Bareback rider Tilden Hooper rode in the short go of the Reno Rodeo and drove to Greeley where he got on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Fearless on about one and a half hours of sleep. He jumped to the lead at the Greeley Stampede with an 84.5-point ride.
“I knew it was a pretty nice horse and a chance to come over here and make a good spur ride and so that’s what I tried to do,” Hooper said.
The summer run is full of all night travels for cowboys chasing their chance to compete in Las Vegas at the Thomas and Mack.
“Man, when you step out there and see that crowd and they do the anthem and everything, it all goes away. I don’t think I’ve ever ridden at this rodeo with more than about two hours of sleep anyways,” Hooper said.
An electric crowd is all a bareback rider needs sometimes to get their adrenaline pumping again. Right behind Hooper on the leader board is Jess Pope and Anthony Thomas with a paid of 84-point rides with Evan Botany and Keenan Hayes tied for fourth with a pair of 83’s.