BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
Rodeo Austin has completed its one-head Long Round and after 11 performances, the field has been narrowed down to 24 semifinalists in each event who will compete inside the Travis County Expo Center for the next three days.
Bareback riding was won by Jacob Lees, who rode Beutler & Son’s Forward Motion to beat out the last two Resistol Rookie of the Year award winners, Cole Reiner and Cole Franks. Reiner was 87.5 points and Franks was marked 87.
Jason Thomas broke up a logjam at the top of the steer wrestling to win the Long Round with a time of 3.7 seconds. Three cowboys tied for second with a 3.9 and two more were 4 seconds flat.
In team roping, 2021 NFR pair Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin turned in a time of 4.1 seconds in the 10th of 11 Long Round performances to snare the win from Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, who were 4.2 in Perf 9.
Saddle bronc riding included a whole lot of cowboys with the last name Wright near the top of the leaderboard. Rusty Wright was 89.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Bartender to win the round while Spencer Wright and Statler Wright split second with Brody Cress. Additionally, Ryder Wright tied for sixth with 84.5 points and Stetson Wright tied for eighth with 84.
In tie-down roping, Tyler Milligan set the pace at 7.8 seconds in the first performance of the rodeo on March 12 and it held up for the next 10 perfs. Shad Mayfield and Jake Pratt got the closest, each making 7.9 second runs.
In barrel racing, Destri Devenport was the fastest cowgirl of the rodeo at the fastest barrel race of the rodeo. She stopped the clock at 15.35 seconds Monday in a performance that produced three of the Top 4 cowgirls in the Long Round.
Last but certainly not least, reigning World Champion Sage Kimzey won the Long Round in bull riding with 89 aboard Wayout Willie of Andrews Rodeo.
Bareback riding
First round: 1. Jacob Lees, 88.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Forward Motion, $2,858; 2. Cole Reiner, 87.5, $2,557; 3. Cole Franks, 87, $2,256; 4. Wyatt Denny, 86, $1,955; 5. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Kolt Dement, 85.5, $1,504 each; 7. Lane McGehee, 84.5, $1,053; 8. (tie) Gauge McBride and A.J. Ruth, 84, $602 each; 10. (tie) Pascal Isabelle and Clint Laye, 83.5, $75 each.
JACOB LEES’ 88.5 POINT RIDE
Steer wrestling
First round: 1. Jason Thomas, 3.7 seconds, $3,974; 2. (tie) Bridger Anderson, Ringo Robinson and Talon Roseland, 3.9, $3,137 each; 5. (tie) Reed Kraeger and Taz Olson, 4.0, $2,091 each; 7. (tie) Sam Goings, Eli Lord and Rowdy Parrott, 4.2, $1,046 each; 10. (tie) Ben Goodman Jr. and Laramie Warren, 4.4, $105 each.
JASON THOMAS’ 3.7 SECOND RUN
Team roping
First round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.1 seconds, $3,929 each; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 4.2, $3,516; 3. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 4.3, $3,102; 4. (tie) Cory Kidd V/Lane Mitchell and Quisto Lopez/Cody Thornton, 4.4, $2,482 each; 6. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 4.5, $1,861; 7. (tie) Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams and Clay Ullery/Matt Zancanella, 4.6, $1,034 each; 10. (tie) Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, Garrett Rogers/Justin Davis and Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 4.7, $69 each.
PROCTOR/MEDLIN’S 4.1 SECOND RUN
Saddle bronc riding
First round: 1. Rusty Wright, 89.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Bartender, $3,974; 2. (tie) Brody Cress, Spencer Wright and Statler Wright, 86, $3,137 each; 5. Logan Cook, 85.5, $2,301; 6. (tie) Leon Fountain and Ryder Wright, 84.5, $1,673 each; 8. (tie) Sage Newman, Liam Pauley and Stetson Dell Wright, 84, $627 each.
RUSTY WRIGHT’S 89.5 POINT RIDE
Tie-down roping
First round: 1. Tyler Milligan, 7.8 seconds, $3,929; 2. (tie) Shad Mayfield and Jake Pratt, 7.9, $3,309 each; 4. Caleb Smidt, 8.0, $2,688; 5. (tie) Shane Hanchey and Kincade Henry, 8.1, $2,068 each; 7. (tie) Sherman Lasker and Riley Pruitt, 8.2, $1,241 each; 9. Lane Livingston, 8.4, $620; 10. John Douch, 8.5, $207.
TYLER MILLIGAN’S 7.8 SECOND RUN
Barrel racing
First round: 1. Destri Devenport, 15.35 seconds, $4,242; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.39, $3,795; 3. Tarryn Lee, 15.47, $3,349; 4. Jessica Routier, 15.56, $2,902; 5. (tie) Sherry Cervi and Sissy Winn, 15.57, $2,233 each; 7. (tie) Emily Beisel and Bayleigh Choate, 15.59, $1,340 each; 9. Jennifer Sharp, 15.62, $670; 10. (tie) Jordon Briggs and Molly Otto, 15.66, $112 each.
DESTRI DEVENPORT’S 15.35 SECOND RUN
Bull riding
First round: 1. Sage Kimzey, 89 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Wayout Willie, $3,751; 2. Stetson Dell Wright, 87.5, $3,356; 3. Clayton Savage, 86, $2,961; 4. (tie) Roscoe Jarboe and Garrett Wickett, 85.5, $2,369 each; 6. (tie) Parker Breding and Garrett Smith, 85, $1,579 each; 8. Dalton Petersen, 84.5, $987; 9. Tyler Bingham, 84, $592; 10. Ruger Piva, 83.5, $197.
KIMZEY’S 89 POINT RIDE