Washington State Fair Keeping Rodeo Contestants’ Hopes Alive
By Susan Kanode
For the Puyallup Pro Rodeo
PUYALLUP, Wash. – It’s crunch time on the rodeo circuit and contestants are doing everything they can to be in the top 15 in the world standings to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December. The Washington State Fair Rodeo can help.
The regular season comes to a close the end of this month. Contestants outside of the top 15 are busy trying to earn enough money to move up in the standings. Those already in those positions are hoping to keep collecting checks and maintain their placing.
For all of them, the Justin Boots Playoffs at the Washington State Fair can be crucial. For bull rider Bryce Barrios from Bluffdale, Texas, it is very important. Barrios competed here for the first time in his career at the first of two performances on Friday. He scored 82.5 points on a bull named Wolf Hound owned by Growney Brothers.
That score put Barrios in the lead here and he is in great shape to be advance to Sunday’s championships. He currently leads the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Resistol Rookie of the Year standings with $43,083 and is the most likely candidate to earn that once-in-a-lifetime title.
Qualifying for the NFR is not out of the question either for the talented young bull rider. He is 25th in the world standings and is less than $15,000 out of the top 15. The Washington State Fair Champions in each event could win upwards of $10,000 depending on how they place in the first round. If Barrios holds onto his lead through Saturday’s performances, he is keeping his hopes of a trip to Las Vegas to compete on rodeo’s championship stage alive.
There are two performances on Saturday at 1 and 6:30. Each performance will have 12 of rodeo’s top athletes trying vying for a spot in the top eight who will compete at the Championship Finals on Sunday at 1.
For more information, complete schedules and to purchase tickets go to www.thefair.com.
PUYALLUP, Wash. – The following are results from the Justin Boots Playoffs at the Washington State Fair on Sept. 11, 2015.
First Performance –
Bareback Riding: 1, David Peebles, Redmond, Ore., 81 points on Big Stone Rodeo’s Hombre. 2, Clint Laye, Cadogan, Alberta, 75. 3, (tie) Luke Creasy, Lovington, N.M.; Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah; Nick Gutzwiler, Edwall, Wash.; and Wyatt Denny, Minden, Nev.; 74.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 4.2 seconds. 2, Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 4.4. 3, Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.9. 4, Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss., 5.3.
Team Roping: 1, (tie) Clayton Hansen, Pendleton, Ore., and Chase Hansen, Homedale, Idaho; and Spencer Mitchell, Colusa, Calif., and B.J. Campbell, Aguila, Ariz., 4.2 each. 3, Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, Alberta, and Dustin Searcy, Mooreland, Okla., 4.5. 4, Jake Stanley, Hermiston, Ore., and Bucky Campbell, Benton City, Wash., 4.6.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Coburn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah, 81 points on Big Stone Rodeo’s Banshee. 2, Doug Aldridge, Carthage, Mo., 80.5. 3, Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 80. 4, Cody Taton, Corona, N.M., 79.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.4 seconds. 2, Morgan Grant, Granton, Ontario, 9.6. 3, Robert Mathis, Mart, Texas, 10.0. 4, Michael Otero, Lowndesboro, Ala., 10.1.
Women’s Barrel Racing: 1, Jackie Ganter, Abilene, Texas, 15.06 seconds. 2, Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 15.09. 3, Alicia Stockton, Stephenville, Texas, 15.16. 4, Carlee Pierce, Marietta, Okla., 15.20.
Bull Riding: 1, Bryce Barrios, Bluff Dale, Texas, 82.5 points on Growney Brother’s Wolf Hound. 2, Pistol Robinson, Coolidge, Texas, 81. 3, McKennon Wimberly, Cool, Texas, 78. 4, Scottie Knapp, Albuquerque, N.M., 72.
Second Performance –
Bareback Riding: 1, Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 83 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Flaxy Lady. 2, Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 81. 3, Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 76. 4, Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 75.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 4.4 seconds. 2, Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 4.6. 3, Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 5.0. 4, Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 5.6.
Team Roping: 1, Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 4.3 seconds. 2, (tie) Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Dugan Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif.; and Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla., and Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 5.0 each. 4, Adam Rose, Willard, Mo., and Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas, 5.5.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D., 82.5 points on Flying Diamond Rodeo’s Pine Ridge. 2, (tie) Alex Wright, Milford, Utah, and Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah, 81. 4, (tie) Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., and Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D., 77.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., 9.8 seconds. 2, (tie) J.C. Malone, Hooper, Utah and Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla., 10.8. 4, Riley Pruitt, Gering, Neb., 12.7.
Women’s Barrel Racing: 1, (tie) Michele Mcleod, Whitesboro, Texas, and Brittany Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 14.81 seconds each. 3, Carmel Wright, Roy, Mont., 14.88. 4, Vicky Carter, Richfield, Utah, 14.97.
Bull Riding: 1, Trevor Kastner, Ardmore, Okla., 79.5 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Addictive Habit. 2, Jacob O’Mara, Baton Rouge, La., 79. 3, Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, 78. 4, Dustin Bowen, Waller, Texas, 70.
Current Leaders –
Bareback Riding: 1, Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 83 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Flaxy Lady. 2, (tie) David Peebles, Redmond, Ore., and Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 81. 4, Wyatt Denny, Minden, Nev., 78. 5, Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D., 76. 6, (tie) Clint Laye, Cadogan, Alberta and Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 75.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 4.2 seconds. 2, (tie) Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., and Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 4.4 each. 4, Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 4.6. 5, Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.9. 6, Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 5.0.
Team Roping: 1, Clayton Hansen, Pendleton, Ore., and Chase Hansen, Mountain Home, Idaho, and Spencer Mitchell, Colusa, Calif., and B.J. Campbell, Aguila, Ariz., 4.3. 3, Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 4.3. 4, Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, Alberta, and Dustin Searcy, Mooreland, Okla., 4.5. 5, Jake Stanley, Hermiston, Ore., and Bucky Campbell, Benton City, Wash., 4.6. 6, (tie) Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Dugan Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., and Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla., and Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 5.0 each.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D., 82.5 points on Flying Diamond Rodeo’s Pine Ridge. 2, (tie) CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah; Alex Wright, Milford, Utah; and Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah; 81 each. 5, Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, and Doug Aldridge, Carthage, Mo., 80.5.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.4 seconds. 2, Reese Riemer, Stinett, Texas, 9.6. 3, Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., 9.8. 4, Robert Mathis, Mart, Texas, 10.0. 5, (tie) Michael Otero, Lowndesboro, Ala.; J.C. Malone, Hooper, Utah; and Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla.; 10.8 each.
Women’s Barrel Racing: 1, (tie) Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, and Brittany Kelly, Paso Robles, Calif., 14.81 seconds each. 3, Carmel Wright, Roy, Utah, 14.88. 4, Kimmie Wall, Roosevelt, Utah, 14.96. 5, Vickie Carter, Richfield, Utah, 14.97. 6, Jackie Ganter, Abilene, Texas, 15.06. 7, (tie) Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo; Megan Williams Mariluch, Dangerfield, Texas; and Ruth Haislip, Acampo, Calif., 15.09.
Bull Riding: 1, Bryce Barrios, Bluff Dale, Texas, 82.5 points on Growny Brothers’ Wolf Hound. 2, Pistol Robinson, Coolidge, Texas, 81. 3, Trevor Kastner, Ardmore, Okla., 79.5. 4, Jacob O’Mara, Baton Rouge, La., 79. 5,(tie) McKennon Wimberly, Cool, Texas, and Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, 78 points each.
Courtesy of PRCA