Victorious Oklahomans

Okies do well at Elk City rodeo; champs crowned at 79th annual event

 

September 8, 2017

Lone S Photo

Stockton Graves, Alva, won the steer wrestling competition at the 79th annual Elk City Rodeo of Champions.

Five Oklahoma cowboys and an Oklahoma cowgirl rode away from the Elk City Rodeo of Champions as winners.

Steer wrestler Stockton Graves, Alva; bull rider Trevor Kastner, Sulphur; team ropers Casey Hicks, Sperry, and Braden Harmon, Mustang; tie-down roper Jarrod Branch, Wellston; and barrel racer Tracy Nowlin, Nowata, won their respective events at the 79th annual rodeo held in Elk City Sept. 1-3. Kastner shared the bull riding title with Floridian Clayton Sellars; Tim O'Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, won the bareback riding and Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, won the saddle bronc riding.

For Graves, of Alva, it was good timing for his win. The soon-to-be 40-year-old has had a slow couple of weeks, and his 3.6 second run, earning him $1,880, was perfect.

"I tell you what, it's about time," he said. "I've kind of been struggling the last few weeks, and shouldn't have been. It's been all my fault, and finally something came together."

Nearly everything went right for his run on Friday night. "I got a great start and the steer was good. We caught up fast (to the steer) and he was good on the ground. Everything was pretty good, actually."

Graves, who qualified for the National Finals Rodeo seven times (2004-2011) has competed at Elk City nearly every year since he became a PRCA member in 1997. He's never won money at it. "I told them boys, before we started, Elk City has got to be good to me one time in my career. And maybe this is the year. I'll take it," he said.

Graves has been the rodeo coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva for the past five years, and he loves his job. "I really enjoy it," he said. "I never thought I'd be there this long, really. I didn't know I'd enjoy it this much, but I do." Working with the young rodeo athletes is gratifying. "I enjoy the young athletes, working hard to get an education and rodeo as well." This year, there are 111 student athletes on Northwestern's rodeo team.

Next year's rodeo will be Aug. 31–Sept. 1-2, 2018.

 

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