BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
There were some big scores and big money paid out at La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros in Tucson, Arizona.
The eight-day rodeo paid out $340,000 and each event champion left with between $5,900 and $11,500. The rodeo was a two-header in every event except team roping, which had three rounds.
The two biggest stars of the rodeo were Brody Cress and Steely Steiner. Cress set a rodeo record with 92 points on Beutler & Son’s Killer Bee en route to the saddle bronc riding title while Steiner swept both rounds and earned her first ProRodeo win.
Jess Pope impressed in the bareback riding by finishing with a score of 179.5 points on two. He won the First Round and was second in the Finals behind Orin Larsen.
In steer wrestling, San Antonio champion J.D. Struxness was also the champ in Arizona. The Minnesota cowboy had two times faster than 5 seconds flat to finish with an aggregate total of 9.5 seconds.
In team roping, Josh Siggins/Junior Zambrano were consistent throughout to claim the title. They never placed better than third in a round, but had three times between six and seven seconds.
Lastly, Lane Livingston won the tie-down roping and Trey Kimzey was the bull riding champion.
Bareback riding
First round: 1. Jess Pope, 89.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Pendleton Whisky’s South Suds, $3,304; 2. (tie) Tanner Aus and Orin Larsen, 85.5, $2,202 each; 4. Wyatt Denny, 85, $1,211; 5. Jacob Lees, 80, $771; 6. Caleb Bennett, 79.5, $551; 7. (tie) Ty Breuer and Kody Lamb, 78.5, $385 each.
Finals: 1. Orin Larsen, 90.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Pendleton Whisky’s South Suds, $1,650; 2. Jess Pope, 90, $1,250; 3. Jacob Lees, 88, $900; 4. Tanner Aus, 85.5, $600; 5. Kody Lamb, 84, $350; 6. Trenten Montero, 82.5, $250.
Average: 1. Jess Pope, 179.5 points on two head, $3,304; 2. Orin Larsen, 176, $2,533; 3. Tanner Aus, 171, $1,872; 4. Jacob Lees, 168, $1,211; 5. Kody Lamb, 162.5, $771; 6. Trenten Montero, 160, $551; 7. Kyle Bloomquist, 157, $441; 8. Dean Thompson, 149, $330.
Steer wrestling
First round: 1. Curtis Cassidy, 4.4 seconds, $3,468; 2. Cameron Morman, 4.7, $3,016; 3. Dalton Massey, 4.8, $2,563; 4. (tie) Dustin Merritt and J.D. Struxness, 4.9, $1,885 each; 6. (tie) Logan Lemmel and Kyler Dick, 5.0, $980 each; 8. Tanner Milan, 5.1, $302.
Finals: 1. J.D. Struxness, 4.6 seconds, $1,697; 2. Tanner Milan, 5.2, $1,404; 3. Cameron Morman, 5.3, $1,112; 4. Jesse Brown, 5.4, $819; 5. (tie) Dalton Massey and Kyler Dick, 5.5, $410 each.
Average: 1. J.D. Struxness, 9.5 seconds on two head, $5,202; 2. Cameron Morman, 10.0, $4,523; 3. (tie) Dalton Massey and Tanner Milan, 10.3, $3,506 each; 5. Kyler Dick, 10.5, $2,488; 6. Jesse Brown, 10.7, $1,809; 7. Justin Simon, 12.6, $1,131; 8. Curtis Cassidy, 4.4 on one head, $452.
Team roping
First round: 1. Jake Barnes/Jaylen Eldridge, 5.5 seconds, $3,490 each; 2. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 5.8, $3,035; 3. (tie) Logan Olson/Walt Woodard and Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 6.0, $2,352 each; 5. Marcus Battaglia/Jason Johe, 6.1, $1,669; 6. Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 6.2, $1,214; 7. Casey Tew/Justin Viles, 6.3, $759; 8. (tie) Derrick Begay/Colter Todd and Josh Siggins/Junior Zambrano, 6.4, $152 each.
Second round: 1. (tie) Shay Dixon Carroll/Evan Arnold, Blake Hirdes/Wyatt Hansen and Travis Nickolson/Bruce Reidhead, 5.7 seconds, $3,035 each; 4. Kolton Schmidt/Wyatt Cox, 5.8, $2,125; 5. Cash Duty/Kyle Stamps, 5.9, $1,669; 6. Austin Stafford/Cully Stafford, 6.1, $1,214; 7. Garrett Rogers/Justin Davis, 6.2, $759; 8. (tie) Riley Minor/Brady Minor and Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 6.4, $152 each.
Finals: 1. (tie) Marcus Battaglia/Jason Johe and Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 6.8 seconds, $1,219 each; 3. Josh Siggins/Junior Zambrano, 6.9, $874; 4. Logan Olson/Walt Woodard, 7.6, $644; 5. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 7.9, $414; 6. Seth Hall/Lane Siggins, 8.5, $230.
