VanderLans wins Cow Palace all-around, holds world standings lead

Not only did Jack VanderLans win the All-Around at the Grand National Rodeo Horse and Stock Show in San Francisco's Cow Palace, but the 2001 Fallbrook High School graduate also moved into the world standing lead for Steer Wrestling.

VanderLans won $3,348 for his Steer Wrestling and Tie-Down Roping go-round and average (aggregate) positions at the October 20-23 Cow Palace rodeo. He won the Steer Wrestling average while placing third in the first go-round and sharing third through fifth in the second go-round, and he also won the second Tie-Down Roping go-round.

"That was icing on the cake. That was awesome," VanderLans said of winning the All-Around. "San Francisco's a really prestigious rodeo, and it's an honor to be able to win the All-Around."

For purposes of standings the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association season runs from October 1 to September 30. The Grand National payouts gave VanderLans $5,513 of Steer Wrestling earnings for the 2011 season. As of October 25, Wyoming cowboy Les Shepperson was second with $4,584.

"That's pretty cool," VanderLans said of leading the national standings. "That's kind of the reason I've worked as hard as I have in rodeo."

VanderLans, who joined the PRCA in 2001, had hoped that someday he would lead the national standings. He actually expected to do so in Tie-Down Roping. "I was just really excited that it worked out in either event," he said. VanderLans used Trash, who is owned by Troy Dial of Vista, for Steer Wrestling. "I was really fortunate that Troy Dial would let me ride that horse," VanderLans said.

Flying U Rodeo was the stock contractor for the Grand National Rodeo Horse and Stock Show and had also been the stock contractor at the Industry Hills Charity Pro Rodeo in Industry two weeks earlier. "I drew up there really well," VanderLans said.

The steers used in the first Cow Palace go-round had also been used at Industry. "We kind of had an idea of what those steers were going to do," VanderLans said.

VanderLans recognized that the arenas were different. "The steers act a little differently," he said. "It changes a little bit the dynamics, but it was the same stock."

VanderLans was still able to make a general assessment of his steer's behavior. "I tried to make an idea of what he was going to do," he said.

Billy Bugenig served as VanderLans' hazer. VanderLans competed in the Wednesday night slack session October 20; he was one of the final slack contestants for his first run and one of the first slack contestants for his second go-round.

VanderLans' first run produced a time of 4.7 seconds to earn a third-place payout of $722. Jason Miller won the go-round and $1,102 with a time of 4.1 seconds. Ethan Thouvenell, who is a Fallbrook resident when he stays with his mother, was second with a time of 4.5 seconds to earn $912.

VanderLans had a time of 5.0 seconds in the second go-round. "My strategy was probably winning the average more than winning the go-round," he said. "I knew if I threw my second one down I'd be a serious threat to win the average."

Stan Branco's time of 3.9 seconds won the go-round and Russell Cardoza was second at 4.7 seconds. VanderLans, Michael Reger, and Rhett Kennedy split third through fifth and each earned $532.

The two runs gave VanderLans an average of 9.7 seconds on two head along with $1,102 for first place in the average. Sam Willis was second in the average at 10.1 seconds on two head.

Thouvenell did not place in the average, but VanderLans expressed his appreciation to Thouvenell for the tips on the Flying U steers.

VanderLans would also have won the Tie-Down Roping average had he not incurred a ten-second penalty on his first run for a broken barrier. "You're going to break barriers if you're going to try to win first," he said.

VanderLans tied and roped his calf in 8.2 seconds, giving him a time of 18.2 seconds with the penalty and eliminating him from contention in the average. "I had a little bad luck on my first calf," he said.

VanderLans had a time of 8.1 seconds on his second run. "I was going for the go-round," he said. "I didn't have much to lose."

This time the calf left the chute before VanderLans, avoiding the broken barrier, but VanderLans left soon after. "I got a good start and roped him well," he said.

A calf must stay tied for six seconds after the rider returns to his horse for the run to have a qualified time. VanderLans opted for the quickness of placing a single loop on the calf rather than the insurance of a second loop. "I took kind of a gamble," he said. "He ended up staying tied."

Shane Slack, who won the Tie-Down Roping average with a time of 16.8 seconds on two head, was second in the go-round with a run of 8.3 seconds.

VanderLans rode a horse called Shane for the Tie-Down Roping competition. Tyler Thiel, who also rode Shane, split second through fifth in the first go-round, split fifth and sixth with Stan Branco in the second go-round, and split second and third with Branco in the average.

VanderLans is sponsored by Celadrin, a human joint supplement product. "They're allowing me to go to all these rodeos," he said. "Hopefully I can kind of stay up there in the standings for another 11 months."

The top 15 earners in each event as of September 30 qualify for the National Finals Rodeo. Cowboys in the top five during late fall can qualify to join other invited competitors at various winter rodeos with high payouts. "My real goal is to try to keep winning money at those rodeos," VanderLans said.