Roll these suckers in chocolate and put them in a box and you'd have a fine movie snack.

Johnny Chavez 414 Little Yellow Whale. 0 22-23 5.31. One round to the right and took off like a 747. Where in the heck these judges got those points I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if the Starship Enterprise landed in the arena and took them away. Captain Kirk and Spock could get closer than that.

Kyle Joslin 311 Jack Daniels Sutton. 75 18-17 RR option. This bull bucked hard at the MGM but just loped here. Didn't take the option.

Blue Stone 506 Big Yellow Whale Sutton. 83 19.5 20. To the right--right there but just a bull. Might be a 21 at Onida but was a 19 here.

Blaine Whipp K9 Silver Spurs. 0 19- 23 2.78. Big black muley turned back to the right but looked sluggish... real slow. Knowles 23ing this bull must have something to do with where he lives. Florida. This bull is supposed to be outstanding. This Whipp is a great guy. People just love him here.

Beau Hill L64 Baby Jake Silver Spurs. 0 20-19 7.21. spot made one round to the right and galloped away. Couldn't believe tall boy rolled off right at the whistle. That's how it goes through--you're wired for buckers and the dinks get you.

Zack Brown 604 Red Alert Burns. 79 19-19. Probably an 18. Half a round to the right and hopped around like a constipated cottontail.

Jason McClain 600 Hollywood Burns. 89 21.5 21.5. Closer to a 79.
Left with a little head slinging.

Jesse Bail 812 Blender Head Burns. 0 20+ ? 3.21 Little bull tries, but he's vertically challenged. To the right...reared in it and welled Jesse. Like most people from Laramie, Alaska or Red Bluff, this bull's geneaology chart must feature a family tree with brother and sisters and dads and uncles and cousins all on the same branch.

Myron Duarte 844 Rambler Kesler. 94 23-23. Legitimate score. This young yellow bull really bucked. To the right into Myron's hand... had major ground problems in the middle then got it again. And he's mean too. Outstanding bull ride.

B.J. Schumacher 840 Evidents Dip Kesler. 83 19 21.5. Went four and to the left. This looked like a really bucky bull but he just could never get a hold of the ground. Looked like a a coyote trying to drag race on an ice skating rink.

Philip Elkins 951 Crook Kesler. 86 21-21. Young black bull with a Brahmer hump. Flat spinner that was trying. To the right into Philip's hand. A 20.

If you are contemplating having a noon on Saturday perf in college football country--don't do it. And sure don't figure on Vince Gill to pick up the slack. Bet this will be a four perfer next year. Maybe they'll just book the Ice Capades.

Lots of bulls have been having ground problems here. The young bulls flounder ... slip... slide. The old bulls safety up.

Casey Baize is out with a collapsed lung. He had 46 of Silver Spurs. Bull looked bad... don't think the three Spurs bulls have eaten or drank since they left Northern Cuba. Drawn-up bad. Supposed to be good bulls.

Not sure how the NFR race is going. Trying to win something at the Cow Palace and KC is comparable to winning a thirty state lotto--twice in a row.

Haven't seen the sun since we got here. I figured out why there are so many people in Texas... with all the screwed up loops and highway numbers, they can't find their way out. Guess that's a good thing for the rest of us.

Not sure if all the people were here to see the rodeo or Lyle Lovett's hair. Had a better bull riding tonight. Can't find my bull notes so I'm winging it a day after it happened.

Steve Knowles - Allen Jordon

Johnny Chavez 34 T Bar Barnes. 23 21.5 5.4. Secret Agents report that this bull always bucks hard and will go either way. I thought he bucked hard here but he wasn't going to make any rounds. He didn't impress the bull riders here particularly when they are going to eliminate my favorite pen of bulls--the James Deans (Rebels--Baby E's).

Blaine Whipp 8- Smokless Pet Hall. 90 22 22.5. Bull really bucked good--fading across the front of the chutes. Glad to see this really good guy make a really good bull ride.

Zack Brown 817 Smokeless Gun Hall. 91 22.5 22. Can't remember but it must've been good.

Beau Hill 10 Spike Hall. 0 ? 22.5 1.8. Little brindle shot out of the chutes and did a 360 away from Beau's hand when he hit. Doubt he'll make the final NFR list--guys didn't like that rocket take off.

