Steer Wrestler Uses Athletic Prowess to take Lead at National Western Stock Show Rodeo
By Susan Kanode
Jesse Brown of Baker, Oregon came close to the 2.9-second arena record in the steer wrestling at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo. Brown took the lead in the second round with a 3.2. NWSS photo by Ric Andersen.
DENVER, Colo. – The National Western Stock Show Rodeo might soon be on steer wrestler Jesse Brown’s favorites list.
Brown, from Baker City, Ore., stopped the clock in 3.1 seconds at the Wednesday night performance of the rodeo. That was just two-tenths off the arena record that was set here in 1974 by Duane Foster. It was a badly needed run for Brown.
He made his first appearance at this year’s rodeo during Wednesday’s matinee and a less than stellar run, but still managed to get a 7.0 second time. Not only was he trying to win first on his next steer, he was hoping to be fast enough to be among the 24 steer wrestlers that advance to Saturday’s semifinals. With a total time of 10.1 seconds he is currently ninth.
That’s a great position to be in with just two more sets of contestants that could move him. Getting to Saturday’s rodeos is especially important for this year’s field. Those that qualify will get a fresh start and will be looking for fast times and high scores to be part of Sunday’s championship finals where the title will be based on that day’s performance. It all adds up for excitement for the cowboys and the fans.
Brown knows all about excitement and pressure. Even though he had parents that both competed and comes from a ranching background, growing up his focus was on sports that had a ball. He played football, basketball and baseball. He had hoped to get a scholarship to play basketball in college and when that didn’t pan out, he moved to Pullman, Washington where he walked on to the football team as a quarterback.
Three years later, things weren’t going like he had hoped, so he moved to Montana, started school at Montana State University and became part of their rodeo team. He qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo and has been steadily working towards a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification since.
He joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and became their steer wrestling rookie in 2017. Two years later he finished the season in 25th place. That got him a qualification into all of the big winter rodeos and he is doing his best to capitalize on opportunity.
Thursday’s rodeo action starts with a sensory-friendly performance at 10:30 a.m., where contestants will be competing in the first round. They will have their second round Thursday night at 7 p.m.
The following are results from the National Western Stock Show Rodeo.
Eleventh Performance –
Bareback Riding: 1, Yance Day, Tahlequah, Okla., 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Last Pet. 2, Cole Reiner, Kaycee, Wyo., 83.5. 3, Wyatt Bloom, Belgrade, Mont., 80.5. 4, Hunter Brasfield, Delta, Colo., 78.5.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Clayton Hass, Weatherford, Texas, 4.3 seconds. 2, Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss., 5.4. 3, Carson Good, Long Valley, S.D., 5.7. 4, Justin Kimsey, Kennewick, Wash., 5.8.
Team Roping: 1, Blake Teixeira, Tres Pinos, Calif., and Kasper Roy, Mossleigh, Alberta, 5.0. 2, (tie) Dawson and Dillon Graham, Wainwright, Alberta; and Kellan and Carson Johnson, Casper, Wyo.; 5.1 each. 4, (tie) Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, Alberta and Hunter Koch, Vernon, Texas; and Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz., and Trey Yates, Pueblo, Colo.; 6.4.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., 86 points on New West Pro Rodeo’s Moderation. 2, Trayson Antonick, Overton, Texas, 83. 3, Logan Cook, Alto, Texas, 79.5. 4, Lane Schuelke, Newell, S.D., 78.5.
Tie Down Roping: 1, Hagen Haouck, Byers, Texas, 7.9. 2, Maverick Harper, Iowa, La., 8.9 seconds. 2, Maverick Harper, Iowa, La., 8.9. 3, (tie) Jarrett Oestmann, Limon, Colo., and Buck Tate, McLean, Texas, 9.2.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Christine Laughlin, Reddick, Fla., 15.33 seconds. 2, Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., 15.36. 3, Sissy Winn, Chapman Ranch, Texas, 15.44. 4, Nicole Waggoner, Pueblo West, Colo., 15.66.
Bull Riding: (two rides) 1, Jimy Marten, Donahue, Iowa, 84 points on JK rodeo’s Flashbang. 2, Kyle Gardner, Kersey, Colo., 72.
