BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Four events in the Badlands Circuit, including all three roughstock, saw the Circuit Finals Champion also claim the Year-End Championship on Oct. 15 in Minot, North Dakota.
In bareback riding, Ben Kramer won the First Round and went on to win the Average by 2.5 points over 2018 NFR qualifier Shane O’Connell. Kramer avenged last year when he finished second. It is Kramer’s first Badlands Circuit Finals title in three appearances.
Saddle bronc rider Cash Wilson won Rodeo Minot in 2023 and repeated his success in the same city as the Circuit Finals. He was 80.5 on his final horse to win the round and lock up his first career Badland Circuit Finals win. By placing in the Top 2 in all three rounds, Wilson won more than $8,6000 toward the 2024 PRCA World Standings.
At just 20-years-old, Mason Moody can call himself a Badlands Circuit Champion. He won the first two rounds with rides of 83 and 86 points and was one of two cowboys to cover their bull in Round 3. He was the only 3-for-3 performer and is well-positioned to build off his Top 35 finish in the 2023 PRCA World Standings.
The lone timed event cowboy to double dip was steer wrestler Cameron Morman. He made three runs of 4.1 seconds or faster to run away with the Average by more than 1.5 seconds.
You can see all of the Badlands Circuit Finals and Year-End Champions below.
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Ben Kramer, 81.5 points on Korkow Rodeos’ Dixie’s Gravy, $2,228; 2. Shane O’Connell, 79, $1,671; 3. Chase Yellow Hawk, 75, $1,114; 4. Kyle Bloomquist, 73, $557.
Second Round: 1. Clay Jorgenson, 85.5 points on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Colorado Bulldog, $2,228; 2. Ty Breuer, 84.5, $1,671; 3. Shane O’Connell, 83, $1,114; 4. Ben Kramer, 82, $557.
Third Round: 1. Ty Breuer, 85 points on Sutton Rodeos’ Deets, $2,228; 2. Clay Jorgenson, 83, $1,671; 3. Chase Yellow Hawk, 80, $1,114; 4. Steven DeWolfe-Shedeed, 78.5, $557.
Average: 1. Ben Kramer, 240.5 points on three head, $3,341; 2. Shane O’Connell, 238, $2,506; 3. Chase Yellow Hawk, 228, $1,671; 4. Steven DeWolfe-Shedeed, 222.5, $835.
Year-End Champion: Ben Kramer
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. Joe Nelson, 3.5 seconds, $2,228; 2. (tie) Cameron Morman and Tyler Thorson, 4.1, $1,392 each; 4. Scott Kleeman, 4.2, $557.
Second Round: 1. Cameron Morman, 4.0 seconds, $2,228; 2. Scott Kleeman, 4.7, $1,671; 3. Kaden Wooters, 5.0, $1,114; 4. Austin Hurlburt, 5.1, $557.
Third Round: 1. Justice Johnson, 3.8 seconds, $2,228; 2. (tie) Reed Kraeger and Cameron Morman, 4.0, $1,392 each; 4. Austin Hurlburt, 4.2, $557.
Average: 1. Cameron Morman, 12.1 seconds on three head, $3,341; 2. Scott Kleeman, 13.7, $2,506; 3. Austin Hurlburt, 14.6, $1,671; 4. Tyler Thorson, 14.7, $835.
Year-End Champion: Cameron Morman
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Jon Peterson/Trae Smith, 5.8 seconds, $2,228 each; 2. Reece Weber/Matt Kasner, 6.5, $1,671; 3. Cooper White/Tucker White, 6.8, $1,114; 4. Brent McInerney/Tanner McInerney, 7.1, $557.
Second Round: 1. Jr. Dees/Ross Ashford, 5.2 seconds, $2,228 each; 2. Bodie Mattson/Cash Hetzel, 5.6, $1,671; 3. Cooper White/Tucker White, 5.7, $1,114; 4. Braden Pirrung/Jade Nelson, 5.8, $557.
Third Round: 1. Jon Peterson/Trae Smith, 4.5 seconds, $2,228 each; 2. Jr. Dees/Ross Ashford, 4.8, $1,671; 3. Clay Holz/Matt Zancanella, 4.9, $1,114; 4. Trevor Olson/Jace Engesser, 5.0, $557.
Average: 1. Jon Peterson/Trae Smith, 20.7 seconds on three head, $3,341 each; 2. Jr. Dees/Ross Ashford, 21.0, $2,506; 3. Guy Howell/Riley Curuchet, 22.4, $1,671; 4. Cooper White/Tucker White, 25.4, $835.
