By Al Camp
Chronicle staff

     OMAK - A newly rebuilt arena cannot change certain constants at the Omak Stampede Rodeo and World-Famous Suicide Race.
     The bulls tossed off all six riders Friday night, Aug. 7, giving cowboys a big goose egg on the scoreboard, as often occurs.
     Garrett Faulhaber's 72-point ride on Thursday night remains the lone full eight-second bull ride of the rodeo.
     Taz, with jockey Loren Marchand aboard, won the Suicide Race for the second straight night by a large margin. Taz won all four races last year to claim the title. Now the horse's string is six straight races.
     Taz, owned by Jim Phillips, galloped into the arena with about a 50-yard lead on the field.
     A special recognition was given to the passing of Tommy Waters IV; the image of him dancing graces the Omak Stampede program this year. Waters also competed in the Suicide Race.
     The crowd continued to be entertained by barrelman J.J. Harrison, whose continuous energy in the arena makes the Energizer Bunny look like it's going backward. He brought a new meaning to being a cowboy Tough Enough to Wear Pink.
     The Kiesner Family Wild West Revue mixed Wild West talents of horsemanship, shooting ability, accurate whipping and rope tricks.
     RC Landingham of Pendleton, Ore., ran off an 83-point ride on Pale Face in bareback to open the rodeo, giving him the lead after two days.
     In tie-down roping, Mike Johnson Henryetta, Okla., hooked up for an 8.7-second run to claim second overall in the first go. He edged Shane Erickson, Terrebonne, Ore., who had an 8.8-second run on Friday.
     Leading the first go-round is Alwin Bouchard, Scandia, Alberta, with an 8.6-second run produced during slack Thursday night.
     In saddle bronc, Dustin Thompson Dickinson, N.D., jumped to the top score of the night with an 81. He's in second overall behind Colin Stalley of Riverton, Wyo., who put up an 82 on Thursday.
     In steer wrestling, no one came close to breaking into the top four times produced Thursday night. Ryan Grenell, Kennewick, continues to lead with a 4.6-second toppling of a steer.
     Top mark Thursday was by Nick Gutzwiler, East Wenatchee, with a 6.0-second run.
     Other top steer wrestling marks are 2, Alex Robertson, 4.7 seconds, Bend, Ore. 3, Erik Johnson, 4.8, Eltopia. 4, Michael Reger, 5.2, Redmond.
     Team roping Friday night got the crowd going with Jerad McFarlan, Wilder, Idaho, and Todd Cleveland, Lewiston, Idaho, notching a 6.9-second run that gave them the top time in the first go after two nights.
     But the mark lasted only a couple more runs before B.J. Campbell and Buck Campbell, Benton City, got a fast head before closing out a 5.9-second run.
     Bobby Davis, Adrian, Ore., and Katlen Schimmelpfennig, Wieser, Idaho, had led after the first night with a 7.7-second run.
     Kim Kammenzind, a kindergarten teacher from Touchet, ran off to a 16.53-second run in barrels to win the night and lead all riders in the first go.
     Kathy Grimes is in second with a 16.63 time in slack Thursday.
     Suicide Race results (horse, jockey, owner): 1, Taz, Loren Marchand, Jim Phillips. 2, Skar Tar, Ryan Cate, Lucetta Williams. 3, Commando, Abe Grunlose, Lucille Pakootas. 4, MO Whiskey, Winfred Pakootas, Shannon Boyd and Montana Pakootas. 5, Black Jack, Eddie Seyler, Jeff Ford. 6, Stem-Tima, Louis Zacherle, Chuck and Susie McKinney.

-Prepared by Omak Chronicle staff