Bean turns redo into rodeo bull riding win.

Byline: EUGENE PRO RODEO By Shawn Miller The Register-Guard

As the chute was about to be opened, when all eyes were on J.C. Bean and the bull he was straddling, someone got stage fright.

Ironically, it was the massive beast.

The bull sat down in the chute, prompting the 28-year-old Bean to undo most of the straps as he climbed off.

"This gives more time to let more thoughts into your head," said Bean, who was originally scheduled as the fourth to ride in the 16th annual Eugene Pro Rodeo on Saturday evening.

"That could be a bad thing or it could be a good thing."

From the look of things, waiting proved to be a good thing.

Bean climbed back on the bull as the 10th rider and posted an 80 - the best score of the three-day competition at the Oregon Horse Center, enticing the approximately 5,500 fans in attendance to their feet.

"He was spinning good," said Bean, who is from Goldendale, Wash. "It's kind of hard when he's not kicking as much.

"I was just blessed to get him rode."

During the weekend event, only six riders earned a score in the bull ride - none on Friday night.

After Bean's ride, Tylee Lanham of Sweet, Idaho, earned a 77 to finish second in both the round and entire competition (the top six scores during the rodeo earn prize money).

Matt Bright of Louden, Tenn., started the competition Saturday night with a 78 in the bareback, a score that won the round and finished fifth-best during the weekend.

Bright, 24, was the first cowboy to ride and one of only four in his event.

"I usually like 'em to start with me, so hopefully they'll start with a bang," Bright said. "This time of the year is so busy, it's hard for guys to get here."

Bright slid toward the left side of the horse during his ride, but was able to pull himself upright before surpassing the eight-second minimum.

"That was a fun little horse," he said. "These young horses are usually pretty wild and fun to get on."

After Brett Hale of Tenino, Wash., won the tie-down roping in 8.5 seconds, Sam Swan of Tres Pinos, Calif., started the saddle bronc with a score of 76 - good enough to win the round and place second in the weekend.

"I've never won," said Swan, 26, who said he has competed at the rodeo five or six times.

"I've got second at least twice, maybe three times. Maybe next year I'll win it."

In steer wrestling, Cole Edge of Coleman, Okla., posted a weekend-best time of 4.7 seconds - a half-second quicker than any previous competitor.

"That darn sure helps you pay some bills, helps you get down the road a ways," he said.

It was the 23-year-old Edge's first time to Eugene, a trip he enjoyed.

"Great crowd, great setup, good steers. Pretty hard to beat," he said.

Two competitors later, Ben Shofner of Jasper, Texas, put a steer on its back in 4.9 seconds, good for second in the event.

The team roping duo of D.J. Campbell of Benton City, Wash., and Russell Cardoza from Farmington, Calif., won in 5.1 seconds - the top time of the round and second best of the weekend.

Jana Isaac of White Swan, Wash., placed second overall and won the barrel racing round in 17.64 seconds.

The rodeo concludes today with the Firecracker Bull Ride - an event with only bull riding. The competition is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., preceded by motorcycle jumping at 6 p.m.