BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The inaugural Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup brought promises of season-altering paydays and the $1.1 million rodeo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota did just that.
The richest rodeo in the state’s history made NFR dreams come true as three cowboys came from went from out to in over the course of the season’s final weekend.
Two of those competitors who made big moves were bareback riders - Jake Lees and Mason Clements. Lees finished second in Round 1 and split the win in Round 2 to rack up nearly $16,000 and move from No. 17 to No. 15. Clements, on the other hand, waited until his last possible chance by riding Two Buck Chuck for 87.5 points in the Short Round to win the $25,000 first place check and go from No. 18 to No. 12.
In saddle bronc riding, Tanner Butner was similar to Clements as he stayed alive all weekend, but did not win a check until his $19,000 second place finish in the Short Round. That was enough to carry him from No. 18 to No. 10 in the World Standings.
We would also be remiss if we didn’t highlight the standout performances of Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, Kade Bruno, Shad Mayfield, Emily Beisel and Stetson Wright - all of whom made more than $35,000.
Beisel was particularly impressive as she raced to the RAM Top Gun Award by winning three rounds outright and splitting another to take home $43,750 of a possible $45,000.
You can see the full results from every single event below.
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Tim O’Connell, 86.5 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Damaged Goods, $10,000; 2. Jacob Lees, 85.5, $7,500; 3. (tie) Orin Larsen and Mason Clements, 82.5, $3,750 each; 5. (tie) Clayton Biglow and Keenan Hayes, 82 each; 7. Dean Thompson, 81; 8. Cole Reiner, 80.5; 9. Richmond Champion, 79.5; 10. (tie) Jess Pope and Jayco Roper, 79 each; 12. Kade Sonnier, 75.5.
Second Round: 1. (tie) Jacob Lees, on Championship Pro Rodeo’s The Crow and Clayton Biglow, on Brookman Rodeo’s SOS, 86.5 points, $8,750 each; 3. Dean Thompson, 86, $5,000; 4. Kade Sonnier, 84, $2,500; 5. Mason Clements, 83.5; 6. (tie) Jayco Roper and Cole Reiner, 83 each; 8. Tim O’Connell, 82; 9. Jess Pope, 81.5; 10. (tie) Orin Larsen and Keenan Hayes, 81 each; 12. Richmond Champion, Inj.
Advancing: 1. Jacob Lees, 172 points on two head; 2. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Clayton Biglow, 168.5 each; 4. Dean Thompson, 167; 5. Mason Clements, 166; 6. (tie) Orin Larsen and Cole Reiner, 163.5 each; 8. Keenan Hayes, 163.
Semifinal: 1. Mason Clements, 85.5 points on Muddy Creek Pro Rodeo’s Hot Mocha; 2. (tie) Dean Thompson and Orin Larsen, 84.5 each; 4. Keenan Hayes, 84; 5. Tim O’Connell, 81.5, $2,500; 6. Jacob Lees, 79.5, $2,500; 7. (tie) Cole Reiner and Clayton Biglow, 76.5, $2,500 each.
Finals: 1. Mason Clements, 87.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Two Buck Chuck, $25,000; 2. Keenan Hayes, 86.5, $19,000; 3. Dean Thompson, 85, $12,000; 4. Orin Larsen, 81.5, $6,000.
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. Will Lummus, 3.8 seconds, $10,000; 2. Kyler Dick, 4.0, $7,500; 3. (tie) J.D. Struxness and Ty Erickson, 4.2, $3,750 each; 5. Jesse Brown, 4.3; 6. Nick Guy, 4.7; 7. Tristan Martin, 4.8; 8. Dalton Massey, 5.0; 9. Tyler Waguespack, 5.4; 10. Stephen Culling, 5.8; 11. Cody Devers, 5.9; 12. Dakota Eldridge, NT.
