Lane Toon and Jeff Harris Win Baytown Tuff Hedeman Breakout Bull Riding
BAYTOWN, Texas - (May 6, 2018 ) – Oklahoma bull rider Lane Toon outlasted forty one bull riders to earn the championship title of the Tuff Hedeman Baytown Breakout bull riding held Saturday night highlighting the closing of the Baytown Youth Fair. Standing in the arena with four time World Champion and Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer Tuff Hedeman, the Oklahoma cowboy collected the championship buckle and prize package that included a check for $3,396.48.
“I guess I just wanted it bad enough and I just listened to Tuff and dug down deep and tried really hard,” said Toon accepting his buckle and check from event producer Chris Rankin and bull riding icon Tuff Hedeman.
“What I really like about these events is seeing unknown young bull riders that show up and make outstanding bull rides and they contend with the hottest guys on tour and hang with them,” said Hedeman who was making his first appearance in support of the Youth of Baytown and enjoyed signing autographs, boots and hats at the conclusion of the event.
Toon, a twenty-five year old left handed bull rider was the only competitor to ride two bulls. He scored 83.75 points in round one aboard Houdini Martini from Mike Rawson’s string of buckers. He came back as the sixth rider in the 12 man Championship round and made an 87.25 point ride aboard Harris’ 44 Red Wing. Hanging on to hear the buzzer Toon exemplified everything Hedeman said to him in the shoots. “Sometimes it’s all about the try.”
There were 10 qualified rides in round one with the lead being split between NFR cowboy Boudreaux Campbell and Crosby’s Demond Haynes, both with 86 points. Rookies Colby Jones (Dayton) and Foster McCraw (Navasota) tied for third and fourth in the round with 85.5 points. Nick Landreneau and Laramie Craigen finished fifth and sixth with 85.25 and 84 points respectively.
“The Baytown Fair & Rodeo bull riding each year is an event we bring to the community and we try our best to bring the best bulls and bull riders that are available to benefit the Baytown Youth," said Rankin.
Several alumni riders and Baytown Jr. Bull Riding champions returned to compete in the Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding after competing as a youth in previous years. World Champion Josh Bar entine, Boudreaux Campbell, Demond Haynes, Mason Taylor, and Parker McCowan.
I was fortunate when I was young to have the Baytown Youth Fair as a place to show animals and producing the bull riding here is my way to give back to a great organization that taught me a lot growing up, but the biggest thing is seeing the Fair Association continue to grow and succeed so that more young people can have the same opportunities that we had,” said Rankin.
Cowboys from seven states and Brazil provided the 53 quality outs, but in the end, Toon was the only rider to hear the 8 second whistle twice during the two-hour performance. The veteran bull rider from Lane, Oklahoma was the only rider to cover his bull in the short round riding 44 Red Wing of Jeff Harris Bucking Bulls for 87.25.
“We had an outstanding set of bull riders this year that tried hard and we raised the bar, they rode 9 in the long round and although they only managed to ride one in the short round, the bull power was incredible and a few guys rode right to the whistle, said event producer Chris Rankin.
Tuff Hedeman Break Out Bull Ridings were created to give new riders the opportunity to break into the national bull riding tours. Hedeman had the opportunity to see several state high school bull riding champions, the intercollegiate southern bull riding leader, just to name a few of the rising young stars that were in competing Baytown.
Rankin, lining up buckers from three former stock contractors of the year, as well as several bulls who buck day in and day out on the pro circuits, had bull power to rival any competition in the country.
The Baytown Open Bull team competition was won by a World Champion bull team stock contractor Jeff Harris of Palestine. Harris earned the open bull team title with 278.15 total points and was the only contractors to post two qualified rides. Harris’s check for $7,500 came from Demond Haynes leading long round on 451 Scarface and the second bull was Lane Toon’s winning ride on 44 Red Wing. Harris' third bull on the three bull team was Tamale who bucked Cole Skender off in 4.15 seconds but with an 86 point bull score.
“I was bucked off that 44 Red Wing bull and had to hustle, I said to myself, not to tonight,” laughed the always happy go lucky Lane Toon.
“Thanks to my family and friends who came out and helped us and the fair board for giving us the opportunity, it was a pretty awesome event”, said Rankin immediately following the awards presentation. The event was sponsored by Ron Craft Chevrolet and WOW Equipment.
Baytown Tuff Hedeman Breakout Series Results
1, Lane Toon, Lane, OK, 171 on two bulls, $3,396.48. 2, Demond Haynes, Crosby, TX, 86, $2,282.88. 3, Boudreaux Campbell, Crockett, TX, 86, $1,494.08. 4, Colby Jones, Dayton, TX, 85.5, $983.68. 5, Foster McCraw, Navasota, TX, 85.5, $644.96. 6, Nick Landreneau, Sulphur, LA, 85.25, $385.12. 7, Laramie Craigen - $92.80.
Bull Team Results
1, Jeff Harris, Palestine, 278.15, $7500. 2, Jaynes Gang #1, 276.54, $5,000. 3, 4GMcKenzie/Novak, 275.68, $3,500. 4, Hat Brand Rodeo, 274.25, $2,000.