Murray Holds Early Lead in Denver
Denver, Colorado—From when the gates first crack for its opening performance on January 16 through the short round slated for the afternoon of January 26, the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo delivers 20 star-studded rodeo performances. New for 2020 is the incorporation of an action-packed tournament-style format. The initial field of 80 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association barrel racers make two back-to-back runs in an attempt to qualify for the rodeo’s progressive round of the fastest 24 on two runs. From the top 24 round held in the three performances taking place on Saturday, January 25, competitors hope to rank among the top 12 finalists who will ultimately vie for the rodeo championship on Sunday, January 26. Those 12 contestants will once again start at zero. Whoever has the fastest time will be crowned Denver’s champion.
Springer, Oklahoma’s Ivy Hurst set a hot pace during Thursday’s opening night of competition when she teamed with Top Of The Roc (“Diddy”) to post a 15.03. By Sticks An Stones and out of the Cash Not Credit daughter Top Bug Cash, Top Of The Roc helped Hurst finish among the top 30 in the 2019 WPRA world standings. Hurst’s run is the second-fastest time of the rodeo thus far. She currently sits second in round one behind Tillar Murray and is third in the aggregate.
Challenging the fast pace set by Hurst during the opening set was 2017 National Finals Rodeo qualifier Tillar Murray, Fort Worth, Texas, who competed in the third and fourth performances. Murray rode Royal Star Commander to a 14.97 and the fastest time of the rodeo after eight performances are in the books. By AR Star and out of Go Royal Scarlett by Royal Go Go, “Commander” was purchased from Jim Haislip and his late wife and three-time NFR qualifier Ruth. Commander helped Deb Guelly qualify for the Wrangler NFR in 2015 and has carried Murray to numerous championships including Cheyenne Frontier Days in 2016. Murray came back with a 15.00 on her second run to put a lock on the current average standings with a 29.97 on two runs. She will be back for the progressive round in pursuit of a NWSS barrel racing title.
The 2018 WPRA Rookie of the Year Jimmie Smith rode her palomino mare Lena On The Rocks (“Lena”) to two identical times of 15.10 in both the first and second performances to sit second in the aggregate with a 30.20 on two runs.
Fast times in the seventh and eighth perfs were clocked by Sabra O’Quinn riding Bring It On Guys to a 15.23, and Amberleigh Moore and CP Dark Moon with a 15.14, respectively. O’Quinn is splitting third in the first go round with Colorado’s Wendy Hoefer and Moore is placing fourth in the second round, however downed barrels in round one cost her a spot in the aggregate.
A nationally recognized Western heritage and entertainment event, the NWSS hosts one of the world’s richest regular season professional rodeos making the event a season opening pacesetter for WPRA athletes in pursuit top ranking in the 2020 world standings. The NWSS attracts over 650,000 annual visitors, many of whom are on hand to witness the fast horses and hard riding ladies of professional rodeo.
The stock show was established in 1906 to promote agricultural endeavors and provide scholarships for students interested in the field. The NWSS will drive a projected $120 million in economic impact to the Denver Metro area this January and raise more than $500,000 for the National Western Scholarship Trust, which distributes more than 100 scholarships to students in the fields of agricultural sciences, rural medicine and veterinary medicine.
1st performance Women’s Barrel Race, January 16: 1, Ivy Hurst, Top Of The Roc, Springer, Okla., 15.03 seconds. 2, Jimmie Smith, McDade, Texas, 15.10. 3, Wendy Hoefer, Fort Lupton, Colorado, 15.23. 4, Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas, 15.33.
2nd performance Women’s Barrel Race, January 17: 1,Jimmie Smith, McDade, Texas, 15.10 seconds, 2. Jennifer Sharp, Richards, Texas, 15.19. 3, Abby Pursifull, Horagio, Ark., 15.30. 4, Ivy Hurst, Springer, Okla., 15.31 seconds.
