RAPID CITY - The Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo drew to a close Sunday afternoon with a special open short round where invited rodeo participants were given one last chance to wow the crowd and earn additional cash and prizes. And, as befit the occasion, the rodeo gods perhaps saved the very best for last.

In two classic rodeo events, saddle bronc and bull riding, the bonus round champion was not crowned until the very last rider of the day had touched down.

The rodeo's last performer, Ross Kleven, of Westminster Colo., claimed the bull riding title with a 76-point ride, a winning effort that, perhaps, surprised him as much as everyone else.

"I didn't actually commit until the last minute," said Kleven. "I had told the secretary I wasn't coming since I had my wife and kids along and I thought they might get cranky. But my wife said, 'Yeah, go ahead and get on.'"

To add to the surprise, Kleven knew nothing about the bull. "They actually didn't load the bull until the last minute, since they didn't think I was here," he said.

The ride worked out OK in the end though.

"He was just a good bull, the ones you want to get on," Kleven said. "Nothing too rank, just a lot of fun."

The saddle bronc event surely furnished the wackiest outcome of the day.

Buffalo's Rollie Wilson had already been awarded the gold watch and given congratulations before Philip cowboy Ty Kennedy was granted a re-ride opportunity. Kennedy, sensing a good chance when he saw one, notched an 80-point ride and top money.

"I'd spent a lot of money here and hadn't won anything back so figured I'd better get on something," Kennedy said of why he chose to stay and compete in the Sunday round.

Wilson, rightly so, was awarded the $100 worth of South Dakota lottery tickets given to the day's most unlucky participant.

The Wrangler bonus round champion in bareback riding was Brian Jones, of Elko, Nev. Jones shaped the jack-hammering antics of his mount into a winning 82-point ride. Jones might wish to split his winnings with a couple of friends.

"I go to school in Riverton, Wyo., so I stayed here overnight with a couple of buddies," he said.

After a night spent with good buddies, the ride was probably pretty tame.

"I'd been on that horse a few times, just a really honest horse, a nice ride."

Camp Crook's Ivan Teigen, 51, took the steer wrestling bonus money back. The seven time National Finals Rodeo qualifier gave more credit to the livestock than he kept for himself.

"I drew a really good steer," said Teigen. "I actually missed the start and he waited for me a little bit, and he was really good to throw. Plus, I've been using my horse for about two years now, and he's really solid now so it all worked out. I can always use a little extra money and I don't live too far away, plus it was a really good set of steers here that made it a nice event."

In the roping events, Trent Creager, of Stillwater, Okla., captured the bonus-round title in tie-down roping with an 8.4-second noose and tie. The South Dakota tandem of Guy Howell, Belle Fourche, and Tommy Crane, Whitewood, took home gold watches in team roping.

And, in a tightly contested barrel racing event, Theresa Walter, of Billings, Mont., prodded her mount to a 12.51 mark, barely besting the 12.56 time of Sammi Bessert, of Loma, Colo. Bessert and third-place finisher, Jessica Routier, of Buffalo, had shared the PRCA rodeo aggregate crown the previous evening.