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Official scores were few and far between at this weekend's 63rd annual Umpqua Valley Roundup at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
That's what made Redmond cowboy Dom Nagler's accomplishment so incredible -- or more appropriately, "incredi-bull."
Nagler, 30, was one of only two cowboys to post a score on the first night of the bulls-only event billed "Bullrageous."
With Friday's winner, Charlie Barker, not in attendance Saturday, all Nagler needed to do was stay on for eight seconds and he would be declared the overall winner.
Despite drawing a relatively docile bull named Dodge Power, Nagler did what he needed to do, earning a fifth-place score of 74 and a check for $551.
Combine that with his Friday earnings of $2,550 and a new Winchester 30-30 rifle, and Nagler didn't have much to complain about.
"It's definitely exciting to walk away the winner, but that's why I'm here," said Nagler, who has already won four Columbia River Circuit titles this spring. "Consistency is key and you just have to do your best with whatever bull you draw.
"Tonight's bull was a little overweight, so my ride was a bit sloppy. But I wasn't about to sacrifice my score and go back to zero with a win already in the bag."
Nagler, a bull-riding veteran of 15 years, said he's had success at the Umpqua Valley Roundup in previous years, and he's just now finding his groove this season.
"As the weather gets hot, I get hot," he said. "I'm just now starting to get a feel for it and I plan to be out here doing this all summer. Hopefully I can keep it going."
Saturday's best ride was turned in by another Redmond cowboy, Brian Marshall.
The 28-year-old drew a bull named Hard-Hitting Dustin and scored an 87, which earned him a hefty check of $1,776. Nick Sandru of Battle Mountain, Nev., was second with an 84 ($1,470) and Vince Stanton of Weiser, Idaho was third with an 82 ($1,163).
"I got lucky and drew a good bull, so I just did my job and held on," said Marshall, Nagler's traveling buddy. "You don't make any money if you fall off, so when you get a good draw, you need to ride the best you can."
Marshall, who didn't compete Friday, said he had never had much success at the Umpqua Valley Roundup, but he was happy to see his fortunes turn around. He also applauded the livestock provided by Flying 5 and Big Bend out of Ritzville, Wash.
"Big Bend has some of the best bulls in the world, and you can tell by how many guys are getting thrown off," he said.
One onlooker described this year's livestock as "hot," meaning they were some of the meanest, nastiest bulls around.
After numerous cowboys were thrown to the arena floor, announcer Wayne White of Creswell said "they must be feeding these bulls gunpowder."
UVR Board of Directors President Jon Birk agreed, saying that's exactly what the organizers were hoping for.
"Flying 5 is a great contractor and they provide some of the best live stock in the country," Birk said. "The number of guys who didn't get a ride tells the whole story. The riders were good, but the stock was a little better this year."
Birk said he thought the Bullrageous format was a success, even though some rodeo fanatics didn't get to see calf roping, saddle bronc riding, team roping, barrel racing and other traditional favorites.
He said the board had not yet decided what to do for next year, but they will be discussing it soon.
"We've done the PRCA rodeo for so many years, and we just thought it would be fun to do something different," Birk said.
"I think it went really well. The feedback we get goes both ways. Ropers want to see roping and barrel racers want to see barrel racing. But deep down, a lot of people come to see the bulls. That's where the real excitement is."
Official attendance figures were not available, but some spectators thought the turnout seemed smaller than in recent years.
Colton Gow, a 2006 Roseburg High graduate and longtime rodeo participant, said he enjoyed himself at Bullrageous but still found himself missing the traditional rodeo format.
"It didn't feel like a true rodeo because it didn't have all the same events, but I'm glad I came and watched," said Gow, a calf roper and saddle bronc rider who just finished his freshman year at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M.
"It was a little disappointing for me because I was hoping to enter this year. Since I finally turned 18, I can enter a professional event. But maybe I can do it next year."
* You can reach sports reporter Dave Leder at 957-4221 or by e-mail at dleder@newsreview.info.