Second Round: 1. Nick Guy, 3.3 seconds, $10,000; 2. Tristan Martin, 3.4, $7,500; 3. Dalton Massey, 3.8, $5,000; 4. Cody Devers, 4.1, $2,500; 5. (tie) Will Lummus and Tyler Waguespack, 4.2 each; 7. (tie) J.D. Stuxness and Ty Erickson, 4.7 each; 9. (tie) Kyler Dick and Jesse Brown, 4.9 each; 11. Stephen Culling and Dakota Eldridge, NT.
Advancing: 1. (tie) Nick Guy and Will Lummus, 8.0 seconds on two head each; 3. Tristan Martin, 8.2; 4. Dalton Massey, 8.8; 5. (tie) J.D. Struxness, Kyler Dick and Ty Erickson, 8.9 each; 7. Jesse Brown, 9.2.
Semifinal: 1. Jesse Brown, 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) J.D. Struxness and Tristan Martin, 4.1 each; 4. Will Lummus, 4.2; 5. J.D. Stuxness, 4.2, $2,500; 6. Dalton Massey, $2,500; 7. Nick Guy, 5.1, $2,500; 8. Kyler Dick, NT, $2,500.
Finals: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.4 seconds, $25,000; 2. Will Lummus, 3.7, $19,000; 3. (tie) J.D. Struxness, 3.9, $9,000 each.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 3.6 seconds, $10,000 each; 2. Brenten Hall/Paden Bray, 3.9, $7,500; 3. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.0, $5,000; 4. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 4.1, $2,500; 5. Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, 4.3; 6. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.6; 7. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 4.8; 8. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 10.0; 9. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, Nelson Wyatt/Ross Ashford, Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith and Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres, NT.
Second Round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.6 seconds, $10,000 each; 2. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 4.7, $7,500; 3. (tie) Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres and Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, 5.3, $3,750 each; 5. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 5.6; 6. Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 8.6; 7. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 8.9; 8. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 10.4; 9. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 14.10; 10. (tie) Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, Nelson Wyatt/Ross Ashford and Brenten Hall/ Paden Bray, NT.
Advancing: 1. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 8.8 seconds on two head; 2. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 9.2; 3. Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, 9.6; 4. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 15.2; 5. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 15.6; 6. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 18.1; 7. Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 3.6 seconds on one head; 8. Brenten Hall/Paden Bray, 3.9.
Semifinal: 1. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 3.5 seconds; 2. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 3.7; 3. (tie) Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp and Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.0 each; 5. (tie) Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry and Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, NT, $2,500 each.
Finals: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 3.4 seconds, $25,000 each; 2. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 3.6, $19,000; 3. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 3.7, $12,000; 4. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, $6,000.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. Ryder Wright, 83.5 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Ragin Lunatic, $10,000; 2. (tie) Kade Bruno and Quinten Taylor, 83, $6,250 each; 4. Dawson Hay, 82.5, $2,500; 5. Stetson Wright, 82; 6. Sterling Crawley, 81; 7. Ryder Sanford, 80; 8. Tanner Butner, 78.5; 9. (tie) Damian Brennan, Sage Newman and Wyatt Casper, NS.
Second Round: 1. Sage Newman, 85.5 points on Three Hills Rodeo’s Ronnie, $10,000; 2. (tie) Stetson Wright and Kade Bruno, 84.5, $6,750 each; 4. Ryder Sanford, 83.5, $2,500; 5. Damian Brennan, 82.5; 6. Dawson Hay, 82; 7. Wyatt Casper, 80; 8. (tie) Zeke Thurston and Tanner Butner, 78.5 each; 10. Sterling Crawley, 79; 11. (tie) Ryder Wright and Quinten Taylor, NS.
Advancing: 1. Kade Bruno, 167.5 points on two head; 2. Stetson Wright, 166.5; 3. Dawson Hay, 164.5; 4. Ryder Sanford, 163.5; 5. Sterling Crawley, 160; 6. Tanner Butner, 157; 7. Zeke Thurston, 156; 8. Sage Newman, 85.5 on one head.
Semifinal: 1. Kade Bruno, 85.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Double Take; 2. Sterling Crawley, 85; 3. Sage Newman, 84; 4. Tanner Butner, 83.5; 5. Stetson Wright, 83, $2,500; 6. Ryder Sanford, 82, $2,500; 7. Zeke Thurston, 79.5, $2,500; 8. Dawson Hay, NS, $2,500.
