Love Looking for Barrel Racing Title in San Angelo

By Jolee Jordan

San Angelo, Texas — The San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo kicked off over the weekend with the 64th edition of its rodeo. San Angelo is one of several huge payoffs for rodeo competitors on the winter stock show run which begins in Odessa right after New Year’s and essentially ends with RodeoAustin in March. A successful run through the stock shows can land a competitor at the season ending Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

The first of eleven performances was held on Friday, February 1, more than a week after the original field of more than 200 barrel racers was cut down to 120 following the long round held inside the neighboring Spur Arena in the slack.

San Angelo allows all WPRA cardholders to enter for their shot at the $20,000 in added committee purse. Once the progressive round is established, the second round is held inside the considerably smaller Coliseum during the performances with competitors running slowest to fastest based on first round times, except for trades between contestants. The top 12 in the two-run average will move on to the Finals to be held Friday, February 15.

As the rodeo performances kicked off, three-time Wrangler NFR cowgirl Stevi Hillman took the early lead on Friday. Riding her mare Layla, Hillman stopped the clock in 14.32 seconds.

“Thank you Layla for the ride!” Hillman posted to Facebook following the run. “Leading it with lots to go, but regardless, I am super proud of my red dragon tonight. Was 12th out tonight, kudos to the ground crew! Thank you for hand raking after each girl, so appreciated.”

Two performances filled the docket on Saturday afternoon and Columbia River Circuit cowgirl Teri Bangart took the lead away from Hillman with her run of 14.29 seconds. Bangart finished inside the top 20 of the WPRA World standings a year ago and is hoping to get to her first Wrangler NFR this season. Her good horse Peak put her on top of the average here with a two-run total of 30.59 seconds.

On Saturday night it was the WPRA’s all time money leader Sherry Cervi who took the victory lap. Cervi is a four-time WPRA World Champ and winner of more than $3 million in her career. The Arizona cowgirl is rodeoing for a 20th Wrangler NFR appearance in 2019 which would break the tie she currently holds with Charmayne James for the most trips to rodeo’s championship event.

Cervi tied up the leaderboard in the second go round with Bangart riding her home grown gelding Del Rey.

Everything changed on Sunday afternoon, however, as Nicole Love blew the doors off with her run. Riding Josie, she stopped the clock in a blistering time of 14.08 seconds. Love was one spot out of the money in the first round with her time of 16.12 seconds but when paired with her awesome second round, she moved to the top of the leaderboard in the two-run average with a time of 30.20 seconds.

“It was exciting,” she said simply. Going into the second week of the rodeo, Love’s lead is three tenths ahead of Bangart.

The rodeo takes a break from performances during the week while PRCA slack takes over the Coliseum. When perfs resume on Friday, the field of barrel racers will include WPRA regular season earnings record holder Tiany Schuster, WPRA World Champions Kappy Allen and Fallon Taylor, Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo champ Jennifer Barrett and former Wrangler NFR qualifier and current top five cowgirl Cheyenne Wimberley.

Over the weekend, the field includes WPRA World Champions Kay Blandford and Lindsay Sears. Wrangler NFR cowgirls Cindy Smith and Jana Bean join Prairie Circuit Finals champ Dona Kay Rule. Ryann Pedone, who won fourth in the opening round, will compete as will Kenna Squires, who also won a check in the opening go round in slack.

For more information on the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo, visit them on-line at www.sanangelorodeo.com. Stay tuned to www.wpra.com for continuing updates from the 2019 edition.

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1st Go

1. Wenda Johnson, Dreams First Flash, 15.91, $4,295
2. Jill Tanner, Credit ta Fame, 15.97, $3,681
3. Sidney Forrest, Promises To French, 15.99, $3,068
4. Ryann Pedone, Dash ta Jones, 16.00, $2,659
5. Jackie Jatzlau, Good To Be The King, 16.04, $2,045
6. Angela Ganter, SmokN Lane, 16.05, $1,636
7. Kelly Bruner, French Zone, 16.07, $1,227
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Yeah Hes Firen, 16.08, $818
9. Hailey Kinsel, DM Sissy Hayday, 16.09, $614
10. Nisa Berry, VF Look Im Back, 16.10, $82
11. Sara Withers, Shoeless Joe Biankus, 16.10, $82
12. Brittney Barnett, Frenchmans Pick, 16.10, $82
13. Kenna Squires, NB Ladybird, 16.10, $82
14. Jimmie Smith, Lena on the Rocks, 16.10, $82

2nd Go

1. Nicole Love, JL Josie Bar, 14.08
2. Teri Bangart, RCA Three Bugs Honor, 14.29
3. Sherry Cervi, MP Del Rey, 14.29
4. Stevi Hillman, Luv My Fame, 14.32
5. Halyn Lide, Jettin Ta Heaven, 14.34
6. Mindy Goemmer, Cuchara Fancy N Fast, 14.35
7. Lois Ferguson, 14.40
8. Christy Larsen, 14.44
9. Kimberly Cockrell, 14.46
10. Cheyenne Hattesen, 14.51

Average

1. Love, 30.20
2. Bangart, 30.59
3. Hillman, 30.62
4. Lide, 30.79
5. Kynzie McNeill, 30.80
6. Carman Pozzobon, 30.81
7. Ericka Nelson, Goodfrenchmanfriday, 30.85
8. Goemmer, 30.88
9. Cervi, 30.89
10. Jill Wilson, Lean Mean Blue Dean, 30.93
11. Cockrell, 30.98
12. Ferguson, 31.03

Courtesy of WPRA