It was good to be a Rydalch last Saturday night.
Nick Rydalch finished second in bareback riding at two separate rodeos, and his cousin Dillon finished first in bareback riding at one rodeo.
Former Stockton resident Nick Rydalch grabbed second place in bareback riding at both the Rush Valley Rodeo and the Cedar Fort Rodeo last Saturday. With that feat he won a combined total of $816.80, which included the $500 Tyson D. Allen Memorial Hi-Point award.
Allen was a top rodeo cowboy from Utah County who died of cancer in April.
Hometown favorite Dillon Rydalch only entered the bareback riding at the Rush Valley Rodeo, and he finished in first place out of six entries. Dillon Rydalch scored 77 points and pocketed $214 for his efforts, and Nick Rydalch scored 69 points to earn $144.
Nick Rydalch repeated that score with a 69 at Cedar Fort to add $172. 80 to earnings. His earnings were a bit more for the Cedar Fort Rodeo because there were two more competitors in bareback there than there were at Rush Valley.
“It was a really good night considering I hadn’t rode bareback for four years,” Nick said. “I’ve just been riding saddle bronc, but when I heard about the Tyson D. Allen Memorial $500 I wanted to enter two events in both rodeos.”
Nick Rydalch competed at a rodeo in Draper on Friday night so he opted out of competing in two rodeos on Saturday.
“I’ve been competing at the Rush Valley Rodeo every year since I was in junior rodeo,” Nick said. “I also won bareback last year at Rush Valley, and it was on the same horse.”
It was the first weekend of rodeos for Nick this summer. He is recovering from knee surgery.
Both Rydalchs are talented cowboys who competed at the National High School Rodeo Finals, and have rode at PRCA rodeos. Nick competed on the Utah Valley University team where he made the College National Finals.
“It was great to win the Tyson D. Allen Memorial award,” Nick said. “It would be awesome to be such a great person like Tyson that they would want to honor you with a memorial award.”
It was a super busy day for Nick Rydalch, who started the night as the announcer for the Kids Rodeo at Rush Valley.
He then traveled to Cedar Fort to compete there before riding back to Rush Valley.
“After Cedar Fort I had to bust hide and get back to Rush Valley to compete there,” Nick said. “The fans and the people who put on both of these rodeos are fantastic. They do all the simple things that make it great for the competitors.”
Dillon Rydalch said he wants to continue his rodeo career by competing at PRCA rodeos.
“I want to get back in it as soon as I start feeling a bit healthier,” Dillon said.
Wyatt Peterson finished third in bareback at Rush Valley with a 62.
Darrell Sagers won the saddle bronc with a 72 to pocket $259.20. Boedee Hopes placed second in saddle bronc.
Seven cowboys rode bulls, but none qualified for money.
Cody Hill grabbed first place in calf roping out of 45 entries with a time of 8.6. Hill won $940.80. Ryan Yamauchi finished second, Whit Cross third, Clint Arave fourth and KC Curtis fifth.
Amy Fox finished first in breakaway roping and earned $595.20. Kendra Thomas and Kylie Mackleprang tied for second and Jamie Christensen finished fourth.
Cody Thacker and Wyatt Hunter tied for first in steer wrestling against 10 other opponents. They each earned $268 for their efforts. Baylor Roche finished third and Dirk Tavener fourth.
Norma Wood earned $576 for her first-place finish in barrel racing with a time of 16.933. Stacy Maxfield was third in barrel racing with Teri Gates third and Stephanie Kunz fourth.
Rhett Anderson and Dusty Morse won team roping in a field of 37 teams. The top team ropers won $748.80. Thad Ward and Chancey Spencer placed second, Dillon Hoffman and Chancey Spencer were third, Dillon Hoffman and Cody Young tied for fourth with Justin Hodson and Matt Liston.
Total payout for the Rush Valley Rodeo was $11,564.