Finals: 1. Kade Bruno, 87.5 points on Sutton Rodeo’s South Point, $25,000; 2. Tanner Butner, 86.5, $19,000; 3. Sterling Crawley, 85, $12,000; 4. Sage Newman, 84.5, $6,000.
TIE DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.2 seconds, $10,000; 2. (tie) Haven Meged and Cory Solomon, 7.3, $6,250 each; 4. Kincade Henry, 7.6, $2,500; 5. Caleb Smidt, 7.7; 6. (tie) Westyn Hughes and Blane Cox, 7.8; 8. (tie) John Douch and Lucas Potter, 8.4 each; 10. Shane Hanchey, 9.5; 11. Ty Harris, 18.6; 12. Riley Mason Webb, 18.7.
Second Round: 1. Caleb Smidt, 7.0 seconds, $10,000; 2. Blane Cox, 7.1, $7,500; 3. (tie) Haven Meged and Shad Mayfield, 7.4, $3,750 each; 5. Cory Solomon, 7.5; 6. Luke Potter, 7.7; 7. Ty Harris, 8.1; 8. Kincade Henry and John Douch, 8.2 each; 10. Westyn Hughes, 8.5; 11. Riley Mason Webb, 17.3; 12. Shane Hanchey, NT.
Advancing: 1. Shad Mayfield, 14.6 seconds on two head; 2. (tie) Haven Meged and Caleb Smidt, 14.7 each; 4. Cory Solomon, 14.8; 5. Blane Cox, 14.9; 6. Kincade Henry, 15.8; 7. Lucas Potter, 16.1; 8. Westyn Hughes, 16.3.
Semifinal: 1. Kincade Henry, 7.0 seconds; 2. Shad Mayfield, 7.3; 3. Westyn Hughes, 7.8; 4. Caleb Smidt, 8.2; 5. Haven Meged, 8.7, $2,500; 6. Blane Cox, 8.9, $2,500; 7. Luke Potter, 18.3, $2,500; 8. Cory Solomon, 19.0, $2,500.
Finals: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.3 seconds, $25,000; 2. Westyn Hughes, 8.1, $19,000; 3. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Kincade Henry, NT, $9,000 each.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. (tie) Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Emily Beisel, 13.95 seconds, $8,750 each; 3. Sue Smith, 13.96, $5,000; 4. Summer Kosel, 14.09, $2,500; 5. (tie) Ashley Castleberry and Taycie Matthews, 14.10 each; 7. Wenda Johnson, 14.12; 8. Paige Jones, 14.19; 9. Kelly Allen, 14.22; 10. Jessica Routier, 14.28; 11. Hailey Kinsel, 14.37; 12. Stevi Hillman, 18.83.
Second Round: 1. Emily Beisel, 13.69 seconds, $10,000; 2. (tie) Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Wenda Johnson, 13.86, $6,250 each; 4. Taycie Matthews, 13.88, $2,500; 5. Summer Kosel, 13.90; 6. Jessica Routier, 13.95; 7. (tie) Ashley Castleberry and Stevi Hillman, 13.99 each; 9. Paige Jones, 14.01; 10. Kelly Allen, 14.02; 11. Hailey Kinsel, 14.44; 12 Sue Smith, 19.30.
Advancing: 1. Emily Beisel, 27.64 seconds on two head; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 27.81; 3. (tie) Taycie Matthews and Wenda Johnson, 27.98 each; 5. Summer Kosel, 27.99; 6. Ashley Castleberry, 28.09; 7. Paige Jones, 28.20; 8. Jessica Routier, 28.23.
Semifinal: 1. Emily Beisel, 13.84 seconds; 2. Summer Kosel, 13.89; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 13.91; 4. Taycie Matthews, 13.92; 5. Jessica Routier, 13.92, $2,500; 6. Wenda Johnson, 13.96, $2,500; 7. Paige Jones, 14.00, $2,500; 8. Ashley Castleberry, 14.18, $2,500.
