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Basin's best ready to contend
September 21, 2006
By STEVE MATTHIES
H&N Sports Writer
The Klamath Basin could be well represented on the victor's stand when the Northwest Pro Rodeo Finals come to an end Saturday night.
None stands higher than Samantha Gallagher of Merrill, who leads the women's all-around standings heading into the finals that begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the Klamath County Fairgrounds John Hancock Event Center.
The finals will determine the season champions in a number of events, as well as all-around champions, over the two days of competition that culminates the 2006 season.
Gallagher holds almost a 100-point lead over Jordan Crossley of Hermiston in the battle for the women's all-around title.
Gallagher made the finals in both the barrel racing and tie-down roping competition, and has a slim chance to win the season-long title in the latter event.
She is seventh in barrel racing and third in breakaway roping.
While Gallagher will focus of an all-around title, Roger Nonella and Lee Felder will take the lead into the finals in their respective events.
Nonella, a Henley High School graduate, has the lead in calf roping going into the finals, having made $9,405.43 this summer, all since having returned home from college.
He has a decent lead over Shane Erickson of Terrebonne, but will need a solid performance to win the season title.
Nonella, though, has had great success over the years at the John Hancock Event Center, having captured a pair of Oregon High School Rodeo Association all-around titles at home.
Also in the calf roping competition will be Ryan Gallagher, Samantha's husband. He is fifth in the standings.
Felder, who now lives in Redmond, leads the saddle bronc riding standings, and the Lakeview High graduate enters the finals with $6,286.49 in winnings.
Frank McKay of Burns is second with $5,796.30.
Other local entries in the finals are George Gillespie of Midland (fifth in bareback riding) and Joe Hamilton of Klamath Falls (ninth in team roping, headers). Ryan Gallagher is eighth in team roping among heelers.
Among the individual event leaders coming into the finals is Sam Willis of Terrebonne, the most decorated cowboy in the history of the NWPR with 32 championships.
Willis, who leads the steer wrestling standings with $7,940.74, is atop the men's all-around standings with 758 points and is trying to win his 10th all-around crown.
Erickson is second with 635.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. both nights, with the rodeo set to begin at 7 p.m.
Advance tickets, which are $12 each, can be purchased until rodeo time each day at the Big R Store, Sherm's Thunderbird Market and the Epicenter. Tickets at the door will be $15 each, with children 5 and under admitted free.
RODEO TIDBTS - Other events that will be contested each night are bull riding and cow milking ... among the top 10 all-around women's entries are six who have participated in the OHSRA Finals the last two years at the Event Center ... Jaymie Leach of Roseburg is in the lead for Rookie of the Year honors ... Kelsey Johnson of Redmond, who was the OHSRA girls all-around champion in 2005, leads the point standings among timed events contestants ... rodeo entries are from Oregon, Washington, California and Idaho ... this is the fourth straight year the NWPR Finals have been held in Klamath Falls.
By STEVE MATTHIES
H&N Sports Writer
The Klamath Basin could be well represented on the victor's stand when the Northwest Pro Rodeo Finals come to an end Saturday night.
None stands higher than Samantha Gallagher of Merrill, who leads the women's all-around standings heading into the finals that begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the Klamath County Fairgrounds John Hancock Event Center.
The finals will determine the season champions in a number of events, as well as all-around champions, over the two days of competition that culminates the 2006 season.
Gallagher holds almost a 100-point lead over Jordan Crossley of Hermiston in the battle for the women's all-around title.
Gallagher made the finals in both the barrel racing and tie-down roping competition, and has a slim chance to win the season-long title in the latter event.
She is seventh in barrel racing and third in breakaway roping.
While Gallagher will focus of an all-around title, Roger Nonella and Lee Felder will take the lead into the finals in their respective events.
Nonella, a Henley High School graduate, has the lead in calf roping going into the finals, having made $9,405.43 this summer, all since having returned home from college.
He has a decent lead over Shane Erickson of Terrebonne, but will need a solid performance to win the season title.
Nonella, though, has had great success over the years at the John Hancock Event Center, having captured a pair of Oregon High School Rodeo Association all-around titles at home.
Also in the calf roping competition will be Ryan Gallagher, Samantha's husband. He is fifth in the standings.
Felder, who now lives in Redmond, leads the saddle bronc riding standings, and the Lakeview High graduate enters the finals with $6,286.49 in winnings.
Frank McKay of Burns is second with $5,796.30.
Other local entries in the finals are George Gillespie of Midland (fifth in bareback riding) and Joe Hamilton of Klamath Falls (ninth in team roping, headers). Ryan Gallagher is eighth in team roping among heelers.
Among the individual event leaders coming into the finals is Sam Willis of Terrebonne, the most decorated cowboy in the history of the NWPR with 32 championships.
Willis, who leads the steer wrestling standings with $7,940.74, is atop the men's all-around standings with 758 points and is trying to win his 10th all-around crown.
Erickson is second with 635.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. both nights, with the rodeo set to begin at 7 p.m.
Advance tickets, which are $12 each, can be purchased until rodeo time each day at the Big R Store, Sherm's Thunderbird Market and the Epicenter. Tickets at the door will be $15 each, with children 5 and under admitted free.
RODEO TIDBTS - Other events that will be contested each night are bull riding and cow milking ... among the top 10 all-around women's entries are six who have participated in the OHSRA Finals the last two years at the Event Center ... Jaymie Leach of Roseburg is in the lead for Rookie of the Year honors ... Kelsey Johnson of Redmond, who was the OHSRA girls all-around champion in 2005, leads the point standings among timed events contestants ... rodeo entries are from Oregon, Washington, California and Idaho ... this is the fourth straight year the NWPR Finals have been held in Klamath Falls.
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