ELENSBURG, Wash. — It is not too difficult to imagine the possible newspaper headlines, such as "Kruse Control" or maybe "Krusin'." Jesse Kruse was the cowboy to make the news at the Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo Sept. 7. The Great Falls, Mont., cowboy continued his dominance in the saddle bronc riding with an arena record 91-point ride on Flying Five Rodeo's Kool Toddy. Kruse's effort produced the top score of the finals and lifted him to the average title.

"It feels great," Kruse said. "I can't ask for much more. I got on a great horse and I was able to get a little revenge on her. I had her at the Dodge (National Circuit) Finals (Rodeo in April in Pocatello, Idaho) and got bucked off."

Kruse was ready this time, as he broke the previous record of 89 points set by South Dakota's Jesse Bail in 2007. Kruse finished with a total of 176 points on two head in the final regular-season stop of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots. Next up is the Justin Boots Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., Sept. 11-13, and heading into the postseason, few cowboys have been as hot as Kruse. The 23-year-old holds the No. 1 spot in the PRCA World Standings and is third in the Tour standings. He has finished first at more than 15 rodeos and has won more than $120,000 this year. He is poised to win more cash en route to his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December.

Kruse demonstrated his athletic form and quick feet spurring on Kool Toddy and was doubly rewarded. Along with prize money, Kruse and Flying Five Rodeo Company each were awarded a $3,000 bonus from the rodeo committee for the arena record.

"I have just gotten more consistent this year," Kruse said. "(Saddle bronc rider and travel partner) Jake Hayworth is doing my entries for me this year, and he is getting me to where I need to be."

Along with paychecks, Kruse leaves central Washington with an Ellensburg trophy buckle and other goodies from the organizers. The annual Labor Day rodeo began on Sept. 4 and proudly states it's been around since 1923.

Other top talents, along with Kruse, demonstrated that they are at the top of their game during crunch time of the ProRodeo season. Reigning All-Around World Champion Trevor Brazile, who knows a thing or two about roping, won the Ellensburg all-around saddle. The nine-time world champion tied for first place in the tie-down roping finals with Ryan Jarrett and also competed in the team roping and steer roping.

The steer wrestling was loaded with clutch cowboys. Canadian champion and 2005 World Champion Lee Graves sizzled as the lone steer wrestler to post a sub four-second time in the finals with a 3.8-second mark. The Calgary, Alberta, cowboy won the average with a time 12.7 seconds on three head. He prevented an Ellensburg repeat for Luke Branquinho, the reigning and two-time world champion, who finished second.

"Luke and I were tied going in there (to the finals)," Graves said. "When you're with company like that, you know you're doing pretty well."

While Graves is safely among the leaders in the standings, bareback rider Matt Bright was among the cowboys who really needed a lift with the regular season winding down. Bright, from Azle, Texas, is outside the top 20 in both standings. He shined with an 87-point ride in the finals to win the average with a score of 173 points on two head. Steven Dent, back to competition after a knee injury, had the high-scoring ride in the finals. The Mullen, Neb., cowboy scored 88 points on five-time and reigning U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Bareback Riding Horse of the Year Grated Coconut of the Calgary Stampede string.

All-around hand Clint Robinson clinched the tie-down roping title with a 9.0-second run in the finals. The Spanish Fork, Utah cowboy finished with a time of 27.3 second on three head, and the prize money won should help him narrow the gap on world-standings leader Brazile. Robinson is currently third behind Brazile and Ryan Watkins.

In other events, Texas cowgirl Jordon Peterson locked up the Ellensburg barrel racing title with a 17.42-second run in the finals. The duo of Garrett Tonozzi, of Fruita, Colo., and Ryan Motes, of Weatherford, Texas, were the team roping champions with a 6.3-second run in the finals and an average time of 17.2 seconds on three head. Tonozzi and Motes should make a considerable rise in both standings. The cowboys were both outside the top 20 in both standings coming into the weekend. Meanwhile, bull rider Corey Navarre further solidified his top-5 spot in the standings with a win in Ellensburg. The Weatherford, Okla., cowboy scored 90 points on Corey & Horst's Due North in the finals and finished with 176 points on two head.


