BRACKET 3 AT FWSSR PRORODEO TOURNAMENT FILLED WITH THRILLS AND SPILLS

 FORT WORTH, Texas, (Jan. 28, 2025) – Tuesday night at the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo could have been a Saturday night for all of the excitement in the action.

 It was the first round of Bracket 3 of the ProRodeo Tournament and along with high scores in the bucking events, the women’s events of barrel racing and breakaway roping were won with some fast times.

The highlight of the night came in saddle bronc riding when Brody Cress, who grew up in Hillsdale, Wyoming, but now makes his home at Weatherford, Texas, scored 90.5 points. The horse he originally was slated to ride did not cooperate in the bucking chute. Cress was offered a reride opportunity and gladly accepted it.

He watched as Kolby Wanchuk from Sherwood Park, Alberta, scored 90 points. Cress knew if he was going to get a big check in Dickies Arena, he needed to have a great ride. That’s exactly what he did on Dakota Rodeo’s horse named Smarty Pants. When the judges added up their scores, Cress had a half-point advantage over Wanchuk. They will be here Wednesday night for round 2 where they will both be working towards a qualification for the Semi-Finals of the Tournament.

There was a tie in the bareback riding and the team roping. The bareback riding was between Bradlee Miller, from Huntsville, Texas, who is coming off his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualification and Louisiana’s Waylon Bourgeois who both had 87.5 points. In the steer wrestling it was Idaho’s Stetson Jorgensen and another Louisianan, Gavin Soileau that were at the top of the board. Jorgensen was in Las Vegas last month competing at his fifth NFR. Soileau recently won the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver, was the college champion in 2021, and is working on his first NFR qualification. They each stopped the clock in 4.0 seconds.

Another contestant that had success in Denver and is continuing her pace was Carlee Otero from Perrin, Texas. She won the National Western riding a young horse that she calls Leroy. She was the first lady out in Dickies Arena and aboard her great horse, Blingolena, that she calls Sly, stopped the clock in 16.35 seconds, one of the fastest runs here so far.

The breakaway roping was fast with four runs in the two-second range. The fastest time came from Council Grove, Kansas, cowgirl Beau Peterson who stopped the clock in 2.3 seconds for the win.

Wade Tuni, an 18-year-old bull rider from Rock Point, Arizona, is assured a spot in the semi-finals after winning $7,000 as the only qualified ride Tuesday night. He scored 88 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Black Magic.

The money won in round one and two is added together to determine if a contestant advances out of the bracket. The top two money earners will compete in the Semi-Finals while number three goes into a Wild Card Round.

Bracket 3 concludes Monday night at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo beginning at 7:30 p.m.

FORT WORTH, Texas — The following are unofficial results from Bracket 3, round one of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s Pro Rodeo Tournament, January 28, 2025.

Bareback riding: 1, (tie) Bradlee Miller, Huntsville, Texas, on Diamond G Rodeo’s Raylynn for the Win and Waylon Bourgeois, Church Point, La., on Anderson Rodeo’s Empty Promises, 87.5 points, $2,068 each. 3, Darien Johnson, Tremonton, Utah, 86, $1,418. 4, Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, Canada, 84.5. $1,018.

Steer wrestling: 1, (tie) Gavin Soileau, Bunkie, La., and Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho, 4.0 seconds, $2,092 each. 3, Cash Robb, Altamont, Utah, 4.3, $ $1,442. 4, Gage Hesse, Keenesburg, Colo., 4.6, $1,042.

Breakaway roping: 1, Beau Peterson, Council Grove, Kan.,2.3 seconds, $2,375. 2, TiAda Gray, May, Texas, 2.4, $1,875. 3, Jackie Crawford, Stephenville, Texas, 2.6, $1,475. 4, Nicole Baggarley, Las Cruces, N.M., $1,075.

Saddle bronc riding: 1, Brody Cress, Hillsdale, Wyo., 90.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Smarty Pants, 90.5 points, $2,318. 2, Kolby Wanchuk, Sherwood Park, Alberta, 90 points, $1,818. 3, Ryder Sanford, Sulphur, La., 89, $1,418. 4, Zac Dallas, Las Cruces, N.M, 87, $1,018.

Tie-down roping: 1, Tom Crouse, Gallatin, Mo., 9.7 seconds, $2,342. 2, Michael Otero, Perrin, Texas, 11.6, $1,842. 3, (tie) Cash Hooper, Pampa, Texas, and Seth Hall, Albuquerque, N.M., 11.9, $1,242 each.

Team Roping: 1, Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala., and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla., 5.2 seconds, $2,425 each. 2, Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz., and Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont., 5.5, $,1,925 each. 3, Pedro Egurrola, Florence, Ariz., and Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif., 6.5, $1,525 each. 4, Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Hunter Koch, Vernon, Texas, 14.7, $1,125 each.

Barrel Racing: 1, Carlee Otero, Perrin, Texas, 16.35 seconds, $2,318. 2, Caley Walkoviak, Anderson, Texas, 16.85, $1,817. 3, Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., 17.75, $1,418. 4, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 21.42. $1,018.

Bull Riding: (one ride) 1, Wade Tuni, Rock Point, Ariz., 88 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Black Magic, $7,000.

PROVIDED COURTESY OF SUSAN KANODE & NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA