BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Rodeo Austin boasted a total payoff of $692,743, up from $584,460 year ago, and debuted a new format in 2024.
The roughstock events were unchanged, every cowboy was guaranteed one opportunity with the 24 highest Round 1 scores being split into three clean-slate Playoff Rounds. The Top 8 from there advanced to a winner-take-all Short Round.
In the timed events, it was a more a traditional approach rather than a progressive one. Each athlete or team competed in two Go-Rounds on consecutive nights with the Top 8 on a two-head Average advancing to the Finals. The winner was determined by a three-head Average.
Aus Double Dips on 90-Point Rides
The Minnesota bareback rider’s Rodeo Austin win this year was a testament to his longevity as it came almost seven years to the day of his first victory there.
Aus, who had just two total 90+ Point Rides in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined, rode Wrap it Up for 90 in Round 2 and Empty Promies for 90.5 in the Finals.
"(This is) absolutely one of the highs (of my career),” he said. “This has been one of my favorite stops a lot of years coming here.”
Egusquiza/Lord Go 3.9 Grab Third PRCA Playoff Win
Over the past two seasons, no one has shown better top-end speed than Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord. After leading the PRCA last year, they already have a PRCA-best 10 runs of 4.2 Seconds or Faster in 2024 and two of them came in Austin.
The first won them Round 1 and the second won them the Finals (and the Average). Their Rodeo Austin win joins the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo (Texas) and National Western (Colorado) as their third Playoff win already this season.
Both cowboys are now ranked No. 3 in the PRCA World Standings.
Hughes Cruises to Victory
Westyn Hughes’ margin of victory in the tie-down roping was staggering. With a time of 24.3 seconds on three, he finished 4.8 seconds ahead of second place Sterling Smith and 11.1 seconds clear of the third place cowboy Zack Jongbloed. And he did it all with a herniated disc in his back.
“They got rodeos every week and its my job, so I just gotta show up and try to get paid,” he said.
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Cole Franks, 89 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Amped Up, $4,715; 2. (tie) Jayco Roper, Leighton Berry and Richmond Champion, 86.5, $3,722 each; 5. (tie) Strawbs Jones, R.C. Landingham and Taylor Broussard, 85.5, $2,233 each; 8. (tie) Jacob Lees, Tanner Aus and Bill Tutor, 85, $744 each.
Second Round: 1. Tanner Aus, 90 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Wrap It Up, $4,594; 2. Rocker Steiner, 85.5, $3,995; 3. (tie) Waylon Bourgeois, Taylor Broussard, Mason Stuller and Cooper Cooke, 84, $2,497 each; 7. R.C. Landingham, 83, $846; 8. Dean Thompson, 82.5, $400.
Finals: 1. Tanner Aus, 90.5 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Empty Promises, $10,340; 2. Taylor Broussard, 86, $7,755; 3. Dean Thompson, 85, $5,170; 4. (tie) Rocker Steiner and Waylon Bourgeois, 84, $1,293 each.
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. J.D. Struxness, 3.6 seconds, $4,317; 2. Tanner Brunner, 3.8, $3,754; 3. Justin Shaffer, 4.0, $3,191; 4. Ty Erickson, 4.4, $2,628; 5. Cade Staton, 4.5, $2,064; 6. (tie) Cody Devers and Cole Walker, 4.6, $1,220 each; 8. Don Payne, 4.7, $375.
Second Round: 1. Ty Bauerle, 3.7 seconds, $4,317; 2. (tie) Jacob Edler and Trisyn Kalawaia, 3.8, $3,472 each; 4. (tie) Kodie Jang and Jacob Talley, 4.0, $2,346 each; 6. (tie) J.D. Struxness and Nick Guy, 4.2, $1,220 each; 8. Don Payne, 4.4, $375.
Finals: 1. Jacob Edler, 3.7 seconds, $2,000; 2. J.D. Struxness, 4.0, $1,500; 3. Cade Staton, 4.4, $1,000; 4. Ty Bauerle, 7.0, $500.
