The 97th annual Cody Stampede Rodeo featured some of the biggest names in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association — among them were local faces riding rank and making bank in the arena.

Some of the top riders of the four-day event went home with checks exceeding the $10,000 mark — but they earned their prizes, putting on a show good enough to draw a packed stadium.

Among the crowd was Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso on July 3.

“It’s terrific — there’s no place I’d rather be on third and fourth than Park County,” Barrasso said. “I come every year for the parade and festivities; there is no place like Park County to celebrate the independence of America.”

Former Northwest College Trapper cowboy Shane Proctor placed second on Sunday evening and ranked fourth in the Stampede overall in the bull riding. Competition was tight with just two points dividing Proctor from first place with his 84.5-point ride.

Cody Rostockyj ranked first with an 86.5, good for an $8,705 payout, and Proctor left his home turf with a $3,192 check. The Stampede was his second rodeo that day, as he had just finished competing in Red Lodge, Montana.

From around the middle of June through the middle of August he has scheduled at least one rodeo, if not more, each day.

“The cool thing at Red Lodge is the airport is next to the arena, so I hopped the fence and ran over,” Proctor said. “I love this aspect of the sport, fitting as many in as I can and see if we can get away with it.”

He estimated he’s able to make it to 90 percent of the rodeos he plans to compete in.

“I love it and have so much fun doing these because of the camaraderie of the guys,” Proctor said, noting that his old advisor from NWC was in the stands as well as his old rodeo coaches, Del and Becky Nose. “It is exciting just because I know so many people.”

Proctor has been competing at the Cody arena since his Trapper days in the early 2000s. Now 31 years old, he’s showing no signs of slowing down.

“I have good luck here because I spent so much time here,” Proctor said. “I had big dreams and a big vision and went to school with some cool guys like the Sankeys; and running with people like that makes you a good bull rider and it is awesome to see how it progressed.” 

His professional rodeo career started while still attending NWC, and he continued to compete in Cody for about four years after graduation while building log homes to fund his rodeo career.

“It is a lot of getting on bulls and trial and error,” Proctor said.

That practice paid off well as Proctor’s bull turned the arena into what could only be described as a tornado — spinning like a top and kicking up a dust storm from the moment the chutes opened until the 8-second buzzer sounded.

“That was a good bull; I do better when disjointed,” Proctor said. “Normally they kick more, but he was just so fast, so I would slide back a bit. You just react and go and not think.”

Proctor wasn’t the only local competing at the Stampede. Powell’s Andy Mumm was among the bareback competition, but narrowly missed having a qualified ride.

Cowley’s J.R. Vezain tied for fourth place in the bareback event with an 84.5, good for a $3,162 payout. Vezain was not available for an interview.

Park County residents may have recognized Louisiana bull rider Cody DeMoss, who said he likes to go fishing in the Clarks Fork with Powell’s Allen Lewis whenever he is in the area.

“His wife cooks a home-cooked meal every time we come and it is real nice to have,” DeMoss said. “It’s nice to lay up and go fishing in the Clarks Fork. It (competing professionally) is not like staying at the house; you fly a lot and just got to build up your stamina; and if you don’t, you’ve got to go home and after that it’s time to go fishing.”

DeMoss landed an 84.5-point ride in the saddle bronc, good for fifth place overall and a check for $2,027.

“You earn every bit of it and it is good when you got the good ones,” DeMoss said.

DeMoss was bested by four of the six Wright brothers, who each scored rides between 86 and 88 points.

“Been doing it 15 years now and happy to be here again,” DeMoss said. “I was just glad to get him out and glad not to fall off. I knew when I had him he was pretty good. You kinda know what you’re looking for.”