Rodeo Austin: Performance 3

After two performances, the competition is already tough at Rodeo Austin. Performance 3 is set to bring us a set of brothers in both bareback and steer wrestling while a legendary fan favorite could be the first to make the eight in the bull riding.

BAREBACK RIDING

Reigning World Champion Jess Pope and younger brother, Ty, have each matched up with a Rafter G Rodeo horse. Jess has Memory Maker while Ty’s draw is Hot Flash. Memory Maker’s only out of 2023 ended with an 88-point score on the board in Fort Worth.

STEER WRESTLING

Rowdy and Remey Parrott are the brother duo out in the steer wrestling. Rowdy pulled a go-round check in 2022 while Remey’s run was out of the money. Coming into this round, their times will have to hold in the Top 24 for eight more performances to advance to the Semifinals.

TEAM ROPING

Kaleb Driggers and Junior Noguiera just picked up a big win in Arlington and that momentum is sure to be carried into Austin. The two’s 2023 success has the reigning World Champions sitting inside the Top 5 in the PRCA World Standings.

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Among the horses out in the saddle bronc is Rafter G Rodeo’s Golden Glo, who Mitch Pollock rode for 85 points in Fort Worth. In Austin, it is Jake Finlay who matched up with the horse. Rafter G’ Jezebelle is Ryder Wright’s draw. He will have an inside scoop as Spencer Wright rode the horse earlier this season in Fort Worth.

TIE-DOWN ROPING

Westyn Hughes and Sterling Smith are two Texas calf ropers you will catch in Performance 3. Hughes currently sits No. 1 in the PRCA World Standings while Smith is just one spot out of the Top 15. Smith has won the first round of Rodeo Austin before while Hughes has not roped at Rodeo Austin since 2019 according to the PRCA.

BREAKAWAY ROPING

Cadee Williams and Brighton Bauman have both tasted success in the 2023 season, can that continue in Austin. This is the first year for Austin to have breakaway roping and it is currently led by a pair of 2.6-second runs.

BARREL RACING

There are many familiar names in the barrel racing of Performance 3. That include Sarah Rose McDonald and her horse, Ranger, as well as Bayleigh Choate, Paige Jones, and Jackie Ganter. Jones’ is the No. 1 barrel racer making it back to Houston’s Semifinals from her Super Series on her horse, Bazinga. Choate’s chosen horse so far this season has been Dash while Ganter has ran both Tycoon and Sailor.

BULL RIDING

The legendary JB Mauney is back again, this time, matched up with Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Black Panther. The bull’s average score for the 2023 season is 41.80 points and Mauney could be the first qualified ride of Austin.

An 86 leads the bareback, Andrew Ward and Buddy Hawkins lead the team roping by almost 6 seconds, there has been one sub-15 second run in the barrel racing and there are zero qualified bull rides. Performance 3 could shift it all.