Average: 1. J.D. Struxness, 11.8 seconds on three head, $6,475; 2. Jacob Edler, 12.6, $5,630; 3. Cade Staton, 13.8, $4,786; 4. Ty Bauerle, 16.7, $3,941; 5. Nick Guy, 23.2, $3,097; 6. Don Payne, 23.3, $2,252; 7. Dakota Eldridge, 9.6 on two head, $1,408; 8. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.7, $563.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 3.9 seconds, $4,317 each; 2. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 4.1, $3,754; 3. (tie) Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres and Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.2, $2,909 each; 5. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.4, $2,064; 6. Cole Thomas/Dylin Ahlstrom, 4.5, $1,501; 7. (tie) Cory Kidd V/Clay Futrell, Cyle Denison/Dustin Davis and Garrett Tonozzi/Cory Petska, 4.6, $438 each.
Second Round: 1. (tie) Wyatt Bray/Paden Bray and Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 3.7 seconds, $4,035 each; 3. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.0, $3,191; 4. (tie) Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, Clay Tryan/Caleb Hendrix and Cory Kidd V/Clay Futrell, 4.2, $2,064 each; 7. (tie) Luke Brown/Travis Graves and Pedro Egurrola/J.C. Flake, 4.3, $657 each.
Finals: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 3.9 seconds, $2,000 each; 2. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres, 4.3, $1,250 each; 4. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.5, $500.
Average: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 12.5 seconds on three head, $12,950 each; 2. Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres, 13.0, $11,261; 3. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 13.5, $9,572; 4. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 13.8, $7,883; 5. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 14.2, $6,193; 6. Coy Brittain/Colton Brittain, 14.6, $4,504; 7. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 8.5 on two head, $2,815; 8. Cory Kidd V/Clay Futrell, 8.8, $1,126.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
First Round: 1. Rylee A. George, 1.80 seconds, $4,317; 2. Samantha Fulton, 2.10, $3,754; 3. (tie) Jill Tanner, Erin Johnson and Willow Wilson, 2.20, $2,628 each; 6. (tie) Rickie Fanning and Josey Murphy, 2.40, $1,220 each; 8. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 2.50, $375.
Second Round: 1. Danielle Lowman, 1.50 seconds, $4,317; 2. Hali Williams, 1.80, $3,754; 3. (tie) Joey Williams, Kendal Pierson and Taylor Munsell, 2.10, $2,628 each; 6. Willow Wilson, 2.20, $1,501; 7. (tie) KC-Gail Churchill, Tacy Webb and Sarah Angelone, 2.30, $438 each.
Finals: 1. Tacy Webb, 2.20 seconds, $2,000; 2. Taylor Munsell, 2.30, $1,500; 3. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 2.90, $1,000; 4. Beau Peterson, 3.50, $500.
Average: 1. Tacy Webb, 7.60 seconds on three head, $6,475; 2. Taylor Munsell, 7.90, $5,630; 3. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 8.00, $4,786; 4. Beau Peterson, 9.40, $3,941; 5. Lari Dee Guy, 18.10, $3,097; 6. Willow Wilson, 4.40 on two head, $2,252; 7. Sarah Angelone, 5.50, $1,408; 8. Josie Conner, 5.80, $563.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. Damian Brennan, 87.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Golden Glo, $4,715; 2. Trent Burd, 87, $4,219; 3. Lefty Holman, 86.5, $3,722; 4. Ryder Wright, 85.5, $3,226; 5. (tie) Logan Hay, Sterling Crawley and Tegan Smith, 83.5, $2,233 each; 8. (tie) Ben Andersen and Jarrod Hammons, 83, $993 each; 10. Rusty Wright, 82.5, $248.
Second Round: 1. (tie) Traylin Martin, on Dakota Rodeo’s Richie’s High, and Damian Brennan, on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Bewitched, 86 points, $4,295 each; 3. Riggin Smith, 85.5, $3,396; 4. Sterling Crawley, 84.5, $2,797; 5. (tie) Wyatt Casper, Ryder Sanford and Dawson Hay, 84, $1,547 each; 8. (tie) Ryder Wright and Lefty Holman, 83.5, $200 each.
