PO‘IPU — Karen Akita of Kalaheo became the first wahine to win as an all-around champion as the 10th Koloa Plantation Days Rodeo closed a week-long celebration of plantation lifestyle and culture, Sunday. Akita teamed with Chaz Rita to upset
PO‘IPU — Karen Akita of Kalaheo became the first wahine to win as an all-around champion as the 10th Koloa Plantation Days Rodeo closed a week-long celebration of plantation lifestyle and culture, Sunday.
Akita teamed with Chaz Rita to upset the Paniolo Challengers on a winning go of 18.73. She followed that first finish by teaming with Melvin Joseph to pick up second place in the Mixed Roping event on a 19.28 go.
Those performances led to Akita pocketing the high money at this year’s rodeo. Conrad Murayama of Lawai, a new name in the winner’s circle, was named second followed by Chaz Rita of Kalaheo.
Tony Wong, longtime paniolo and horseman, was honored as the Grand Marshall for the Grand Entry event that featured pa‘u riders representing the Hawaiian Islands.
“Uncle Tony is a man known for his huge heart for people and horses, whose paniolo values we love and will forever cherish,” said Joyce Miranda of the CJM Country Stables where the event was held.
Adam Brun, last year’s champion, successfully defended his title in the Poo Wai U event, a rodeo event unique to Hawai‘i, throwing back to the days when cows ran wild in the mountains and the objective was to safely rope and tie the cow to the tree using a non choke hold knot.
Brun, garbed in the special red dirt shirt denoting last year’s champion, rolled through the event on a 19.72 go followed by Randy Brun completing the process in 19.98. Tom Aiu (22.28) and David Rita (25.40) rounded out the leaderboard for the 13-paniolo field.
Britni Ludington-Braun pulled out all the stops and bested last year’s champion, Kristyn Vasconcelles on a 17.61 go in the Wahine Barrels event. Vasconcelles, returning home from school in Idaho, finished the event in third on an 18.24 run, below Kim Medeiros (17.82). Sierra Medeiros rounded out the leaders of that event on an 18.63 go.
Ludington-Braun continued to streak, teaming with Brad Like to take third place in the Mixed Roping event on a 20.76 go. That was below the Akita/Chaz Rita and Akita/Joseph team, but ahead of Marti Snyder and Pat Brun Jr. that finished fourth on a 21.00 go.
Vasconcelles rebounded from the Wahine Barrels to finish tops in the Wahine Steer Undecorating with a 2.94 go over Kim Medeiros (3.69) and Snyder (3.74).
Pat Brun Jr. teamed with Coralyn Murayama to take top honors in the Calf Roping event, new to the rodeo this year, on a 24.12 go. Chaz Rita and Joyce Miranda finished 25.80 followed by Cory Carveiro and Kim Medeiros stopping the clock at 29.10.
Kainoa Wong of Kilauea teamed with Kevin Hill of Kona to take the Double Mugging event, Saturday on a go of 20.91. That team was followed by Gavin Shimogawa and Jason Cordozo (23.90), Randy Brun and Cory Carveiro (33.51) and Hill and Ross Farias (35.08).
Hill, returning as last year’s champion in the Open Roping, teamed with Bob Farias to take first place over an 80-team field with a winning go of 15.87. Russell Miranda and Kamo‘oi Refamonte filled in second place on a 16.48 go followed by J.J. Joseph and Gabe Kuhlman (22.29) and the team of Chaz Rita and Lance Fu (22.79).
Naalii Armitage of Kapa‘a was the sole Kaua‘i winner in the Bull Riding competition that saw Maui nail down both the first and third places of the event. Tristan Brennan had the longest ride at 5.91 followed by Armitage at 5.09 and Ikaika Chunkee followed at 3.90.
Pat Brun Jr. and Jim Miranda topped the Century competition by stopping the clocks at 21.04. That team was followed by Clayton Chow and Jim Miranda (25.37), Pat Brun Jr. and Pat Brun Sr. (25.48), and Stuart Wellington and Jerry Nakasone (26.29).
Conrad Murayama and Jerry Nakasone teamed to take top honors in the largest event, 4.5 Roping, with a time of 20.62 over the field of 124 teams. With five winners paid out, second place honors went to Kaleo Kaui and Kimo Akita (20.69), Coralyn Murayama and Stuart Wellington (20.89), Clayton Chow and Pat Debusca (22.67) and the team of Russell Miranda and Frank Nadarisay (23.26) rounding out the leaderboard.
Chance Olanolan of Hanalei earned the first place buckle in the Calf Scramble, another new event for this year’s rodeo that allowed the youngest cowboys and cowgirls an opportunity to compete. Breanne Brun of Kalaheo walked off with the second place buckle with Ross Brun and Gabriette Balisocan getting third and fourth, respectively.
“This is truly a community event,” said Melissa McFerrin, the event coordinator for Koloa Plantation Days. “There are so many people that help bring it together year after year, volunteering their time and expertise to ‘make it happen,’ all contributing to continually improve the festival experience.”
McFerrin said she appreciates the high level of participation as well as the county’s support along with that of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority to promote the value of local festivals as part of the visitor experience and to bring out community together.
The Koloa Plantation Days is considered a major festival in the state and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2010.
