Rodeo cowboys always picked themselves out of the dust, brush off and prepare for another go round. They must, for the sport is nothing without the battle of wills between man and mean-spirited beast.

This ethos came into play over and over at the PRCA sanctioned Kimball-Banner County Fair rodeo. Cowboy after cowboy tumbled hard into arena dirt. The large ring and near equal box-barrier set up confounded ropers, as steers broke quickly into open space. WPRA barrel racers fought for traction. And several riders limped away with no points to show for their pains.

But, said Kimball High School's Nick Stull after being thrown from a saddle bronc, "I'm ready to do it again."

It took the fearsome animals about four seconds to buck Stull on both days. He walked away clearly impressed with the quality of Cervi Rodeo Company's stock.

"It was powerful," he said after his first ride on a professional horse. "I've never been jerked like that before."

Kimball High School bull rider Cade Dickerson barely broke the chute on Saturday night--a lapse in concentration, he insisted. Sunday's ride started well, until the bull spun hard, dipped and kicked in one swift, violent move.

Dickerson was disappointed with his efforts.

"I've ridden better bulls," he said. "I'm just fighting a mental game right now."

Stull and Dickerson head to Lexington for a high school rodeo this weekend. The latter is anxious to climb back on a bull.

"I need to do it again before I forget how bad I did this weekend," Dickerson said.

Bailey Long of Potter-Dix High School performed well in barrel racing, especially around the turns.

"I lost time at the start," she admitted, nodding toward her horse. "But this is only the second time I've run him."

Although local amateurs like Stull, Dickerson and Long were allowed to ride, the weekend was dominated by pros. Thomas Baker took the bareback buckle. Jake Griffin's 77 point ride on Daisy Duke decided things in saddle bronc. The legendary Mike Johnson secured the tie-down victory in spectacular form. Nebraskan Mike Stephan captured top spot in steer wrestling by a narrow margin.

The most memorable ride--or near ride, rather--was saddle bronc cowboy Lyle Welling's eight plus seconds on the back of Vitalix Insider.

"The horse was throwing a fit," Welling said, "bucking before it left the chute."

One of these nasty jerks almost snapped the buckle of Welling's cinch belt. As a result, his saddle broke loose almost immediately.

"His ears started getting closer and closer and I thought 'oh no,'" he recalled. "There I was, still in the saddle when I hit the ground."

The big horse stomped on Welling's foot in the melee. "Nothing a couple of beers won't cure," he joked.