For the second year in a row, at the state high school finals rodeo at the Wasatch County Fairgrounds on a Saturday night, a young cowgirl stood talking with friends and family in the arena after the competition was all over, certain that Lehi's Amy Allen would be the all-around cowgirl winner. Allen won it all in 1990 and was a close runner-up last season.
For the second straight year, a young cowgirl's conversations were abruptly halted when she heard her name, not Amy Allen's, called over the loudspeaker as the state champion all-around cowgirl.For 1992, it was West Valley City's Stephanie Williams of Ogden's Spikers Rodeo Club. In 1991, it was Grantsville senior Natalie Martin. "I had no idea. I thought it was Amy Allen for sure," Martin had said a year ago.
"I thought she would, too," said 1992's winner, Williams, about Lehi's Allen.
Instead, Williams beat Allen 357.85-336.71 for the title, even closer than Martin's victory over Allen a year ago, which was by less than 34 points.
The 21-point win for Williams was about equivalent to one higher placing in one event in one of the 30-35 rodeos that Utah preps enter each year. Many enter five or six events per rodeo.
And the boys' '92 all-around title race was even closer with Amy's younger brother Rusty Allen emerging from a pack of contenders to claim the title 465.29-445.86 over Uintah Basin's Jeff Crozier.
"I feel bad for her," said Rusty, of Lehi High School, about sister Amy. "She works as hard as anybody, and she's a senior."
Both Rusty Allen and Williams are juniors, Williams at Hunter High.
Both were shocked to hear their names called as overall winners.
"I had no idea," said Rusty Allen, who took second places for the season in saddle bronc riding and team roping with partner Tye Gillman of North Utah County - they won the state finals' first go-round.
"I didn't think I did. I was just lucky in overall placing," said Allen, who counts the rough stock rides as his favorite events and was state bull riding champion as a freshman in 1990. He began rodeoing five years ago and eventually gave up high school wrestling to concentrate on rodeo; he hopes to make his living at pro rodeo.
"I am so surprised," said Williams. "I was just wanting to win the poles (pole bending, in which she tied for the season title with last year's rookie of the year, Jody Morgan of Morgan)."
The all-around victory for Williams means she'll get a chance to go to the National Finals in Shawnee, Okla., July 20-26, after all, says older brother Ryan, a roper-cutter in high school days.
Father Steve had told Stephanie she couldn't go back to nationals unless she won because of the problems the family had in Shawnee last year when Stephanie placed eighth nationally in cow cutting, the top finish by a Utah girl.
The family's specially striped dual-wheel pickup truck was stolen as they ate in a restaurant, and they were told that kind of crime wasn't an isolated incident there, so Steve put down the ultimatum: win or stay home.
The top four finishers (plus ties) in each event qualify to go to the national finals. The next-best group, up to 10th place, is eligible for a consolation finals at Fallon, Nev.
The only repeat champion for 1992 was saddle bronc rider Leon McElprange of Emery, who was overall event champion for the second straight year and also won the title for the state finals rodeo for the second straight time.
Other year-end winners crowned Saturday were Amy Allen in goat tying, Coby Drake-Jade McCallister of Dixie in team roping, Jerome Bowles of Dixie in bareback riding, Turk Ketchum of the Oakers in breakaway roping, Gillman in calf roping, Terra Scott of Dixie in barrels, Justin McCourt of Carbon in steer wrestling, Larry Webb of Lehi in boys' cow cutting, Kendra Jensen of Sanpete in girls' cow cutting and J.C. Sanders of the Spikers in bull riding.
Bowles, Ketchum, McCourt, Jensen and Sanders all were state finals rodeo winners in their respective events.