BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The only NFR Playoff Rodeo of the 2023 season in Alabama took place over the weekend with more than $150,000 paid out at the Southeastern Livestock Expo in Montgomery.
The rodeo featured a big payday for a 2021 Resistol Rookie of the Year, three-way ties in the steer wrestling and saddle bronc riding, and a bull rider collecting his second big win in the Southeastern Circuit.
Bareback rider Cole Franks has made two straight NFRs and continued his early push for a third by winning a paycheck of nearly $4,500 with an 86-point ride on Witchy Woman.
Mason Couch, Will Lummus and Dedo Slad were all 3.9 seconds in the steer wrestling to split first and take home $2,820 apiece. The bulldogging was loaded with ties as Shayde Etherton shared fourth with Eli Lord at 4.1 seconds and Tucker Allen and Talon Roseland split sixth with matching 4.5s.
Jesse and Spencer Wright made it a family affair at the top of the leaderboard in saddle bronc riding, splitting the win with Jake Finlay. The trio of champions were all 85 points and Wyatt Casper nearly joined them, finishing a half-point off the pace.
Koby Radley continued to prove he is the best bull rider East of the Mississippi because he has now won both NFR Playoff Rodeos that have taken place in the Southeast. Radley was the champion of the Arcadial All-Florida Championship on March 9 before adding this win in Montgomery on the 19th. Those two rodeos have combined to pay the No. 9 bull rider in the world just over $9,000.
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Cole Franks, 86 points on Championship Pro Rodeo ‘s Witchy Woman, $4,477; 2. Colt Eck, 85, $3,432; 3. Tanner Aus, 84.5, $2,537; 4. Bradlee Miller, 84, $1,641; 5. Ty Pope, 83.5, $1,045; 6. Keenan Hayes, 83, $746; 7. Mason Clements, 82.5, $597; 8. Grant Worthington, 81.5, $448.
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. (tie) Mason Couch, Will Lummus and Dedo Slade, 3.9 seconds, $2,820 each; 4. (tie) Shayde Etherton and Eli Lord, 4.1, $1,974 each; 6. (tie) Tucker Allen and Talon Roseland, 4.5, $1,598 each; 8. Juan Alcazar Jr, 4.7, $1,316; 9. Walt Arnold, 5.1, $1,128; 10. Taite Stickler, 5.2, $752.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Cole Thomas/Clay Green, 4.0 seconds, $3,635 each; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres, 4.3, $3,208; 3. Dalton Turner/Clay Clayman, 4.4, $2,780; 4. Cash Duty/Sid Sporer, 4.9, $2,352; 5. Clint Wallace/Cole Walker, 5.0, $2,139; 6. Clint Keller/Morgan Jones, 5.1, $1,925; 7. Cory Kidd V/Lane Mitchell, 5.2, $1,711; 8. Koby Sanchez/Zack Mabry, 5.3, $1,497; 9. Clint Summers/Cory Petska, 5.5, $1,283; 10. (tie) Travis Dorman/Brady Barretine and Justin Yost/Jason Hill, 6.0, $428 each.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. (tie) Jake Finlay, on Frontier Rodeo ‘s Show Off, Jesse Wright, on Championship Pro Rodeo ‘s Secret Agent, and Spencer Wright, on Championship Pro Rodeo ‘s Michael, 85 points, $3,356 each; 4. Wyatt Casper, 84.5, $1,582; 5. Jake Burwash, 84, $1,007; 6. Parker Kempfer, 83.5, $719; 7. Chase Brooks, 83, $575; 8. Parker Fleet, 82.5, $431.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. (tie) Austin Davis and Marcus Theriot, 8.4 seconds, $4,098 each; 3. Tatum Miller, 8.9, $3,330; 4. (tie) John Douch and Michael Otero, 9.0, $2,562 each; 6. (tie) Trent Creager and Chance Oftedahl, 9.2, $1,921 each; 8. Dylan Hancock, 10.0, $1,537; 9. (tie) Brush Minton and Josh Weekley, 10.4, $1,153 each; 11. (tie) Zeb Chapman and Justin Thigpen, 10.5, $640 each.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Chloe Gray, 15.32 seconds, $4,403; 2. Margo Crowther, 15.41, $3,522; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.44, $2,862; 4. Taylor Carver, 15.45, $2,201; 5. Sherry Cervi, 15.49, $1,761; 6. Michelle Alley, 15.53, $1,321; 7. Carlee Otero, 15.63, $1,101; 8. Kristin Hanchey, 15.70, $991; 9. (tie) Bobbie Alcazar and Timber Allenbrand, 15.71, $826 each; 11. (tie) Kara Kreder and Jill Miller, 15.74, $605 each; 13. (tie) Christine DeRenzo and Alex Dollar, 15.80, $385 each; 15. Halyn Lide, 15.83, $220.
BULL RIDING
First Round: 1. Koby Radley, 86 points on Frontier Rodeo ‘s Black Diamond, $4,371; 2. (tie) Jack Gilmore and Cole Hould, 81, $2,914 each; 4. Riggin Shippy, 78, $1,603; 5. Dalton Walling, 77, $1,020; 6. Luke Mast, 75, $729; no other qualified rides.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
First Round: 1. Ashley Goforth, 2.0 seconds, $2,942; 2. Bethany Stallons, 2.4, $2,501; 3. (tie) Makayla Mack and Taylor Munsell, 2.5, $1,912 each; 5. Heather McLaughlin, 2.6, $1,471; 6. (tie) Jaide Ellick and Elisabeth Erickson-Noe, 2.9, $883 each; 8. Gracie Anna Green, 3.0, $588; 9. (tie) Samantha Fulton, Emily Long and Josey Murphy, 3.1, $441 each; 12. Shelby Osceola, 3.4, $294.
