Xtreme Bulls don't disappoint

Sep. 8—Just like the bulls the cowboys rode, the first night of the Lewiston Roundup provided some twists and turns, ending with a tie for the championship title.

Dawson Keith Gleaves, of Amarillo, Texas, and Derek Kolbaba, of Walla Walla, shared first-place honors with a score of 90 points Wednesday at the 88th Lewiston Roundup.

Opening night of the rodeo featured Xtreme Bulls in front of an electrified crowd of 3,471, about 300 more than last year.

"I'm really pleased with the turnout," Roundup Director Willie Deibel said. "I think everyone got an excellent night of entertainment."

In the third section of bulls, Gleaves, wearing white boots, rode a rank bull called Hou's Magic. The bull was bucking high and nearly touched the cowboy's back, but Gleaves held on for eight seconds.

After the ride, the 21-year-old took off his helmet and yelled even before his score and top spot were revealed. The boisterous crowd cheered and thundered the stands with their feet.

"That bull really bucked," Gleaves said. "This is my first-ever 90-point ride, and I'm really excited. This is my rookie season and my first Lewiston Roundup. I love it here. You can't beat a packed house on a Wednesday night."

But the high-score momentum was just beginning. Kolbaba was next in the chute and his bucking black-and-white speckled bull, named Time for Religion, kicked up the dust as the Walla Walla native hung on for a wild ride. The result was another 90-point score and a tie for first place.

The 26-year-old cowboy took a victory lap with Gleaves and posed for photos with fans of all ages.

"It felt really good," he said of his ride. "Anytime you get to ride in front of fans like they have in Lewiston, it makes it even better."

Following the two winners was five-time world champion and the No. 1 bull rider in the professional rankings, Stetson Wright, of Beaver, Utah. His bull, Bouchon, was quickly spinning and whirling in front of the loud crowd. Wright held on, receiving a score of 88.5.

Gleaves and Kolbaba each received winnings of $5,978.40. Wright got $3,835.20 for coming in behind the double leaders. This year, the Roundup committee opted to add an additional $10,000 to the Xtreme Bulls pot for a total of $20,000 of added money. The rest of the riches come from the entry fees.

Announcer Will Rasmussen and barrelman JJ Harrison joked that Deibel must have finally sold a kidney to increase the purse.

Other young bucks performed well Wednesday, including 18-year-old Canyon Wiley Bass, of Wimberley, Texas, who became the leader after the second section of bulls with an 87 score on his bull, Talking Instad of Listening, taking down Tristen Hutchings, of Monteview, Idaho, who earned the top spot in the first section.

Bass said this is his first trip to the Lewiston Roundup. "I love it," he said. "I just got my permit in November. I'm excited about my score, but there's a lot of good matchups ahead."

Hutchings, a 22-year-old bull rider, scored 86.50 points on a bull called Stir Crazy. He said he was pleased with his score and the bull, which recently won the Walla Walla Frontier Days competition.

"He was awesome," Hutchings said. "He bucked really hard. It was a great ride and a great score. It's beautiful up here. I'm an Idaho boy, you know."

Another Idaho cowboy earned a spot on the leaderboard: Wylee Hurst, of Rigby, Idaho, who received a 84 score. He stayed upright for his ride on Cocktail Diarrhea. When the high kicks and spinning stopped and Hurst got off the bull, he threw his helmet into the air. He didn't need to see the score to know he had done well.

Bass received the No. 4 winnings of $2,481.60. Next was Hutchings, receiving $1,579.20, followed by Hurst earning $1,128 for his efforts.

The Lewiston Roundup opened with a full ceremony of flags, military salutes and a flyover by Gary Peters. The roundup royalty rode in front of the attendees with Queen Niah Griffin, a 20-year-old Troy High School graduate who attends the University of Idaho, and 19-year-old Princess Loreal Ellenwood, a graduate of Lapwai High School and current Lewis-Clark State College student. She is an enrolled Nez Perce Tribal member, the first to be part of the Lewiston Roundup Royalty.

The action starts again at 6:59 p.m. today for family night, where kids under 12 get in for free.

XTREME BULLS FINAL RESULTS

1 (tie) — Dawson Keith Gleaves, of Amarillo, Texas, riding Hou's Magic, score of 90.

1 (tie) — Derek Kolbaba, of Walla Walla, Wash., riding Time for Religion, score of 90.

3 — Stetson Wright, of Milford, Utah, riding Bouchon, score of 88.5.

4 — Canyon Wiley Bass, of Johnson City, Texas, riding Talking Instad of Listening, score of 87.

5 — Tristen Hutchings, of Monteview, Idaho, riding Stir Crazy, score of 86.5.

6 — Wylee Hurst, of Rigby, Idaho, riding Cocktail Diarrhea, score of 84.

7 (tie) — Toby Collin, of Stephenville, Texas, riding Red Lipstick, score of 82.

7 (tie) — TJ Gray, of Dairy, Ore., riding El Chapo, score of 82.

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com and at (208) 848-2297. Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune.com. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.