HALF OF FIELD SET FOR FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW & RODEO CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

FORT WORTH, Texas, (Feb. 6, 2025) — The first of two Semi-Finals performances at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament featured last year’s tie-down roping champion looking to repeat.

Shad Mayfield grew up near Clovis, New Mexico, but when his rodeo career took off, he moved to Lipan, Texas, to pursue his goals. He was the 2020 World Champion Tie-down Roper and then last year earned rodeo’s ultimate buckle, the World Champion All-Around Cowboy. Mayfield also competed in team roping and steer roping to earn that title, but his main source of income and biggest success came in the tie-down roping.

Shad Mayfield is looking good to win his second consecutive championship at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo ProRodeo Tournament. The tie-down roper, who is from Clovis, New Mexico, but now lives at Lipan, Texas, stopped the clock in 8.4 seconds to win Semi-Finals A and advance to Saturday night’s Championships. FWSSR photo by James Phifer.

He got his 2024 season off to a great start by winning the tie-down roping in Dickies Arena and is hoping to do that again this year. Mayfield came a step closer to that goal on Thursday night competing in Semi-Finals A. He had the fastest time of the eight-man field at 8.4 seconds. That added $4,000 to his previous earnings. He has already collected $8,433 and will rope for more on Saturday night.

Caldwell, Idaho’s Jacob Lees had the high score in the bareback riding at 88.5 points. He rode J Bar J Rodeo’s horse named All Pink, a horse he was familiar with. The first time Lees got on All Pink, it did not go well but was a learning experience for the two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier. When the two matched up here, Lees saw an opportunity to do better and that attitude got him the win and a $4,000 check. He also gets to ride in Dickies Arena on Saturday night for a championship.

Bareback rider Jacob Lees had a second date with J Bar J’s horse named All Pink at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo ProRodeo Tournament. Lees, from Caldwell, Idaho, didn’t have any luck the first time he rode All Pink, but in Dickies Arena on Thursday night, the results were much different. He won Semi-Finals A with an 88.5-point ride and will compete for the championship here on Saturday night. FWSSR photo by James Phifer.

Andrea Busby from Brock, Texas, qualified for her first NFR last December and finished as the event champion for having the fastest total time on 10 rounds. She did that riding her great horse “Benny,” Jets Top Gun, a nine-year-old sorrel gelding. With the success she had on Benny last December, many fans might have assumed that she would ride him at Fort Worth.

Andrea Busby, who had the fastest total time at the 2024 National Finals Rodeo in December riding her horse Benny, is having success at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament with a different partner. The Brock, Texas, cowgirl and her seven-year-old red roan mare called Derby won Semi-finals A with 16.20. The duo also won the first round of Bracket 7 and have a chance to win the championship on Saturday. FWSSR photo by James Phifer

Instead, Busby has been riding a mare that she calls Derby who is registered as Born on Derby Day. The seven-year-old red roan seems to love the set up and the arena here and they are on track to win a championship. They won the first round of Bracket 7 and placed third in round two to qualify for the Semi-Finals. Busby and Derby stopped the clock in16.20 seconds on Thursday night and will be favorites to win the championship here Saturday night.

Semi-Finals 2 will start at 7:30 p.m. in Dickies Arena on Friday, January 7. Eight contestants in each event start with a clean slate and the best four will advance to Saturday night’s Championships.

FORT WORTH, Texas — The following are unofficial results from the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament Semi-Finals A on February 6, 2024.

Semi-Finals Winners and Finals Qualifiers

Bareback riding: 1, Jacob Lees, Caldwell, Idaho, 88.5 points on J Bar J Pro Rodeo’s All Pink, $4,000. 2, (tie) Mason Clements, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Weston Timberman, Columbus, Mont., 87, $2,500 each. 4, Bradlee Miller, Huntsville, Texas, 86.5, $1,000.

Steer wrestling: 1, (tie) Don Payne, Stephenville, Texas, and Mike McGinn, Haines, Ore., 3.6 seconds, $3,500 each. 3, Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho, 3.7, $2,000. 4, Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.3, $1,000.

Breakaway roping: 1, (tie) Joey Williams, Volberg, Mont., Kinlie Brennise, Craig, Colo., and TiAda Gray, May, Texas, 2.3, $3,000 each. 4, Hope Thompson, Abilene, Texas, 2.5, $1,000.

Saddle bronc riding: 1, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, Canada, 88 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics’ Atomic Blonde, $4,000. 2, Kade Bruno, Challis, Idaho, 87, $3,000. 3, Statler Wright, Beaver, Utah, 86, $2,000. 4, Cash Wilson, Wall, S.D., 84, $1,000.

Tie-down roping: 1, Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M., 8.4 seconds, $4,000. 2, Brushton Minton, Witter Springs, Calif., 8.8, $3,000. 3, Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 9.6, $2,000. 4, Michael Otero, Perrin, Texas, 9.7, $1,000.

Team Roping: 1, Cyle Denison, Iowa, La., and Lane Mitchell, Bolivar, Tenn., 4.6, $4,000 each. 2, Tanner Tomlinson, Mineral Wells, Texas, and Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 5.7, $3,000 each. 3, Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 5.7, $2,000 each. 4, Cody Carter and Blake Bentley, Stephenville, Texas, 6.2, $1,000 each.

Barrel Racing: 1, Andrea Busby, Brock, Texas, 16.20 seconds, $4,000. 2, Carlee Otero, Perrin, Texas, 16.21, $3,000. 3, Toria Madsen, Blackfoot, Idaho, 16.28, $2,000. 4, Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, Okla., 16.41, $1,000.

Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Bryce Jensen, Huntsville, Texas, 86.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Swanky, $4,333. 2, Maverick Potter, Waxahachie, Texas, 86, $3,333. 3, Jestyn Woodward, Custer, S.D., 80.5, $2,333. (The fourth to qualify for the finals will be found after Semi-Finals B on Friday night.)

PROVIDED COURTESY OF SUSAN KANODE / JOHNA CRAVENS / FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW & RODEO TO TENN TEXAS MEDIA