By DAVID LESNICK

The Daily Inter Lake

This has not been the best of times for saddle bronc rider Jesse Kruse of Great Falls.

The 29-year-old cowboy is not ranked in the top 50 in the money standings and is trying to break out of a long slump.

“The last two weeks have been hell,” he said of his performances on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit.

“I’ve been drawing good (horses), just not doing my part.”

That was until Thursday night during the first performance of the Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo at the Flathead Country Fairgrounds. The 2009 world champion posted an 86-point ride on Navajo Sun to hold down the No. 1 spot with performances to follow tonight and Saturday night.

“I’m just happy I finally got one rode,” he said afterwards.

“It looked better than it felt.”

Only two other cowboys were able to claim scoring rides. Steven Dent of Mullen, Nebraska, notched a 78 on Southern Lights while Alan Gobert of Browning turned in a 75 on Mystic River.

Dent is ranked No. 22.

“Hopefully,” Kruse said of this being a season-saving rodeo for him.

“You just have to keep getting on and go back to the basics. As long as you stay positive, it always will be good.”

Kruse shared the spotlight this time with his wife Linday, who had the top time in barrel racing at 17.89 seconds. She was the first rider out and the only one to break the 18-second barrier.

The bull riders, on the other hand, had a rough go with all five entrants biting the dust.

The evening was off to a rousing start thanks to Kyle Bowers of Drayton Valley, Alberta. He turned in what the rodeo announcer called a monster score aboard Double Dippin. Bowers rocked the house when his 89-point was posted on the scoreboard.

Jake Vold of Ponoka, Alberta, was second with a 79 on Imperial Beach, Tyler Nelson of Victor, Idaho, was next with a 77 on Blue Wings and Colin Adams of Deloraine, Manitoba, had the final scoring ride with a 74 on Cool Pieces.

“Three or four times,” Bowers said of riding Double Dippin.

“She’s always been good.”

Bowers said Double Dippin was “harder to spur” this time, “but today things just clicked. It felt good.

“I knew I had a chance (to do well here),” he added.

“I know she’s a money horse.

“That’s a monster score in bareback riding,” he continued.

“It’s not very often you will score in the 90s. Eighty-five or more is awesome.”

Bowers, who is 38, has been a member of the pro circuit for 19 years. He’s been to the National Finals Rodeo twice, to the Canadian Finals Rodeo 14 times and is a three-time Canadian champion.

“You never know,” he said of how much longer he plans to stay active in the sport.

“As long as I’m having fun and I’m competitive, I’ll keep going.”

Two Montana cowboys share the lead in steer wrestling with a quick time of 4.3 seconds. Ty Erickson of Helena and Luke Gee of Stanford both have that time.

In team roping, Clayton Miller of Billings and Hank Hollenbeck of Molt have the best mark at 6.5 seconds.

Clint Cooper of Decatur, Texas, leads tie-down roping at 8.8 seconds.

Rodeo action continues tonight at 7:30.

Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo

Thursday

Flathead County Fairgrounds

First Performance

Bareback riding — 1. Kyle Bowers, Drayton Valley, Alberta, 89 on Double Dippin; 2. Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 79; 3. Tyler Nelson, Victor, Idaho, 77; 4. Colin Adams , Deloraine, Manitoba, 74.

Steer wrestling — 1. (tie) Ty Erickson, Helena, and Luke Gee, Stanford, 4.3 each; 3. Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 5.6; 4. Hank Hollenbeck, Molt, 5.8; 5. John Gee, Standord, 6.3; 6. Clayton Haas, Terrell, Texas, 13.6.

Team roping — 1. Clayton Miller, Billings/Hank Hollenbeck, Molt, 6.5; 2. Bill Parker, Billings/Zachary Schweigert, Livingston, 6.8; 3. Shawn Bessette, Great Falls/Sid Sporer, Cody, Wyoming 7.0; 4. Brady Williams, Hammond/Britt Williams, Hammond, 7.2.

Saddle bronc — 1. Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, 86 on Navajo Sun; 2. Steven Dent, Mullen, Nebraska, 78; 3. Alan Gobert, Browning, 75.

Tie-down roping — 1. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.8; 2. 2. Bryant Mikkelson, Buffalo, 9.8; 3. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 10.6; 4. Robert Mathis, Mart, Texas, 13.5; 5. Jason Schaffer, Broadus, 18.6; 6. Hank Hollenbeck, Molt, 22.7.

Barrel racing — 1. Lindsay Kruse, Great Falls, 17.89; 2. Heather Knerr, Grass Range, 18.08; 3. Jana Bean, Ft. Hancock, Texas, 18.22; 4. Alicia Stockton, Stephensville, Texas, 18.71; 5. Whitney Davison, Stephenson, Texs, 18.88.

Bull riding — No scores.