Salt Lake City, Utah-2010 has not been the season that Sue Smith had hoped for. After an outstanding 2009 that saw the Blackfoot, Idaho cowgirl qualify for her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and pocket well over $120K in earnings, 2010 has brought its share of difficulties.

Her super gelding Real Claim to Fame, better known as Claimer, contracted pneumonia during the winter rodeo run in Texas.

"It's frustrating and it was a huge setback," Smith acknowledges. "You take the best care of your horses on the road and then you think, how did you get pneumonia?" With both her horses sick (Claimer and Daisy Duke Dash, Smith's terrific futurity horse), the tough cowgirl made the best of a tough situation at the Dodge National Circuit Finals in April, borrowing Kim Kammenzind's Chet to set two arena records and collect nearly $16K in earnings.

The money would come in handy as Claimer sat out most of the spring. When he finally recovered, Smith admits she was really careful in bringing the seven year old son of PESI stallion Dash ta Fame back to the competition arena.

"He is all I have other than the futurity colt so I didn't want to be dumb and go too hard at first," Smith says. "We only entered three rodeos over the Fourth. But he was feeling better all the time."

With Claimer feeling fit again, Smith changed tactics and hit the trail hard come mid-July.

"We made 10 runs in 10 days and I am pretty excited that he is handling that kind of hauling," she says. Amongst the trip was a prosperous haul to the Calgary Stampede where Claimer set a new arena record and won two go rounds. Smith stuffed over $30K in her Wranglers.

"Salt Lake was the 10th run and I was just wiped out that morning when we were warming up. We had like five all night drives that week, including coming from Nampa the night before."

The schedule is a change for Smith and Claimer as Smith only entered 31 rodeos in 2009 and says she was very picky in her choices last season. "I went home a lot in between rodeos," she says. "Now, I am having fun going harder and I keep thinking, wow, he is really a rodeo horse."

That was obvious at the Days of '47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City. Smith and Claimer toured the pattern at the E Center in a blazing 13.54, nearly two full tenths faster than second place finishers, 2008 WPRA World Champion Lindsay Sears and Maegan Reichert. The win was worth $3,598.

Smith and Claimer seem back to their old ways. The pair picked up a fifth place finish at the Silver Tour stop in Spanish Fork, Utah, worth $1,909 and a first go check at Cheyenne where they are currently second in the overall standings for Sunday's Championship round.

The earnings moved her up considerably in the standings but still a long way from a second Wrangler NFR berth. But Smith is concentrating on next year and not worrying about 2010.

"I just want to get enough won this year to be qualified to go next year, make the big buildings in the winter."

Despite being just 56th in the current standings, no one would dare count Claimer and Smith out of the running. With money won at Spanish Fork, they now sit 28th in the Tour standings, less than $1,000 from a berth into the Tour Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash. With a good chance at some big money at Cheyenne, a Gold Tour stop, this Sunday, Smith could be moving up again.

For more information on the Days of '47 Rodeo, please visit them on-line at www.daysof47rodeo.com.