MOSES LAKE — The night was hot and the wildfire smoke that hung in the air, thick as Louisiana gumbo for most of the day had settled some.

“It's not as bad as it was earlier in the week,” a cowboy said in passing.

It's hard to say if he was just being polite, but it's not hard to imagine downtown Detroit had cleaner air than the Columbia Basin the past few days.

None of that mattered much to Redmond, Ore., cowboy Steven Peebles as he gathered himself for another go-round with Big Easy Thursday night at the 75th annual Moses Lake Roundup at the Grant County Fairgrounds.

The cowboy was a former world champion and the Corey & Lang bareback horse was a regular in the bucking stock at the National Finals Rodeo.

It was a classic standoff and a great way kick off a rodeo in its 75th year. Big Easy blew out with a big hop out of the chute and started across the arena. Peebles, who won the 2018 Ram Columbia River Circuit Finals in Yakima and the Springville (Calif.) Sierra Rodeo earlier this year, matched the Big Easy hop for hop.

But as they reached the grandstand side of the arena, Big Easy went left and Peebles went right and the round went to the bucking horse this time. Peebles, who won or split the win in five rounds and placed in three others to win the Wrangler NFR average when he won his gold buckle in 2015, dusted himself off and prepared to head down the road to the next rodeo.

“That's the first time that horse has bucked me off and probably had her eight times,” Peebles said, leaning against the fence behind the chutes. “She's about as strong as they get, but she caught me late today.”

Peebles currently sits 24th in the PRCA/Wrangler world standings with six weeks left in the season. He was counting on a payday at the 75th Moses Lake Roundup in his effort to make a late surge in order to qualify for the NFR in December. This go-round with Big Easy didn't work out for a guy needed to make around $25,000 in a hurry.

“She has lots of jump, which is what you want. But she drops you really, really hard and I got a little late,” said Peebles. “When that happens on a horse like that, you're done.”

It's been a slow year for a guy that's been to the National Finals Rodeo seven times, but it's been picking up a bit since the rodeo trail moved to the Pacific Northwest.

“I'm just trying to make the finals (NFR), I'm a little bit behind and there's a hell of a lot of work to do yet,” he said.

Peebles could have used a payday on the Big Easy, but now the former world champion is off the Caldwell, Idaho to see if he can't work his way to Las Vegas.

Be sure to visit www.columbiabasinherald.com for results, photographs or Columbia Basin Herald Facebook for video.

Moses Lake Round-Up Rodeo
Moses Lake, Wash., Aug. 16-18

Bareback riding leaders: 1. Connor Hamilton, 81 points on Corey & Lange Rodeo's Leading Lady; 2. (tie) Jake Brown and Jesse Nelson, 78.5 each; 4. Jake Stemo, 75.5; 5. Tony Barrington, 74.5; 6. Jake Kesl, 55.

Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Levi Rudd, 6.2 seconds; 2. John Green, 6.5; 3. Chance Gartner, 8.3; 4. Taylor Gregg, 10.3; no other qualified runs.

Team roping leaders: 1. Garrett Rogers/Trey Yates, 4.8 seconds; 2. Kellan Johnson/Brady Norman, 5.5; 3. Erich Rogers/Clint Summers, 14.9; no other qualified runs.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Samuel Kelts, 84 points on Corey & Lange Rodeo's Teardrop; 2. Audy Reed, 81.5; 3. Wade Sundell, 80.5; 4. Josh Davison, 80; 5. Chase Brooks, 79.5; 6. Jake Watson, 77.5.

Tie-down roping leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 9.7 seconds; 2. Kyle Lucas, 11.5; 3. Erik Dublanko, 13.3; 4. Randall Carlisle, 16.3; 5. Dane Kissack, 19.3; no other qualified runs.

Barrel racing leaders: 1. Danyelle Williams, 17.31 seconds; 2. Tracy Nowlin, 17.32; 3. Amanda Lewis Waller, 17.33; 4. Carman Pozzobon, 17.48; 5. Kacey Gartner, 17.76; 6. Mary Shae Hays, 18.06.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Brady Portenier, 83 points on Corey & Lange Rodeo's Knock It Off; 2. Clayton Savage, 82.5; 3. (tie) Elijah Mora and Dylan Hice Vick, 82 each; 5. Roscoe Jarboe, 81; no other qualified rides.

Total payoff: $107,072. Stock contractor: Corey & Lange Rodeo. Rodeo secretary: Edie Longfellow. Officials: Mike Jones, Mike Nauman and Monty Van Komen. Timers: Myrna Weber and Allison France. Announcer: Will Rasmussen. Specialty acts: Jessica Blair, JJ Harrison and Madison MacDonald. Bullfighters: DangerousDan Newman, Matt Akers and Rowdy Barry. Clown/barrelman: JJ Harrison. Flankman: Mike Corey. Pickup men: Jacob Stacy, David McMichael and Shane Moran. Photographers: Roseanna Sales, Bill Lawless and David Thomas. Music director: Ben Benavides.