Year-End Champions: Bodie Mattson/Cash Hetzel
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. Lavern Borntreger, 80.5 points on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Rip Cord, $2,228; 2. (tie) Kash Deal and Cash Wilson, 79, $1,392 each; 4. (tie) Shorty Garrett and Brady Hill, 78, $278 each.
Second Round: 1. Cole Elshere, 84 points on Sutton Rodeos’ Rubys Girl, $2,228; 2. Cash Wilson, 83, $1,671; 3. Brady Hill, 80.5, $1,114; 4. Jade Blackwell, 80, $557.
Third Round: 1. Cash Wilson, 80.5 points on Korkow Rodeos’ Bambino Vold, $2,228; 2. Cole Elshere, 77, $1,671; 3. Jade Blackwell, 75, $1,114; 4. Shorty Garrett, 70, $557.
Average: 1. Cash Wilson, 242.5 points on three head, $3,341; 2. Cole Elshere, 235, $2,506; 3. Jade Blackwell, 231.5, $1,671; 4. Shorty Garrett, 227, $835.
Year-End Champion: Cash wilson
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. Brock Belkham, 8.9 seconds, $2,228; 2. Cole Robinson, 9.0, $1,671; 3. Austin Hurlburt, 9.4, $1,114; 4. Bodie Mattson, 10.0, $557.
Second Round: 1. Grant Turek, 8.9 seconds, $2,228; 2. Bodie Mattson, 9.0, $1,671; 3. Austin Hurlburt, 9.1, $1,114; 4. Brock Belkham, 9.4, $557.
Third Round: 1. Austin Hurlburt, 8.1 seconds, $2,228; 2. Grant Turek, 8.2, $1,671; 3. Bodie Mattson, 10.9, $1,114; 4. Thane Lockhart, 11.3, $557.
Average: 1. Austin Hurlburt, 26.6 seconds on three head, $3,341; 2. Bodie Mattson, 29.9, $2,506; 3. Thane Lockhart, 37.1, $1,671; 4. Ty Moser, 42.6, $835.
Year-End Champion: Grant Turek
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Britany Diaz, 13.29 seconds, $2,228; 2. Lakken Bice, 13.48, $1,671; 3. Lisa Lockhart, 13.62, $1,114; 4. Molly Otto, 13.65, $557.
Second Round: 1. Molly Otto, 13.58 seconds, $2,228; 2. Nicole Bice, 13.59, $1,671; 3. Lisa Lockhart, 13.64, $1,114; 4. Lakken Bice, 13.70, $557.
Third Round: 1. (tie) Taylor Hanson and Lisa Lockhart, 13.35 seconds, $1,949 each; 3. Bobbi Olson, 13.42, $1,114; 4. Lakken Bice, 13.51, $557.
Average: 1. Lisa Lockhart, 40.61 seconds on three head, $3,341; 2. Lakken Bice, 40.69, $2,506; 3. Molly Otto, 40.91, $1,671; 4. Jessica Routier, 40.94, $835.
Year-End Champion: Jessica Routier
BULL RIDING
First Round: 1. Mason Moody, 83 points on Sutton Rodeos’ Rock N Roll Fantasy, $3,089; 2. T.J. Schmidt, 77, $2,527; no other qualified rides.
Second Round: 1. Mason Moody, 86 points on Sutton Rodeos’ Mad Max, $5,616; no other qualified rides.
Third Round: 1. Riggin Shippy, 78.5 points on Muddy Creek Pro Rodeo’s War Zone, $3,089; 2. Mason Moody, 59, $2,527; no other qualified rides.
Average: 1. Mason Moody, 228 points on three head, $3,650; 2. Riggin Shippy, 78.5 on one head, $2,808; 3. T.J. Schmidt, 77, $1,966; no other qualified rides. *(all totals include ground money).
Year-End Champion: Mason Moody
BREAKAWAY ROPING
First Round: 1. Rickie Fanning, 2.3 seconds, $2,228; 2. Danielle Wray, 2.4, $1,671; 3. (tie) Jessica Holmes and Tanegai Zilverberg, 2.5, $835 each.
Second Round: 1. Sawyer Gilbert, 2.3 seconds, $2,228; 2. (tie) Jessica Holmes and Brooke Howell, 3.1, $1,392 each; 4. Danielle Wray, 3.3, $557.
Third Round: 1. Taylor Engesser, 2.0 seconds, $2,228; 2. Danielle Wray, 2.2, $1,671; 3. Kayla Olson, 2.6, $1,114; 4. Sawyer Gilbert, 2.8, $557.
Average: 1. Sawyer Gilbert, 7.7 seconds on three head, $3,341; 2. Danielle Wray, 7.9, $2,506; 3. Brooke Howell, 9.4, $1,671; 4. Jessica Holmes, 18.2, $835.
Year-End Champion: Brooke Howel
