After a weeklong celebration and cowboys kicking off the rodeo with a spurring lick, hundreds lined Historic Downtown’s Maine Street in anticipation of the annual Lakeside Western Days Parade on Saturday.
After a weeklong celebration and cowboys kicking off the rodeo with a spurring lick, hundreds lined Historic Downtown’s Maine Street in anticipation of the annual Lakeside Western Days Parade on Saturday.
In rodeo fashion, cowboys and gals alike, danced their equestrian companions, dressed to the nines (both horses and their riders), in uniform, historical, and pageantry gear. Lakeside Chamber of Commerce synchronizes the events of this longtime tradition and this year, the parade was dedicated to Lakeside’s “Rhinestone Cowboy,” George A.F. Jacques, an active member of the Lakeside community, Chamber of Commerce and long-time friend to many that called him “Jake.”
Parade Grand Marshall was Santee Sheriff Ali Periz, a long time resident of Lakeside.
Action packed the stadium at the 49th Annual Lakeside Rodeo over the weekend.
This event is the cornerstone to the Lakeside Western Days celebration.
Jack VanderLans won both the Steer Wrestling average and the All-Around at the Lakeside Rodeo.
“I’ve gone to Lakeside quite a few times,” VanderLans said. “To be able to win the Steer Wrestling and win the All-Around is pretty exciting. I’ve always wanted to do that.”
VanderLans, a 2001 Fallbrook High School graduate who currently lives in Temecula, also had the third-place times in both go-rounds of the April 19-21 rodeo. He won a total of $2,102.67 for his go-round and average (aggregate) positions.
VanderLans had a 14-second run in his first Tie-Down Roping go-round and failed to catch his calf in the second go. “I didn’t have very much luck in the Tie-Down Roping,” he said.
VanderLans also purchased two new horses for Steer Wrestling. “I was kind of in between Steer Wrestling horses,” he said.
Mason Malone joined the PRCA after turning 18 in 2009 and has been competing only in Tie-Down Roping. Malone made his hazing debut at Lakeside. “I think I did better in the hazing than in the Calf Roping,” said Malone, whose first Tie-Down Roping run included a ten-second penalty for a broken barrier and who missed his second calf.
VanderLans was the final steer wrestler of the Friday night performance. “The steer I had I didn’t know a whole lot about,” VanderLans said.
VanderLans’ time of 5.0 seconds led the first go-round after that night. “My goal was not to break the barrier and not to make any mistakes and that’s kind of what happened. I made sure I gave my steer a good head start,” he said.
VanderLans knew that he needed a time of 4.9 seconds or faster to beat Nahrgang. “I felt like with that steer there was no reason I shouldn’t be in that ballpark, so it all worked out to plan,” VanderLans said.
VanderLans took 4.2 seconds to catch and turn over his steer. “It happened very fast,” VanderLans said.
“Mason did a great job of hazing. He was right there and walled off that steer,” VanderLans said. “It all worked out well.”
Taylor Nahrgang settled for second in the average. “He took the opportunity and made the most of it,” Nahrgang said of VanderLans. “You’ve got to be blessed for the wins when they come.”
Nahrgang also took satisfaction from the efforts of the rodeo committee. “They put on an awesome rodeo,” he said.
Thouvenell’s time held up to win the go-round. Tom Lewis of Lehi, Utah, concluded the event with a run of 4.0 seconds to replace VanderLans in second place. Lewis also commended the rodeo committee who made his first Lakeside Rodeo pleasurable regardless of how he placed. “Sometimes they don’t get acknowledged. They do it for free. I appreciate what they do for us,” he said.
California cowboys Clay White of Shandon and John Chaves of Los Alamos had a two-head average of 14.3 seconds to win the Team Roping. Their time of 6.5 seconds won the first go-round. Lakeside cowboys Ed and Danny Necochea shared the win in the second go-round with Darrin Finan of Indio and Wade Hooker of Winchester; both teams had runs of 5.9 seconds.R.C. Landingham of Pendleton, Oregon, rode Tar Baby for 88 points to win the Bareback Riding. Cort Scheer of Elsmere, Nebraska, won the Saddle Bronc Riding with an 84-point ride on Icabod. Rocky McDonald, who lists his address as Chihuahua, Mexico, had the highest Bull Riding score with 87 points. Trula Churchill of Valentine, Nebraska, had a time of 17.05 seconds to win the Barrel Racing