3rd performance Women’s Barrel Race, January 17: 1, Tillar Murray, Royal Star Commander, Fort Worth, Texas, 14.97 seconds. 2, Ryann Pedone, Sunset, Texas, 15.32. 3, Kellie Collier, Hereford, Texas, 15.41. 4, Shali Lord, Lamar, Colo., 15.45.
4th performance Women’s Barrel Race, January 18: 1, Tillar Murray, Royal Star Commander, Stephenville, Texas, 15.00 seconds. 2, Kellie Collier, Hereford, Texas, and Ryann Pedone, Sunset, Texas, 15.50 seconds each. 4, C.J. Vondette, Rifle, Colo., and Taryn Boxleitner, Loveland, Colo., 15.60.
5th performance Women’s Barrel Race, January 18: 1, Jill Tanner, Credit Ta Fame, Stephenville, Texas, 15.37 seconds. 2, Jamie Chaffin, Burwell, Neb., 15.43. 3, Abby Phillips, Marshall, Texas, 15.45. 4, Maggie Poloncic, Gillette, Wyo., 15.49.
6th performance, January 18: 1, Ashley Castleberry, Calfee Stormy Dash, Montgomery, Texas, 15.29 seconds. 2, Jill Tanner, Stephenville, Texas, 15.36. 3, Carley Taylor, Andersonville, Tenn., 15.40. 4, Kelsey Cadwell, Oakdale, Calif., 15.43.
7th performance, January 19: 1, Sabra O’Quinn, Bring It On Guys, Ocala, Fla., 15.23 seconds. 2, Kathy Grimes, Medical Lake, Wash., 15.52, 3, Cheyenne Allen, Mabton, Wash., 15.77. 4, Amanda Devencenty, Colorado Springs, Colo., 16.27.
8th performance, January 19: 1, Amberleigh Moore, CP Dark Moon, Keizer, Ore., 15.14 seconds. 2, Jill Wilson, Snyder, Texas, 15.19. 3, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.22. 4, Brittney Barnett, Joliet, Mont., 15.24.
Women’s Barrel Race: (first round) 1, Tillar Murray, Fort Worth, Texas, 14.97 seconds. 2, Ivy Hurst, Springer, Okla., 15.03. 3, Jimmie Smith, McDade, Texas, 15.10. 4, Wendy Hoefer, Fort Lupton, Colo., 15.23. (second round) 1, Tillar Murray, 15.00. 2, Jimmie Smith, 15.10. 3, Jennifer Sharp, Richards, Texas, 15.19. 4, Ashley Castleberry, Montgomery, Texas, 15.29. (total on two) 1, Murray, 29.97. 2, Smith, 30.20. 3, Hurst, 30.34. 4, (tie) Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas, and Jill Tanner, Stephenville, Texas, 30.73.
Top 24 through eight performances
1. Tillar Murray, 29.97
2. Jimmie Smith, 30.20
3. Ivy Hurst, 30.34
4. Jill Tanner, 30.73
5. Tiany Schuster, 30.73
6. Karson Bradley, 30.74
7. Ryann Pedone, 30.82
8. Kellie Collier, 30.91
9. Ashley Castleberry, 30.92
10. Kathy Grimes, 30.98
11. Carly Taylor, 31.05
12. Abby Phillips, 31.12
13. Kelsey Cadwell, 31.17
14. Taryn Boxleitner, 31.19
15. Shali Lord, 31.25
16. Megan Champion, 31.41
17. CJ Vondette, 31.44
18. Andrea Busby, 31.90
19. Callie Colden, 34.97
20. Jennifer Sharp, 35.64
21. Sabra O’Quinn, 35.67
22. Jill Wilson, 35.69
23. Maggie Poloncic, 35.85
24. Abby Pursifull, 35.86
Stay tuned to wpra.com and our Facebook page for updates from Denver and other major rodeo events.
For more information on the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, visit nationalwestern.com.
Courtesy of WPRA