Average: 1. Josh Siggins/Junior Zambrano, 20.1 seconds on three head, $5,236 each; 2. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 20.3, $4,553; 3. Marcus Battaglia/Jason Johe, 20.5, $3,870; 4. (tie) Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor and Logan Olson/Walt Woodard, 20.7, $2,846 each; 6. Seth Hall/Lane Siggins, 22.2, $1,821; 7. Pace Freed/Cole Wilson, 23.9, $1,138; 8. Wyatt Lacey/Tye Reddell, 36.7, $455.
Saddle bronc riding
First round: 1. Kole Ashbacher, 87.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Pendleton Whisky’s Four Aces, $2,944; 2. Wyatt Casper, 87, $2,257; 3. (tie) Brody Cress and Dawson Hay, 86, $1,374 each; 5. Creighton Curley, 84.5, $687; 6. CoBurn Bradshaw, 83, $491; 7. Lefty Marvel Holman, 82.5, $393; 8. Ross Griffin, 81.5, $294.
Finals: 1. Brody Cress, 92 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Killer Bee, $1,650; 2. Riggin Smith, 89, $1,250; 3. Wyatt Casper, 87, $900; 4. Jake Finlay, 84.5, $600; 5. Dawson Hay, 84, $350; 6. Dylan Schofield, 76, $250.
Average: 1. Brody Cress, 178 points on two head, $2,944; 2. Wyatt Casper, 174, $2,257; 3. (tie) Riggin Smith and Dawson Hay, 170, $1,374 each; 5. Jake Finlay, 162.5, $687; 6. Dylan Schofield, 156, $491; 7. Brady Hill, 153, $393; 8. Kole Ashbacher, 87.5 on one head, $294.
Tie-down roping
First round: 1. Justin Smith, 8.8 seconds, $4,056; 2. (tie) Chance Oftedahl and Lane Livingston, 8.9, $3,263 each; 4. (tie) Logan Bird and Shane Hanchey, 9.0, $2,204 each; 6. Lucas Potter, 9.3, $1,411; 7. Jake Pratt, 9.4, $882; 8. (tie) Garrett Jacobs and Chance Thiessen, 9.5, $176 each.
Finals: 1. Garrett Jacobs, 8.8 seconds, $1,581; 2. Lane Livingston, 8.9, $1,308; 3. Cory Solomon, 9.3, $1,036; 4. Jake Pratt, 9.9, $763; 5. Chance Thiessen, 10.1, $491; 6. Lucas Potter, 10.2, $273.
Average: 1. Lane Livingston, 17.8 seconds on two head, $6,084; 2. Garrett Jacobs, 18.3, $5,291; 3. Cory Solomon, 18.9, $4,497; 4. Jake Pratt, 19.3, $3,703; 5. Chance Oftedahl, 19.4, $2,910; 6. Lucas Potter, 19.5, $2,116; 7. Chance Thiessen, 19.6, $1,323; 8. Shane Hanchey, 20.7, $529.
Barrel racing
First round: 1. Steely Steiner, 17.38 seconds, $4,279; 2. Ilyssa Riley, 17.44, $3,668; 3. Kailee Murdock, 17.48, $3,057; 4. Jana Bean, 17.49, $2,649; 5. Nellie Miller, 17.56, $2,038; 6. Blythe Beshears, 17.57, $1,630; 7. Tarryn Lee, 17.61, $1,223; 8. Marcie Wilson, 17.62, $815; 9. Sonya Dodginghorse, 17.65, $611; 10. Sarah Kieckhefer, 17.67, $408.
Finals: 1. Steely Steiner, 17.23 seconds, $1,811; 2. Tarryn Lee, 17.32, $1,359; 3. Nellie Miller, 17.37, $906; 4. Cindy Smith, 17.46, $453.
Average: 1. Steely Steiner, 34.61 seconds on two head, $4,279; 2. (tie) Tarryn Lee and Nellie Miller, 34.93, $3,362 each; 4. Jana Bean, 34.97, $2,649; 5. Kailee Murdock, 34.99, $2,038; 6. Cindy Smith, 35.16, $1,630; 7. Marcie Wilson, 35.24, $1,223; 8. Ilyssa Riley, 35.50, $815; 9. (tie) Blythe Beshears and Sonya Dodginghorse, 35.57, $509 each.
Bull riding
First round: 1. Ky Hamilton, 90 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Red Thunder, $3,269; 2. Cullen Telfer, 86, $2,506; 3. Jordan Spears, 85.5, $1,852; 4. (tie) Jordan Hansen, Chris Bechthold and Trey Kimzey, 83.5, $835 each; 7. (tie) Reid Oftedahl and Creek Young, 81.5, $381 each.
*Finals: 1. Trey Kimzey, 84 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s Wolf Of Wallstreet, $5,000; no other qualified rides.
Average: 1. Trey Kimzey, 167.5 points on two head, $3,269; 2. Ky Hamilton, 90 on one head, $2,506; 3. Cullen Telfer, 86, $1,852; 4. Jordan Spears, 85.5, $1,198; 5. Chris Bechthold, 83.5, $763; 6. Reid Oftedahl, 81.5, $545; 7. JaCauy Hale, 81, $436; 8. Trey Holston, 80.5, $327. *(all totals include ground money).