(PRCA release)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Once again, the best was saved for last in the barrel racing at Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Sunshine did more than brighten up the skies at Frontier Park; it also dried the ground While arena conditions weren’t ideal, they had improved from Friday and it showed in Saturday’s barrel racing times.
The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association field included many that had been the most successful in the first round, including reigning world champion Nellie Miller from Cottonwood, California. Riding her great horse, Rafter W Minnie Reba, that she calls “Sister,” Miller stopped the clock in 17.76 seconds. She was the final barrel racer in the regular competition before Championship Sunday.
Combined with her first-round time of 17.54, she leads the overall standings with a total of 35.30 seconds. Miller had a big smile on her face and was giving Sister some love as she rode out of the arena.
They won the first round and tied for fifth in the second round. She has already won nearly $10,000 here and stands to add to it significantly on Sunday. Miller is currently second in the world standings. A big win here could help her narrow the gap.
Bill Tutor made a big move in Saturday’s bareback riding. Wyoming’s own Seth Hardwick was at the top of the leaderboard at 166.5 points on two rides. Tutor changed that with an 85-point effort on J Bar J Rodeo’s Smack Daddy Saturday. That gave him a total of 167.5 to move him into first place.
Steer wrestler Levi Rudd, from Chelsea, Oklahoma is the big money winner of more than 1,200 contestants that have competed at the 122nd edition of the rodeo. Rudd placed second in the first round after stopping the clock in 6.1 seconds on Friday. He came back on Saturday with another second-place finish at 8.0. Those two checks added up to $11,006 in earnings and he has an opportunity to add a lot more to that on Championship Sunday.
Rudd now has command of the overall lead and is on pace to have the biggest win of his career. He has a total time of 14.1 seconds and is over two seconds faster than the man in second place, Curtis Cassidy from Donalda, Alberta.
Friday and Saturday also saw the most successful group of bull riders. Trevor Kastner, from Roff, Oklahoma; Gray Essary III, of Sommerville, Tennessee; Edgar, Montana’s Parker Breding; and Ruger Piva, from Challis, Idaho all rode two bulls. That increased the total to seven riders that had a score on both of their bulls. The remainder of the 16-man field is made up of the highest scoring riders on one ride.
All the other events will feature the top 12 riders with the highest total score or fastest total time from two competitions. Action for Championship Sunday gets underway at 12:45 p.m. Along with the prestigious buckle, champions will also receive trophy saddles and other awards.
Bareback Riding: (first round) 1, Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 86.5 points on Hi Lo ProRodeo’s Pretty Woman, $5,743. 2, Seth Hardwick, Ranchester, Wyo., 85.5, $4,403. 3, (tie) Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, and Jamie Howlett, Weatherford, Texas, 85, $2,680 each. 5, (tie) Jamie Howlett, Weatherford, Texas, and Kyle Charley, Lukachukai, Ariz., 84, $1,149 each. 7, Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas, $766. 8, (tie) Wyatt Denny, Minden, Nev., and Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 82, $287 each. (second round) 1, Clayton Biglow, Clements, Ca., 87.5 points on Hi Lo ProRodeo’s Wilson Sanchez, $5,743. 2, (tie) Lane McGeHee, Victoria, Texas; Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Tutor, 85, $3,254 each. 5, Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 84.5, $1,340. 6, Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 84, $957. 7, (tie) Aus and Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., $670. (finals qualifiers) 1, Tutor, 167.5. 2, Seth Hardwick, 166.5 points. 3, (tie) McGeHee and Feild, 166. 5, (tie) Bennett and Lowe, 165.5. 7, Tanner Aus, 165. 8, (tie) Ty Breuer and Shane O’Connell, 163.5. 10, Biglow, 163. 11, Tate Schwagler, Mandan, N.D., 161.5. 12, Trenton Montero, Winnemucca, Nev., 160.5.
