DENVER, Colo. (January 21, 2023) — There is just one performance left at the National Western Stock Show presented by Centura Health and it promises to have some of the most exciting action yet.
Three semifinals rodeo performances were held on Saturday and the sold-out crowds enjoyed every bit of the rodeo action. Saturday night was especially exciting for barrel racer Darby Fox from King Hill, Idaho.
The National Western Stock Show Rodeo started off on Thursday, January 12 with the first of eight brackets. In the timed events, contestants competed in a qualifying event or got in based on their standings in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. The bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding was all based on standings.
The rodeo started out with 80 contestants in each event competing in one of eight brackets. Three of the contestants from every event then advanced to the semifinals based on how they finished in the individual brackets. Those 24 contestants were divided into three semifinals performances held in the Denver Coliseum on Saturday.
Fox was one of the barrel racers that qualified for the rodeo performances. Then she became the only woman to have to runs less than 15 seconds in a bracket. She was at the top of the leaderboard in Bracket six. When she made her run in semifinals three there was a 15.04-second time by her name and she once again was at the top.
Fox has been riding a mare that she bought as a yearling and trained herself. She started seasoning her in 2022 and the experience paid off for both of them. Last year, she won $10,086 at rodeos. Thanks to her success in Denver, she has already collected $7,776 and stands to win more on Sunday.
The reigning world champion all-around cowboy and bull rider, Stetson Wright from Milford, Utah is hoping to add his name to the winners list here and join members of his legendary family that have already clamed championships in the Denver Coliseum, including his father, Cody Wright, uncle Spencer Wright and brother Rusty Wright.
Stetson competed in the semifinals in both of his signature events, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. He has already won money in both of those events and everything he wins here will help jumpstart the year and put him in contention for more gold buckles. At 23-years-old, he has seven world titles on his resume already, four all-around, two in the bull riding and one in saddle bronc.
Sunday will be the final day of the 117th National Western’s 16-day run. The rodeo will begin at 2 p.m. and will be aired live on the Cowboy Channel.
DENVER, Colo. — The following are results from the National Western Stock Show Rodeo, Saturday, 22, 2023.
17th performance – Semifinal 1
Bareback Riding: 1, Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas, 87.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Banger Main. 2, (tie) Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb., and Jacob Lees, Caldwell, Idaho, 84.5. 4, Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 82.5Â
Steer Wrestling: 1, Gus Franzen, Kearney, Neb., 3.9 seconds. 2, Denver Berry, Checotah, Okla., 4.5. 3, (tie) Don Payne, Stephenville, Texas, and Cal Wolfe, Palmer, Texas, 4.9.
Team Roping: 1, Lightning Aguilera, Athens, Texas, and Coleby Payne, Stephenville, Texas, 4.0. seconds. 2, Ty Arnold, Midway, Texas, and Kaden Profili, Jacksonville, Texas, 4.9. 3, Cooper and Tucker White, Hershey, Neb., 5.2. 4, Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla., and Kollin Vonahn, Blanchard, Okla., 6.0.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Houston Brown, Miles City, Utah, 83.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Rev Runner. 2, Tanner Butner, Daniel, Wyo., 83. 3, Cash Wilson, Wall, S.D., and Ben Andersen, Eckville, Alberta, 82.5.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas, 7.7 seconds. 2, Preston Pederson, Hermiston, Ore., 8.3. 3, Dylan Hancock, San Angelo, Texas, 8.5. 4, Riley Wakefield, O’ Neil, Neb., 8.7.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Kalli McCall, Lufkin, Texas, 15.07. 2, Timber Allenbrand, Paola, Kan., 15.20. 3, Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 15.30. 4, Kristi Steffes, Vale, S.D., 15.33
Bull Riding: 1, Trey Holston, Fort Scott, Kan., 86 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Mean Mug. 2, Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 84.5. 3, Tyler Bingham, Howell, Utah, 84.5
18th performance – Semifinal 2
Bareback Riding: 1, Taylor Broussard, Estherwood, La., 87 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Midnight Snack. 2, Yance Day, Mannford, Okla., 85. 3, Sam Petersen, Helena, Mont., 84. 4, (tie) Bradlee Miller, Huntsville, Texas, and Richmond Champion, Stevensville, Mont., 82.Â
Steer Wrestling: 1, Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 4.0 seconds. 2, Jaret Whitman, Belgrade, Mont., 4.3. 3, Stand Branco, Chowchilla, Cali.,4.4. 4, Ty Everson, Laramie, Wyo., 5.9.
