Harris Hoping to Add Another San Antonio Rodeo Championship to Resume
By Susan Kanode
Reigning San Antonio Rodeo bull riding champion J.W. Harris won round 2 of Bracket 1 at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo Friday night. The 87-point ride on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Pinball added $3,500 to his checking account. San Antonio Rodeo photo by Scott Foley
SAN ANTONIO – Last February, J.W. Harris from Goldthwaite, Texas left the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo as the bull riding champion. The veteran competitor also won the rodeo in 2009.
He is competing at the 2020 edition of the rodeo in the first bracket. After bucking off before the required eight seconds on Thursday, he returned to the AT&T Center determined to get a score. That determination paid off. Harris was one of two bull riders that were successful in the second round of Bracket 1. He rode Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Pinball for 87 points and won $3,500. Dallee Mason of Weiser, Idaho also rode.
J.J. Elshere from Hereford, South Dakota has made the victory lap around the AT&T Center as the San Antonio Rodeo saddle bronc riding champion three times. He won both rounds of Bracket 1 and, based on the money that he has already won, he will be making plans to be back for the Semi-Finals. He has an opportunity to add to his $5,000 at the Saturday matinee. His success on Friday night came aboard a horse from Beutler and Son’s Rodeo named Nutrena’s Rage.
. Team ropers Chad Masters, from Cedar Hill, Tennessee and Wesley Thorp from Throckmorton, Texas are in a similar position as Elshere with two round wins. Masters is a two-time world champion header who won the title here in 2011. Thorp just won his first gold buckle in the heeling last December. They stopped the clock in 3.9 seconds Friday and have total earnings of $5,000.
The third round of Bracket 1 will start at 1 p.m. Saturday where Semi-Finals qualifiers will be determined. Saturday evening’s performance in the AT&T Center starts at 7 p.m. and will feature round 1 of Bracket 2.
The following are unofficial results after the first performance of the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, the 14-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year.
Bracket 1, round 2 —
Bareback Riding: 1, Dantan Bertsch, Eastend, Saskatchewan, on Korkow Rodeos’ Broken Angel, $2,500. 2, Mason Clements, Draper, Utah, 82, $2,000. 3, Logan Patterson, Kim, Colo., 81.5, $1,250. 4, Blaine Kaufman, Pretty Prairie, Kan., 70, $750.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 3.9 seconds, $2,500. 2, Justin Schaeffer, Hallsville, Texas, 4.1, $2,000. 3, (tie) Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., and Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss., 4.3, $1,000 each.
Team Roping: 1, Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn., and Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas, 3.9 seconds, $2,500 each. 2, Steven Duby, Hereford, Ore., and Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif., 4.2, $2,000 each. 3, Brandon Webb, Big Wells, Texas, and Kasper Roy, Mossleigh, Alberta, 4.6, $1,250 each. 4, Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz., and Kyle Lockett, Visalia, Calif., 4.9, $750 each.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, J.J. Elshere, Hereford, S.D., 82 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Rage, $2,500. 2, (tie) Taygen Schuelke, Newell, S.D., and Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., 80, $1,625 each. 4, (tie) Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., and Lane Schuelke, Newell, S.D., 76, $375 each.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, 8.0 seconds, $2,500. 2, Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas, 8.1, $2,000. 3, J.D. McCuistion, Collinsville, Texas, 8.2, $1,250. 4, Cody Huber, Albia, Iowa, 8.8, $750.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Tillar Murray, Fort Worth, Texas, 13.91 seconds, $2,500. 2, Lisa Thornton, Plum, Texas, 14.15, $2,000. 3, Destri Devenport, Escondido, Calif., 14.20, $1,250. 4, Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, Calif., 14.29, $750.
Bull Riding: (two rides) 1, J.W. Harris, Goldthwaite, Texas, 87 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Pinball, $3,500. 2, Dallee Mason, Weiser, Idaho, 74, $3,000.