BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The first of seven brackets at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo finished on Saturday night and there were big scores from several NFR cowboys in the roughstock events.
Bareback was owned by three-time NFR qualifier Cole Reiner, who won both rounds in the pool, including a 90-pointer in Round 2 on Sos of Brookman Rodeo. Reiner made the Finals in Fort Worth last year.
“There’s nothing like the energy of Fort Worth on a Saturday night, this is what we do it for,” he said afterward. “That horse is everything you ask for, really made me work for it tonight.”
Saddle bronc riding was won by Canadian stats back-to-back nights. First, it was Dawson Hay with an 89.5-point ride on Joker Poker. Reigning World Champion Zeke Thurston followed it up with 89 points of his own to win Round 2. With 88.5 points and a second place finish in Round 2, Hay was the only bronc rider to clear $3,000 in earnings in Bracket 2.
“It’s something my dad always told us to do,” Hay said of his go-for-broke mindset when riding. “It feels a lot better going down trying.”
In bulls, the numbers weren’t as eye-popping, but it still took at least 85 points to win both performances.
As for the timed events, the star there was Brushton Minton, who won Round 1 with an 8.2-second run and shared Round 2 with Bo Pickett, who also advanced to the Semifinals from Bracket 1.
“I couldn’t back off because everybody that won yesterday did good, so I just had to throw it all out there,” Minton said after his run on Saturday night.
Other timed event winners from Bracket 1 were reigning NFR Average Champion Kyle Irwin in steer wrestling, Nelson Wyatt/Chase Tryan in team roping and four-time NFR barrel racer Emily Beisel.
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Cole Reiner, 86.5 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Joe Dirt, $1,760; 2. Kody Lamb, 82, $1,320; 3. (tie) Ty Taypotat and Tucker Zingg, 80, $660 each; 5. Ty Pope, 78; 6. Luke Thrash, 75.
Second Round: 1. Cole Reiner, 90 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Sos, $1,760; 2. Kody Lamb, 88, $1,320; 3. (tie) Ty Pope, Ty Taypotat and Bronc Marriott, 86, $660 each; 6. Luke Thrash, 82.
Advancing: 1. Cole Reiner; 2. Kody Lamb. Wild Card: Ty Taypotat
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. (tie) Walt Arnold and Ty Allred, 4.4 seconds, $1,540 each; 3. Ryan Shuckburgh, 4.5, $880; 4. Gavin Soileau, 4.9, $440; 5. Kyle Irwin, 5.3; 6. Blake Knowles, 6.3.
Second Round: 1. Kyle Irwin, 3.5 seconds, $1,760; 2. Payden McIntyre, 3.8, $1,320; 3. Gavin Soileau, 4.3, $880; 4. Ryan Shuckburgh, 4.5, $440; 5. Blake Knowles, 7.3; 6. Matt Reeves, 19.0.
Advancing: 1. Kyle Irwin; 2. Walt Arnold. Wild Card: Ty Allred.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Chase Tryan, 5.4 seconds, $1,760 each; 2. Jaxson Tucker/Wyatt Cox, 5.6, $1,320; 3. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 5.7, $880; 4. Chad Masters/Trey Yates, 6.1, $440; 5. Clint Summers/Cory Petska, 6.4; no other qualified runs.
Second Round: 1. Ty Arnold/Kaden Profili, 4.8 seconds, $1,760 each; 2. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.1, $1,320; 3. Nelson Wyatt/Chase Tryan, 8.1, $880; 4. Jaxson Tucker/Wyatt Cox, 14.5, $440; 5. Chad Masters/Trey Yates, 14.8; no other qualified runs.
Advancing: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Chase Tryan; 2. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins. Wild Card: Ty Arnold.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. Dawson Hay, 89.5 points on Korkow Rodeos’ Joker Poker, $1,760; 2. Cort Scheer, 88, $1,320; 3. (tie) Zeke Thurston and Spencer Wright, 84, $660 each; 5. Quintin McWhorter, 82; 6. Chase Brooks, 81.5. S
Second Round: 1. Zeke Thurston, 89 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Three Belles, $1,760; 2. Dawson Hay, 88.5, $1,320; 3. Cort Scheer, 85, $880; 4. Will Reynolds, 83.5, $440; 5. (tie) Will Pollock and Quintin McWhorter, 83 each.
Advancing: 1. Dawson Hay; 2. Zeke Thurston. Wild Card: Cort Scheer.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. Brushton Minton, 8.2 seconds, $1,760; 2. John Douch, 9.0, $1,320; 3. Bo Pickett, 9.2, $880; 4. Cash Hooper, 9.8, $440; 5. Cody Huber, 11.2; 6. King Pickett, 12.0.
Second Round: 1. (tie) Bo Pickett and Brushton Minton, 8.4 seconds, $1,540 each; 3. John Douch, 8.8, $880; 4. Bryson Sechrist, 8.9, $440; 5. J.D. McCuistion, 13.3; no other qualified runs.
Advancing: 1. Brushton Minton; 2. Bo Pickett. Wild Card: John Douch.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Cheyenne Wimberley, 16.39 seconds, 1,760; 2. Emily Beisel, 16.44, $1,320; 3. Leslie Smalygo, 16.58, $880; 4. Stevi Hillman, 16.98, $440; 5. Sadie Wolaver, 17.42; 6. Ashley Castleberry, 22.04.
Second Round: 1. Stevi Hillman, 16.59 seconds, $1,760; 2. Emily Beisel, 16.86, $1,320; 3. Sadie Wolaver, 16.87, $880; 4. Cheyenne Wimberley, 21.27, $440; 5. Leslie Smalygo, 21.63; 6. Lexie Goss, 22.16.
Advancing: 1. Emily Beisel; 2. Cheyenne Wimberley. Wild Card: Stevi Hillman.
BULL RIDING
First Round: *1. Jordan Hansen, 86 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Thor, $1,907; 2. Coy Robbins, 84, $1,467; 3. Kobe Whitford, 83, $1,027; no other qualified rides.
Second Round: *1. T. Parker, 85 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Peaky Blinder, $2,420; 2. Jordan Spears, 84, $1,980; no other qualified rides.
Advancing: 1. T. Parker; 2. Jordan Spears. Wild Card: Jordan Hansen.
*(all totals include ground money).