The summer run of 2022 is underway, and the first big stop came at Reno Rodeo. From June 17-25, contestants competed in two rounds in every event except bull riding and on Saturday night, the 2022 Reno Rodeo Champions walked away with their Silver Spurs.
Leighton Berry won the Reno Rodeo for the first time back in 2019 and he did it again this year. He went 83.5-points in the first round, 84.5 in the second and he capped it all off with an 88-point ride on Bridwell ProRodeo’s Girl Crush in the Short Go to win the average and cinch the championship. Chad Rutherford brought in the highest marked ride of the rodeo and finished on top of the leader board in the Short Go with an 88.5 on Rosser Rodeo’s Hold On 2 Me. Rutherford finished third in the average.
LEIGHTON BERRY 88 RENO RODEO
It came down to two steer wrestlers that went back and forth the first two rounds. Oregon’s Mike McGinn stopped the clock at 3.8 in Round 1 to win it while Timmy Sparing laid down a 3.3 second run in Round 2. On Short Go Saturday, they were among the last three cowboys to go and McGinn came out the champion with a time of 12.1 seconds on three head. Sparring finished second by just .07 seconds.
MIKE MCGINN 3.5 RENO RODEO
It was more an average game in the team roping at Reno. Your champions were Aaron Tisinigine and Kyle Lockett. Although the two never place higher than fourth in a round, they knew it was a marathon not a sprint. With a time of 18.8 seconds on three head, Tsinigine and Lockett are the 2022 Champions. The fastest time of the rodeo came in Round 2 when Coy Rahlman and Douglas Rich stopped the clock at 4.1 seconds.
The saddle bronc riding was one for the books. The youngest Wright, Statler, came in on a mission when he was 88 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Pendleton on the Rocks to win the first round. In the Short Go, Wright matched up with Rosser Rodeo’s Yeti Rambler to go 90.5. points making his total 261 points on three head. Wright tied for the 2022 Reno Rodeo Championship with the No. 1 saddle bronc rider in the world, Sage Newman. Newman was consistent and made two 89-point rides and when added to his Round 1 score of 83, he was enough to tie to be one of your champions.
STATLER WRIGHT 90.5 RENO RODEO
Resistol Tie-Down Rookie Riley Webb shined in Reno. He tied with veteran Marty Yates to win Round 2 when both cowboys were 7.9 seconds and Webb bested that time in the Short Go when he stopped the clock at 7.8 seconds and was crowned the champion. Caleb Smidt finished second in the average with a time of 27.4 seconds and Shane Hanchey was third with 27.6 seconds.
The second ever breakaway roping of Reno Rodeo was once again packed with veteran World Champions and Rookies gunning for the title. Rookie Josie Conner was the front runner going into Saturday night’s Short Go performance but it was Martha Angelone who came out with the win. She was a 2.7 in the Short Go with Lari Dee Guy coming in second with a 2.9 second run. Conner unfortunately missed her final calf putting her out of the average.
MARTHA ANGELONE 2.7 RENO RODEO
Michelle Darling and Martini came to play in the barrel racing. She came out in the final round of slack to be a 17.00 and win Round 1. In the Short Go she was a 17.05 to finish third in the round but first in the average to win it all. Reigning World Champion Jordon Briggs and Rollo were one of two ladies to run the fastest time of the rodeo, a 16.85 to win the Short Go, and Megan McLeod-Sprague did it to win Round 2. Briggs finished second in the average and Sprague was third.
The bull riding is the only event in Reno where your champion is crowned on a two head average instead of three. It was no surprise when Stetson Wright came in big and got the win in Round 1 with 86.5 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Bringin Brother. However, Creek Young finished second in Round 1 and came back in the Short Go to be 88 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Louisiana Lightning making him your Reno Rodeo Champion.
CREEK YOUNG 88 RENO RODEO
For full results and payout of Reno Rodeo click here.