Steer Wrestling: (second round) 1, Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 7.5, $6,329. 2, Levi Rudd, Chelsea, Okla., 8.0, $5,503. 3, Kody Woodward, Dupree, S.D., 8.2, $4,678. 4, Nick Guy, Sparta, Mich., 8.3, $3,852. 5, (tie) Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., and Blake Mindemann, Blanchard, Okla., 8.7, $2,614 each. 7, Cody Harmon, Dublin, Texas, 8.9. 8, Justin Shaffer, Hallsville, Texas, $5506, (tie) Scott Guenthner, Provost, Alberta, and Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Idaho, 9.1. 8, Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho, 9.2. (finals qualifiers) 1, Rudd, 14.1. 2, Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 16.7. 3, Guy, 16.8. 4, Straws Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 17.5. 5, Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 17.8. 6, Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 18.2. 7, Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah, 18.3. 8, Miguel Garcia, Kaycee, Wyo., 18.6. 9, Kelby Bond, Avondale, Co., 18.7. 10, Jacob Edler, Dacoma, Okla., 18.8. 11, (tie) Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho and Blake Mindemann, Blanchard, Okla., 19.1.
Saddle Bronc Riding: (first round) 1, Brody Cress, Hillsdale, Wyo., 88 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Utopia, $4,889. 2, Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, 84.5, $3,748. 3, Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 83.5, $2,771. 4, Wyatt Casper, Pampa, Texas, 83.0, $1,793. 5, (tie) Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas; Jake Finlay, Goondiwindi, Australia; Audy Reed, Spearman, Texas, and Joey Sonnier III, New Iberia, La., 82, $774 each. (second round) 1, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 86 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Trophy Wife, $4,889. 2, Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 85, $3,748. 3, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, 84.5, $2,770. 4, (tie) Chase Brooks, Deer Lodge, Mont., and Mason Laviolette, Rayne, La., 84, $1,467 each. 6, Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 83.5, $815. 7, Samuel Kelts, Millarville, Alberta, 81.5, $652. 7, Diaz, 80.5, $489. (finals qualifiers) 1, Cress, 166.5 points. 2, Diaz, 165. 3, Casper, 163. 4, Rusty Wright, 161. 5, Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 160. 6, (tie) Thurston and Dawson Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, 159.5. 8, (tie) Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas; Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, and Dawson Jandreau, Kennebec, S.D. 158. 11, Sterling Crawley and Layton Green, Meeting Creek, Alberta, 157.5.
Team Roping: (second round) 1, Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Co., and Joe Mattern, Plantersville, Texas, 7.5 seconds, $5,959 each. 2, Kellan Johnson and Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 7.6, $5,182 each. 3, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 7.7, $4,405. 4, Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., $3,628 each. 5, (tie) Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala., and Trace Porter, Leesville, La.; and Derrick Begay, Seba Delkai, Ariz., and Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., 8.5, $2,462. 7, (tie) Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga., and Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prude, Brazil; Clint Gorrell, B, N.D., and Drew Gartner, Killdeer, N.D.; and Cole Dorenkamp, Lamar, Co., and T.J. Watts, Eads, Co., 8.6, $605 each.
(finals qualifiers) 1, Chris Francis and Cade Passig, Las Vegas, N.M., 17.5. 2, Ty Bach, Mt. Vernon, Texas, and Trey Johnson, Weatherford, Texas, 18.3. 3, Scott White, Oelrichs, S.D., and Rusty Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb., 18.5. 4, Driggers and Nogueria, 18.6. 5, Begay and Petska, 18.7. 6, Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn., and Joseph Harrison, Overbrook, Okla. 7, Tyler Harris, Killdeer, N.D., and Ross Carson, Grassy Butte, N.D., 19.1. 8, Jr. Dees, Aurora, S.D., and Cody Cowden, Atwater, Ca., 19.3. 9. Dustin Egusquiza, Mariana, Fla., and Kory Koontz, Stephenville, Texas, 19.3. 10, Jeff Flenniken, Caldwell, Idaho, and Jake Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 19.6. 11, (tie) Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz., and Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla.; and Shay Carroll, Hico, Texas, and Jason Duby, Klamath Falls, Ore., 20.2.
Rookie Saddle Bronc Riding: (second round) 1, Creighton Curley, Window Rock, Ariz., 75 points on Brookman Rodeo’s #401. 2, Rowdy Chesser, Kansas, Okla., and Rhett Fanning, Martin, S.D., 74, $802 each. 4, Wyatt Hageman, Jay Em, Wyo., $447. 5, (tie) LeFebre, Lane Schuelke, Newell, S.D., and Connor Murnion, Jordan, Mont., 71, $149. (overall winners) 1, Schuelke, 148, $1,230. 2, Fanning, 146, $932. 3, (tie) LeFebre and Murnion, 142, $559 each. 5, (tie) Logan Cook, Alto, Texas and Logan Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, 140. $223 each.
