Otero Takes Roping Lead at Fort Worth’s World’s Original Indoor Rodeo®

by Johna Cravens
for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

FORT WORTH, Texas (January 22, 2016) — Saturdays are a bit crazy during the World’s Original Indoor Rodeo® with three rodeo performances packed into one day. The action begins at 10 a.m. and continues at 2 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m.

Through the first two performances today, capacity crowds saw several lead changes.

Michael Otero of Lowdensboro, Ala., moved into the lead in the tiedown roping at the afternoon matinee. His time of 7.7 seconds put him ahead of the other 143 ropers who have competed in the first round. Another 28 ropers will compete in round one between Saturday night and Monday night before Otero finds out if he wins.

Otero has done well at Fort Worth in previous years, but is still seeking his first championship here. A first round win and a consistent run in the second round will put him in the Feb. 6 finals with a chance to win the coveted championship.

Saturday afternoon also marked the end of the first round of steer wrestling. Jason Lahr of Stephenville, Texas, has drawn the biggest paycheck here thus far. He bested 191 other steer wrestlers with a time of 3.7 seconds. The field will compete again between now and Feb. 6 with the fastest 12 total times over qualifying for the final championship round that night.

Rodeo fans watched two sets of cowboys rope the lead in team roping at both performances. During the morning performance, Iowa cowboys Ryan Von Ahn and J.W. Beck took the second-round lead with a time of 4.8 seconds. The duo is second overall in the early standings.

During the afternoon matinee, newly crowned World Champion Tie-down Roper Caleb Smidt and his partner, fellow Texan B.J. Dugger, demonstrated their team roping talent. They roped their steer in 4.5 seconds to take the first round lead. Team ropers here compete in back-to-back performances, so the pair roped again Saturday night.

Bareback rider Devan Reilly took the second round lead during the morning performance with an 80-point effort on Andrews Rodeo’s Cracker Jack. Reilly also scored 75 points in the third round of bareback riding Saturday afternoon and is the overall leader. The only event with three rounds at Fort Worth is the bareback riding and those cowboys compete in three consecutive performances. A new batch of bareback riders started their three-round run Saturday night and continue through the Sunday matinee and evening performances.

Heflin, La., cowboy Cody DeMoss, who finished 2015 at the top of the regular season saddle bronc riding standings, took the lead in that event’s first round on Saturday afternoon. He teamed with Dakota Rodeo’s Calamity Jane for 80 points.

The World’s Original Indoor Rodeo® continues Sunday with performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Fort Worth’s historic Will Rogers Coliseum.

The following are unofficial results from Saturday’s morning and afternoon performances of the World’s Oldest Indoor Rodeo® at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, January 22, 2016.

Second Performance

Bareback Riding: 1, Devan Reilly, Sheridan, Wyo., 80 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Cracker Jack. 2, (tie) Zack Brown, Red Bluff, Ca., and Tyler Nelson, Victor, Idaho, 77. 4, Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 71.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Clayton Tuchscherer, Dona Ana, N.M., 6.3 seconds. 2, Scott Guenthner, Consort, Alberta, 6.7. 3, Tyke Kipp, Lordsburg, N.M., 8.1. 4, Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 15.0.

Team Roping: (two times) 1, Ryan Von Ahn, Sac City, Iowa, and J.W. Beck, Moville, Iowa, 4.8 seconds. 2, Blaine Vick, Dublin, Texas, and Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 5.0 seconds.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Dalton Rixsen, Richardton, N.D., 80 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Spider Web. 2, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 77. 3, Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 76.5. 4, (tie) Whit Peterson, Torrington, Wyo., and Keenan Reinhardt, Cochrane, Alberta, 69.

Tie-Down Roping: 1, Justin Macha, Needville, Texas, 8.6 seconds. 2, (tie) Clay McCuistion, Sanger, Texas, and Taylor Stout, Justin, Texas, 10.2. 4, Sterling Smith, Stephenville, Texas, 11.5.

Barrel Racing: 1, Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas, 16.75 seconds. 2, Tana Poppino, Big Cabin, Okla., 16.92. 3, McKinley Goodger, Boyd, Texas, 16.99. 4, Megan Mariluch, Daingerfield, Texas, 17.05.

Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 78 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Rowdy Romeo. 2, Riker Carter, Stone, Idaho, 76. 3, Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 70.5.

Third Performance

Bareback Riding: 1, Kody Lamb, Sherwood Park, Alberta, 76.5 points on Shoeshine Man. 2, (tie) Cody Kiser, Carson City, Nev., and Devan Reilly, Casper, Wyo., 75. 4, Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 72.5.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 5.4 seconds. 2, Benjamin Robinson, Colby, Kan., 6.7. 3, Cody Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 7.2. 4, Casey Harmon, Bluff Dale, Texas, 8.7.

Team Roping: 1, Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, and B.J. Dugger, Three Rivers, Texas, 4.5 seconds. 2, Tee Luttrell, Woodlawn, Texas, and Clay Sieber, Arp, Texas, 5.1. 3, Cole Wheeler, Flint, Texas, and Wesley Moss, Paradise, Texas, 5.5. 4, Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz., and Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, 5.6.

Saddle Bronc Riding: (one ride) 1, Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 80 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Calamity Jane.

Tie-Down Roping: 1, Michael Otero, Lowdensboro, Ala., 7.7 seconds. 2, Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.8. 3, Clint Singleton, Comfort, Texas, 9.1. 4, Hunter Herin, Apache, Okla., 10.1.

Barrel Racing: 1, Ashlie Withrow, Henryetta, Okla., 16.76 seconds. 2, Meghan Johnson, Deming, N.M., 16.95. 3, MacKenzie Scott, Estes Park, Colo., 17.04. 4, Trula Churchill. Valentine, Neb., 17.05.

