There was really no hometown advantage for Elliot French last
Saturday, with the exception of maybe a more-than-supporting crowd
at Bolado Park. But the Tres Pinos bronc rider still made the most
of his backyard rodeo, even if he wasn’t terribly confident he’d be
able to pull out a victory, not even with a favoring fan base
cheering on behind him.
”
I was nervous,
”
said French, who has been devoting much of his focus to the PRCA
this season.
”
I just really wanted to do well in front of so many people that
I know.
”
HOLLISTER
There was really no hometown advantage for Elliot French last Saturday, with the exception of maybe a more-than-supporting crowd at Bolado Park.
But the Tres Pinos bronc rider still made the most of his backyard rodeo, even if he wasn’t terribly confident he’d be able to pull out a victory, not even with a favoring fan base cheering on behind him.
“I was nervous,” said French, who has been devoting much of his focus to the PRCA this season. “I just really wanted to do well in front of so many people that I know.”
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Although he wasn’t sure whether his scores would hold up in the end, the 75 French scored on Friday night coupled with the 71 he compiled on Saturday afternoon were more than enough to win the California Cowboys Pro Rodeo Association saddle bronc event last weekend at the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo.
A first for the rodeo, which has always been a locals-only performance but was looking to increase contestant numbers by including the CCPRA this year, French joins Caleb Johnson in the bull riding competition and Carson City’s Cody Kiser in the bareback as the inaugural winners of the sanctioned rough stock events.
“I think it was great,” French said of the added twist to the show, which was in its 78th year. “It attracted more riders, and, I think with everything that went on this weekend, it should grow in numbers in the years to come, especially with word getting out.”
Numbers were certainly up this season, too. Only eight bull riders and two bronc riders competed during Sunday’s go-round, which was open to locals and weekend warriors, while Friday and Saturday’s CCPRA-sanctioned events drew at least 12 bull riders, 11 bronc riders and four cowboys in the bareback event.
And some of the riders were so good, and the horses themselves so strong, that French didn’t believe his two-round total of 146 would be enough in the end.
“I thought there were so many other good riders there that [my score] wouldn’t hold at all,” he said. “There were a lot of good bronc riders and a lot of good broncs, so I was definitely happy to win it, especially in front of my hometown. I was very pleased.”
French defeated Forrest Mallory of Paso Robles and Darren Redelsperger of Tahachapi, each of whom tied for second with a two-round score of 132, by 14 points, while local rider Monty Shaack of Tres Pinos finished in fourth with a score of 127 on two head.
After his win on Saturday, though, French’s mind instead focused on the health of his friend and fellow bronc rider John Flook.
“That’s first and foremost,” French said of Flook, a Paicines resident who was injured when his horse fell back on top of him during an exhibition on Sunday. “It was a freak accident, too. It could have happened to any one of us. The fact that it happened to John, and as good a guy as John is, it hits home pretty hard.”
Flook was airlifted from Bolado Park following the accident.
“He means a lot to me as a bronc rider and as a friend,” French added. “He’s one of the best guys I know. He does a lot for other people and he deserves the support of everybody right now.”
French will compete again this weekend in four different rodeos, including one in Folsom and three more in Oregon — Eugene, St. Paul and Molalla.
