BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The action was non-stop in Red Bluff and the rodeo paid out more than $360,000 overall with every champions banking at least $7,600.
The Victorian City on the River was the first stop of three NFR Playoff Series Rodeos in California over the next four weeks.
Fans at the Red Bluff Round-Up were entertained by a 90-point ride by a rookie bareback rider to beat out a deep field, a steer wrestling jumping from No. 20 to No. 12 in the world, and a member of one of rodeo’s most famous families winning the saddle bronc.
Let’s start with bareback rider Donny Proffit, who electrified the crowd with his arena record setting 90-point ride aboard C5’s Virgil. The win gave Proffit a check of almost $7,800 and moved him from outside the Top 50 all the way up to No. 29. The next six cowboys behind Profitt all have made the NFR since 2020.
In steer wrestling, Bridger Anderson vaulted himself back into NFR contention with his second NFR Playoff win out west. The first was at the High Desert Stampede in Oregon earlier this month. Anderson was 18.6 seconds on four to cruise to a victory, the next closest cowboy was Justin Shaffer at 19.9.
Based on the description above, if you guessed a member of the Wright family won the saddle bronc riding, you are correct. Rusty Wright was 87 points in the rodeo’s final performance to snag a win in the roughstock one-header. The $7,642 first place paycheck is the most he has won on a single bronc ride since Round 8 of the 2020 NFR.
Other winners were Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins in team roping (27.0 seconds on four), Blane Cox in tie-down roping (39.9 seconds on four), Peyton Schoeppach in barrel racing (34.54 seconds on two), Tristen Hutchings in bull riding (90 points) and Macy Young in breakaway roping (6.3 seconds on two).
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Donny Proffit, 90 points on C5 Rodeo’s Virgil, $7,783; 2. Kaycee Feild, 87, $5,967; 3. (tie) Tanner Aus and Garrett Shadbolt, 86.5, $3,632 each; 5. (tie) Taylor Broussard, Mason Clements and Rocker Steiner, 86, $1,384 each; 8. Jacek Frost, 85.5, $778.
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. Dalton Massey, 4.4 seconds, $2,264; 2. Trell Etbauer, 4.6, $1,968; 3. Cameron Morman, 4.7, $1,673; 4. (tie) Gage Hesse and Tristan Martin, 4.8, $1,230 each; 6. (tie) Jason Thomas and Skyler Woolls, 4.9, $640 each; 8. (tie) Bridger Anderson, Sam Goings and Clayton Hass, 5.1, $66 each.
Second Round: 1. Ty Erickson, 4.3 seconds, $2,264; 2. (tie) Bridger Chambers and Newt Novich, 4.5, $1,821 each; 4. Jesse Brown, 4.6, $1,378; 5. Timmy Sparing, 4.8, $1,083; 6. Talon Roseland, 4.9, $787; 7. Taite Stickler, 5.0, $492; 8. (tie) Bridger Anderson, Curtis Cassidy and Drew Madden, 5.2, $66 each.
Third Round: 1. Bridger Anderson, 3.8 seconds, $2,264; 2. Justin Shaffer, 4.3, $1,968; 3. (tie) Stan Branco and Jesse Brown, 4.9, $1,525 each; 5. (tie) Brandon Harrison and Jake Nelson, 5.0, $935 each; 7. Kalane Anders, 5.2, $492; 8. Cameron Morman, 5.4, $197.
Finals: 1. Justin Shaffer, 4.4 seconds, $1,146; 2. Bridger Anderson, 4.5, $948; 3. Stan Branco, 4.7, $751; 4. Jesse Brown, 4.8, $553; 5. Talon Roseland, 4.9, $356; 6. Cameron Morman, 5.3, $198.
