Big time bullying

Pageantry and patriotism were in full effect on Sunday as cowboys and cowgirls from across the state made their way to Beckwourth Riverfront Park for the final day of the 78th annual Marysville Stampede.

Held each year on Memorial Day weekend, the event saw more spectators enter Cotton Rosser Arena than ever before this year. Not even Saturday's surprise rainstorm could stop area fans from filing through the gate to take in the all-American spectacle that is the rodeo.

"The rain hurt a little yesterday, but Yuba County showed up in the rain and hung out for the full 2 hours and 20 minutes," said local legend Cotton Rosser, founder of the Flying U Rodeo Company and member of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Rodeo Hall of Fame. "One thing about rodeo is they seldom get canceled — cowboys work in the rain if they have to."

The afternoon started with the traditional mutton bustin' event before a skydiver parachuted in with the American flag and landed in the center of the arena. The national anthem was sung and then the professionals buckled up and put on a show. Leading the list of local cowboys was Live Oak's Josh Garner, who took first in the steer wrestling event with a time of 9.9 seconds. One of the smaller cowboys to compete, the 5-foot-7, 160-pound Garner had to use more brains than brawn to take home the winner's paycheck.

"I have to use a lot more technique and be more precise than everyone else," said Garner, who also competed at a rodeo in Porter Valley earlier in the day. "If I would have been in the 4-second range it would've been a lot better, but I can't complain. It worked out."

The other local winner was Colusa's Spencer Mitchell, who teamed with Santa Rosa's Broc Cresta to win the team roping competition in 5.2 seconds.

Wheatland's Chant DeForest nearly won the tie-down roping competition when he roped and knotted his calf in just 9.0 seconds. However, the calf didn't remain tied for the full 6 seconds afterwards, giving him no time.

Nevertheless, the former Marysville High quarterback was still happy to compete so close to home.

"It's my hometown and a lot of people know me so it's fun, but there's a lot of pressure," said DeForest, who is on summer break from Western Oklahoma State College where he has a scholarship for rodeo. "There's a lot more pressure when everybody knows you and expects you to win."

Many of the cowboys wore pink shirts as part of the "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. Rosser said that the event was a success as they raised between $4,000 to $5,000 for local hospitals.

Cody Kiser of Carson City, Nev., won the bareback riding event with a score of 143 and Wes Jones of Fruita won the saddle bronc competition with a score of 147. Billy Holand Jr. of Montague took the tie-down roping event with a time of 9.4 seconds and Nina Moore of Red Bluff won the barrel racing with a time of 17.47.

Josh Daries of Salinas took the bull riding event with a score of 127.

All in all it was a good day under perfect skies.

"We're glad to bring professional rodeo to Marysville because it's the only professional event in town," Rosser said. "We had the biggest crowd we've ever had at the rodeo and nobody got hurt too bad today. These kids, you can't hurt 'em."