Rusty Wright arrived at Tucson International Airport on the noon flight from San Antonio and hustled to La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, where he was set to compete in the saddle bronc riding event.
After scoring a 76.00, the second-best score of the day, the 22-year-old planned to fly back. Wright, you see, is still set to compete in the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. But his flight was canceled.
Wright wasn’t the only cowboy to have travel troubles during Thursday’s rough stock events.
Bull rider Brett Custer flew to Phoenix from Dallas-Fort Worth — but the airline left his luggage and gear behind. Due to bad weather in Texas, there was no telling when it would arrive.
“I wasn’t sure that I was even going to get it by the time I had to come here,” Custer said. “If it wasn’t going to be here by noon, I was going to come over here and borrow people’s stuff.”
The harrowing situations were made easier by a sort of cowboy code. Fellow Tucson Rodeo competitors reached out to help Wright and Custer out.
Custer said helping each other out isn’t out of the ordinary for the cowboys. It’s part of the rodeo, he said. If a cowboy needs a ride, someone will take him. If a competitor needs a glove, someone will hand one over.
“We’re not here to compete each other. We’re here to compete against the bulls. We help each other whichever way we can,” Custer said. “Whatever anyone needs, we try to get it taken care of for them.”
Fortunately for Wright and Custer, neither had to rely on the help of a fellow cowboy after all. Custer’s gear arrived in Phoenix later Thursday morning. Wright managed to get a Friday flight back to Texas.
Cowboys help each other in other ways, too. Wright was approached Thursday by Dawson Hay, a fellow saddle bronc rider. Hay had a question about his saddle.
Wright crouched down, sat into the saddle as it lay on the ground, and helped the fellow cowboy.
Wright, the oldest of five children in a well-recognized rodeo family, said he always tries to leave a good impression.
“Just in case they are watching me, I like to set the right example — try to show them what to do,” Wright said.
Notable
- Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers attended Thursday’s rodeo. The Timbers have been in town since Feb. 12 for the Mobile Mini Sun Cup, played at Kino North Stadium.
- Lori Todd won Thursday’s women’s barrel racing event with a time of 17.84 seconds. Her finish was first overall, by .01 of a second.
- Dalan Duncan took first place overall in bullriding after scoring 90.50 Thursday. The bull, Big Jake, proved to be a tough ride and boosted the score thanks to a high degree of difficulty.