Average: 1. Bridger Anderson, 18.6 seconds on four head, $4,527; 2. Justin Shaffer, 19.9, $3,937; 3. Jesse Brown, 20.3, $3,346; 4. (tie) Stan Branco and Talon Roseland, 20.8, $2,460 each; 6. Cameron Morman, 23.2, $1,575; 7. Tucker Allen, 23.6, $984; 8. Levi Rudd, 25.6, $394.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Hagen Peterson/Caleb Hendrix, 6.3 seconds, $2,427 each; 2. (tie) Chad Masters/Trey Yates, Jake Smith/Rance Doyal and Clay Ullery/Jake Edwards, 7.1, $1,794 each; 5. (tie) Jr. Dees/Ross Ashford and Cutter Machado/Dalton Pearce, 7.2, $1,002 each; 7. Brayden Schmidt/Chris Young, 7.4, $528; 8. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 7.5, $211.
Second Round: 1. Kreece Thompson/Landen Glenn, 5.6 seconds, $2,427 each; 2. Tanner Baldwin/Clinton Groff, 5.9, $2,110; 3. Braden Pirrung/Lane Siggins, 6.0, $1,794; 4. (tie) Keven Daniel/Travis Graves and Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 6.1, $1,319 each; 6. (tie) Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler and Tyler Waters/Pace Blanchard, 6.6, $686 each; 8. (tie) Cody Snow/Jade Corkill and Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.7, $106 each.
Third Round: 1. (tie) Jake Smith/Rance Doyal and Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.3 seconds, $2,268 each; 3. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 6.6, $1,794; 4. (tie) Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, Cash Duty/Sid Sporer and Spencer Mitchell/Cody Cowden, 6.9, $1,161 each; 7. (tie) Jr. Dees/Ross Ashford, Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham and Cole Thomas/Clay Green, 7.1, $246 each.
Finals: 1. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.0 seconds, $1,283 each; 2. J7 Bland/Tyson Thompson, 6.3, $1,062; 3. Braden Pirrung/Lane Siggins, 6.8, $841; 4. Jr. Dees/Ross Ashford, 6.9, $620; 5. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 10.6, $398; 6. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 10.8, $221.
Average: 1. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 27.0 seconds on four head, $4,853 each; 2. Jr. Dees/Ross Ashford, 28.6, $4,220; 3. Braden Pirrung/Lane Siggins, 32.1, $3,587; 4. Jake Smith/Rance Doyal, 33.8, $2,954; 5. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 34.1, $2,321; 6. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 35.3, $1,688; 7. J7 Bland/Tyson Thompson, 36.1, $1,055; 8. Cash Duty/Sid Sporer, 36.4, $422.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. Rusty Wright, 87 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Yeti Rambler, $7,642; 2. (tie) Allen Boore and Zeke Thurston, 86, $5,095 each; 4. Q Taylor, 85.5, $2,802; 5. Damian Brennan, 84.5, $1,783; 6. (tie) Kade Bruno, Q McWhorter and Jesse Wright, 84, $1,019 each.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.8 seconds, $2,415; 2. Riley Pruitt, 8.6, $2,100; 3. Reese Riemer, 9.1, $1,785; 4. Riley Mason Webb, 9.8, $1,470; 5. Blake Ash, 10.2, $1,155; 6. (tie) Britt Bedke, Randall Carlisle, Blane Cox and Sy Felton, 10.3, $394 each.
Second Round: 1. Ty Harris, 7.7 seconds, $2,415; 2. (tie) Richard Newton and Lucas Potter, 8.4, $1,943 each; 4. Jordan Ketscher, 8.6, $1,470; 5. Blane Cox, 8.9, $1,155; 6. Lane Livingston, 9.0, $840; 7. Quade Hiatt, 9.2, $525; 8. Taylor Santos, 9.4, $210.
Third Round: 1. Blane Cox, 8.5 seconds, $2,415; 2. Tyler Forsberg, 9.0, $2,100; 3. Shane Hanchey, 9.1, $1,785; 4. Tom Crouse, 10.3, $1,470; 5. Lane Livingston, 10.6, $1,155; 6. Kass Kayser, 11.0, $840; 7. Brush Minton, 11.1, $525; 8. Reese Riemer, 11.5, $210.
