Three Lead Changes in Will Rogers Coliseum
By Johna Cravens/for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo
FORT WORTH, Texas – The seventh performance the World’s Original Indoor Rodeo® Monday night in the Will Rogers Coliseum was a pivotal one with new leaders emerging in three events and significant placings in two others.
In steer wrestling, Tyler Pearson of Louisville, Miss., and Paul Melvin of Paradise, Texas, each clocked times of 4.3 seconds, which tied them for the lead in the second round. Pearson, whose time in the first round was 5.2 seconds, moved into a tie for the overall lead with Arkansas cowboy Jason Thomas. Both have a total of 9.5 seconds on two steers.
Jeff Chapman, a native of Athens, Texas, now living in Sebastopol, Miss., was the only tie-down roper to break the ten-second mark. His time of 9.9 seconds gave him the lead in the second round by 1.3 seconds. C.R. Bradley of Collinsville, Texas, roped his calf in 11.2 seconds to move into the second-place slot. Chapman and Bradley moved to first and second overall with total times of 19.4 and 21.2 seconds, respectively, in the two-head average.
The most exciting lead change was in bull riding where Rylan Wright of Heber City, Utah, rode Rafter G Rodeo’s Pacific Rim for 83 points. The 2011 World Champion, Shane Proctor of Grand Coulee, Wash., scored 79 to move into second in first round, behind Wright.
Reigning World Champion Bull Rider Sage Kimzey of Strong City, Okla., needed some help to leave the arena after bucking off his bull. Rafter G’s Lay Down Larry jerked Kimzey down face first on his shoulder before slamming him to the ground.
A pair of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo team ropers, Kelsey Parchman of Cumberland City, Tenn., and two-time World Champion Walt Woodard of Stephenville, Texas, moved into second place in round two of their event with a time of 6.6 seconds.
Saddle bronc rider Cole Elshere of Faith, S.D., another WNFR cowboy, scored 85 points on Rafter G’s Remember Me. That put him second in the first round, one point behind reigning world champion Spencer Wright.
Elshere and fellow bronc rider Cody DeMoss of Heflin, La., who just won more than $10,000 at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver this past weekend, began their bids for all-around honors at Fort Worth. Both made qualified, first-round rides in their second events, bull riding for Elshere and bareback riding for DeMoss.
The World’s Original Indoor Rodeo® continues Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. (CT) at Fort Worth’s historic Will Rogers Coliseum. The bareback, saddle bronc and bull riders who competed Monday will compete in the second round Tuesday night. Tuesday also is Stock Show Goes Pink day with proceeds from the rodeo benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation to fight breast cancer. Rodeo contestants and spectators alike are asked to wear pink to show their support for this cause.
Courtesy of PRCA