Rodeo: Bolich, McLane tune up for Montana Finals

By JIM CNOCKAERT Chronicle Sports Writer

BILLINGS - There's nothing like a ride in the Chase Hawks Memorial Rough Stock Invitational Rodeo to get a cowboy ready for next month's Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals.

PAUL RUHTER/BILLINGS GAZETTE Derry McLane of Bozeman scores a 71 on his bareback ride Saturday night during the Chase Hawks Memorial Rodeo at MetraPark in Billings. Belgrade's Andy Bolich and Bozeman's Derry McLane, who sit first and third in the season Circuit bareback standings, got a chance to measure themselves Saturday night at the Metra Arena against some of the best in the business.

Though neither finished in the money, both pronounced themselves ready for the Circuit Finals, scheduled Jan. 11-13 in Great Falls. Bolich scored 77.5 points on his ride, and McLane earned 71 points. Neither came close to the 83-point ride turned in by Nebraska's Steven Dent, the College National Finals Rodeo champion.

"Yeah, it is kind of a tune-up," said Bolich, who is the two-time defending Circuit champion. "It's a chance to get on a really good horse. Everything here is from the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) or that caliber.

"It's only one head, but it's a good one. It's a way to get back in the groove before the Circuit Finals."

The Chase Hawks Rodeo, now in its 13th season, attracts some of the best cowboys and the top stock in the country. Almost half of the competitors in Saturday's bareback riding, saddle bronc and bull riding competed recently at the NFR.

"This is definitely a rodeo you want to go to," McLane said. "The best (cowboys) in the world are here, and the best stock in the world is, too. You can really rise to the level of the competition."

Bolich agreed: "It's a chance to see how you match up against them, especially on good horses. There are a few better (horses) and some weaker ones, but this is about as even as you'll find for a one-head deal. When everyone has good horses, it's a riding contest. That's fun."

Bolich, the assistant rodeo coach at Montana State, had trouble during the second half of the 2007 Montana season after he hyper-extended his right elbow. He said the elbow gave him no trouble Saturday night, though the back of his head took a beating from his horse, Coconut Roll of the Calgary Stampede Rodeo Company.

"That horse was going to test my elbow," he said. "It held up pretty good."

McLane's draw, Cop Out of the Brookman Rodeo Company, did not give him the kind of a strong ride he needed for a good score. Still, McLane wasn't complaining. He was, he said, just glad to be part of the event.

"My heroes are here, the guys I learned from," he said. "When I first started, I went to Marvin Garrett's school. He's one of the guys I look up to. Going into high school, I would get a pep talk from him before a big rodeo. He was out there tonight.

"Look down the list in this building, from the judges to the

competitors. Just think how many world titles are in this building. It's awesome. You try to rise to that level."

One guy who’s been to that level is Billings native Dan Mortensen, the six-time world saddle bronc champion. Mortensen, who has taken most of the past year off as he tries to heal up for a comeback, competed for just the third time in 2007.

Mortensen drew Touch of Silver from the Powder River Rodeo Company, a horse that bucked him off at the 2006 NFR. He grimaced when he picked the horse's number out of a hat during the Saturday morning draw.

"That horse was hard to ride," he said. "It was not really the one I wanted to draw, but you have to make do with what you got."

Mortensen got the loudest ovation for the capacity crowd at the Metra. As he made his way off the arena floor he shooks hands with a number of spectators in the front row.

"I love the home crowd," he said. "It's always great getting on here in Billings. It's a neat deal. I'm happy just I was able to stay on tonight."

THE WINNERS: Dent's 83 stood up as the top ride in the bareback. Oregon's Tyson Thompson and Kansas' Bo Casper tied for second with 80.5 scores.

Cody Wright, of Milford, Utah, won the saddle bronc with an 85-point ride. Vaughn's Tyrell Smith finished second with a 83.5 score.

South Dakota's Ardie Maier won the bull riding with an 82.5 score. Glendive's Cody Buller, who leads the Montana Circuit in the event, finished second with an 80.

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