other 90-or-Better rides during the ten-day rodeo; Dan Mortensen of Montana and Cody Wright of Milford, Utah. But comin' down to the wire it was Alberta, South Dakota, Montana, Alberta, South Dakota, which takes us to the 9th performance Saturday night. The arena was sold out and filled with an edge-sitting crowd. The event: Saddle Bronc Riding; the Bad Pen. Laser lights shot through the dust. Sound effects pounded and screamed and rumbled till the faces of the fans looked like orbital monkeys drawing 3 g's! The announcers roared ferociously. And then out came Billy Etbauer, all 140 pounds of him on the back of a big, bad bay named Smokeless Blood Brother. The gate swung open and the pair catapulted into the arena. The next 8 seconds looked more like a bad billiards shot where the cue ball banks off the rail and knocks the ten ball through the front window. Or if you've ever seen anyone fall down a set of stairs, a calf gets loose in a chicken house, or a dually loaded with sawdust hit a patch of black ice, you'll get a mental picture of the team's trajectory. Somehow in the early going Smokeless Blood Brother slammed Fearless Billy into the arena wall, then ricocheted across the arena, weavin' and buckin' while Billy was rockin' and swervin', feintin' and firin' till they crashed into the far end, ejecting Billy out over the dumbstruck calf ropers who were watching from safety behind the fence, realizing once again why they had chosen to participate in a timed-event instead of a self-flagellating, pull-my-finger, teeth-rattling train wreck, where you wear a bullet-proof vest, several bone screws and a felt hat. Billy rode him. It was one of only six qualified rides out of 15. That go-round he split first with six-time world champion Dan Mortensen who drew better. Billy set the arena record, Rod Warren of Alberta won the NFR average, and Dan won World for the 7th time. They took the saddles and buckles and glory back to the land of the Sioux and the Swede. But I'm thinking, as I'm settin' down here in Arizona watchin' the Weather Channel, that as soon as that big band of blizzard, wind, ice and snow starts showin' up on the top of the weather map, that those Hi-Line bronc riders are fixin' to head out to the practice pen.
Since 1980 all but two of the World Champion Saddle Bronc riders have come from the Hi-Line; Montana, Alberta, North Dakota or South Dakota. The question is why? Theories abound; bronky horses do better in blizzards, wind, ice and snow, cowboys who can ride bronky horses do better in blizzards, wind, ice and snow, judges are tougher in blizzards, wind, ice and snow, cowboys whose names end in -son, -sen, -ibbs, or -auer do better in blizzards, wind, ice and snow. 2003 was no different; they stormed out of the north and took 6 out of the top 7 places. In the 5th go of the National Finals (NFR) 4 times world champ Billy Etbauer, (South Dakota raised) broke the NFR arena record with a 93 on Kessler Cool Alley Dip. There were 2 other 90-or-Better rides during the ten-day rodeo; Dan Mortensen of Montana and Cody Wright of Milford, Utah. But comin' down to the wire it was Alberta, South Dakota, Montana, Alberta, South Dakota, which takes us to the 9th performance Saturday night. The arena was sold out and filled with an edge-sitting crowd. The event: Saddle Bronc Riding; the Bad Pen. Laser lights shot through the dust. Sound effects pounded and screamed and rumbled till the faces of the fans looked like orbital monkeys drawing 3 g's! The announcers roared ferociously. And then out came Billy Etbauer, all 140 pounds of him on the back of a big, bad bay named Smokeless Blood Brother. The gate swung open and the pair catapulted into the arena. The next 8 seconds looked more like a bad billiards shot where the cue ball banks off the rail and knocks the ten ball through the front window. Or if you've ever seen anyone fall down a set of stairs, a calf gets loose in a chicken house, or a dually loaded with sawdust hit a patch of black ice, you'll get a mental picture of the team's trajectory. Somehow in the early going Smokeless Blood Brother slammed Fearless Billy into the arena wall, then ricocheted across the arena, weavin' and buckin' while Billy was rockin' and swervin', feintin' and firin' till they crashed into the far end, ejecting Billy out over the dumbstruck calf ropers who were watching from safety behind the fence, realizing once again why they had chosen to participate in a timed-event instead of a self-flagellating, pull-my-finger, teeth-rattling train wreck, where you wear a bullet-proof vest, several bone screws and a felt hat. Billy rode him. It was one of only six qualified rides out of 15. That go-round he split first with six-time world champion Dan Mortensen who drew better. Billy set the arena record, Rod Warren of Alberta won the NFR average, and Dan won World for the 7th time. They took the saddles and buckles and glory back to the land of the Sioux and the Swede. But I'm thinking, as I'm settin' down here in Arizona watchin' the Weather Channel, that as soon as that big band of blizzard, wind, ice and snow starts showin' up on the top of the weather map, that those Hi-Line bronc riders are fixin' to head out to the practice pen.
