Rusty Wright Hoping to Add Fort Worth Buckle to his Collection
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo has been very good to the saddle bronc riding family of Wrights from Milford, Utah.
Since 2014, the saddle bronc riding champion has had the same last name for all but one of the years. In 2014, Cody Wright, the two-time world champion, won the title and watched his son, Rusty, finish right behind him in second place. That was Rusty’s rookie year and he won $9,124 in the Will Rogers Coliseum. The next year he also finished in the money adding $5,682 to his earnings. That helped him secure his first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR).
The past two years, Rusty’s uncle, Jake Wright, earned the championship here. On Saturday night, Rusty again put himself in a good position. He took the lead in the first round of competition with an 87-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s horse named Tiger Lily.
Rusty was riding along with his father, Cody, uncle Spencer, and younger brother Ryder. Rusty is the only one of this traveling group that has yet to win a world champion’s gold buckle. They will have their second-round horses at the Sunday afternoon performance. The rest of the Wright clan competed earlier in the show.
“I don’t know why Fort Worth is so good for us,” Rusty commented. “I really don’t. But I can tell you that I like it.”
Rusty missed last year’s NFR after having to sit out a good part of the season. In July he was in Rock Springs, Wyoming, setting on a bucking horse and ready to ride. The horse unexpectedly reared, causing Rusty to hit his right arm on the bucking chutes. The broken arm kept him out of the arena until November.
He was a spectator in Las Vegas and watched Ryder win more than $180,000 and the gold buckle engraved with the words “World Champion.” Rusty finished 22nd in the world standings and is looking for an injury-free 2018. He has already got the season off to a good start in Fort Worth.
There was a lead in the first round of barrel racing. Amberleigh Moore and her brown mare, CP Dark Moon, that she calls Paige are now the duo to beat in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association sanctioned event.
Moore from Keizer, Oregon, stopped the clock in 16.35 seconds. She has a big lead over Cotulla, Texas, resident Hailey Kinsel who has a time of 16.57. The 210 barrel racers entered at this rodeo all are competing for a second and then a third opportunity. The 70 fastest times will advance to a progressive round. Then times will be added together with the 12 best totals qualifying for the championship finals. The progressive round starts here on Wednesday, Jan. 31st.
The World’s Original Indoor Rodeo® continues its 100th anniversary edition Sunday with performances at 2 and 7:30 p.m., in the historic Will Rogers Coliseum.
The following are unofficial results from Saturday at the World’s Oldest Indoor Rodeo® at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, January 27, 2018.
Thirteenth Performance
Bareback Riding: 1, Jake Brown, Cleveland, Texas, 84.5 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Double Cross. 2, Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas, 83.5. 3, Anthony Thomas, Palestine, Texas, 76. 4, Justin McDaniel, Parkfield, Calif., 74.5.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Shayde Etherton, Borden, Ind., 4.1 seconds. 2, Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D., 4.9. 3, Kody Woodward, Dupree, S.D., 5.3. 4, Coledon Harman, Lipan, Texas, 7.3.
Team Roping: 1, Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M., and Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M., 4.9 seconds. 2, (tie) Andrew Livingston, Llano, Texas, and Twister Cain, Gonzales, Texas, and Blake Teixeira, Tres Pinos, Calif., and Monty Joe Petska, Turlock, Calif., 6.7. 4, Jesse Stipes, Salina, Okla., and Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla., 10.7.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Leon Fountain, Socorro, N.M., 76.5 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Spike. 2, Wyatt Hageman, Jam Em, Wyo., 68. 3, Corey Terry, Brownwood, Texas, 66. 4, Jacob Kammerer, Philip, S.D., 63.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D., 8.7 seconds. 2, J.D. McCuistion, Collinsville, Texas, 8.9. 3, Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 11.2. 4, Anthony Jordan, Houston, Texas, 12.8.
Barrel Racing: 1, Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, 16.57 seconds. 2, Taci Bettis, Round Top, Texas, 16.58. 3, Christin Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 16.64. 4, Ari-Anna Flynn, Charleston, Ark., 16.87.
Bull Riding: (two rides) 1, J.W. Harris, Goldthwaite, Texas, 77 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Big Kahuna. 2, Colby Hill, Del Rio, Texas, 76.5.
