2012 Mother Lode Round-Up

As many times as I have walked by this building, I never noticed the donkey saying "Howdy Podner."

The Mother Lode Round-Up was one of the first few rodeos to grant me access, so I’m always happy to make the trip to the beautiful Gold Country to shoot their rodeo. This was my third trip to Sonora, CA, and it was a great time yet again.

While Red Bluff does the team bronc riding on the track making it hard to get pictures from anywhere safe, the Mother Lode does it in the arena:

Team bronc riding

They also have the Calf Scramble where contestants have to tie a ribbon on a calf’s tail. It’s much harder than you’d think. This series shows just how hard:

Calf scramble

And of course, mutton bustin’:

Mutton bustin'

To the official part of the rodeo:

Steer wrestler John Clymo of Oakdale, CA

Steer wrestler Gary Kuhn of Hansen, ID

It was good to see my good friend Billy Bugenig take home another buckle & check for steer wrestling:

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Billy Bugenig

Steer wrestler Billy Bugenig of Ferndale, CA winning with a 4.9 second run.

I had never seen a left-handed roper before, and it was crazy to see Garrett Roen dismount on the “wrong” side and run under his rope:

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Garrett Roen

Tie-down roper Garrett Roen of Waterford, CA

More conventional roping:

Tie-down roper K.C. Miller of San Luis Obispo, CA

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Dan Williams Jr

Tie-down roper Dan Williams Jr of Gerber, CA

The Mother Lode Round-Up is also great for shooting barrel racing. The light is perfect, and one of the barrels is just a few yards from the fence:

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Christy Loflin

Barrel racer Christy Loflin of Franktown, CO

The roughstock action was especially rough this year:

Bareback rider Grant Denny of Minden, NV rides Growney Brothers' 813

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Cody Higgins

Bareback rider Cody Higgins of Red Bluff, CA rides Juice Queen

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - R.C. Landingham

Bareback rider R.C. Landingham of Pendleton, OR rides Detox

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Brady Nicholes

Saddle bronc rider Brady Nicholes of Hoytsville, UT rides West Point Girl

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Johnny Allen

Bull rider Johnny Allen of Norwalk, CA rides Growney Brothers' 726

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Brady Williams

Bull rider Brady Williams of Snelling, CA rides Fine Line

Bull rider Tag Elliott of Thatcher, UT rides Growney Brothers' 827

Bull rider Tag Elliott of Thatcher, UT gets bucked off Growney Brothers' 827

Bull rider A.J. Hamre of Chico, CA rides Locked & Loaded

Bull rider A.J. Hamre of Chico, CA gets bucked off Locked & Loaded

Bull rider Corey Olsen of Benjamin, UT gets bucked off Dutch

Bull rider Wace Holmes of Lehi, UT gets bucked off Growney Brothers' 827

Bryce Brown scored an impressive 84 which held up for third place, but it didn’t prevent him from having to run away very fast from Fine Line:

Bull rider Bryce Brown of Greenview, CA runs away from Fine Line after his 84-point ride.

I recognized two riders from the practice sessions I shot at B-Bar. Tyler Stueve came very close to covering Cowboy Caviar, a bull that has bucked off his share of NFR cowboys:

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Tyler Stueve

Bull rider Tyler Stueve of Marysville, CA rides Cowboy Caviar

And 38-year-old Chance Hannum won the whole thing with an awesome 87 on Smoke Signal:

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Chance Hannum

Bull rider Chance Hannum of Lincoln, CA rides Smoke Signal for 87 points and the win.

The bullfighters once again put on a clinic. Eric Layton came out of nowhere to jump in to save Jed Jones, but injured his knee and unfortunately missed the rest of the rodeo:

Bullfighter Eric Layton of Red Bluff, CA jumps between bull rider Jed Jones of Garden Valley, ID and Growney Brothers' 919.

Bull rider Josh Daries put on a vest and filled in ably for Layton, here teaming up with Rick Moffatt to battle Mr Saturday Night…

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Josh Daries & Rick Moffatt

Bullfighters Josh Daries and Rick Moffatt battle Mr. Saturday Night

…who continued after Moffatt, knocking his shades right off his head:

2012 Mother Lode Round-Up - Rick Moffatt

Bullfighter Rick Moffatt battles Mr. Saturday Night

I don’t generally shoot the specialty acts, but Bert Davis the Coppertown Clown and his Mutley Crew is a pretty special specialty act. Davis takes rescue dogs and trains them to jump through hoops and more. Note to my committee/staff friends: this is a must see and must book act: