New Mexico Cowboys Successful at San Antonio Rodeo
By Susan Kanode
Taos Muncy from Corona, N.M won the first round of Bracket 1 at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. Muncy, who holds the AT&T Center arena record at 92, was 86 points at the first performance of the rodeo to win $2,500. San Antonio Rodeo photo by Greg Westfall.
SAN ANTONIO – A veteran and a rookie from New Mexico were among the first contestants to take the famed victory lap around the AT&T Center at the 70th annual San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo.
The veteran, Taos Muncy from Corona, had the high-marked ride in the saddle bronc riding at 86 points. His success on Thursday night came aboard Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Painted Flower and netted him $2,500. That money is important for the family man’s bank account, but even more important for this rodeo.
All of the contestants here compete in brackets and advance through the tournament-style event based on money earned. Each bracket consists of three rounds with the four top money earners advancing to the semi-finals. Muncy wants to be among those.
This isn’t the first success that Muncy has had here. He earned his first world championship in December of 2007 and came here the next February wearing his new gold buckle. The momentum of the title carried through here. He set an arena record of 92 points on Kesler Championship Rodeo’s horse Cool Alley. That record has lasted for 11 years. He also earned a world championship in 2011 but has yet to win the title here.
Tie-down roper Shad Mayfield, from Clovis, also comes from a rodeo family. His father, Sylvester, qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and is now watching his son pursue that same goal. Shad was the fastest roper in the 10-man field on Thursday night. The 18-year-old Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rookie rode into the AT&T Center for the very first time on Thursday. Then after he had the fast time, he got to ride around the arena on a victory lap and rode out with $2,500 in earnings.
This year’s rodeo features over $1.5 million in prize money that will be paid throughout the competition. Each round winner through five brackets will receive $2,500. Money increases for the Semi-Finals and on the final Saturday night, event winners will get $15,000 as well as the coveted San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo buckle.
The second round of competition for Bracket 1 will be Friday, Feb. 8th at 7:30 p.m.
The following are results after the first performance of the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, the 14-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year.
Tie-down roper Shad Mayfield made the most of his first appearance at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. The 18-year-old from Clovis, N.M., stopped the clock in 8.0 seconds to win $2,500. San Antonio Rodeo photo by Greg Westfall.
Bracket 1, round 1
Bareback Riding: 1, (Jamie Howlett, Rapid City, S.D., 84.5 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Feather Fluffer, $2,500. 2, Tyler Nelson, Victor, Idaho, 82, $2,000. 3, (tie) Tristan Hansen, Dillon, Mont., and Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 81.5, and $1,000 each.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Jacob Talley, Keatchie, La., 4.0 seconds, $2,500. 2, Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.2, $2,000. 3, Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 4.5, $1,240. 4, (tie) Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah and Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.8 and $375 each.
Team Roping: 1, Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo., and Dustin Davis, Terrell, Texas, 4.5 seconds, $2,500. 2, Paull David Tierney, Oklahoma City and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 4.6, $2,000. 3, Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 5.0, $1,250. 4, Riley and Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 5.1, $750.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 86 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Painted Flower, $2,500. 2, Clay Elliott, Nanton, Alberta, 82.5, $2,000. 3, Joey Sonnier III, New Iberia, La., 82, $1,250. 4, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, 81, $750.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Shad Mayfield, clovis, N.M., 8.0, $2,500. 2, J.C. Malone, Plain City, Utah, 8.6, $2,000. 3, (tie) Tyson Durfey, Brock, Texas, and Cody Quaney, Fort Worth, Texas, 8.9 and $1,000 each.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Kelly Bruner, Millsap, Texas, 13.80 seconds, $2,500. 2, Ericka Nelson, Century, Fla., 14.20, $2,000. 3, Tillar Murray, Fort Worth, Texas, 14.21, $1,250. 4, Carmel Wright, Roy, Mont., 14.22, $750.
Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Roscoe Jarboe, New Plymouth, Idaho, 88 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Dirty Dan, $2,750. 2, J.W. Harris, Goldthwaite, Texas, 84, $2,250. 3, tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah, 82.5, $1,500.