BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
In 1938, the Walla Walla Frontier Days became the first full-time night rodeo in the United States and 85 years later, they’re paying out nearly $250,000 to the PRCA’s best in Southeast Washington.
In bareback riding, it was a tie between a pair of cowboys fighting for their NFR lives - No. 15 Dean Thompson and No. 16 Cole Franks each took home $4,235 for matching 85.5-point rides.
World No. 2 Tyler Waguespack split the win with Jace Melvin in steer wrestling to cut Dalton Massey’s lead in the World Standings down to $21,000 as he continues his quest for a third consecutive Gold Buckle.
In team roping, Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres were 9.3 seconds on two to win by one tenth and keep their NFR hopes alive. Both men are ranked No. 20 and Rahlmann trails No. 15 on the head side by about $10,000 while Torres trails No. 15 on the heel side by about $4,000.
Kade Bruno and Wyatt Casper, 2022 NFR cowboys both well on their way in 2023, won the saddle bronc riding with 87 points each. It was one of two PRCA Playoff Series Rodeos that Bruno over the weekend as he also set an arena record to win the Magic Valley Stampede.
World No. 4 Shad Mayfield was 16.1 seconds on two to win by four tenths. He won Round 1 and was second in Round 2 to bank a total of $9,244, the most of any athlete in any event at the rodeo.
In barrel racing, Megan McLeod-Sprague was 17.08 seconds to win the one-header by three hundredths.
In bull riding, World No. 3 Josh Frost was 88.5 points to win $5,094 as part of a weekend in which he rode five bulls and made over $15,000.
And finally, breakaway roping champion Kelsie Domer had a great weekend in Washington as she was 2.3 seconds to win Walla Walla and she also won the Average in Ellensburg.
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. (tie) Cole Franks, on Big Stone Rodeo Inc’s Fired Up, and Dean Thompson, on Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Warrior Wagon, 85.5 points, $4,235 each; 3. (tie) Kade Berry and Chad Rutherford, 85, $2,237 each; 5. (tie) Orin Larsen and Jess Pope, 84.5, $959 each; 7. Taylor Broussard, 84, $639; 8. (tie) Lane McGehee and Tim O’Connell, 83.5, $240 each.
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. (tie) Stan Branco and Don Payne, 3.8 seconds, $2,053 each; 3. (tie) Jesse Brown and Tyler Waguespack, 4.1, $1,480 each; 5. Josh Garner, 4.2, $1,050; 6. (tie) Riley Duvall, Clayton Hass, Jace Melvin, Talon Roseland and Levi Rudd, 4.3, $286 each.
Second Round: 1. (tie) Denell Henderson, Tristan Martin and Jace Melvin, 4.1 seconds, $1,910 each; 4. Dalton Massey, 4.2, $1,337; 5. (tie) Cody Cabral and Tyler Waguespack, 4.3, $907 each; 7. (tie) Walt Arnold, Dakota Eldridge, Gus Franzen, Nick Guy, Dirk Tavenner and Jason Thomas, 4.4, $111 each.
Average: 1. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Jace Melvin, 8.4 seconds on two head, $3,079 each; 3. Jesse Brown, 8.6, $2,435; 4. (tie) Stan Branco and Dirk Tavenner, 8.9, $1,790 each; 6. Dakota Eldridge, 9.0, $1,146; 7. (tie) J.D. Struxness and Denell Henderson, 9.2, $501 each.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 3.7 seconds, $2,533 each; 2. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 4.4, $2,202; 3. (tie) Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres, Aaron Tsinigine/Ryan Motes and Nelson Wyatt/Chase Tryan, 4.7, $1,542 each; 6. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.8, $881; 7. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 4.9, $551; 8. (tie) Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith and Dalton Turner/Clay Clayman, 5.0, $110 each.
Second Round: 1. Tanner James/Wyatt Cox, 3.9 seconds, $2,533 each; 2. Chet Weitz/Clay Green, 4.1, $2,202; 3. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.2, $1,872; 4. (tie) J7 Bland/Tyson Thompson and Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.3, $1,376 each; 6. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 4.4, $881; 7. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres, 4.6, $385 each.
