SPORTS
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
East Oregonian
A11
Round-up:
Continued from Page A10
BAREBACK RIDING
R.C. Landingham has
had three surgeries on his
left shoulder (free arm) and
he missed the 2020 season
altogether.
Sept. 18, the former Pend-
leton man got on the back of
Choke Cherry and posted a
ride of 89.5 points to win the
final round and the title with
a combined score of 177 on
two rides. Both point totals
are arena records.
“It was pretty awesome,”
he said. “That helps me jump
up and seal a spot in the NFR.”
It’s the third trip to
the NFR for the former
Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College cowboy, who
now calls California home.
Despite the change in
address, Landingham had
plenty of fans in the stands
for the finals.
“It was pretty neat to see
how many people supported
me,” he said. “I hadn’t been
back to Pendleton in quite
awhile. It’s nice to see how
many still follow me.”
Landingham got off to a
slow start to the season, but
things started to pick up in
the summer.
“It started to pick up
around the Fourth of July,”
Landingham said. “At a regu-
lar-season rodeo, this is the
biggest payday ($13,249) I
have had.”
To make sure his NFR trip
is secure, Landingham, who
is sitting 13th in the stand-
ings, will compete in rodeos
in Texas, Nebraska, Utah and
California from now until the
end of the month.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Shane Hanchey is getting
a little greedy when it comes
to winning money in Pend-
leton.
Hanchey, from Sulphur,
Louisiana, picked up his
second title Sept. 18 with a
time of 28.9 on three runs. He
roped his calf in 9 seconds in
the short go, and earned
“I’ve been coming since
my rookie year in 2009,”
Hanchey said. “I love it,
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Steer roper Scott Snedecor, of Fredericksburg, Texas, ropes his way to a championship Sat-
urday, Sept. 18, 2021, at the Pendleton Round-Up with a three-day total of 43.2 seconds.
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Former Blue Mountain Community College rodeo star R.C.
Landingham, of Hat Creek, California, rides Choke Cherry
to a bareback championship Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, at the
Pendleton Round-Up.
and it’s a place I’ve always
had good luck at. I love the
grass. I’ve always watched
that rodeo and wanted to be
there. My horse Si makes it
so easy for me. I’ve alway
been attracted to it. If I had
never won anything, I prob-
ably wouldn’t like coming.”
Hanchey won his first title
in 2017 and was second in
2011 and 2018.
Unlike some rodeos, the
cowboys here have a blind
draw when it comes to
calves. They get whichever
one comes down the runway.
“We don’t know what we
have until they come down
the hill,” he said. “It adds to
the already unique conditions
and format.”
Hanchey is leading the
world standings with nearly
$44,000 more than the next
man. He is headed to his 12th
NFR.
STEER WRESTLING
Tristan Martin entered
Pendleton with a heavy heart.
His grandma, Betty Martin,
passed away two weeks ago
and he wasn’t able to make
her service because he was
on the road working toward
the goal his grandma had for
him — a trip to the NFR.
The Louisiana man took
down his steer in 4.4 seconds
9/24/2021
in the final round for a time of
15.7 on three runs to win his
first Pendleton title.
“She was the ringleader
of the family,” he said. “She
pushed you to capture your
goals.”
With the $11,457 check
he picked up for the win, he
moved up to 11th in the world
standings, and his first NFR
is on the horizon.
Martin entered Pendleton
15th in the world standings
but had less than a $200 lead
over the 16th-place man.
Martin’s uncle, Casey
Martin, has won Pendleton
three times (2014, 2010 and
2008), so bragging rights
aren’t exactly his, yet.
“It’s a family tradition,”
Martin said. “My uncle said
I had to win it a couple more
times before I mess with
him.”
BARREL RACING
Less than one second
separated the top 12 contes-
tants heading into the finals
Sept. 18, but once the action
started, Leia Pluemer and her
horse Sister rose to the top.
The New Mexico cowgirl
turned in a time of 28.84
seconds in the finals for a
winning time of 57.65 on two
runs to win her first Pendle-
ton title and $11,922.
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Steer wrestler Tristan Martin, of Sulphur, Louisiana, makes a
4.4-second run to seal his championship Saturday, Sept. 18,
2021, at the Pendleton Round-Up.
“Sister is a horse who
loves to run,” Pluemer said.
“She is like the little Ener-
gizer Bunny, she just goes
and goes and goes.”
Pluemer placed fifth in the
event in 2019, and there was
no question she was coming
back.
“This was the only rodeo I
wanted to go to in the North-
west,” she said.
“To run in Pendleton, you
have to trust your horse and
let them do their job. I knew
Sis would do her job. I just sat
up in the middle of her and let
her do her job.”
STEER ROPING
Scott Snedecor was the
last man out during the steer
roping finals. He needed an
18.4-second run to win his
third Pendleton title — he got
the job done in 15.4. His time
on three runs was 43.2.
“The pucker factor is high
here,” the Texas cowboy said.
“You have to take advantage
of everything you draw. I
knew that steer was going to
run hard, I just needed to get
a clean shot on the head.”
Snedecor also won the
event in 2008 and 2013.
“Pendleton is outstand-
ing,” he said. “It’s fun and
you have to have a little
cowboy in you. The fans are
awesome.”
Landon McClaugherty
had the fastest run in the
finals at 13.4, followed by
Chet Herren (15.1) and Sned-
ecor, who pocketed $8,811
for his efforts.
TEAM ROPING
There was one team
remaining, and all it needed
was a run of 9.8 seconds or
less to win the title. They
missed on the head side,
giving way for Rhen Rich-
ard and Jeremy Buhler to
win the title with a time of
17.1 seconds on three runs.
“You hope to draw
something that gives you a
chance,” Richard said. “The
whole thing is awesome.
Everyone wants to win Pend-
leton.”
Richard and Buhler each
earned $13,176, which will
go a long way in their quest
for the NFR. Richard moved
up to 11th in the world stand-
ings (headers), while Buhler
moved to 11th in the heeler
standings, but the standings
are tight.
The regular season ends
Sept. 30.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
It’s not the first time Pend-
leton has had breakaway
ropers, but it is the first time
they were included in the
money.
Sawyer Gilbert won the
inaugural Pendleton title,
clocking a 2.6-second run
in the finals to take home the
average win with 5.0 seconds
on two head. The win earned
her $9,775.
“It’s really good they
added equal money,” Gilbert
said. “It’s been a pretty amaz-
ing year. I’m pretty fortunate
to have that horse and that my
brother let’s me ride it. We
were sharp at the barrier and
got it roped.”
9/24/2021
Mention code: 21SepRed