Bull Riding: No qualified rides.

Current Leaders

Bareback Riding: (first round) 1, Cody Kiser, Carson City, Nev., 80 points on J Bar J Rodeo’s Blessed Assurance. 2, (tie) Jamie Howlett, Snyder, Texas, and Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 77. 4, Devan Reilly, Sheridan, Wyo., 75. 5, Kody Lamb, Sherwood Park, Alberta, 71. 6, Tyler Nelson, Victor, Idaho, 63. (second round leaders) 1, Devan Reilly, 80 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Cracker Jack. 2, (tie) Zack Brown, Red Bluff, Calif., and Tyler Nelson, Victor, Idaho, 77. 4, Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 71. 5, Jamie Howlett, Snyder, Texas, 69.5. 6, Kody Lamb, Sherwood Park, Alberta, 67.5. (third round – 5 rides) 1, Kody Lamb, 76.5 points on Shoeshine Man. 2, (tie) Cody Kiser, and Devan Reilly, 75. 4, Shane O’Connell, 72.5. 5, Jamie Howlett, Snyder, Texas, 68.5. (total on three) 1. Devan Reilly, 230 points. 2, Shane O’Connell, 220.5, 3, (tie) Jamie Howlett and Kody Lamb, 215. 5, Cody Kiser, 155 on two. 6, Zack Brown, 75.5 on 1.

Steer Wrestling: (first round winners) 1, Jason Lahr, Stephenville, Texas, 3.7 seconds, $5,881. 2, (tie) Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas, and Forest Sainsbury, Camp Crook, S.D., 4.2, $4,730 each. 4, John Kloeckler, Checotah, Okla., 4.3, $3,580. 5, (tie) Jason Thomas, Benton, Ark., and Brother Loud, Kaufman, Texas, 4.4, $2,429.11 each. 7,Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., 4.7, $1,278. 6, (tie) Cody Pratt, Pueblo, Colo., and Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., $255.69 each.

Team Roping: (first round) 1, Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, and B.J. Dugger, Three Rivers, Texas, 4.5 seconds. 2, (tie) Tee Luttrell, Woodlawn, Texas, and Clay Sieber, Arp, Texas, and Blaine Vick, Dublin, Texas, and Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 5.1. 4, Cole Wheeler, Flint, Texas, and Wesley Moss, Paradise, Texas, 5.5. 5, Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz., and Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, 5.6. 6, Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla., and Buddy Hawkins II, Columbus, Kan., 6.0. (second round – two times) 1, Ryan Von Ahn, Sac City, Iowa, and J.W. Beck, Moville, Iowa, 4.8 seconds. 2, Blaine Vick, Dublin, Texas, and Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 5.0 seconds. (total on two) 1, Blaine Vick, Dublin, Texas, and Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 10.1 seconds. 2, Ryan Von Ahn, Sac City, Iowa, and J.W. Beck, Moville, Iowa, 14.8. 3, Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, and B.J. Dugger, Three Rivers, Texas, 4.5 on one. 4, Tee Luttrell, Woodlawn, Texas, and Clay Sieber, Arp, Texas, 5.1 on one. 5, Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz., and Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, 5.6 on one. 6, Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla., and Buddy Hawkins II, Columbus, Kan., 6.0 on one.

Saddle Bronc Riding: (first round) 1, Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 80 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Calamity Jane. 2, Dalton Rixsen, Richardton, N.D., 78. 3, (tie) Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, and Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 75. 5, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 73. 6. Keenan Reinhardt, Cochrane, Alberta, 72.5. (second round) 1, Dalton Rixsen, 80 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Spider Web. 2, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 77. 3, Cody Wright, 76.5. 4, (tie) Whit Peterson, Torrington, Wyo., and Keenan Reinhardt, 69. (total on two) 1. Dalton Rixsen, 158. 2, Cody Wright, 151.5. 3, Rusty Wright, 150.5. 4, Spencer Wright, 142.5. 5, Keenan Reinhardt, 141.5. 6, Brady Dinwoodie, Westbourne, Manitoba, 133.

Tie-Down Roping: (first round) 1, Michael Otero, Lowdensboro, Ala., 7.7. 2, Jud Nowotny, La Vernia, Texas, 7.9 seconds. 3, Billy Hamilton, Kiowa, Okla., 8.2. 4, Jordan Ketscher, Squaw Valley, Calif., 8.3. 5, (tie) Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, and Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 8.5.

Barrel Racing: (first round) 1, Kellie Collier, Hereford, Texas, 16.63 seconds. 2, Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas, 16.75. 3, Ashlie Withrow, Henryetta, Okla., 16.76. 4, Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 16.80. 5, Aimee Kaye, Bluff Dale, Texas, 16.90. 6, Tana Poppino, Big Cabin, Okla., 16.92.

Bull Riding: (first round) 1, Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., 85.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Say It Ain’t So. 2, Lane Selz, Bakersfield, Calif., 83.5. 3, Riker Carter, Stone, Idaho, 83. 4, Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 80. 5, Dalan Duncan, Ballard, Utah, 77.5. 6, Beau Brooks, Carstairs, Alberta, 77. (second round) (three rides) 1, Joe Frost, 78 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Rowdy Romeo. 2, Riker Carter, 76. 3, Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 70.5. (total on two) 1, Riker Carter, 159 points. 2, Joe Frost, 158. 3, Tyler Smith, 85.5 on one. 4, Lane Selz, 83.5 on one. 5, Dalan Duncan, 77.5 on one. 6, Beau Brooks, 77 on one.

Courtesy of PRCA