ProRodeo Sports News - Sept. 6, 2024

BREMERTON, WASH.

Balancing Act

Lane Vaughan discovers success with Kitsap win BY KENISE DARST-TODD, Special to ProRodeo Sports News B ull riding stands as one of the most daring events in rodeo, where riders face the daunting task of staying on a bucking animal that can weigh over 1,700 pounds for a grueling eight seconds. For 19-year-old Lane Vaughan the challenge extends beyond just the bull’s size. As a young rider, Vaughan was also grappling with the pressures of balancing school with his professional rodeo ambitions, but he was not one to back down from a challenge. After an impressive 86-point ride on Big Stone Rodeo’s Dirty Dave at the Kitsap Stampede in Bremerton, Wash., he felt the weight of his burdens lift, proving that he could conquer both the arena and the classroom. “I had a bit of a rough patch going up there in Bremerton, but I knew to just do my job and get things turned around there and that would help the rest of my season,” said Vaughan. “I just relaxed, let all the work pay off and hope for the best. When I found out it was 86 and I ended up winning it, I was on top of the world.” Vaughan’s ride was a memorable one as he scored 3.5 points ahead of Hawk Whitt, who had an 82.5-point ride. This victory earned Vaughan a $5,978 payoff. When matched with Big Stone Rodeo’s Dirty Dave, Vaughan was anxious for the ride ahead, learning what the bull could offer. “Before the draw, I’d never heard of him before, never seen him. Then I did a little research after the draw and figured out what he was and that’s when I became really excited about it.” Vaughan is competing on his permit in PRORODEO this year, adapting to the transition of competing as an amateur to a professional. The real challenge comes when learning how to balance his time in the arena and the classroom as a sophomore at Western Texas College in Snyder, but he is thankful to return to class with another victory under his belt. “This win means the world to me because this year I set out that I wanted to win the Columbia River Circuit – that was my goal, and it was a good steppingstone,” Vaughan said. “Being at college, not being able to hit all these rodeos, I needed to make the ones when I was up here count, so this one definitely helped the cause for sure.” While aiming for the bright lights and the yellow bucking chutes at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge, Vaughan is taking it one step at a time, learning and soaking in all he can to return back better than ever for the 2025 rodeo season. “This year is a learning year; I’m learning what I need to do and what I need to enter, but the biggest thing I learned is just trusting myself,” Vaughan said. “The beginning of the year I felt like I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to get into every rodeo that I could. So, I came home and started over again and went back to the basics then I started having fun again. I’m glad I figured it out when I did.”

TOP SCORES

TOP MONEY EARNER Tanner Aus ($6,275, bareback riding) BAREBACK RIDING

Aus

1. Tanner Aus ............................. 88 pts. 2. Nick Pelke .................................. 87.5 3. Lane McGehee ........................... 86.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Landris White ...................... 3.3 sec. 2. Bridger Anderson ......................... 3.6 3. Gus McGinn ................................. 3.8 (Tie) Ringo Robinson ................... 3.8 TEAM ROPING 1. L. Brown/T. Graves .............. 4.0 sec. 2. D. Egusquiza/L. Lord ................... 4.3 (Tie) T. McLeod/S. Sporer ............ 4.3 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Brody Cress ........................... 87 pts. 2. Ryder Wright ................................ 86 3. Wyatt Casper ............................. 85.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Paden Bray .......................... 8.2 sec. (Tie) Haven Meged ....................... 8.2 3. Marty Yates .................................. 8.5 BARREL RACING 1. Kassie Mowry .................. 16.84 sec. 2. Ashley Castleberry ................... 17.00 3. Kathy Grimes ........................... 17.01 BULL RIDING 1. Lane Vaughan ........................ 86 pts. 2. Hawk Whitt ................................ 82.5 3. T.J. Gray ....................................... 80 (Tie) Roscoe Jarboe ...................... 80

Complete results/Page 60

Kent Soule photo

ProRodeo Sports News 9/6/2024

ProRodeo.com

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