Finals: 1. Emily Beisel, 13.74 seconds, $25,000; 2. Taycie Matthews, 13.97, $19,000; 3. Summer Kosel, 19.22, $12,000; 4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, NT, $6,000.
BULL RIDING
First Round: 1. Stetson Wright, 88 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Dr. Campbell, $10,000; 2. Hayes Weight, 85, $7,500; 3. Trey Holston, 79.5, $5,000; 4. Trey Kimzey, 74, $2,500; 5. (tie) Cody Teel, Jeff Askey, Trey Benton III, Tristen Hutchings, Ky Hamilton, Josh Frost, Clayton Sellars and Dustin Boquet, NS.
Second Round: 1. Dustin Boquet, 89.5 points on Sankey Bugatti, $10,000; 2. Ky Hamilton, 87, $7,500; 3. Stetson Wright, 85, $5,000; 4. Trey Holston, 84.5, $2,500; 5. (tie) Cody Teel, Jeff Askey, Trey Benton, Tristen Hutchings, Hayes Weight, Josh Frost, Clayton Sellars and Trey Kimzey, NS.
Advancing: 1. Stetson Wright, 173 points on two head; 2. Trey Holston, 164; 3. Dustin Boquet, 89.5; 4. Ky Hamilton, 87 points on one head; 5. Hayes Weight, 85; 6. Trey Kimzey, 74; **7. Josh Frost and Tristen Hutchings. **(advance on qualifier standings).
Semifinal: 1. Stetson Wright, 91.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s The Hammer; 2. Trey Holston, NS; 3. Dustin Boquet, NS; 4. Ky Hamilton, NS; 5. (tie) Hayes Weight, Trey Kimzey, Josh Frost and Tristan Hutchings, NS, $2,500 each.
Finals: 1. Stetson Wright, 90 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Bubba G, $25,000; 2. Dustin Boquet, 86, $19,000; 3. (tie) Ky Hamilton and Trey Holston, NS, $9,000 each.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
First Round: 1. Kelsie Domer, 1.90 seconds, $10,000; 2. Taylor Munsell, 2.00, $7,500; 3. Martha Angelone, 2.10, $5,000; 4. Jackie Crawford, 2.20, $2,500; 5. Danielle Lowman, 3.00; 6. Shelby Boisjoli, 12.00; 7. Bradi Good, 12.10; 8. (tie) Joey Williams, Sarah Angelone, Kendal Pierson, Hali Williams and Maddy Deerman, NT.
Second Round: 1. Joey Williams, 1.70 seconds, $10,000; 2. Maddy Deerman, 1.80, $7,500; 3. Kelsie Domer, 2.00, $5,000; 4. Kendal Pierson, 2.20, $2,500; 5. Taylor Munsell, 2.80; 6. Bradi Good, 12.20; 7. Shelby Boisjoli, 12.60; 8. (tie) Sarah Angelone, Danielle Lowman, Jackie Crawford, Martha Angelone and Hali Williams.
Advancing: 1. Kelsie Domer, 3.90 seconds on two head; 2. Taylor Munsell, 4.80; 3. Bradi Good, 24.30; 4. Shelby Boisjoli, 24.60; 5. Joey Williams, 1.70 on one head; 6. Maddy Deerman, 1.80; 7. Martha Angelone, 2.1; **8. Kendal Pierson, 2.2. **(advances on qualifier standings).
Semifinal: 1. Martha Angelone, 2.5 seconds; 2. Kendal Pierson, 2.7, 3. Shelby Boisjoli, 2.8; 4. Bradi Good, 3.4; 5. (tie) Maddy Deerman, Joey Williams, Taylor Munsell and Kelsie Domer, NT, $2,500 each.
Finals: 1. Shelby Boisjoli, 2.1 seconds, $25,000; 2. Bradi Good, 2.3, $19,000; 3. Martha Angelone, 2.4, $12,000; 4. Kendal Pierson, NT, $6,000.