Jason McClain 3241 Joe Banana Cervi. 86 22-21. As I recall this black bull with nubs turned back into Jason's hand and stayed and, in doing so, locked up an NFR berth for McClain. An NFR good enough bull (200 of them out there), but a borderline pick if he goes. Bull bucked good here though.

Myron Duarte 10 Tush Bad Company. 84 20-21. Bull went a little far out, but bucked once he turned back. I liked it a little better than the judges did but Myron probably won what he was supposed to. Like the previous bull--Tush is a maybe.

Kyle Joslin 7 Smoke Bad Company 78 21.5 20. Went both ways. Had Kyle bucked off and picked him back up. Bull is a borderline pick but a low score a couple of weeks ago hurts his chances.

Philip Elkins 81 Jack O Lantern J-J. 0 21 18- 2.9. Like the other two J-J bulls Jack did his job. Unfortunately he didn't impress anyone. That's the tough thing about out-of-the-mainstream located bulls. The have to come a long ways to get in front of the NFR guys and then they have to get lucky.

Casey Baize T7 Psycho Three Hills. Casey is out with a collapsed lung. Ended up getting released on Sunday after they pulled the tube. Just saw him in the coffee shop at the hotel. Was riding really good. 2003 should be a big year for this guy--one of the best rider / persons we have--he's a credit to the sport of professional bull riding.

Blue Stone 106 Toy Tiger Bailey. 0 19+ YUK ?. Grey Brahmer that has has impressed lots of people at times but didn't have an impressive day here. Kind of had Blue hanging on the side when he turned back and I think it didn't allow the bull to show what he could do. Just so you know... we kind of divided Bailey's bulls between here and the PBR finals--they wanted his ranker end... 4 10 99. We really didn't need Voo Doo here so we looked at a couple of other bulls.

Jesse Bail 601 Toadster Dip Three Hills. 83 20.5 19. As I recall this is the unridden little brindle that Cory Check is really high on. He made one round and jumped out of it. He was kind of up in the corner and things were pretty tight for him and he's young. Too bad.

B.J. Schumaker 56 Shadow Guidry. 0 21+ 20 4.1. Turned back right there away from BJ's hand and airlifted him. I thought he was pretty impressive but the judges probably remembered what he looked like when he was ridden the first time out. Small. These are two of the four judges at the NFR and these judges are like elephants--they don't forget. A couple more breakfast muffins and they'll be bigger than elephants.

Full house and things were rockin. This is were the production people really shine. They put on the entire performance in 2 hours an 10 minutes. While I get crosswise with them on a daily basis it's hard to fault the product they present to the paying customer.

Elkins and Hill had to ride their bulls in the 8 in order to make the NFR. Lots of pressure.

Jesse Bail VC8 Hurricane Smith. 24-23 ?. Probably rode him a long 6. Bull really bucked good--into Jesse's hand and wasn't weakening. I thought he was the third best bull here. The contractors voted and I never heard how it came out.

Zack Brown 514 Little Creep Beutler. 22.5 22+ ?. The judges and the bull riders are high on this little bull but I don't think he's figured it out yet--no pattern just trys hard. Carries his head low all the time which makes him pretty difficult to get by. Benny and Rhett have lots of good enoughs so maybe we'll do a switch. He'd have to go in the Baby E's and there is no longer a pen of them.

Kyle Joslin 10 Freckles Salt River. 21.5 24 2.62. He bucked hard but I don't know that he was going to spin. Race horses sometimes get too smart and quit running. I think this bull is just going to do what he has to --to get by. He'll probably go to the NFR but he'll be in the Big E's.

Jason Mcclain G50 Speck So Mesquite. Has a drop right out of there that jerked Jason and Chavez down. Supposed to be just a good spinner if you get by that. They are going to buck him on a right delivery from now on to see if they can get rid of the drop. Stepped on Jason. He's limping but he won enough here to make the NFR and for most of the year Jason was fighting an up hill battle.

Myron Duarte 777 Body Works Andrews. 22 22+ 5.71. Watusi cross went away from Myron's hand and just kept working on him until he got him. Myron said he nearly rolled his hand out of the rope when he turned back and it got him a little behind. This bull is good enough to go--it just depends how the guys get their pens set up.

Blue Stone 731 Bo Dippin Andrews. 94 23-23. Good bull ride--into Blue's hand and nearly bucked him off at the end. I'd imagine that based on two trips here--this bull won the $10,000 best bull award here again this year. I thought the second best bull was 844 Rambler of Keslers. They didn't want to buck their bulls a second time because of the long haul to the Canadian Finals and it may have cost 840 and 951 an NFR berth since their first trips here weren't their best. The NFR list will be finalized before the Canadian Finals take place.