Fourteenth Performance
Bareback Riding: 1, Paden Hurst, Cypress, Texas, 80.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Golden Girls. 2, Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas, 80. 3, Justin McDaniel, Parkfield, Calif., 79.5. 4, Jake Brown, Cleveland, Texas, 79.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Cody Kroul, Solon, Iowa, 5.5 seconds. 2, Wyatt Jurney, Las Cruces, N.M., 6.8. 3, Cimarron Thompson, Hobbs, N.M., 7.2. 4, Tyke Kipp, Lordsburg, N.M., 11.4.
Team Roping: 1, Jesse Stipes, Salina, Okla., and Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla., 4.8 seconds. 2, Casey Gattis, Junction, Texas, and Seth Smithson, Ackerly, Texas, 6.1. 3, Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M., and Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M., 6.4. 4, Andrew Livingston, Llano, Texas, and Twister Cain, Gonzales, Texas, 15.3.
Saddle Bronc Riding: (two rides) 1, Jacob Kammerer, Philip, S.D., 72 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Short Cake. 2, Corey Terry, Brownwood, Texas, 64.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Robert Mathis, Mart, Texas, 9.3 seconds. 2, Seth Emerson, Benton, La., 10.5. 3, Michael Otero, Krum, Texas, 12.0. 4, Joey Dickens, Loveland, Colo., 12.8.
Barrel Racing: 1, Amberleigh Moore, Keizer, Ore., 16.35 seconds. 2, Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Colo., 16.75. 3, Bridget Carr, San Angelo, Texas. 4, Sable Miller, Malvern, Ark., 17.29.
Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Joseph Vazquez, Alamogordo, N.M., 79.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Long Nights. 2, Clayton Sellars, Fruitland Park, Fla., 79. 3, Colby Hill, Del Rio, Texas, 73.5.
Fifteenth Performance
Bareback Riding: 1, Paden Hurst, Cypress, Texas, 82.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Bunny Girl. 2, Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas, 81.5. 3, Anthony Thomas, Palestine, Texas, 81. 4, Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 76.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 4.8 seconds. 2, Heath Thomas, Hemphill, Texas, 7.4. 3, Termaine Debose, Anderson, Texas, 14.8. 4, Mike Cliver II, Westfield, Pa., 14.9.
Team Roping: 1, Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, Okla., and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 5.4 seconds. 2, Brenten Hall, Jay, Okla., and Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont., 5.5. 3, Brady Tryan, Huntley, Mont., and Dustin Davis, Terrell, Texas, 6.0. 4, Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo., and Bret Tonozzi, Loma, Colo., 7.6.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Tiger Lily. 2, Dawson Jandreau, Kennebec, S.D., 83.5. 3, Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla., 81.5. 4, (tie) Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah, and Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 79.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Cimarron Boardman, Stephenville, Texas, 9.6 seconds. 2, Kass Kayser, Ellensburg, Wash., 9.8. 3, Cooper Martin, Alma, Kan., 10.1. 4, Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash., 12.2.
Barrel Racing: 1, Jaime Hinton, Bulverde, Texas, 16.90 seconds. 2, Haley Wolfe, Flora Vista, N.M., 16.93. 3, Katie Pascoe, Morro Bay, Calif., 17.02. Tiffani Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 17.14.
Bull Riding: 1, Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., 79 points on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Go Texan.
Current Leaders
Bareback Riding: (first round) 1, Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, 86.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Secret Agent Man. 2, Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 85.5. 3, Jake Brown, Cleveland, Texas, 84.5. 4, Owen Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 84. 5, Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas, 83.5. 6, Seth Hardwick, Ranchester, Wyo., 82. (second round) 1, (tie) Breuer on Andrews Rodeo’s Rags to Riches and Clements on J Bar J Rodeo’s Live Bunny, 85 points. 3, Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 82.5. 4, Paden Hurst, Cypress, Texas, 80.5. 5, (tie) Kaycee Feild, and Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas, 80. (third round) 1, Clements on United Pro Rodeo’s Jungle Cat, 89 points. 2, (tie) Hooper and Hardwick, 86. 4, Hurst, 82.5. 5, Larsen, 82. 6, Hibler, 81.5 (total on three) 1, Clements, 254. 2, Breuer, 241.5. 3, Hibler, 245. 4, Hardwick, 244. 5, Larsen, 242. 6, Feild, 241.
Steer Wrestling: (second round leaders) 1, Shayde Etherton, Borden, Ind., 4.1 seconds. 2, Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.3. 3, Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss., 4.4. 4, (tie) Ricky Riley, Sapulpa, Okla.; Damian Padilla, Rio Rico, Ariz., and Jace Melvin, Bluff Dale, Texas, 4.5 (total on two) 1, Pearson, 8.5. 2, Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan., 9.0. 3, (tie) Sean Mulligan, Coleman, Okla., and Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D., 9.4. 5, Josh Clark, Warner, Okla., 6. Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 9.8.