Team Roping: 1, Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 4.3 seconds. 2, Rhett Anderson, and Chris Young, Annabella, Utah, 4.8. 3, Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga., and Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prude, Brazil. 4, Hayes Smith, Central Point, Ore., and Jason Duby, Klamath Falls, Ore., 5.6.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Layton Green, Millarville, Alberta, 86.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Sippin’ on Fire. 2, (tie) Shorty Garrett, Eagle Butte, S.D., and Shea Fournier, Raceland La., 84.5 each. 4, Leon Fountain, Socorro, N.M., 84.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M.,7.8 seconds. 2, Jody Green, Ada., Okla., 8.2. 3, Chet Weitz, London, Texas, 9.0. 4, Hayden Ford, Whitehouse, Texas, 9.6.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Sophie Nolen, Stephenville, Texas, 14.92. 2, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Lampasa, Texas, 14.97. 3, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.00. 4, Jimmie Smith- Tew, McDade, Texas, 15.28.Â
Bull Riding: (two qualified rides) 1, Cullen Telfer, Plant City, Fla., 88 points on Cervi Brothers Rodeo, Keep Talkin. 2, JC Mortensen, Paulden, Ariz., 69.
19th performance – Semifinal 3
Bareback Riding: 1, Keenan Reed Hayes, Hayden, Colo., 84 points on Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Mesquite Thorn. 2, Bodee Lammers, Tolar, Texas, 83.5. 3, Trenton Montero, Winnemucca, N.V., 79.5. 4, Waylon Bourgeois, Church Point, La., 78.Â
Steer Wrestling: 1, Hoyt Draeger, Weeping Water, Neb., 4.9. 2, Justin Kimsey, Kennewick, Wash., 5.7. 3, Cody Mumma, Kremmling, Colo., 14.9. 4, Trey Jackson, Keensburg, Colo., 15.1.
Team Roping: 1, Hagan Peterson, Delta, Utah, and Caleb Hendrix, Fallon, Nev., 4.3 seconds. 2, Jake Orman, Prairie Miss., and Bryce Crites, Welch, Okla., 5.3. 3, Kellan and Carson Johnson, Casper Wyo., 5.7 4, Chet Weitz, London, Texas, and Jace Davis, Stephenville, Texas, 16.1.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Sage Newman, Melstone, Mont., 86.5 points on Cervi Championships Rodeo’s Blood Angel. 2, Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 85. 3, Logan Cook, Alto, Texas, 84.5. 4, Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 82.5.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Riley Webb, Denton, Texas, 8.0 seconds. 2, Kincade Henry, Mount Pleasant, Texas, 8.7. 3, Ben Robinson, Red Deer County, Alberta, 8.9. 4, Cash Enderli, Liberty, Texas, 9.1.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Darby Fox, King Hill, Idaho, 15.04 seconds. 2, Katie Pascoe, Morro Bay, Cali., 15.17. 3, Sara Winkelman, Big Lake, Minn., 15.22. 4, Taycie Matthews, Wynne, Ark., 15.24.Â
Bull Riding: (one qualified ride) 1, Bryce Burnell, Sheridan, Wyo., 88 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Legal Action.
About the National Western Stock Show — Established in 1906, the National Western Stock Show is a 501(c) (3) charitable organization that provides college and graduate level scholarships in agricultural-related fields of study. Its mission is to serve producers and consumers throughout the world by being the premier stock show, equestrian competitions, and center for year-round events. The 16-day show also serves as an entertainment arena, hosting one of the world’s richest regular season professional rodeos, family and educational shows plus Colorado’s largest western trade show. For more information, visit nationalwestern.com.
PROVIDED COURTESY OF SUSAN KANODE / NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW & RODEO TO TENN TEXAS MEDIA
