Bull Rider Pockets $4,400 With Fort Worth’s Rodeo Semifinal in Sight
By Johna Cravens
Gavin Michel rode Rafter G Rodeo’s bull High Voltage for 82 points and a $4,400 paycheck at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament January 27. FWSSR photo by James Phifer
FORT WORTH, Texas — Gavin Michel, a bull rider whose “Show Me” state roots run deep, showed the crowd at the fifth performance of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s (FWSSR) ProRodeo Tournament his determination to advance.
The Missouri native, who will graduate in May from Texas A & M University-Commerce with an agricultural business degree and a minor in finance, was the only one of eight bull riders to ride for the required eight seconds Monday night. He scored 82-points on Rafter G Rodeo’s bull High Voltage, a fast, black, spinning bull that changed directions mid-ride.
As the only qualified ride, Michel won all the night’s bull riding prize money – $4,400. In all eight contest events, seven groups of eight athletes compete in two rounds of competition with advancement to the semifinals hinging on being one of the two top money winners from each set.
The 22-year-old cowboy who resides in Sulphur Springs, Texas, is a virtual lock to be one of the bull riders moving to the semifinals from this, the third set. With only another $4,400 left to be won in this bull riding on Tuesday, no other bull rider in this set will be able to win more than Michel already has in his pocket.
“It’s very exciting,” Michel said of knowing he will ride in a semifinal. “I came to ride a bull and do my job.”
This is his biggest professional rodeo win to date. He qualified for the Great Lakes Circuit Finals in 2019, the College National Finals Rodeo in 2018 and represented Missouri at the National High School Finals Rodeo twice, but Michel has an unorthodox method of preparation.
Most cowboys in the bucking horse and bull riding events try to find out as much as they can about the animal they will be riding in advance.
“I usually don’t look my bulls up,” Michel said. “I expect to ride through whatever moves they make.
Two-time world champion barrel racer Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi of Lampasas, Texas, was the final barrel racer to compete on Monday. Riding her sorrel mare KissKiss BangBang, known as Mona, Tonozzi ran the fastest time of the first five performances – 16.42 to win the round and $1,760.
She has qualified for 13 Wrangler National Finals Rodeos (WNFR) and is the early season leader in the 2020 world championship standings. Her husband, team roper Garrett Tonozzi, and his partner Dustin Davis placed fourth in the team roping Monday night and both Tonozzis will be aiming for more cash and a semifinals berth on Tuesday.
Tuesday is “Stock Show Goes Pink” day to support breast cancer awareness. The FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament continues Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. with the same set of rodeo athletes competing in their second round.
Two-time world champ and 2020 standings leader Brittany Tonozzi rode KissKiss BangBang (Mona) to win the fifth performance of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament January 27. Their time of 16.42 seconds is the fastest run thus far in the rodeo that ends February 8. FWSSR photo by James Phifer
The following are unofficial results from the fifth performance of the FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Monday, January 27, 2020.
Bareback riding: 1, Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 88 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Rodeo’s Right Angle, $1,760. 2, Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas, 86, $1,320. 3, Cauy Pool, Redmond, Ore., 83, $880. 4, Paden Hurst, Huntsville, Texas, 79.5, $440.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 4.7 seconds, $1,760. 2, Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 6.0, $1,320. 3, Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho, 8.9, $880. 4, Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 9.0, $440.
Breakaway Roping: 1, Cassidy Boggs, Stephenville, Texas, 2.1 seconds, $1,906.66. 2, Loni Lester, Gonzales, Texas, 2.5, $1,466.66. 3, Sarah Morrissey, Ephrata, Wash., 12.2, $1,026.66.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah, 89 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Dreamliner, $1,760. 2, Colt Gordon, Comanche, Okla., 86, $1,320. 3, Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, 82.5, $880. 4, Ben T. Anderson, Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, 81, $440.
Tiedown Roping: 1, John Douch, Huntsville, Texas, 10.0 seconds, $1760.2, Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 10.2, $1,320. 3, Trenton Smith, Bigfoot, Texas, and Westyn Hughes, Caldwell, Texas, 10.5, $660 each.
Team Roping: 1, Billy Bob Brown, Carbon, Texas, and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 4.7 seconds, $1,760 each. 2, Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C., and Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 4.8, $1,320 each. 3, Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn., and Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas, 5.0, $880 each. 4, Garrett Tonozzi, Lampasas, Texas, and Dustin Davis, Terrell, Texas, 5.5, $440.
Barrel Racing: 1, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Lampasas, Texas, 16.42 seconds, $1,760. 2, Sabra O’Quinn, Ocala, Fla., 16.53, $1,320. 3, Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla., 16.57, $880. 4, Megan Champion, Ukiah, Calif., 16.64, $440.
Bull Riding: (one ride) 1, Gavin Michel, Sulphur Springs, Texas, 82 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s High Voltage, $4,400.