Finals: 1. Blake Ash, 9.2 seconds, $1,131; 2. Tom Crouse, 9.5, $936; 3. Riley Mason Webb, 10.6, $741; 4. Kass Kayser, 10.9, $546; 5. Reese Riemer, 11.4, $351; 6. Blane Cox, 12.2, $195.
Average: 1. Blane Cox, 39.9 seconds on four head, $4,830; 2. Tom Crouse, 42.0, $4,200; 3. Reese Riemer, 42.6, $3,570; 4. Riley Mason Webb, 43.3, $2,940; 5. Blake Ash, 43.5, $2,310; 6. Kass Kayser, 45.6, $1,680; 7. Tyler Forsberg, 58.6, $1,050; 8. Lane Livingston, 30.0 on three head, $420.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Payton Schoeppach, 17.32 seconds, $3,743; 2. Nicole Driggers, 17.37, $3,208; 3. Ashley Castleberry, 17.41, $2,673; 4. LaTricia Duke, 17.43, $2,317; 5. Summer Kosel, 17.44, $1,782; 6. (tie) Hayle Gibson, Shelley Morgan and Loni Yates, 17.45, $1,069 each; 9. (tie) Tara Seaton and Sue Smith, 17.48, $446 each.
Second Round: 1. Loni Yates, 17.19 seconds, $3,743; 2. (tie) Payton Schoeppach and Sissy Winn, 17.22, $2,941 each; 4. (tie) Timber Allenbrand, Darby Fox and Summer Kosel, 17.39, $1,842 each; 7. (tie) Miley Bunting and Shelley Morgan, 17.40, $891 each; 9. LaTricia Duke, 17.43, $535; 10. Kacey Gartner, 17.45, $356.
Average: 1. Payton Schoeppach, 34.54 seconds on two head, $3,743; 2. Loni Kay Yates, 34.64, $3,208; 3. Sissy Winn, 34.80, $2,673; 4. Summer Kosel, 34.83, $2,317; 5. Shelley Morgan, 34.85, $1,782; 6. LaTricia Duke, 34.86, $1,426; 7. Kristi Youngblood, 34.97, $1,069; 8. Nicole Driggers, 35.01, $713; 9. Nellie Miller, 35.03, $535; 10. Paige Jones, 35.05, $356.
BULL RIDING
First Round: 1. Tristen Hutchings, 90 points on Big Stone Rodeo Inc’s Dirty Dave, $7,699; 2. JC Mortensen, 87, $5,902; 3. Ky Hamilton, 86.5, $4,363; 4. Braden Richardson, 86, $2,823; 5. Trey Benton III, 83, $1,796; 6. Coby Johnson, 80.5, $1,283; 7. Robbie Taylor, 80, $1,026; 8. (tie) Billy Quillan and Hayes Weight, 78, $385 each.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
First Round: 1. Macy Young, 2.8 seconds, $1,659; 2. Martha Angelone, 3.1, $1,442; 3. (tie) Makayla Boisjoli and Aspen Miller, 3.3, $1,118 each; 5. (tie) Kate Branco, Peggy Garman, Bradi Good, Malin Marino and Taylor Munsell, 3.4, $375 each.
Second Round: 1. (tie) Samantha Fulton and Kendal Pierson, 2.8 seconds, $1,550 each; 3. Aspen Miller, 3.1, $1,226; 4. Josie Conner, 3.2, $1,010; 5. (tie) Peggy Garman and Macy Young, 3.5, $685 each; 7. (tie) Makayla Boisjoli and Shelby Boisjoli, 4.0, $252 each.
Average: 1. Macy Young, 6.3 seconds on two head, $2,488; 2. Aspen Miller, 6.4, $2,163; 3. (tie) Peggy Garman and Kendal Pierson, 6.9, $1,677 each; 5. Makayla Boisjoli, 7.3, $1,190; 6. (tie) Samantha Fulton and Shelby Boisjoli, 7.8, $703 each; 8. Bradi Good, 7.9, $216.