Beau Hill G7 Spectacular Mesquite. 90 22 21.5. Bo had to ride this bull to make the NFR and he did. Bull had lots of drop and up and down to him but Bo made a perfect ride. It is great to see this kid make the NFR. I saw him several times this year ride hard to ride bulls that few guys could get by--and not win what he should have. And then he got hosed for the $50,000 at Calgary. But he toughed it out, never whined, never felt sorry for himself. Seeing him make the NFR--made my year.

Philip Elkins 791 Captain Chaos Mesquite. 85 22-22. Philip also had to ride this bull to make the NFR and this bull bucked him off here the other night. Not exactly the Energizer bunny in the chute, Elkins got his motor running when they opened the gate before he nodded. The bull had him hung up away from his hand but being a veteran and knowing the NFR was on the line, he ran his knee up and hung on. Here's another guy who had a tough year. His shoulders are shot and I didn't think he was well enough to make it. Been out off and on all season. Paying entry fees--waiting to get better--getting on--getting hurt again. Glad it worked out for Mrs Elkin's baby boy.

I lost Allen Jordon's sheet and it had the total scores on it.

Knowles's sheet:

Myron Duarte 8 Booger Red Smith. 45 22. Went both ways and bucked good. Maybe NFR.

Beau Hill 027 Swamper Beutler. 44 21. Pretty small bull for the Gary Cooper of Bull Riding. Spun fast. No NFR.

Blue Stone 704 Fandango Classic. 42 20. Backed out then spun. No NFR.

Philip Elkins T7 Psycho Three Hills. 0 23+ 3.0. White bull they had to tip here turned back to the left and bucked good. NFR.

What They Won:

Beau Hill ... $23,880.

Myron Duarte ... $22,820

Blue Stone ... $11,215

Jason McClain ... $9,095

Philip Elkins ... $8,550

Kyle Joslin ... $5,350

Zack Brown ... $4,280

Blaine Whipp ... $3,210

Casey Baize ... $2,140

BJ Schumaker ... $1,605

Jesse Bail ... $1,650

Johnnie Chavez ... $0

This is a great rodeo for the contestants. They can bring their families and really enjoy themselves. More fun than the NFR--better atmosphere. Stayed close by in a four star hotel--all together--like it should be.

The Semi Final and Final go rounds -- the last performance -- makes the thing rock. 15 contestants are too many at the NFR. It puts too much time pressure on the production and screws up the judging. It takes away any possibility of FUN. The production team do a great job considering all they have to do. It is no fun for them either. 10 go rounds are too many in every NFR event. Too many for a lot of different reasons. In the riding events--guys get sore and performance goes down... stock is on feed too long.... timed event horses get sour... you lose dramatic impact.... lots of stuff. The contestants have no time to do anything but get ready for the next perf. No time for family. But the money is good for the contestants and stock contractors and Las Vegas makes millions and millions. Somewhere between 25 and 75 depending upon who's figures you believe. Someone told me that even Las Vegas Events (our partner--nets a million or so)--but the PRCA has to hump to break even due to a lousy contract that no one has the balls or fair play enough to redo. I think all that died with Bennie Binion. Great friend of rodeo. I KNOW things would be different--BETTER--if he were still alive.

Closed circuit feeds into the hotels in Vegas are causing more and more empty seats. Two hour wait for taxis... not enough plaza level seats. It's easier to just stay at the hotel and watch it on the big screen while eating dinner, even if you have to eat your tickets for dessert. A lot of our die hard fans are older now and just can't put up with all the hassle. It's a great town to have fun in but the rodeo itself..... isn't near what it could and should be.

Who knows ... maybe when this NFR contract is up... think it runs until 2085 though. (Maybe through 2007).

This was a great set of bull riders. A good mix of veterans and young guys. Everyone tried. No one was in over their heads. The oldest and the youngest--Chavez and Schumaker didn't win enough to probably make the NFR. Brown secured a spot he probably already had made. Stone, McClain, and Elkins needed to win some and did. Duarte probably moved way up into second. Joslin and Whipp weren't in NFR contention but will be next year. Hill needed to win a bunch and did. There were lots of good bull rides at this rodeo.