Tie-down Roping: (second round) 1, Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 10.3, $6.557. 2, Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 10.4, $5,701. 3, Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, 10.7, $4,846. 4, Austin Barstow, Springview, Neb., 10.8, $3,991. 5, Riley Pruitt, Gering, Neb., 10.9, $3,136. 6, Billy Hamilton, Stigler, Okla., 11.6, $2,281. 7, John Douch, Huntsville, Texas, 11.8, $1,425. 8, Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 11.9, $570. (finals qualifiers) 1, Pruitt, 21.8 seconds. 2, Sterling Smith, Stephenville, Texas, 22.8. 3, Gray, 22.9. 4, Harris, 23.2. 5, Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 23.3. 6, Cimarron Boardman, Stephenville, Texas, 23.6. 7, Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 23.8. 8, Kormos, 24.5. 9, (tie) Tim Pharr, Resaca, Ga., and Ryan Watkins, Morgan Mill, Texas, 25.1. 11, Caleb Bullock, Boise City, Okla., 25.4. 12, Douch, 25.5.
Barrel Racing: (second round leaders) 1, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Victoria, Texas, 17.61 seconds, $6,669. 2, Lacinda Rose, Willard, Mo., 17.65, $5,716. 3, Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, 17.66, $4,763. 4, Billie Ann Harmon, Dublin, Texas, 17.68, $4,128. 5, (tie) Michelle Darling, Medford, Okla., and Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, Ca., 17.76, $2,758. 7, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 17.77, $1,905. 8, Shali Lord, Lamar, Co., 17.82, $1,270. 9, Jessie Telford, 17.86, $953. 10, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 17.87, $635. (finals qualifiers) 1, Miller, 35.30. 2, Pozzi Tonozzi, 35.44. 3, Lockhart, 35.58. 4, Hillman, 35.60. 5, Ganter, 35.67. 6, Rose, 35 .77. 7, Cervi, 35.84. 8, Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 35.94. 9, (tie) Darling, Lord and Katelyn Scott, Odessa, Texas, 35.96. 12, Laura Lambert, Wiggins, Colo., 36.00.
Bull Riding: (second round) 1, Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla., 90 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s American Blood, $5,920. 2, Dalan Duncan, Ballard, Utah, 88, $4,539. 3, Silvano Alves, Decatur, Texas, 86, $3.355. 4, (tie) Koby Radley, Montpelier, La.; Parker Breding, Edgar, Mont., and Nic Lica, Garden City, Mich., 85.5, $1,513 each. 7, (tie) Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas; Garrett Tribble, Bristow, Okla., and Boudreaux Campbell, Crockett, Texas, 85, $460 each. (finals qualifiers) 1, Radley, 173.5. 2, (tie) J.W. Harris, Goldthwaite, Texas, and Askey, 166 points. 4, Ruger Piva, Challis, Idaho, 166.5. 5, Breding, 166. 6, Gray Essary III, Sommerville, Tenn., 165.5. 7, Trevor Kastner, Roff, Okla., 157.5. (on one) 8, Eldred, 90. 9, (tie) Brady Portenier, Caldwell, Idaho, and Duncan, 88. 11, Eli Vastbinder, Athens, Texas, and Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, 87.5. 13, Jeff Bertus, Avon, S.D., 86.5. 14, Alves and Jordan Spears, Redding, Ca., 86. 16, Elijah Mora, Wiggins, Co., and Nic Lica, Garden City, Mich., 85.5.
Steer Roping: (finals qualifiers) 1, Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 29.7 seconds. 2, Kenyon Burns, Lovington, N.M., 31.4. 3, Bryce Davis, Ovalo, Texas, 32.0. 4, Quay Howard, Canyon, Texas, 32.3. 5, Brady Popino, Big Cabin, Okla., 32.5. 6, (tie) Jim Locke, Miami, Texas, and Jarrett Blessing, Paradise, Texas, 33.1. 8, Matt Hebbert, Hyannis, Neb., 36.9. 9, C.A. Lauer, Buffalo, Okla., 36.0. 10, Cody Scheck, Kiowa, Kan., 37.3. 11, Wade Shoemaker, DVM, Gill, Co., 38.0. 12, Bobby Joe Hill, Mexia, Texas, 40.3.
Wild Horse Race: 1, Jason Smith Team, $610. 2, Team Agin, $457. 3, Team Allen, $305.
