(Editor's note: CFD media release)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – A tough pen of bulls dominated riders in Saturday’s Semifinal 2 as only three cowboys lasted at the 125th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.
Edgar, Montana’s Parker Breding won the round at 85 on the back of Dakota Rodeo’s Cold Shot. The win was good for $3,098 after Breding won over $2,300 in the quarterfinals earlier this week. Breding entered the rodeo ranked No. 6 in the PRCA world standings.
Milford, Utah’s Stetson Wright thrilled fans nearly coming off his bull about three seconds in, but recovering for 84 points aboard Dakota Rodeo’s Soup in a Group. The defending CFD all-around and bull riding champion did take a hard shot from the bull after coming off and was evaluated by the Justin Sportsmedicine Team. He is expected to compete in saddle bronc and bull riding at Sunday’s Championship Finals.
Narrow margins carried into saddle bronc where eight riders finished at 80 points or higher. Deer Lodge, Montana’s Chase Brooks managed to hold off the competition with an 87.5-point ride on the back of Hi Low Pro Rodeo’s Border Town. That paid him $3,043.
Ty Harris thought he had made a little history. Ultimately, he came up just shy, but the tie-down roper from San Angelo, Texas was more than happy to secure his spot in Sunday’s Championship Finals.
During Saturday’s CFD Semi Final round, Harris finished his run in 10.1 seconds, the fastest of any tie-down roper at the rodeo this year and just two-tenths off the Frontier Park Arena record to win the day and advance.
“I threw my hands up and I saw the clock 9.8, 9.9 and then it went past. But I was just excited to make a good run,” Harris said with a laugh. “I had a good calf, got a good start and then I just wanted to be patient and take my best first throw and it all worked out.”
Four other tie-down ropers went for 12.8 seconds or less in a very competitive race for the top six spots. Speed was the common theme throughout Saturday’s timed events as fast times were necessary to qualify for Sunday’s Championship Finals.
In team roping, the top six runs all finished in 11.2 seconds or less, with three teams going under 10 seconds. Ames, Oklahoma header Curry Kirchner and Crescent, Oklahoma heeler Austin Rogers won Saturday’s Semi Final round with a time of 9.7 seconds, besting a pair of 9.9 efforts.
Women’s breakaway roping had a similar battle as all six qualifying times were 7.1 seconds or less. Goodwell, Oklahoma cowgirl Hope Luttrell finished with the fastest time of the day at 4.9 seconds.
The margin to qualify in steer wrestling was also razor thin as seven cowboys completed runs in 8.5 seconds or less, difficult to do in the big arena at Frontier Park. Twin Bridges, Montana cowboy Newt Novich clinched the final spot with a time of 8.4 seconds, edging out Edmond, Oklahoma’s Grayson Allred who finished at 8.5. Elwood, Nebraska’s Reed Kraeger won the round at 6.2 seconds.
Reigning CFD barrel racing co-champs Shali Lord (Lamar, Colorado) and Nellie Miller (Cottonwood, California) each did well enough to crack the top six of the Semi Final and advance, with Miller winning the day at 17.59 seconds.
One champion was crowned on Saturday, as Powell, Wyoming’s Brody Wells finished with an aggregate score of 143 in the rookie saddle bronc competition to win the buckle. Wells will be back on Sunday to compete in the regular saddle bronc competition after recording an 85-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo’s Mugilla Saturday.
Sunday’s Championship Finals will start at 12:45 p.m. at Frontier Park.
RESULTS: Semifinal 2 - Payoff subject to change.
Bareback Riding: 1, (tie) Jess Pope, Waverly, Kansas, on Sankey Pro Rodeo’s Mental Illness, and Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Mr. Harry, 84 points, $2,780 each. 3, Ty Brewer, Mandan, N.D., 82, $1,726. 4, Trenton Montero, Winnemucca, Nev., 79, $1,799. 5, R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 78.5, $671. 6, (tie) Keenan Hayes, Hayden, Colo., and Bodee Lammers, Stephenville, Texas, 74, $240 each.
