The Caldwell Night Rodeo is sold out every single night, except for Wednesday, and a rowdy crowd came out for championship night on Saturday.
This professional rodeo draws some of the best ropers and riders in the world, and some of the best bulls. Nobody was able to hang on for eight seconds as the bulls won the night.
Ryder Wright is part of one of the greatest rodeo families of all time, and this cowboy won the saddle bronc competition on a horse named Miss Valley.
"It’s awesome taking a victory lap anywhere, but the fans here in Caldwell are second to none," said Wright. "They get into it and make you feel like they are here just for you."
The crowd is divided on one side by the civies and the other by the rowdies, but they were all charged up as the night went along. One of the loudest roars comes when the horse makes the final turn and heads for the home stretch in barrel racing.
"This crowd is so electric here in Caldwell," said Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, who won barrel racing. "It is one of the funnest rodeos we run all year long, the fans are so into the rodeo and it really makes for a lot of excitement."
There were several local competitors, as Brady Portenier out of Caldwell competed in bull riding, Megan McLeod-Sprague from Marsing ran her horse in barrel racing, and a young cowboy from Victor got the best ride of the night in bareback on a horse named Two Buck Chuck in front of his family.
"For them to be here and for me to get on one of the best bucking horses in the world and it too, well, is a good feeling," said Cooper Cooke who finished third overall in bareback. "It's cool when you get to come to a local rodeo that is in your home state."
Taylor Broussard won the overall in bareback, Stan Branco took home the crown in steer wrestling, two Texas cowboys Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp got it done in team roping and Shelby Boisjoli won the ladies breakaway roping.
Ryder Wright won saddle bronc, Haven Meged came from behind to win tie down roping, and Tonozzi took a victory lap after her performance in the barrel racing.
"It’s our lives 24/7," said Tonozzi. "Our horses are taken care of better than we are. We just love it, and it’s just a way of life for us."
Props to the Caldwell Night Rodeo Board of Directors who spend so much time and energy to make this one of the best rodeos of the year.
