(Editor's note: NWSSR release)
DENVER - With only two days of preliminary competition remaining at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo, semi-finals qualifications are filling up quickly.
Stevensville bareback rider Richmond Champion is hoping to make the cut after scoring 84 points on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Easy Money to win the round Wednesday night. Ty Breuer of Mandan, N.D. placed second with a score of 77.5.
Wednesday’s two performances featured first and second round groups. Finalists for the three semifinal rounds will be announced after Thursday and Friday performances in Denver.
There is a new leader in steer wrestling and it is a guy that is coming off of his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualification. Tristan Martin has a total time of 7.8 seconds and will be competing on Saturday. He was the National High School Rodeo Association steer wrestling champion in 2014. Four years later he won the title at the College National Finals Rodeo.
He competed at rodeo’s championships in Las Vegas in December and earned over $100,000. Then he went home to Sulphur, Louisiana, celebrated holidays and welcomed a new member to his family when his wife, Josee, gave birth to their first child, a boy named Boudreaux. Tristan will be hoping to take a new National Western Stock Show Rodeo buckle back home with him. The money he wins here could jump start his 2022 season and give him momentum to be back in Las Vegas next December.
The Martin family knows firsthand what a Denver win can do for a season. Tristan’s uncle Casey Martin won this rodeo in 2013, and that helped him with one of his five qualifications to the NFR. The next generation is carrying on the winning tradition and hoping to be the first of the steer wrestling family to win the coveted gold buckle that is awarded to the world’s best. There are nine grueling months of the regular season left in 2022. At the end of September, the top 15 in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world standings will qualify for the NFR and go to Las Vegas to compete for world championships. A win at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo is a step in the right direction for any competitor.
There are two performances of the rodeo in the Denver Coliseum on Thursday, at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Eleventh Performance --
Bareback Riding: 1, Leighton Berry, Weatherford, Texas., 82.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Fire’s Easy. 2, Wyatt Maines, Elkwater, Alberta., 81. 3, Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 76. 4, (tie) Richmond Champion, Stevensville, Mont., and Kyle Bloomquist, Raymond, Minn., 76.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Tristan Martin, Sulphur, La., 4.2 seconds. 2, Heath Thomas, Hemphill, Texas., 4.4. 3, Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho., 4.5. 4, Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas., 4.6.
Team Roping: 1, Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 5.6 seconds. 2, Justin Pruitt, and Blaine Turner, Batesville, Ark., 6.0. 3, Cooper and Tucker James White, Hershey, Neb., 6.4. 4, Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas, 6.9.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Lefty Holman, Visalia, Calif., 83.5 on Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Boss. 2, Lucas Macza, High River, Alberta, 78. 3, Logan Cook, Alto, Texas., 76.5. 4, Tyler Corrington, Hastings Mont., 74.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Kason Dyer, Ottawa, Kan., 8.9. 2, Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 9.1 seconds. 3, Kyle Lucas, Carstairs, Alberta., 9.3. 4, Marcos Costa, Iratama, Brazil, 9.7.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, BryAnna Haluptzok, Tenstrike, Minn., 15.19. 2, Cassidy Champlin, Pilot Point, Texas, 15.29. 3, Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 15.38. 4, Bradi Whiteside, Longview Alberta, 15.49.
Bull Riding: (Three qualified Rides) 1, Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas., 75.5 on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s The Conductor. 2, Clayton Appelhans, Colby, Kan., 71.5. 3, Tanner Eno, Coronation Alberta, 64.
Twelfth Performance --
Bareback Riding: 1, Richmond Champion, Stevensville, Mont., 84 points on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Easy Money. 2, Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 77.5. 3, Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 76.5. 4, (tie) Kyle Bloomquist, Raymond, Minn., and Colton Clemens, Blackfoot, Idaho, 75.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Tristan Martin, Sulphur, La., 3.6. 2, Tyler Pearson, Atokoa, Okla., 4.6. 3, Jacob D Edler, Alva, Okla., 5.0. 4, Riley Reiss, Manning, N.D., 5.1.
Team Roping: 1, Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla., and Buddy Hawkins II, Columbus, Kan., 4.3 seconds. 2, Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas, 4.9. 3, Cooper and Tucker James White, Hershey Neb., 5.4. 4, Luke Brown Rock Hill, S.C., and Hunter Koch, Vernon, Texas, 5.5.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Treyson Antonick, Overton, Texas, 80 points on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Big Casino. 2, Logan Cook, Alto, Texas, 78.5. 3, Kole Ashbacher, Arrowwood, Alberta., 77.5. 4, Jake Clark, Crane, Ore., 76.5.
Tie Down Roping: 1, Beau Cooper, Stettler, Alberta, 8.0 seconds. 2, Chance Oftedahl, Pemberton, Minn., 8.5. 3, Kyle Lucas, Castairs, Alberta, 8.6. 4, Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 9.1.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Cassidy Champlin, Pilot Point, Texas, 15.13. 2, (Tie) BryAnna Haluptzok, Tenstrike Minn., Ivy Saebens, Nowata Okla., 15.23. 3, Bradi Whiteside, Longview Alberta, 15.42.
Bull Riding: (one qualified ride) 1, Tanner Eno, Coronation, Alberta, 70 points.
