World Champion Tie-Down Roper Advances to San Antonio Rodeo Semifinals
By Susan Kanode
For the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo
World champion tie-down roper Caleb Smidt from Bellville, Texas, will compete at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo semifinals thanks to this 7.4-second run. He won the third bracket and $2,281. – San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo photo by Greg Westfall.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – It was a last ditch effort that paid off for reigning world champion tie-down roper Caleb Smidt at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo Thursday night.
Smidt, from Bellville, Texas, stopped the clock in 7.4 seconds to win the third round of the bracket and $2,281. That was just enough money to advance him to the semifinals. Smidt was riding his nine-year-old bay gelding that he calls Pockets. Pockets has been his go-to horse for just over a year. Their first competition was right here in the AT&T Center one year ago where they won $1,171.
The winter rodeos and being in buildings have never been Smidt’s favorites, but after earning $154,904 at last year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) and leaving with the world title, being inside isn’t such a bad thing. And, while he hasn’t had much luck at the winter building rodeos previously, a win here would certainly change that and bump him up in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings.
Smidt is a former National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association all-around champion who graduated from Sam Houston State University with a degree in ag business. He qualified for his first NFR in 2013 and was making a bid to go back again in 2014.
As an all-around talent, he also competes in the team roping and did compete in steer wrestling. He was at his home practicing steer wrestling using a machine. The machine malfunctioned and took off one way. His body went the opposite direction. The accident resulted in a compound fracture that required two surgeries. He doesn’t compete in steer wrestling now even though doctors have told him that his leg is stronger now than it ever was.
Concentrating on roping is working out well for him. He is currently 11th in the team roping – heading standings and second in the all-around. When he comes back here to compete in the semifinals, he will also have another new title – dad. His wife Brenna is expecting their first child any day now.
The big money winner in the third bracket was another tie-down roper, Reese Riemer from Stinett, Texas. Riemer never got to make a victory lap around the arena for winning a round. However, he placed second each of the three times he roped and has earned $5,132 here so far.
The tenth performance on Friday night will start the fourth bracket of competition. Ten new contestants in all of the events will have their first round of three rounds of competition. Action gets underway at the AT&T Center at 7:30 p.m.
The following are results from the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo which features over $1.65 million in cash and prizes.
Bracket 3, round 3 followed by semifinals qualifiers (ninth performance)
Bareback Riding: 1, Mason Clements, Sandy, Utah, 86 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Hot Valley, $2,281. 2, Grant Denny, Minden, Nev., 82.5, $1,711. 3, R.C. Landingham, Paso Robles, Calif., 82, $1,141. 4, (tie) Tyler Scales, Severance, Colo.; J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo.; Caine Riddle, Vernon, Texas; and Jake Brown, Hillsboro, Texas, 79.5 and $143 each. (semifinals qualifiers) 1, Brown, $4,420. 2, Clements, $4,277. 3, Denny, $2,851. 4, Landingham, $2,281.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D., 3.8 seconds, $2,291. 2, (tie) K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, and Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 4.3 and $1,426 each. 4, Olin Hannum, Malad, Idaho, 4.8, $570. (semifinals qualifiers) 1, Jacob Shofner, Huntsville, Texas, $3,421. 2, Jones, $3,136. 3, (tie) Rinehart and Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., $2,281 each.
Team Roping: 1, JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, and Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M., 4.4 seconds, $2,281. 2, Manny Egusquiza Jr., Marianna, Fla., and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla., 4.5, $1,711. 33, Doyle Hoskins, Chualar, Calif., and Wyatt Cox, Arroyo Grande, Calif., 5.3, $1,141. 4, Jake Orman, Prairie, Miss., and B.J. Dugger, Three Rivers, Texas, 5.6, $570. (semifinals qualifiers) 1, Egusquiza dn Torres, $3,992. 2, Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M., and Tyler McKnight, Wells, Texas, $3,422. 3, LeMond and Cooper, $2,851. 4, Adam Rose, Willard, Mo., and Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas, $2,281.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah, 83 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Matterhorn, $2,281. 2, Chet Johnson, Douglas, Wyo., 82.5, $1,711. 3, Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 82, $1,141. 4, Joaquin Real, Santa Paula, Calif., 81, $570. (semifinals qualifiers) 1, Boore, $3,992. 2, DeMoss, $2,851. 3, Johnson, $2,566. 4, Troy Crowser, Whitewood, S.D., $2,281.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, 7.4 seconds, $2,281. 2, Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 7.7, $1,711. 3, Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 8.5, $1,141. 4, Tyler Prcin, Alvord, Texas, 11.1, $570. (semifinals qualifiers) 1, Riemer, $5,132. 2, (tie) Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas; Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas; and Sterling Smith, Stephenville, Texas; $2,281 each.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Alexa Lake, Richmond, Texas, 13.96, $2,281. 2, Sarah McDonald, Brunswick, Ga., 14.23, $1,711. 3, (tie) Britta Thiel, Belle Fourche, S.D., and Megan Swint, Lithia, Fla., 14.24, $855 each. (semifinals qualifiers) 1, (tie) Lake and McDonald, $3,422. 3, Thiel, $2,566. 4, Shelby Herrmann, Stephenville, Texas, $2,281.
Bull Riding: 1, Jacob O’Mara, Baton Rouge, la., 86 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Cowboy Cool, $2,281. 2, Cody Teel, Kountze, Texs, 84, $1,711. 3, Garrett Tribble, 79.5, $1,141. 4, (tie) Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., and Clayton Foltyn, Winnie, Texas, 78 and $285 each. (semifinals qualifiers) 1, O’Mara, $4,562. 2, Teel, $3,992. 3, Kimzey, $3,709. 4, Parker Breding, Edgar, Mont., $1,711.
Courtesy of PRCA