Reigning World Champion Tops Steer Wrestling Field at San Antonio Rodeo
By Susan Kanode
For the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo
World champion Tyler Waguespack won the first round of steer wrestling in Bracket 3 at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo on Tuesday night. San Antonio photo by Greg Westfall.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Each year that steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack has entered the steer wrestling at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, he has had more success.
Waguespack, from Gonzales, La., joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2012. The first time he qualified for the most lucrative regular-season rodeo was in 2014 when he won $1,466. The next year, he did a little better at $1,616.
Last year, on the way to his first world championship he won $6,130 here. This year he plans to increase that and is ready to make a victory lap around the AT&T Center as the San Antonio champion. He has a way to go to get there, but got started with a win here on Tuesday night.
Riding the two-time world champion steer wrestling horse “Landry’s Cadillac,” Waguespack stopped the clock in 3.7 seconds to win the round and $2,281. This is the beginning of Bracket 3 and all the contestants have two more opportunities to add to their earnings in hopes of advancing to the semi-finals.
Waguespack’s traveling partner, Clayton Hass from Weatherford, Texas, was on the other side of the steer hazing for him. They also travel with Ty Erickson from Helena, Mont. Hass and Erickson are competing in the next bracket.
“I travel with the best group of guys,” Waguespack said. “That takes a lot of pressure off. We have great horsepower and keep each other positive.”
Waguespack is hoping for a San Antonio title but if he doesn’t win, he’d be very happy if it went to Hass or Erickson. They are having a lot of success early in the 2017 season. Erickson leads the world standings, Waguespack is second and Hass is in fourth place.
The 2013 world champion tie-down roper had the fastest time of the night by nearly a second. Shane Hanchey, from Sulphur, La., stopped the clock in 7.3 seconds to win $2,281. Hanchey was aboard his trusty horse “Smokin Reata” for the win.
At the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last December, Amberleigh Moore set the barrel racing world on fire. She entered in the 15th and final position and finished as the world champion aboard her great mare “CP Dark Moon” that she calls Paige. They finished in first place here on Tuesday as well.
Wednesday night’s rodeo will start at 7 p.m. where contestants will be in the second round of Bracket 3.
The following are results after the first performance of the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, the 12-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year. Complete results are available at sarodeo.com
Bracket 3, round 1 —
Bareback Riding: 1, Mason Clements, Santaquin, Utah, 86.5 points on Betty’s Boy, $2,281. 2, Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 83, $1,711. 3, Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 82.5, $1,141. 4, Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 80, $570.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 3.7 seconds, $2,281. 2, Jason Thomas, Benton, Ark., 3.8, $1,711. 3, Cody Doescher, Oklahoma City, Okla., 4.0, $1,411. 4, Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas, 4.6, $570.
Team Roping: 1, Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas and Jake long, Coffeyville, Kan., 4.9 seconds, $2,281. 2, Garrett Rogers, Baker city, Ore., and Jake Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 5.1, $1,711. 3, Spencer Mitchell, Orange Cove, Calif., and Wyatt Cox, Arroyo Grande, Calif., 5.2, $1,141. 4, Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont., and Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 5.5, $570.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla., 84.5 points on Three Hills Rodeo’s Roulette, $2,281. 2, Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 83, $1,711. 3, Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah, 82.5, $1,141. 4, Chase Brooks, Deer Lodge, Mont., 79.5, $570.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 7.3 seconds, $2,281. 2, Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas, 8.0, $1,711. 3, Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 8.3, $1,141. 4, Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas, 8.4, $520.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Amberleigh Moore, Keizer, Ore., 14.13 seconds, $2,281. 2, Jana Bean, Ft. Hancock, Texas, 14.20, $1,711. 3, Calyssa Thomas, Harrold, S.D., 14.30, $1,141. 4, Pamela Capper, Cheney, Wash., 14.44, $570.
Bull Riding: 1, Bart Miller, Pleasanton, Neb., 88.5 points on Four Star Rodeo’s Fire Legend, $2,281. 2, Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas, 80, $1,711. 3, Cody Rostockyj, Lorena, Texas, 78, $1,141. 4, Guthrie Murray, Miami, Okla., 72, $570.