Mule Days rodeo features traditional and non-traditional events

“Stubborn as a mule” is a common phrase that was disproven during Jake Clark’s Mule Days in Ralston on Saturday.

Cowboys and cowgirls from across the country saddled up their mules and competed in traditional rodeo events such as barrel racing, pole bending and team roping as well as non-traditional events. Kids flew up and down the arena on tarps drug behind mules for the hide races and the arena turned into a chaotic display of mules, cowboys and cowgirls running in all directions simultaneously during the wild cow milking event.

About the only time the mules showed any signs of stubbornness was when they were encouraged to buck their riders off in the wild ride event — which led to a re-ride option for all the cowboys and caused Justin Davis of Alexander, Arkansas, to fan (swat) his mule’s head with his hat.

“You don’t have to do it, but it does give style points,” Davis said. “They (mules) don’t buck out a lot, and do a lot of sun-fishing and sucking back — you never get a chance to get a rhythm like with a regular bucking horse.”

Davis has been making the trip to Ralston for Mule Days for several years with his family’s company, Wild Bunch Mule Company, where they’ve sold their mules to buyers from all over the country, he said.

“They are a lot smarter than horses and even the people who ride them sometimes,” Davis said.

Having a rodeo with mules instead of horses changes the competition quite a bit since they have a donkey’s work ethic combined with a horse’s athleticism, he said.

This reputation drew a larger than usual crowd this year and the event organizers were thrilled with the turnout. “It was just great,” event founder Jake Clark said.

The following are the results from this year’s Jake Clark’s Mule Days rodeo: 

Team sorting drawpot

First: Ty McManigal and Levi King

Second: Justin Davis and Jennifer Bailey

Third: Roger Sprague and Linda Bailey

Fourth: Luke Bailey and Justin Davis

Team sorting open

First: Tory Morrison and Allen Askins

Second: Ty McManigal and Jennifer Bailey

Third: Ty McManigal and Mark Bailey

Fourth: Jennifer Bailey and Mark Bailey

Fifth: Nate Nix and George White

Sixth: Bryan Anderson and Levi King

Ranch mule

First: T.J. Clark

Second: John Holmes

Third: T.J. Clark

Fourth: Bryan Anderson

Fifth: Gabe Whittle

Steer riding

First: Caden Gines

Wild cow riding

First: Justin Davis

Second: Mike Mundy and Colton Weldon (tie)

Open barrels

First: Riley Prewitt

Second: Billy Prewitt

Third: Linda Bailey

Junior barrels

First: Landon Bailey

Second: Madison Cobb

Third: Kash Cobb

Open poles

First: Riley Prewitt

Second: Ty McManigal

Third: Linda Bailey

Junior poles

First: Madison Cobb

Second: Sierra Brewer

Third: Kash Cobb

Saddle mule race

First: Riley Prewitt

Second: Alvin Askins

Open Goats

First: Kyndell Tibbitts

Second: Ty McManigal

Third: Justin Davis 

Junior goats

First: Madison Cobb

Wild cow milking

First: T.J. Clark, Nate Nix and Joe Gibbs

Second: Mark Bailey, Justin Davis and Nathan Portenier

Ribbon roping

First: Justin Davis, Nathan Portenier, Ty McManigal and T.J. Clark

Second: Nate Nix and Joe Gibbs

Third: Levi King 

Hide race

First: Codi Gines and Easton Bowers

Second: T.J. Clark and Caden Gines

Third: Tory Morrison and Kash Cobb

Team roping

First: Levi King and Justin Davis

Second: Nathan Portenier and Jesse Deleon

Third: Tory Morrison and Seth Smithson

Fourth: Billy Prewitt and Riley Prewitt

Fifth: Bryan Anderson and Levi King

Wild ride

First: Ty McManigal

Second: Justin Davis and Mason Rockafellow (tie)

Mounted shooting

First: Mark Bailey

Second: Reyer Rens

Third: Tommy Smithson

Fourth: John Cipollone