These days, riding is the easy part of rodeoing for Bryan Richardson of Dallas.

Getting off is the challenging part, often the most difficult.

"I feel good enough to ride," he said.

"I can't get off ... that's bad. I kind of got myself in a bind there again tonight."

Richardson, who is competing with a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee, turned in a pain-free effort to post the top score in bull riding Thursday night during the opening performance of the Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

The 30-year-old cowboy finished with an 81-point effort on a fast, twisting bull called Quick Drop.

Richardson's dismount, however, left him under the bull's back end where he was kicked in the leg.

Richardson limped out of the arena.

"That's not from tonight," he said of the limp.

Richardson was one of five bull riders to tally a score. Tyler Pankewitz of Panoka, Alberta, is second with an 81. Jacob O'Mara of Prairieville, La., and Tyler Tomson of Black Diamond, Alberta, are tied for third with 79s.

Trego's Gerald Eash was next. He scored 73 points on Rent A Wreck.

Richardson injured his knee at a July rodeo in Salt Lake City.

"I've been off a month, been on just two bulls," he said.

"I was in the top 10 when I got hurt."

Richardson is now sitting 17th in the PRCA standings with earnings of $47,256. The top 15 cowboys in all events advance to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December.

Richardson has made three appearances at the NFR, the last in 2005, and has been a Professional Bull Riding finalist the last three years.

"I have to fight through it," he said of the injury.

"God willing, I'll get healthy and back to the National Finals."

Cashing a winning check here would also help.

"I didn't have a clue," he said of what he expected from Quick Drop.

"He spun fast, really fast. That's what I prefer."

This marked Richardson's second appearance at the fair rodeo.

"It's been awhile," he said of his last trip to the valley.

"Probably six or seven years ago. The first time (here), I rode my bull and placed."

Also making a second appearance was saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley of College Station, Texas. The 23-year-old cowboy, who won a College National Finals Rodeo title earlier this year, scored 72 points on Believe Me.

Crawley won this event last year on Starburst.

This time, however, he had just the third-best ride of the night. Top honors went to a rookie PRCA rider - his younger brother Sterling.

The 20-year-old registered an 86 on Three Stages to upstage his brother.

"I didn't know much about him," Sterling said of Three Stages.

"He started bucking right out of the chute. He never stopped until I was completely off him."

The ride, as it turned out, was the least stressful part of the day for the Crawleys and their traveling partner Cody Angland of New South Wales, Australia.

The trio flew from Dallas to Billings Thursday morning, arriving at 10 a.m. Unable to find a rental car, Jacobs wound up buying a used van from a dealership.

They left Billings at 12:30 p.m.

When they arrived at the fairgrounds, the saddle bronc horses were already in the chutes.

"We had five minutes to get our saddles," Sterling said.

And if that wasn't enough, Sterling had saddle issues. He had let someone at a rodeo school in Dallas use it the day before he left.

"He was six inches smaller than me," he said. "So I was trying to fix it in the chute."

He got it half solved when it was time to go.

"It came out all right," he said.

"I'm glad it worked

out. I'm excited about it," he said of holding the high mark.

"Generally there are not too many big ones the first night."

The Crawleys and Angland, who had the fourth best ride with a 71, will compete in the Caldwell, Idaho, PRCA rodeo today.

"Over 90 this year," Sterling said of rodeos he's entered.

Fair rodeo action continues tonight at 7:30 p.m.

Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo

Thursday

Opening Performance

Flathead County Fairgrounds

Kesler Rodeo Company

stock contractor

Bareback - 1. (tie) Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., (Seat Sale) and Tyler Nelson, Victor, Idaho, (High Noon), 77 each; 3. Justin Miller, Billings, 72; 4. Ben Wrzesinski, Boulder, 69; 5. Justin King, Sagle, Idaho, 68.

Saddle bronc - 1. Sterling Crawley, College Station, Texas, 86 (Three Stages); 2. Elliot French, Tres Pinos, Calif., 75; 3. Jacobs Crawley, College Station, Texas, 72; 4. Cody Angland, New South Wales, Australia, 71.

Steer wrestling - 1. Rian Conway, Browning, 4.8; 2. Michael Trautman, Lethbridge, Alberta, 13.7; 3. Jess Cowie, Foremost, Alberta, 16.1; 4. Walker Small, Ashland, 19.8.

Team roping - 1. Miles Kobold, Shepherd/Matt Robertson, August, 6.2; 2. Jason Carlson, Two Dot/John Robertson, Polson, 7.0; 3. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore./Mike Beers, Post, Ore., 7.7; 4. Ross Wagner, Fromberg/Kyle DeSaveur, Joliet, 8.0; 5. Mark Cassel, Shelby/Frank Billy, Box Elder, 12.6.

Tie-down roping - 1. Logan Hofer, Magrath, Alberta, 10.9; 2. Nolan Conway, Browning, 14.3; 3. Bode Scott, Pryor, 14.6; 4. Tyler Johnson, Didsbury, Alberta, 20.4.

Ladies barrel racing - 1. Chloe Hoovestal, Helena, 18.09; 2. Mandy Hamilton, Manhattan, 18.22; 3. Casey Wagner, Fromberg, 18.26; 4. Katie Rassmussen, Choteau, 18.27; 5. Lisa Warfield, Wolf Creek, 18.28; 6. Jill Lane, Fort Benton, 18.57; 7. Jody Siderius, Dillon, 18.83; 8. Morgan Knudson, Great Falls, 19.21; 9. Jamie Martin, Great Falls, 20.69; 10. Kassy Brough, Havre, 22.66; 11. Deena Moeykens, Three Forks, 23.03.

Bull riding - 1. Bryan Richardson, Dallas, Texas, 81 (Quick Drop); 2. Tyler Pankewitz, Ponoka, Alberta, 80; 3. Jacob O'Mara, Prairieville, La., and Tyler Tomson, Black Diamond, Alberta, 79n each; 5. Gerald Eash, Trego, 73.