BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Round 2 had some familiar faces taking victory laps as there were some repeat winners inside the Thomas & Mack on Saturday night.
Starting in bareback riding where Rocker Steiner was victorious once again, this time with on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Mustard. He was 88.5 points and has already banked more than $71,000 to move into the No. 2 position in the World Standings. He is now within an NFR Average win, which he leads through two rounds, away from World No. 1 Keenan Hayes.
“If you’re not a little scared, something is wrong,” Steiner said. “It feels like you’re in a rocket shop on this thing, it’s a weird feeling, it’s so slow, but it feels like your hand is going to blow out the whole time.”
Stan Branco had not been to the NFR in a decade, however, the 37-year-old steer wrestler has now two of his last four Go-Rounds there after winning Round 9 in 2013 as well. Branco was 3.9 to get the job done and move to No. 7 in the world while the Top 6 remained largely unchanged.
In team roping, Clint Summers/Jake Long won their second consecutive round and after entering No. 13 and No. 10 respectively, they have quickly entered the World Title picture. Summers is now No. 3 and Long is now No. 2 after Saturday’s 3.8-second run.
In saddle bronc riding, Tanner Butner won the round and also took the early lead in the NFR Average on Exotic Warrior of The Calgary Stampede. The saddle bronc riding had another shakeup on Saturday as well, Stetson Wright got bucked off for the second straight night and is now out for the remainder of the NFR. Butner is up to fifth in the World behind Sage Newman, Wright, Kade Bruno and Zeke Thurston - who overtook Kade Bruno as the World No. 1 Saturday.
Reigning World Champion Caleb Smidt bounced back quickly in the tie-down roping to win Round 2 for the second straight year. He notched the fastest time of the rodeo with a 7.3-second run to best Haven Meged’s 7.4.
“I was really mad after last night, I hadn’t messed up that bad in a long time, I was mad at myself, I was mad at my horse for probably the first time in my career,” he said. “But, we got it figured out tonight. It was a lot better.”
In barrel racing, Stevi Hillman was the best on a huge bounce back night for the ladies. She was 13.62 and a total of six cowgirls matched or beat the Round 1’s winning time of 13.71 seconds in Round 2.
In bull riding, Canadian Jared Parsonage won his first career NFR round as the first cowboy out on Saturday. He was 87.5 points and he and Ky Hamilton are the only two to ride two. Hamilton was 78 points on Saturday, but with ground money, he added about $27,000 to his season earnings. Hamilton has cut Stetson Wright’s lead from $114,000 to $57,000 in two days of competition.
BAREBACK RIDING
Round 2: 1. Rocker Steiner, 88.5 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics ‘s Mustard, $30,706; 2. Cole Reiner, 86.5, $24,268; 3. Jess Pope, 84.5, $18,325; 4. (tie) Tanner Aus and Richmond Champion, 84, $10,401 each; 6. (tie) Leighton Berry, Clayton Biglow and Kade Sonnier, 83.5, $1,651 each.
STEER WRESTLING
Round 2: 1. Stan Branco, 3.9 seconds, $30,706; 2. (tie) Jesse Brown and J.D. Struxness, 4.1, $21,296 each; 4. Dirk Tavenner, 4.2, $12,877; 5. Nick Guy, 4.3, $7,924; 6. (tie) Stephen Culling and Tyler Waguespack, 4.4, $2,476 each.
TEAM ROPING
Round 2: 1. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 3.8 seconds, $30,706 each; 2. Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, 3.9, $24,268; 3. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.0, $18,325; 4. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 4.3, $12,877; 5. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 4.4, $7,924; 6. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, 4.5, $2,476 each.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Round 2: 1. Tanner Butner, 87 points on Calgary Stampede’s Exotic Warrior, $30,706; 2. Brody Cress, 85.5, $24,268; 3. (tie) Chase Brooks, Lefty Holman and Zeke Thurston, 85, $13,042 each; 6. Damian Brennan, 82.5, $4,953.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Round 2: 1. Caleb Smidt, 7.3 seconds, $30,706; 2. Haven Meged, 7.4, $24,268; 3. Tuf Case Cooper, 7.6, $18,325; 4. Cory Solomon, 7.7, $12,877; 5. Kincade Henry, 8.0, $7,924; 6. Blane Cox, 8.6, $4,953.
BARREL RACING
Round 2: 1. Stevi Hillman, 13.62 seconds, $30,706; 2. Summer Kosel, 13.63, $24,268; 3. Lisa Lockhart, 13.67, $18,325; 4. Emily Beisel, 13.70, $12,877; 5. (tie) Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Jessica Routier, 13.71, $6,438 each.
BULL RIDING
Round 2: 1. Jared Parsonage, 87.5 points on Barnes PRCA Rodeo ‘s Umm, $39,291; 2. Jeff Askey, 85.5, $32,853; 3. Ky Hamilton, 78, $26,909.
