Lambert wins Ram California Circuit Finals steer wrestling
October 22, 2013
LANCASTER, Calif. - Sterling Lambert had the best season of his six-year PRCA career in 2013, and he ended it perfectly with a dominating performance at the Ram California Circuit Finals Rodeo.
The 27-year-old steer wrestler topped a loaded field with ease to qualify for his first trip to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo next April in Oklahoma City.
After finishing second in the first round, Lambert placed first in both the second and third rounds to capture the average title with a time of 14.2 seconds on three head. His time was 7.7 seconds faster than second-place Billy Bugenig.
"I couldn''t be happier with the result; it''s a tough circuit with Luke (Branquinho) and Billy and all of those great guys in the steer wrestling," Lambert said. "It''s pretty cool to win when you''re going against some of the best steer wrestlers out there."
Lambert says going against former world champions and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers doesn''t rattle his nerves as much as in the past.
"I''m not as nervous as I used to be going against them, but I definitely still look up to them because they''re the best in the world," he said.
The 2013 season saw Lambert finish a career-best 37th in the world standings with $31,511. The Fallon, Nev., native says his new horse, 13-year-old Bullseye, deserves a lot of the credit for not only his success, but others'' success as well.
"Bullseye was real good in Lancaster and has been good for me all year," Lambert said. "He was a head horse I got from a friend about a year ago, and he''s done well transitioning into the bulldogging. He had four guys on him this weekend and he worked well for everybody."
Besides Lambert, Bugenig, Brad McGilchrist and Ryle Smith also rode Bullseye at the RCCFR. The horse carried Lambert and Bugenig to the top two spots in the average, and helped Smith take third. In all, Bullseye was responsible for $8,889 in prize money between the four bulldoggers.
"I have a lot of confidence going into next season with Bullseye," said Lambert, who is an assistant coach for the Feather River College Rodeo Team in Quincy, Calif., along with Bugenig.
Lambert is ready for his first trip to the RNCFR in April.
"It''s pretty exciting because that''s a rodeo I''ve been wanting to go to since I started competing," he said. "It feels like a good accomplishment and it will be fun to go there."
The 27-year-old steer wrestler topped a loaded field with ease to qualify for his first trip to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo next April in Oklahoma City.
After finishing second in the first round, Lambert placed first in both the second and third rounds to capture the average title with a time of 14.2 seconds on three head. His time was 7.7 seconds faster than second-place Billy Bugenig.
"I couldn''t be happier with the result; it''s a tough circuit with Luke (Branquinho) and Billy and all of those great guys in the steer wrestling," Lambert said. "It''s pretty cool to win when you''re going against some of the best steer wrestlers out there."
Lambert says going against former world champions and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers doesn''t rattle his nerves as much as in the past.
"I''m not as nervous as I used to be going against them, but I definitely still look up to them because they''re the best in the world," he said.
The 2013 season saw Lambert finish a career-best 37th in the world standings with $31,511. The Fallon, Nev., native says his new horse, 13-year-old Bullseye, deserves a lot of the credit for not only his success, but others'' success as well.
"Bullseye was real good in Lancaster and has been good for me all year," Lambert said. "He was a head horse I got from a friend about a year ago, and he''s done well transitioning into the bulldogging. He had four guys on him this weekend and he worked well for everybody."
Besides Lambert, Bugenig, Brad McGilchrist and Ryle Smith also rode Bullseye at the RCCFR. The horse carried Lambert and Bugenig to the top two spots in the average, and helped Smith take third. In all, Bullseye was responsible for $8,889 in prize money between the four bulldoggers.
"I have a lot of confidence going into next season with Bullseye," said Lambert, who is an assistant coach for the Feather River College Rodeo Team in Quincy, Calif., along with Bugenig.
Lambert is ready for his first trip to the RNCFR in April.
"It''s pretty exciting because that''s a rodeo I''ve been wanting to go to since I started competing," he said. "It feels like a good accomplishment and it will be fun to go there."