Finals: 1. Traylin Martin, 92 points on Andrews Rodeo’s All Or Nothin’, $10,340; 2. Wyatt Casper, 89, $7,755; 3. Dawson Hay, 86.5, $5,170; 4. Riggin Smith, 85, $2,585.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. (tie) Shad Mayfield and Cooper Martin, 7.6 seconds, $4,035 each; 3. Riley Mason Webb, 7.9, $3,191; 4. Westyn Hughes, 8.1, $2,628; 5. (tie) Bryce Derrer and Zack Jongbloed, 8.3, $1,783 each; 7. Marty Yates, 8.5, $938; 8. Ty Harris, 8.9, $375.
Second Round: 1. Trevor Hale, 7.5 seconds, $4,317; 2. Westyn Hughes, 7.6, $3,754; 3. (tie) Sterling Smith and Marty Yates, 7.8, $2,909 each; 5. (tie) Blane Cox and Dylan Hancock, 7.9, $1,783 each; 7. Lucas Potter, 8.1, $938; 8. Clint Singleton, 8.3, $375.
Finals: 1. Westyn Hughes, 8.6 seconds, $2,000; 2. Sterling Smith, 11.2, $1,500; 3. Hunter Herrin, 16.6, $1,000; 4. Zack Jongbloed, 17.0, $500.
Average: 1. Westyn Hughes, 24.3 seconds on three head, $6,475; 2. Sterling Smith, 29.1, $5,630; 3. Zack Jongbloed, 35.4, $4,786; 4. Hunter Herrin, 35.6, $3,941; 5. Clint Singleton, 37.5, $3,097; 6. Marty Yates, 16.3 on two head, $2,252; 7. Blane Cox, 16.9, $1,408; 8. Ty Harris, 18.8, $563.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Jodee Miller, 15.32 seconds, $4,317; 2. Kassie Mowry, 15.35, $3,754; 3. Jessica Routier, 15.36, $3,191; 4. Wenda Johnson, 15.40, $2,628; 5. Taylor Carver, 15.41, $2,064; 6. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.45, $1,501; 7. Ilyssa Riley, 15.47, $938; 8. Sadie Wolaver-Troyer, 15.49, $375.
Second Round: 1. Kassie Mowry, 15.01 seconds, $4,317; 2. Wenda Johnson, 15.16, $3,754; 3. Tillar King, 15.27, $3,191; 4. Stevi Hillman, 15.34, $2,628; 5. Jessica Routier, 15.38, $2,064; 6. Sara Winkelman, 15.39, $1,501; 7. Stephanie Fryar, 15.41, $938; 8. (tie) Oceane Veilleux and Taylor Carver, 15.44, $188 each.
Finals: 1. Jodee Miller, 15.25 seconds, $2,000; 2. Sadie Wolaver-Troyer, 15.35, $1,500; 3. Kassie Mowry, 15.40, $1,000; 4. Jessica Routier, 15.45, $500.
Average: 1. Kassie Mowry, 45.76 seconds on three head, $6,475; 2. Jessica Routier, 46.19, $5,630; 3. Jodee Miller, 46.22, $4,786; 4. Sadie Wolaver-Troyer, 46.31, $3,941; 5. Wenda Johnson, 50.95, $3,097; 6. Tillar King, 51.37, $2,252; 7. Stevi Hillman, 56.40, $1,408; 8. Taylor Carver, 56.52, $563.
BULL RIDING
First Round: 1. Tristen Hutchings, 89 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Kyote Train, $4,715; 2. (tie) Maverick Smith and JR Stratford, 87, $3,971 each; 4. (tie) Brady Portenier and Jace Trosclair, 86.5, $2,978 each; 6. Jackson Ward, 83.5, $2,233; 7. Shane Proctor, 81, $1,737; 8. (tie) Tyler Bingham and Boudreaux Campbell, 79.5, $993 each; 10. Ernie Courson Jr, 78, $248.
*Second Round: 1. Josh Frost, 86.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Bruce, $4,651; 2. Jeff Askey, 86, $4,052; 3. Cody Teel, 84.5, $3,453; 4. Brady Portenier, 83, $2,854; 5. Boudreaux Campbell, 79.5, $2,254; 6. Trey Kimzey, 79, $1,655; 7. Maverick Smith, 64, $903; no other qualified rides.
*Finals: 1. Trey Kimzey, 89 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Greeley Hat Works Bonfire, $25,850; no other qualified rides. *(all totals include ground money).