Breakaway Roping: 1, Hope Luttrell, Goodwell, Okla, 4.3 seconds, $6,088. 2, McKenzie Frizzel, 5.2, $4,612. 3, Jordi Edens, Gatesville, Texas, 5.7, $3,321. 4, Amanda Coleman, Stephenville, Texas, 5.8, $2,213. 5, Martha Angelone, Stephenville, Texas, 6.4, $1,291. 6, Kirsten Stubbs Smith, Fruita, Colo., 7.1, $922.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 10.1 seconds, $2,328. 2, Chance Oftedahl, Pemberton, Minn., 11.0, $1,927. 3, Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla., 11.2, $1,525. 4, Craig Leonard, Sonora, Texas, 12.5, $1,123.93. 5, Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 12.8, $723. 6, Kasen Brennise, Craig, Colo., 17.4, $401.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Chase Brooks, Deer Lodge, Mont., 87.5 points on Hi-Lo Pro Rodeo’s Border Town, $3,043. 2, (tie) Mitch Pollock, Winnemucca, Nev., and Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, 86, $1,982 each. 4, Brody Wells, Powell, Wyo., 85, $1,107. 5, Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah, 84.5, $645. 6, Cash Wilson, Wall, S.D., 83, $461.
Team Roping: 1, Curry Kirchner, Ames, Okla., and Austin Rogers, Crescent, Okla., 9.7 seconds, $2,265 each. 2, (tie) Joshua and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla.; and Eric Martin, Aurora, Colo., and Ryon Tittel, Pueblo, Colo., 9.9, $1,679 each. 4, Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M., and Lane Mitchell, Bolivar, Tenn., 10.5, $1,093 each. 5, Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla., and Billie Jack Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 10.8, $703 each. 6, Jr. Dees, Aurora, S.D., and Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz., 11.2, $390 each.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Reed Kraeger, Elwood, Neb., 6.2 seconds, $2,121. 2, Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D., 6.5, $1,756. 3, Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., 6.9, $1,390. 4, Seth Peterson, Wellington, Colo., 7.0, $1,390. 5, Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Idaho, 7.5, $658. 6, Newt Novich, Twin Bridges, Mont., 8.4, $366.
Barrel Racing: 1, Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, Calif., 17.59, $4,839. 2, Shelly Morgan, Canton, Texas, 17.64, $4,004. 3, Shali Lord, Lamar, Colo., 17.68, $3170. 4, Ivy Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 17.69, $$2,336. 5, Jamie Chaffin, Burwell, Neb., 17.70, $1,502. 6, (tie) Shelly Mull, Amity, Ore., and Jimmie Smith, McDade, Texas, 17.82, $417 each. (Smith advances to Championship Sunday on tie-breaker criteria.)
Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Parker Breding, Edgar, Mont., 85 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Cold Shot, $3,098. 2, Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 84, $2,347. 3, Ruger Piva, Challis, Idaho, 78, $1,690. Also qualifying for Championship Sunday on tie-breaker criteria: J.B. Mauney, Cotulla, Texas; Sage Kimzey, Salado, Texas; Mason Spain, Forney, Texas; Ky Hamilton, Mackay, Queensland, Australia; Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif.; Jordan Hansen, Amisk, Alberta; Jack Gilmore, Ironton, Mo.
*Rookie Saddle Bronc Riding: First round winners – 1, (tie) Reed Neely, Sanger, Calif., on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s #253, and Garrett Long, Valentine, Neb., on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s #254, 81 points, $1,081 each. 3, Colt Cunningham, Rose, Okla., 80, $671. 4, Jade Taton, Kersey, Colo., 78, $447. 5, Locky Sheppard, Snyder, Texas, 77, $261. 6, Wyatt Lohman, Weatherford, Okla., 76, $186.
Second round winners – 1, Triston Eklund, Valentine, Neb., 83 points, $1,081. 2, Quintin McWhorter, Petrolia, Calif., 78, $820. 3, Jack Wright, De Ridder, La., 76, $671. 4, Matt Shannon, Prineville, Ore., 75, $477. 5, Bailey Bench, Oakley, Idaho, 71, $261. 6, Brody Wells, Powell, Wyo., 69, $186.
Total on two: 1, Wells, 143, $2,162. 2, Karson Mebane, Bakersfield, Calif., 138, $1,640. 3, Lucas Macza, High River, Alberta, 136, $1,342. 4, Cunningham, 135, $954. 5, Jacob Coates, Aurora, Utah, 134, $522. 6, Clayton Atkinson, Casper, Wyo., 133, $372.
Wild Horse Race: 1, Team Harmon, $782. 2, Team Agin.com, $587. 3, Copper State Cowboys, $291. Overall leaders: 1, Team Harmon $1,564. 2, (tie) Team Agin.com and 3-N, $1,173. 4, (tie) James Federer and Shockers, $978 each.
