American Outlaw Pro Rodeo delivered in every way at 177th Shelby County Fair

American Outlaw Pro Rodeo opened the grandstand schedule Monday at the 177^th Shelby County Fair with a bang.

In front of a large crowd, the promotion highlighted bareback and saddle bronc riding, mutton busting, barrel racing and bull riding in the first ever Shelby County Shootout.

“I think it went great. It was stellar success. We had a packed house, side to side it was packed,” said Wesley Grubbs with American Outlaw Pro Rodeo. The Fairland native who helped bring the rodeo to the fair also competed in the saddle bronc riding competition. “We actually had to push the start time back 15 minutes because there was a line all the way out into the main part of the fair. We had to push it back about 15 minutes to let everybody get into their seats. I think it was an awesome show.”

Idabel, Oklahoma's Brett Caughman competes in the Saddle Bronc Riding competition Monday at the Shelby County Fair.

Participants were as young as age 3 up to those with decades competing on the rodeo circuit. There were the traditional rodeo clown and performances from a pair of trick riding girls from Ohio and trick roping from a pair of young men from Oklahoma.

Grubbs took to the saddle early in the competition and scored a 70 for his 8-second ride but it was not enough to qualify for the sudden death round to determine a winner.

“I had a pretty good horse. That’s a horse we own and I’ve been on him a bunch,” said Grubbs. “I was teasing with the judges that they couldn’t help me out a little more in my hometown. I was just outside making the short round but there were some things I could have improved and been better.”

Fairland, Indiana's Ava Connor competes in the Barrel Racing event.

There were seven Shelby County girls competing in the barrel racing competition. None were able to traverse the cloverleaf course in under 14 seconds to be in contention for the win.

Jocelyn Firebaugh (Fairland, Ind.) and Emma Connor (Fairland) each stopped the clock at 14.2 seconds to score a top six finish.

Martinsville’s Brooklyn Donat posted the event winning time of 13.722 seconds. Columbus’ Taylor Finley was runner-up at 13.786. Morgantown’s Jenny Law was third at 13.860.

The animals won the night in the bull riding event. No rider was able to stay on for eight seconds to secure a score.

Hidalgo, Illinois’ Stetson Bierman (photo) qualified for the bareback riding finals with a 75 at the start of the event. Only Job Dunlavey, of Kankakee, Ill., scored higher at 76.

Bierman posted the highest ride score of the night with an 85 on his second trip for the win.

Idabel, Oklahoma’s Brett Caughman qualified for the finals of the saddle bronc riding with a 77.5. He followed that with an 80.5 to win the event over Weleetka, Oklahoma’s Tate Minor, who scored 77.5 for his opening ride and 75 in the sudden death round.

Eminence, Indiana's Kylee Craig competes in the Barrel Racing event Monday.

The overall highest score of the night went to Morristown’s Cameron Straber, who posted a 90 in the mutton busting competition. His sheep sprinted out of the gate and Straber, age 5, never let go on one of the longest rides around the ring.

For Grubbs, the homecoming was a dream come true.

“I have not been this excited for rodeo in a long time,” said Grubbs after the event. “I don’t know why but it kind of re-lit the fire in my soul. Since I was a little kid, we have come to this fair and I’ve always thought this would be an awesome spot for a rodeo. So to see it come together, it’s been 20 years in the making and to see it happen, it’s awesome.”

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