Unofficial Ellensburg Rodeo results
All-around cowboy:
Trevor Brazile, $5,413, tie-down roping, team roping and steer roping.

Bareback riding:
1. Steven Dent, 88 points on Calgary Stampede's Grated Coconut, $1,650; 2. Matt Bright, 87, $1,250; 3. Will Lowe, 84, $900; 4. (tie) Zac Compton and Ryan Gray, 83, $475 each; 6. (tie) Justin McDaniel, Bobby Mote and Josi Young, 81, $83 each.

Bareback riding average winner:
Matt Bright, 173 points on two head, $3,668.

Steer wrestling:
1. Lee Graves, 3.8 seconds, $1,059; 2. Luke Branquinho, 4.1, $876; 3. Kyle Hughes, 4.3, $794; 4. Ronnie Fields, 4.6, $511; 5. Joey Bell Jr., 5.1, $329; 6. Cody Cassidy, 5.2, $183.

Steer wrestling average winner:
Lee Graves, 12.7 seconds on three head, $3,735.

Team roping:
1. Kelsey Parchman/J.W. Borrego, 6.0 seconds, $1,100 each; 2. Garrett Tonozzi/Ryan Motes, 6.3, $825; 3. Jake Stanley/Justin Davis, 6.5, $550; 4. (tie) Joel Bach/Allen Bach and Steve Purcella/Jhett Johnson, 6.6, $138 each.

Team roping average winner:
Garrett Tonozzi/Ryan Motes, 17.2 seconds on three head, $3,791 each.

Saddle bronc riding:
1. Jesse Kruse, 91 points on Flying Five Rodeo's Kool Toddy (new arena record), $1,200; 2. Rod Hay, 89, $900; 3. Dustin Flundra, 87, $600; 4. Sam Spreadborough, 86, $300.

Saddle bronc riding average winner:
Jesse Kruse, 176 points on two head, $3,127.

Tie-down roping:
1. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Ryan Jarrett, 8.6 seconds, $1,047 each; 3. (tie) Cimarron Boardman, Kody Curry and Clint Robinson, 9.0, $553 each; 6. Hunter Herrin, 9.6, $198.

Tie-down roping average winner:
Clint Robinson, 27.3 seconds on three head, $3,888.

Barrel racing:
1. Jordon Peterson, 17.42 seconds, $1,533; 2. Kelli Tolbert, 17.72, $1,150; 3. Sue Smith, 17.79, $767; 4. Rachael Myllymaki, 17.86, $383.

Barrel racing average winner:
Jordon Peterson, 53.00 seconds on three head, $3,105.

Bull riding:
1. Corey Navarre, 90 points on Corey & Horst Rodeo's Due North, $1,650; 2. Steve Woolsey, 87, $1,250; 3. Chad Denton, 86, $900; 4. (tie) Zack Elliott and J.W. Harris, 85, $475 each.

Bull riding average winner:
Corey Navarre, 176 points on two head, $2,770.

Steer roping average winner:
Shandon Stalls, 21.0 seconds on two head, $1,630. (No steer roping finals)


Visit ProRodeo.com for complete Ellensburg Rodeo results. In-depth coverage of the Ellensburg Rodeo and the Xtreme Bulls finale will be in the Sept. 18 ProRodeo Sports News, THE Voice of ProRodeo.

The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is the largest and oldest rodeo-sanctioning body in the world. The recognized leader in professional rodeo, the PRCA is committed to maintaining the highest standards. The PRCA, a membership-based organization, sanctions more than 600 rodeos annually, and there are nearly 30 million fans in the U.S. The PRCA showcases the world's best cowboys in premier events through the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots, and its subsequent Justin Boots Playoffs, the Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, the PRCA's bull riding tour; and the world-renowned Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Action from PRCA-sanctioned rodeos and its premier events appears on ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPN Deportes. Each year, PRCA-sanctioned rodeos raise more than $26 million for local and national charities. www.prorodeo.com.