Average: 1. Coy Rahlmann/Jonathan Torres, 9.3 seconds on two head, $3,799 each; 2. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 9.4, $3,303; 3. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 9.7, $2,808; 4. Aaron Tsinigine/Ryan Motes, 10.0, $2,312; 5. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 10.3, $1,817; 6. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 11.0, $1,321; 7. Zach Kilgus/Tyler McKnight, 11.1, $826; 8. Kolton Schmidt/Logan Spady, 12.9, $330.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. (tie) Kade Bruno, on Brookman Rodeo’s Flirtacious, and Wyatt Casper, on Big Stone Rodeo Inc’s Wine + Dine, 87 points, $4,285 each; 3. Isaac Diaz, 86.5, $2,749; 4. (tie) Houston Brown, Zeke Thurston and Stetson Dell Wright, 86, $1,240 each; 7. (tie) Sterling Crawley, Ryder Wright and Statler Wright, 84, $377 each.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.8 seconds, $2,854; 2. Ty Harris, 8.0, $2,482; 3. Cory Solomon, 8.2, $2,109; 4. Jerry Adamson, 8.6, $1,737; 5. (tie) Tuf Case Cooper, Cash Hooper and Matt Shiozawa, 8.7, $993 each; 8. Beau Cooper, 8.8, $248.
Second Round: 1. Blane Cox, 7.6 seconds, $2,854; 2. Lane Livingston, 7.9, $2,482; 3. Shad Mayfield, 8.3, $2,109; 4. Ty Harris, 8.5, $1,737; 5. (tie) Britt Bedke, Macon Murphy and Chance Oftedahl, 8.8, $993 each; 8. (tie) Zack Jongbloed and Michael Otero, 9.0, $124 each.
Average: 1. Shad Mayfield, 16.1 seconds on two head, $4,281; 2. Ty Harris, 16.5, $3,722; 3. Britt Bedke, 17.7, $3,164; 4. Macon Murphy, 18.2, $2,606; 5. Tuf Case Cooper, 18.5, $2,047; 6. (tie) Zack Jongbloed and Chance Thiessen, 18.8, $1,210 each; 8. (tie) Garrett Jacobs and Dylan Hancock, 18.9, $186 each.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 17.08 seconds, $4,170; 2. Summer Kosel, 17.11, $3,336; 3. Leslie Smalygo, 17.24, $2,710; 4. Molly Otto, 17.28, $2,085; 5. Kathy Grimes, 17.29, $1,668; 6. (tie) Julia Johnson and Tarryn Lee, 17.32, $1,147 each; 8. Halyn Lide, 17.35, $938; 9. Stevi Hillman, 17.39, $834; 10. Paige Jones, 17.41, $730; 11. Ashley Castleberry, 17.44, $625; 12. Lacy Diefenbach, 17.46, $521; 13. Lindsey Ham, 17.49, $417; 14. Kelly Allen, 17.51, $313; 15. Cheyenne Allan, 17.55, $208.
BULL RIDING
First Round: 1. Josh Frost, 88.5 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Mojo Risin, $5,094; 2. Trey Benton III, 88, $3,905; 3. Ky Hamilton, 82.5, $2,887; 4. Cody Teel, 81, $1,868; 5. Jordan Hansen, 79, $1,189; 6. (tie) Jared Parsonage and Cody Russell, 77, $764 each; 8. Kase Hitt, 72, $509.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
First Round: 1. Kelsie Domer, 2.3 seconds, $5,734; 2. Braylee Shepherd, 2.5, $4,587; 3. (tie) Rickie Engesser and Joey Williams, 2.6, $3,297 each; 5. (tie) Jordi Edens, Madison Outhier and Kiley Streeter, 2.7, $1,816 each; 8. Cheyanne Guillory, 2.8, $1,290; 9. Taylor Hanchey, 2.9, $1,147; 10. Jackie Crawford, 3.0, $1,003; 11. (tie) Lari Dee Guy, Delaney Kunau and Chloe Lambert, 3.1, $717 each; 14. (tie) Megan Burbidge, Samantha Fulton, Alex Loiselle and Kimberly Williams, 3.2, $179 each.
