February 14 Another Day at the Office for Rodeo Contestants
By Susan Kanode
Saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright of Milford, Utah won round two of Bracket 4 at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo on Friday night. Wright scored 89-points aboard Calgary Stampede’s Young Karma to earn $2,500. San Antonio Rodeo photo by Scott Foley
SAN ANTONIO – There were plenty of couples in the stands for Valentine’s Day at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo Friday, but for the contestants of Bracket 4, it was all business in the AT&T Center.
New winners emerged in every event but the barrel racing where Carly Taylor of Andersonville, Tenn., tied for the win for the second consecutive night. Taylor and Snyder, Texas, resident Jill Wilson, each had a time of 14.24 and added $2,250 to their earnings. Taylor is the high-money earner in Bracket 4 at $4,500 with one more round to go.
Saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright showed fans the style that earned him the world championship three years ago when he was just 19 years old. Wright scored 89 points on Calgary Stampede’s horse named Young Karma for $2,500. His older brother, Rusty Wright, won this rodeo in 2015. His father, Cody Wright, also has a championship buckle from San Antonio from winning the saddle bronc riding in 2007.
Ryder Wright’s win gives him an opportunity to advance to the Semifinals, but if he adds to his earnings in round 3, his chance for his first San Antonio Rodeo championship will increase. Contestants advance to the Semifinals and then the Championship Finals based on money earned, so all of the contestants are counting their dollars.
The reigning National High School Rodeo Association champion tie-down roper had the fast time in round two of Bracket 4 at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. Shad Mayfield stopped the clock in 7.7 seconds to win $2,500. San Antonio Rodeo photo by Scott Foley.
Shad Mayfield, the reigning National High School Rodeo Association tie-down roping champion is another one that got to take his first victory lap around the AT&T Center on Friday. Mayfield roped and tied his calf in 7.7 seconds for the win. That added $2,500 to his checking account. He roped here last year while he was finishing up high school. And, after winning the title in that division, he went on to qualify for last year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR).
Mayfield finished the 2019 season number 12 in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. He has his eye on a gold buckle and there is no doubt that he will achieve that goal. He is currently first in the 2020 world standings and is on track to be back at the NFR next December in Las Vegas. At win in San Antonio would be icing on the cake for the Clovis, New Mexico resident.
Jake Vold of Ponoka, Alberta won the bareback riding Friday with an 85-point ride on Championship Pro Rodeo’s King Thomas. In the steer wrestling it was Rigby, Idaho’s Dirk Tavenner that got first with a 3.9. Tanner Baldwin of Vail, Arizona and Nano Garza from Los Cruces, New Mexico along with Erich Rogers, from Round Rock, Arizona and Paden Bray from Stephenville, Texas, tied for the win in team roping.
Ruger Piva, from Challis, Idaho had the high-marked ride in bull riding. He scored 88 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Cool Arrow for the win.
The third round of Bracket 4 at the San Antonio Rodeo begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The fifth and final bracket will have their first competition Saturday evening starting at 7 p.m.
The following are unofficial results from the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, the 14-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year. Complete results are at www.sarodeo.com.
Bracket 4, Round 2 —
Bareback Riding: 1, Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 85 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s King Thomas, $2,500. 2, Garrett Shadbolt, Merrieman, Neb., 84, $2,000. 3, Connor Hamilton, Calgary, Alberta, 83.5, $1,250. 4, Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 82, $750.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Idaho, 3.9, $2,500. 2, Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore., 4.2, $2,000. 3, Jacob Edler, State Center, Iowa, and Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas, 4.8 and $1,0000 each.
Team Roping: 1, (tie) Tanner Baldwin, Vail, Ariz., and Nano Garza, Las Cruces, N.M.; and Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz., and Paden Bray, Stephenville, Texas; 4.2 and d$2,250 each. 3, Levi Simpson, Ponoka, Alberta and Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., 4.3, $1,250. 4, Garrett Tonozzi, Lampasas, Texas and Dustin Davis, Terrell, Texas, 4.7, $750.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah, 89 points on Calgary Stampede’s Young Karma, $2,500. 2, Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla., 82, $2,000. 3, Brody Cress, Hillsdale, Wyo., 80, $1,250. 4, Sterling Crawley, Huntsville, Texas, 73, $750.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M., 7.7 seconds, $2,500. 2, Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla., 8.1, $2,000. 3, Caddo Lewallen, Morrison, Okla., 8.5, $1,250. 4, Trenton Smith, Bigfoot, Texas, 9.2, $750.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, (tie) Carly Taylor, Andersonville, Tenn., and Jill Wilson, Snyder, Texas, 14.24 and $2,250 each. 3, Brooke Wills, Kamloops, British Columbiea, 14.34, $1,250. 4, Lois Ferguson, West, Texas, 14.39, $750.
Bull Riding: 1, Ruger Piva, Challis, Idaho, 88 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Cool Arrow, $2,500. 2, Colten Fritzlan, Rifle, Colo., 85, $2,000. 3, Jordan Wacey Spears, Redding, Calfir., 84.5, $1,250. 4, Brady Portenier, Caldwell, Idaho, 84, $750.