VanderLans wins Steer Wrestling, All-Around at Lakeside

Jack VanderLans won both the Steer Wrestling average and the All-Around at the Lakeside Rodeo.

The 2001 Fallbrook High School graduate also had the third-place times in both go-rounds of the April 19-21 rodeo. He won a total of $2,102.67 for his go-round and average (aggregate) positions.

"I've gone to Lakeside quite a few times," VanderLans said. "To be able to win the Steer Wrestling and win the All-Around is pretty exciting. I've always wanted to do that."

The All-Around championship is given to the cowboy with the most money in at least two events. No other cowboy placed in more than one event and no cowboy who competed in more than one event matched or exceeded the money VanderLans won. VanderLans also competed in the Tie-Down Roping at Lakeside.

VanderLans, who now lives in Temecula, made his first Steer Wrestling and Tie-Down Roping runs in the Friday evening performance April 19. He was scheduled to compete in the Tie-Down Roping the night of April 20 and in the Steer Wrestling on April 21, but the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association allows cowboys to "trade out". Clint Cooper, who grew up in Temecula and became one of VanderLans' closest friends when they both competed in high school rodeo, now lives in Paso Robles. Cooper was scheduled to rope in the Sunday performance, and the trading out allowed Cooper to return home earlier while allowing VanderLans to have both of his events on the same day. "It worked out well for me," VanderLans said.

Ironically, when VanderLans was in high school rodeo and a PRCA permitholder, he rode a Steer Wrestling horse named Tuffy. Tuffy was also the name of the Tie-Down Roping horse VanderLans rode at Lakeside. "I didn't have very much luck in the Tie-Down Roping," VanderLans said.

VanderLans had a 14-second run in his first Tie-Down Roping go-round and failed to catch his calf in the second go.

The Lakeside Rodeo was VanderLans' fourth on Tuffy. He purchased the 14-year-old on March 1. "We're still kind of getting to know each other and getting the bugs out," VanderLans said.

VanderLans purchased Tuffy from Caldwell, Idaho, cowboy Tim Roeser. "His family is well-known for raising some nice cutting horses and ranch horses," VanderLans said.

Last year VanderLans rode Shane for Tie-Down Roping runs, but Shane is now 20 and had to be retired. "I probably would have done just Steer Wrestling," VanderLans said.

VanderLans' plans to abandon Tie-Down Roping changed when he saw that Roeser had a horse for sale. "It was just a chance encounter," VanderLans said.

VanderLans traveled to Idaho to investigate Tuffy. "I tried him and ended up purchasing him," VanderLans said.

VanderLans also purchased two new horses for Steer Wrestling. "I was kind of in between Steer Wrestling horses," he said.

VanderLans had used Trash for Steer Wrestling before that horse pulled a tendon in his hind leg. VanderLans rehabilitated Trash, but they did not have their previous success. "He never quite came back," VanderLans said.

Although Trash was not competitive at PRCA rodeos, he was still suitable for National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association competition and VanderLans sold Trash to a college cowboy.

A steer wrestler traditionally provides 25 percent of his earnings to the hazer who guides the steer, and if he borrows another cowboy's horse the horse owner also receives 25 percent. When VanderLans competed in Oregon and Washington rodeos last summer, he borrowed a 17-year-old gelding from Stanfield, Oregon, cowboy Travis Taruscio. "Travis took me under his wing and let me ride his horse," VanderLans said. "I won quite a lot of money on him."

Near the end of the 2012 rodeo season Taruscio offered to sell Bob. VanderLans also obtained a hazing horse, Leroy, from Taruscio. "I ended up buying the whole team. It was pretty exciting. I don't think I've ever owned a bulldogging horse and a hazing horse this good," VanderLans said.

VanderLans obtained Bob and Leroy in time for the November 10-11 Brawley Cattle Call Rodeo. VanderLans won second place and the corresponding $1,043.10 of earnings at Brawley on Bob. "I drove up a week before Brawley, picked him up," he said.

When a cowboy begins his career in the PRCA, he does so as a permitholder. A cowboy fills his permit once he has earned $1,000 from PRCA-sanctioned rodeos, allowing him to obtain a PRCA card and have full PRCA membership. The money to fill a permit does not need to be earned in the same event. In May 2001 VanderLans filled his permit at the Ramona Rodeo. That year nine-year-old Mason Malone moved from Lakeside to Ramona.

At the time Malone was best known as the son of steer wrestler Mitch Malone. "I never really rodeoed with Mitch," VanderLans said.

Several years ago Mitch Malone was at the Jurupa Rodeo to watch his wife, Jeannie, in the Barrel Racing event. VanderLans couldn't find a hazer, and Mitch Malone offered to haze. VanderLans won that rodeo.

Mason Malone is now 21 and moved from Ramona to Warner Springs in December. "I've been practicing with Mason quite a lot now that he lives closer to the house," VanderLans said.