Team Roping: (first round) 1, Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas, 4.1 seconds. 2, Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga., and Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prude, Brazil, 4.8. 3, Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M., and Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M., 4.9. 4, J.B. James, Jr., Bennett Colo., and Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 5.1. 5, (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, and Aaron Macey, Post, Texas, and Wyatt Cox, Arroyo Grande, Ca., 5.3. (second round) 1, Spencer Mitchell, Orange Cove, Calif., and Jason Duby, Klamath Falls, Ore., 4.0 seconds. 2, Mitchell Barney, Logan, Iowa, and J.W. Beck, Moville, Iowa, 4.5. 3, Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla., and Billie Jack Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 4.6. 4, (tie) Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore., and Daniel Braman IV, Victoria, Texas, and Jesse Stipes, Salina, Okla., and Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla., 4.8. 5, Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas, and Cody Hogan, Benton, Ark., 4.9. 6, Tyler Wojciechowski, Hico, Texas, and Ross Ashford, Lott, Texas, 5.1. (total on two) 1, (tie) Wojciechowski and Ashford; Snow and Thorp and Beers and Braman, 10.7 seconds. 4, (tie) Macy and Cox and Stipes and Clay, 11.3. 6, Proctor and Saebens, 14.0.
Saddle Bronc Riding: (first round) 1, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Tiger Lily. 2, Brody Cress, Hillsdale, Wyo., 86.5. 3, Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 86. 4, Mitch Pollock, Winnemucca, Nev., 84. 5, Dawson Jandreau, Kennebec, S.D., 83.5. 6, (tie) Sean Prater, Muskogee, Okla., and Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla., 81.5. (second round) 1, Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas, 86.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Orange Crush. 2, Colt Gordon, Comanche, Okla., 85.5. 3, Cress, 84. 4, Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 83.5. 5, Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, 82. 6, Cort Scheer, Douglas, Wyo. 80.5. (total on two) 1, Cress, 170.5. 2, Crawley, 163.5. 3, Gordon, 163. 4, Diaz, 161. 5, Scheer, 156.5. 6, Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 156.
Tie-Down Roping: (second round leaders) 1, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 8.1 seconds. 2, Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 8.4. 3, Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D., 8.7. 4, Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas, 8.8. 5, (tie) Cody Huber, Albia, Iowa, and J.D. McCuistion, Collinsville, Texas, 8.9. (total on two) 1, Kormos, 16.7 seconds. 2, Clif Cooper, Decatur, Texas,18.1. 3, Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 18.2. 4, Cody Quaney, Cheney, Kan., 19.1. 5, Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La.,19.5. 6, (tie) Braxton Laughlin, Sulphur, La., and Robert Mathis, Mart, Texas, 19.7.
Barrel Racing: (first round) 1, Amberleigh Moore, Keizer, Ore., 16.35 seconds. 2, Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, 16.57. 3, Taci Bettis, Round Top, Texas, 16.58. 4, Cayla Small, Burneyville, Okla.,16.61 seconds. 5, Jodi Colton, Spring Hill, Tenn., 16.62. 6, Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 16.64. 7, Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Colo., 16.74. 8, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 16.76.
Bull Riding: (first round) 1, Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburgh, Texas, 88.5 points on Silver Creek Rodeo’s Sudden Debt. 2, Lane Nobles, Gatesville, Texas, 86.5. 3, Garrett Wickett, Battle Creek, Neb., 85.5. 4, Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah, 81.5. 5, Colby Demo, Red Bluff, Calif., 81. 6, (tie) Jimy Marten, Donahue, Iowa; Laramie Mosley, Satanta, Kan., and Dave Mason, Burnet, Texas, 80. (second round) 1, Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, 87 points on Andrews Rodeo’s B A’s Unicorn. 2, Bingham, 85. 3, Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 84.5. 4, (tie) Tristan Mize, Bryan, Texas, and Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas, 84. 6, (tie) Ethan Lesiak, Clarks, Neb., and Boudreaux Campbell, Crockett, Texas, 82. (total on two) 1, Bingham, 166.5 points. 2, Demo, 161.5. 3, Mize, 156. 4, Colby Hill, Del Rio, Texas, 150. 5, Marten, 148.5. 6, Jed Jones, Garden Valley, Idaho, 129.