POIPU — The 15th annual Koloa Plantation Days Rodeo was held at CJM stables in Poipu over a 3-day weekend featuring lots of fast-paced rodeo action with 97 contestants from Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island. Local cowboy Adam
POIPU — The 15th annual Koloa Plantation Days Rodeo was held at CJM stables in Poipu over a 3-day weekend featuring lots of fast-paced rodeo action with 97 contestants from Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island.
Local cowboy Adam Brun was honored on Sunday as the event’s “Cowboys’ Cowboy” for being a cancer survivor and contestants rode in and tipped their hats to acknowledge him and show their support.
In the Open Team roping event Stoney Joseph, Oahu, and Kevin Hill, Big Island, took home the first-place finish with an average time of 13.00 seconds on two steers, which was tenths of a second better than Adam Brun, Kauai, and Chaz Rita, Kauai, with a 13.89 on two. Rita took home third-and fourth-place finishes with partners Randy Brun, Kauai, with a 15.66 on two and Joseph with an 18.15 on two.
The off island competitors continued to succeed in the mixed roping event with Nahe Nobriga and Bronson Branco, both of the Big Island, posting an average time of 15.93 on two steers. Kristene Sugai, Kauai, and Melvin Joseph, Kauai, took second with a time of 17.67 on two, followed by Brittany Jo Faborito, Oahu, and Bronson Branco in third with a 17.71 on two, and Kristyn Vasconcelles, Kauai, and Kamoi Refamonte, Kauai, rounding out the standings with a 19.35 on two.
The No. 3 roping saw the team of Alexis Vasconcelles, Kauai, and Kim Medeiros, Kauai, bring home the win with an average of 32.20 on two steers. The performance made them the only team in this event to post a time on two steers. Following them were Sugai and Kristen Low, Kauai, with a time of 8.96 on one steer and Raine Youn, Kauai, and Austin Wellington, Kauai, with a 13.63 on one steer.
Pat Sam Brun, Jr., Kauai, and Stuart Wellington, Kauai, took first in the Century roping with a 19.33 average on two steers. Kahea White, Kauai, and Adam Brun placed second with a 20.05 on two and Stanley Ornellas, Kauai, and Melvin Miranda, Oahu, finished third with a 21.25 on two.
Bronson Branco did well and himself the buckle in the Poo Wai U event with a time of 18.18 seconds, just three-tenths of a second better than Kalai Nobriga, Big Island, who posted a time of 18.54. Randall Soares, Kauai, took third with a 20.28 and Randy Brun rounded out the event with a 20.80.
The team of Soares and Kyle Blackstad, Kauai, brought down their steer with a time of 23.10 seconds to win the Double Mugging event. Coming in right behind them was the team of Branco and Kalai Nobriga with a 24.17, followed by Melvin Joseph and Kevin Hill with a 24.34, and Joseph and Branco with a 28.41.
In the Barrel Racing event Robin Medeiros, Kauai, and Diamond outran 23 other barrel racers to bring home the buckle with a 17.71 go on Sunday, giving her an average of 36.10 seconds on two go’s. Nipping at their heels was Sandra Akita, Kauai, with a 36.86, Nahe Nobriga with a 37.04, and Coryssa Silva, Kauai, with a 37.22.
Kristyn Vasconcelles won the Steer Undecorating with a 2.86 second run, barely edging out Kristen Low with a 2.98. Kuulei Decosta, Oahu, posted a 4.10 to take third and Maile Masada, Maui, took fourth.
In the Keiki Breakaway event, Keoni Akita topped the competition and roped his steer in 6.37 seconds. Makena Murayama came in second with a 7.52, Casera Silva took third with an 8.87, and Kahinu Palama-Soares took fourth with a 26.80. Kahanu Blackstad fell just short of the standings with a 44.25.
Rita was the high money winner for the weekend. He was followed by Branco, Joseph, Sugai, Adam Brun, Kevin Hill, Nahe Nobriga, Kristen Low, Melvin Joseph, and Alexis Vasconcelles.
