LINCOLN -- The biggest and loudest cheers from the 66th annual Lincoln Rodeo occurred Saturday night during Peewee barrel racing.
Emma Parker, 2018 Little Miss, fell off her horse coming into the first barrel. Undaunted the junior cowgirl climbed back aboard and continued the barrel run only to have the paint veer off at the second barrel.
Newly-crowned 2019 Little Miss, 5-year-old Dalli Jo Fisher, had her troubles as well. Her horse balked and her dad, Seth Fisher, wound up leading the horse through the barrel course drawing a chorus of cheers.
Yet another junior cowgirl experienced difficulty when 3-year-old Liz Robinson's mount named Mighty Mouse didn't stay in the pattern after completing two barrels.
"It doesn't make no difference what the time is, it's the memories that you make right here with Liz," said announcer Jeff Wren, exhorting the crowd. "She breaks the pattern, but she's a world champion right here."
The crowd again responded with thunderous applause.
Fans caught their breaths when Ty Ralston opted for a re-ride in ranch bronc riding Saturday night, but got bucked off and had to catch himself on the top rail of the fence. He was OK. Phillip Stanley scored 72 to win the event on Thursday.
Travis Gardner scored a 78-point ride Thursday to win the Saddle Bronc competition.
Lukasey Morris won the bull riding with an 83 Thursday, while Joshua Webber came in second with an 81-point ride aboard a bull named Flinstone Saturday and Cash Bronson's 74 from Thursday was good enough for third place.
William Wayne won first place in tie down roping with an 8.2 showing Thursday.
Thompson Berryhill and Cody Heflin placed second in team roping with a finish of 6.5 seconds on Saturday.
Fans, who stuck around after getting drenched during a 10 minute downpour Thursday, were treated to the first successful bull rides at the event in several years.
LRC royalty candidates for 2019 included: Landree Cunningham, queen; Kinsey Driver, queen; Bailee Ory, queen; Elyse Perdue, queen; Lindsey Thompson, queen; Shania Downing, junior queen; Savannah Perkins, junior queen; Arianna Price, junior queen; and Bailey Sizemore, princess.
Cunningham was crowned queen on Saturday with Sizemore taking the princess title. Savannah Perkins, 12, won the junior queen title; and her younger brother, Gauge, 3, won Little Mister. They are children of Charlie and Christy Perkins, of Farmington.
Sports on 08/14/2019