That's what made Redmond cowboy Dom Nagler's accomplishment so incredible -- or more appropriately, "incredi-bull."
Nagler, 30, was one of only two cowboys to post a score on the first night of the bulls-only event billed "Bullrageous."
With Friday's winner, Charlie Barker, not in attendance Saturday, all Nagler needed to do was stay on for eight seconds and he would be declared the overall winner.
Despite drawing a relatively docile bull named Dodge Power, Nagler did what he needed to do, earning a fifth-place score of 74 and a check for $551.
Combine that with his Friday earnings of $2,550 and a new Winchester 30-30 rifle, and Nagler didn't have much to complain about.
"It's definitely exciting to walk away the winner, but that's why I'm here," said Nagler, who has already won four Columbia River Circuit titles this spring. "Consistency is key and you just have to do your best with whatever bull you draw.
"Tonight's bull was a little overweight, so my ride was a bit sloppy. But I wasn't about to sacrifice my score and go back to zero with a win already in the bag."
Nagler, a bull-riding veteran of 15 years, said he's had success at the Umpqua Valley Roundup in previous years, and he's just now finding his groove this season.
"As the weather gets hot, I get hot," he said. "I'm just now starting to get a feel for it and I plan to be out here doing this all summer. Hopefully I can keep it going."
Saturday's best ride was turned in by another Redmond cowboy, Brian Marshall.
The 28-year-old drew a bull named Hard-Hitting Dustin and scored an 87, which earned him a hefty check of $1,776. Nick Sandru of Battle Mountain, Nev., was second with an 84 ($1,470) and Vince Stanton of Weiser, Idaho was third with an 82 ($1,163).
"I got lucky and drew a good bull, so I just did my job and held on," said Marshall, Nagler's traveling buddy. "You don't make any money if you fall off, so when you get a good draw, you need to ride the best you can."
Marshall, who didn't compete Friday, said he had never had much success at the Umpqua Valley Roundup, but he was happy to see his fortunes turn around. He also applauded the livestock provided by Flying 5 and Big Bend out of Ritzville, Wash.
"Big Bend has some of the best bulls in the world, and you can tell by how many guys are getting thrown off," he said.
One onlooker described this year's livestock as "hot," meaning they were some of the meanest, nastiest bulls around.
After numerous cowboys were thrown to the arena floor, announcer Wayne White of Creswell said "they must be feeding these bulls gunpowder."
UVR Board of Directors President Jon Birk agreed, saying that's exactly what the organizers were hoping for.
"Flying 5 is a great contractor and they provide some of the best live stock in the country," Birk said. "The number of guys who didn't get a ride tells the whole story. The riders were good, but the stock was a little better this year."
Birk said he thought the Bullrageous format was a success, even though some rodeo fanatics didn't get to see calf roping, saddle bronc riding, team roping, barrel racing and other traditional favorites.
He said the board had not yet decided what to do for next year, but they will be discussing it soon.
"We've done the PRCA rodeo for so many years, and we just thought it would be fun to do something different," Birk said.
"I think it went really well. The feedback we get goes both ways. Ropers want to see roping and barrel racers want to see barrel racing. But deep down, a lot of people come to see the bulls. That's where the real excitement is."
Official attendance figures were not available, but some spectators thought the turnout seemed smaller than in recent years.
Colton Gow, a 2006 Roseburg High graduate and longtime rodeo participant, said he enjoyed himself at Bullrageous but still found himself missing the traditional rodeo format.
"It didn't feel like a true rodeo because it didn't have all the same events, but I'm glad I came and watched," said Gow, a calf roper and saddle bronc rider who just finished his freshman year at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M.
"It was a little disappointing for me because I was hoping to enter this year. Since I finally turned 18, I can enter a professional event. But maybe I can do it next year."
* You can reach sports reporter Dave Leder at 957-4221 or by e-mail at dleder@newsreview.info.