Mitch Malone was once more proficient in Tie-Down Roping than in Steer Wrestling, but Tie-Down Roping requires a cowboy to own and transport his own horse while Steer Wrestling allows the bulldogger to borrow another horse and is thus more economical. Mitch Malone focused on Steer Wrestling during his PRCA career.

Mason Malone joined the PRCA after turning 18 in 2009 and has been competing only in Tie-Down Roping. Malone made his hazing debut at Lakeside. "I think I did better in the hazing than in the Calf Roping," Malone said.

Malone's first Tie-Down Roping run included a ten-second penalty for a broken barrier. He missed his second calf. "It was just some bad luck," he said.

VanderLans was the final steer wrestler of the Friday night performance. "The steer I had I didn't know a whole lot about," VanderLans said.

VanderLans compensated for his lack of knowledge of the particular steer by assessing the Growney Brothers stock as a whole. "They all looked like really nice steers," he said.

VanderLans' time of 5.0 seconds led the first go-round after that night. "My goal was not to break the barrier and not to make any mistakes and that's kind of what happened. I made sure I gave my steer a good head start," he said.

Malone guided the steer for VanderLans. "He did really good," VanderLans said.

The Saturday morning steer wrestlers included the Nahrgang brothers from Buckeye, Arizona. Trey Nahrgang won the go-round with a run of 4.2 seconds while Taylor Nahrgang earned second-place money with a time of 4.8 seconds. VanderLans' time held up for third place and was worth $525.67 in earnings. Ethen Thouvenell, whose family lives in Fallbrook, broke a barrier Saturday morning and had a time of 14.4 seconds including the ten-second penalty.

Trey Nahrgang had a time of 15.8 seconds in the Saturday night performance, but Taylor Nahrgang's time of 5.2 seconds in the second go-round gave him an average of 10.0 seconds on two head to lead the steer wrestlers entering the final performance. Thouvenell's time of 3.9 seconds the night of April 20 gave him the go-round lead.

On April 21 VanderLans drew the same steer Taylor Nahrgang had drawn in the first go-round. "I knew he was a good steer," VanderLans said.

VanderLans knew that he needed a time of 4.9 seconds or faster to beat Nahrgang. "I felt like with that steer there was no reason I shouldn't be in that ballpark, so it all worked out to plan," VanderLans said.

"He looked like he was going to be a little weaker. I wanted to make a good effort not to break the barrier and gave that steer a good head start," VanderLans said. "He kind of stopped, too."

VanderLans took 4.2 seconds to catch and turn over his steer. "It happened very fast," VanderLans said.

"Mason did a great job of hazing. He was right there and walled off that steer," VanderLans said. "It all worked out well."

Taylor Nahrgang settled for second in the average. "He took the opportunity and made the most of it," Nahrgang said of VanderLans. "You've got to be blessed for the wins when they come."

Thouvenell's time held up to win the go-round. Tom Lewis of Lehi, Utah, concluded the event with a run of 4.0 seconds to replace VanderLans in second place. "Ethen bulldogs good and my steer was just a little stronger and I'll take second," said Lewis, who joined Thouvenell as a National Finals Rodeo qualifier last year.

Malone's hazing debut thus ended as an average win for his bulldogger. "It was pretty cool. I was glad to be able to help him out," Malone said. "I was just happy to be in the right spot at the right time and not mess him up."

Malone's 25 percent share of VanderLans' earnings equates to $525.67. "I'll be happy with anything. It didn't take too much work on my part," Malone said.

Malone also hazed for Bonfield, Illinois, cowboy Adam Strahan during the Lakeside Rodeo. "He got a pretty good dose of it this weekend and really held up to the pressure," VanderLans said of Malone.

The Malone ranch is approximately 15 miles from VanderLans' ranch. The two practice roping together on the Malone property and practice Steer Wrestling on the ranch of VanderLans' parents, who moved to Temecula when their son was at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and live about 1 1/2 miles from Jack VanderLans. Malone and VanderLans practice together at least three times each week.

Malone plans to make his PRCA Steer Wrestling debut at if not prior to the May 17-19 Ramona Rodeo. "I wouldn't be surprised if he starts winning some checks in the bulldogging. He's showing some really big potential," VanderLans said. "He'll be an all-around threat, too."

Malone will use Bob for Steer Wrestling. "That horse that he's got is real nice," Malone said.

"If I have the opportunity to ride something like that then I would be stupid not to," Malone said. "You make more money giving somebody 25 percent of something than keeping 100 percent of nothing."

VanderLans was married March 30, and Tawnie VanderLans was in the stands at the Lakeside Rodeo. "That means a lot. She's waiting there when I get done," Jack VanderLans said.

The money VanderLans won at the Lakeside Rodeo was his first since his marriage. "I'm in debt pretty deep with the wedding," he said. "Pretty happy to receive that."