(SASSR media release)
SAN ANTONIO – Miles City cowboy Haven Meged made his second victory lap around the arena last night at San Antonio’s high-paying rodeo.
He won the tie-down roping on Tuesday, then tied for the win on Wednesday. He and Matt Shiozawa, from Chubbuck, Idaho each had a time of 8.5 seconds and earned $2,250. This was Shiozawa’s first check, but it brought Meged’s earnings up to $4,750. Meged earned 11 championships in high school rodeo in his home state, then qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo for Western Oklahoma State College.
Spencer Wright from Milford, Utah showed San Antonio Rodeo fans that he is just as comfortable on the back of a saddle horse as a bucking horse.
Wright, the 2014 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world champion, has won the first two rounds of Bracket 3 at this year’s rodeo. He finished at the top on Tuesday with an 83, then came back on Wednesday night and scored 88.5. The horse that helped him have an exceptional ride was Wrong Flavour from the Calgary Stampede string of bucking horses.
Spencer is part of the legendary Wright family of bucking horse riders. They also have ranches, raise cattle and spend a lot of time riding horses that don’t buck. Those skills come in handy when it’s time to make a victory lap around the AT&T Center. Spencer is competing here alongside his nephew Rusty who won the San Antonio Rodeo championship in 2015.
Rusty’s father, and Spencer’s brother Cody also won in the AT&T Center in 2007. Spencer finished just outside of the top 15 last year at 17th missing his third Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification by just two places.
He is coming off a big win at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver last month and is fifth in the world standings. He has added $5,000 in earnings to his bank account here so far and along with round 3 in the bracket, he also will advance to the semifinals based on that money. Rusty has placed on two horses but needs a good check to advance.
Spencer’s brother, Alex, competed in Bracket 2 and earned a spot in the semifinals. With two more brackets and more of the family left to compete, the semifinals and finals could be filled with family members.
Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, offered him a scholarship, so last August he moved to Texas to start school. He has been competing at college and pro rodeos this year and is ranked 7th in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southwest Region. He is 19th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. If he continues on the path that he has started here, all of that is likely to change.
San Antonio’s Semifinals qualifiers from Bracket 3 will be determined during Thursday night’s rodeo performance. Action gets underway in the AT&T Center at 7 p.m.
