<center>Trevor Knowles Knowles</center>

MT. VERNON – Grant County steer wrestler Trevor Knowles turned in three consistent runs to capture the average title at Billings, Mont., in a total time of 12.0 seconds.

Knowles finished in a three-way tie for first in the first round with a 4.1-second run and came back in round two to turf his steer in 3.6 seconds to finish in another tie for the round victory.

In the final round, he dropped his steer in 4.3 seconds, good for a fourth-place finish.

Other average winners in Billings were Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz. and Charlie Lenning, Columbus, Mont., in team roping with a time 19.2 seconds on three head good for $3,033; Seth Hopper from Stanfield won $4,485 in tie-down roping with a time 25.9 seconds on three head; Wendy Wagoner, Kaycee, Wyo., barrel racing, 27.47 seconds on two head, $2,816; and Brian Curtis, Belle Fourche, S.D., bull riding, 168 points on two head, $4,926.

Knowles picked up $5,741 for his effort and moved to eighth in the World Standings with total winnings of $67,979.

“I had some good steers and scored well,” he said. “I didn’t back off the barrier any.”

Knowles says he’s been pretty hot lately and things have been going well.

“Every time I’d back into the box, no matter what start I took, I’d knock the barrier out of there and catch ’em quick and bulldog,” he said.

The recent win has put Knowles in a position where he can relax and stay home for a while.

“It takes a lot off of me and Texas is the last place I want to be rodeoing during hunting season,” he said. “I’m going to rest up, build some fence and go elk hunting.”

Knowles says after a short rest, he’s headed back to the practice pen to tune up.

“I’m going to Sid Britt’s house and practice my rear off for a week and a half before the (Columbia River) Circuit Finals and stay hooked until the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).”

The local cowboy is seeking his second straight trip to the Wrangler NFR set for Dec. 2-11 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Last year, Knowles finished in 10th place in the final standings with earnings of $95,186.

So far this season, the 25-year-old cowboy won the steer wrestling title at the Amarillo (Texas) Tri-State Fair Rodeo and the Omak (Wash.) Stampede, captured the tie-down roping crown at the Yakima Valley Fair and Rodeo in Grandview, Wash., and was the all-around champion at Sisters.

He was also the co-champion in a round of the prestegious Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days Rodeo.

Contributing to this story was Butch Thurman who has covered pro rodeo for 25 years.