Big Star Shines Bright at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo
Idaho’s Kash Wilson won bareback riding at the ninth performance of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament January 31. He scored 87 points on North Star Rodeo’s Big Star. FWSSR photo by James Phifer
FORT WORTH, Texas – Friday night lights were shining at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR), and among the brightest of those lights was a horse named Big Star.
That horse took bareback rider Kash Wilson to an 87-point score and earned the Gooding, Idaho resident $1,760 in the new Dickies Arena. It was an exciting way to start the ninth performance of this year’s rodeo. This first round of Bracket 5 set Wilson up to advance to the semi-finals here in the new FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament.
Wilson was elated at the prospect of getting to compete at this year’s rodeo. He has had several injuries and since this year’s entrants had to qualify, he wasn’t sure he would get in.
“It’s exciting,” Wilson said. “I’ve competed here before and never had this kind of success. This is good for my confidence. Just getting to ride here is an accomplishment but getting a first-place check is really awesome. Hopefully it keeps going through the rest of the rodeo and the year.”
Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira set themselves up to advance to the semi-finals as well. With Driggers, from Hoboken, Georgia doing the heading and Nogueira, who is a native of Brazil, heeling, they stopped the clock in 4.3 seconds Friday.
Driggers and Nogueira have qualified for the last four Wrangler National Finals Rodeo together. They are among the most exciting ropers to watch and have won many major rodeos across North America. Fort Worth’s title has eluded them, and they are hoping to change that this year. With another fast run on Saturday, they will advance and have more opportunities to add to their checking accounts and move closer to roping in the Finals on Feb. 8.
Texan Jimmie Smith clocked a time of 16.52 seconds to win the barrel racing at the ninth performance of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament January 31. Smith finished 2019 ranked 19th and is currently third in the world championship standings. FWSSR photo by James Phifer
Just over a week ago, barrel racer Jimmie Smith, made a three-hour drive to compete at Fort Worth’s invitational Rodeo X. She emerged victorious and got the $10,000 prize that went with the title. She made her first run in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association-sanctioned competition on Friday.
Smith, from McDade, Texas was the final barrel racer to compete. That didn’t slow her down one bit. She and her 10-year-old palomino mare Lena stopped the clock in 16.52 seconds to win the first round of the bracket. They earned $1,760 and will be the first runners on Saturday at the matinee.
Bracket 5 will be completed on Saturday at the matinee performance beginning at 2 p.m. Then Bracket 6, with a fresh field of eight competitors in each event, will start at 7:30 p.m.
Team ropers Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueria roped first place at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament January 31 with a time of 4.3. The veteran cowboys finished last season ranked third and second, respectively, for the heading and heeling world titles. FWSSR photo by James Phifer
The following are unofficial results from the ninth performance of the FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Friday, January 31, 2020.
Bareback riding: 1, Kash Wilson, Gooding, Idaho, 87 points on Four Star Rodeo’s Big Star, $1,760. 2, Jesse Pope, Marshall, Mo., 83, $1,320. 3, Clint Laye, Cadogan, Alberta, 80, $880. 4, Connor Hamilton, Calgary, Alberta, 77.5, $440.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D., 4.6 seconds, $1,760. 2, Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D., 4.9, $1,320. 3, Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 6.1, $880. 4, Jesse Brown, Baker City, Ore.,
Breakaway Roping: 1, Anna Bahe, Grantsville, Utah, 2.6 seconds, $1,760. 2, Makayla Boisjoli, Calgary, Alberta, 3.0, $1,320. 3, Sequin Brewer, Canyon, Texas, 3.3, $880. 4, Codi Sebastian, Dickinson, N.D., $440.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Jake Watson, Hudsons Hope, British Columbia, 85 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s The Duke, $1,760. 2, Sterling Crawley, Huntsville, Texas, 83, $1,320. 3, Jake Finlay, Goodiwindi, Australia, 82, $880. 4, Wyatt Casper, Pampa, Texas, 81, $440.
Tie-down Roping: 1, Ryle Smith, Oakdale, Calif., 9.0 seconds, $1,760. 2, Caddo Lewallen, Morrison, Okla., 9.7, $1,320. 3, Marcos Costa, Menard, Texas, 9.8, $880. 4, Cody McCartney, Ottawa Lake, Mich., 12.3, $440.
Team Roping: 1, Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga., and Junior Nogueria, Presidente Prude, Brazil, 4.3 seconds, $1,760 each. 2, Lane Ivy, Dublin, Texas, and Joseph Harrison, Marietta, Okla., 5.1, $1,320 each. 3, Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 5.2, $880 each. 4, Kaston Peavy, Bay Minette, Ala., and Trace Porter, Leesville, La., 5.4, $440 each.
Barrel Racing: 1, Jimmie Smith, McDade, Texas, 16.52 seconds, $1,760. 2, Ivy Hurst, Springer, Okla., $1,320. 3, Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, 16.60. 4, Jackie Ganter, Abilene, Texas, $440.
Bull Riding: (two rides) 1, Koby Radley, Montpelier, La., 88.5 points on North Star Rodeo’s Bit-A-Bad News, $2,420. 2, Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas, 84.5, $1,980.