Twelfth Performance –
Bareback Riding: 1, Wyatt Bloom, Bellgrade, Mont., 83.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Lunatic Sister. 2, Hunter Brasfield, Delta, Colo., 80. 3, Cole Reiner, Kaycee, Wyo., 79. 4, Joel Schlegel, Burns, Colo., 77.5.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Jesse Brown, Baker, Ore., 3.1 seconds. 2, Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 4.5. 3, Steve Culling, Fort St. John, British Columbia, 4.6. 4, Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 5.3.
Team Roping: 1, Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D., and Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala., 4.1 seconds. 2, Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, Alberta, and Hunter Koch, Vernon, Texas, 4.9. 3, Brady Tryan, Huntley, Mont., and Cullen Teller, Fort Collins, Colo., 6.6. 4, Billy Bob Brown, Carbon, Texas, and Chad Williams, Stephenville, Texas, 19.0.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Parker Fleet, Axtell, Texas, 86 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Risky Business. 2, Logan Cook, Alto, Texas, 81.5. 3, Parker Kempfer, Melbourne, Fla., 79.5. 4, Trayson Antonick, Overton, Texas, 77.
Tie Down Roping: 1, Ike Fontenot, Ville Platte, La., 8.0 seconds. 2, Buck Tate, McLean, Texas, 8.4. 3, Zack Jongbloed, Iowa, La., 9.2. 4, Jarrett Oestmann, Limon, Colo., 9.3.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Cindy Smith, Lovington, N.M., 15.03 seconds. 2, Christine Laughlin, Reddick, Fla., 15.14. 3, Nicole Waggoner, Pueblo West, Colo., 15.46. 4, Victoria Williams, Kiln, Miss., 15.49.
Bull Riding: (one rides) 1, Dakota Nye, Keosauqua, Iowa, 81 points on Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Mercenary.
Current Leaders –
Bareback Riding: (first round) 1, Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 88 points on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Black Sunday. 2, (tie) Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb., and Chance Ames, Rock Springs, Wyo., 85 each. 4, Mason Clements, Draper, Utah, 84.5. (Second round) 1, O’Connell, 87.5 points on Cervi Brother’s Living the High Life. 2, Taylor Broussard, Estherwood, La., 87. 3, Chad Rutherford, Lake Charles, La., 86.5. 4, (tie) Kory Hart, Bloomfield, N.M., and Spur Lacasse, Calgary, Alberta, 85.5 each. (Total on two) 1, O’Connell, 175.5. 2, Shadbolt, 168.5. 3, Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 167.5. 4, Lacasse, 167.
Steer Wrestling: (first round) 1, Riley Duvall, Checotah, Okla., 3.9 seconds. 2, (tie) Jace Melvin, Fort Pierre, S.D.; Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Idaho; and Jacob Edler, State Center, Iowa, 4.0 each. (second round) 1, Jesse Brown, Baker, Ore., 3.1. 2, Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho, 3.8. 3, Justice Johnson, Bismarck, N.D., 3.9. 4, Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, Mont., 4.0. (total on two) 1, Melvin, 8.2. 2, Edler, 8.8. 3, Jorgensen, 9.2. 4, Cade Goodman, Waelder, Texas, 9.3.
Team Roping: (first round) 1, Kade Smith, Post, Texas and Levi Tyan, Wallace, Neb., 4.7 seconds. 2, Brenten Hall, Jay, Okla., and Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont., 4.8. 3, Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 5.9. 4, (tie) Charly Crawford, Stephenville, Texas, and Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M.; and Blake Teixeira, Tres Pinos, Calif., and Casper Roy, Mossleigh, Alberta; 5.0 each. (second round) 1, Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Alabama, and Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 4.1. 2, Travis Bounds, Clifton, Colo., and Joe Roderick, Loma, Colo., 4.2. 3, Steven Duby, Klamath Falls, Ore., and Jason Duby, Hereford, Ore., 4.5. 4, Ty Blasingame, Casper, Wyo., and Cody Hintz, Refugio, Texas, 4.6. (total on two) 1, Smith and Tyan, 9.7. 2, (tie) Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo.; and Hall and Tryan, 10.3. 4, Coy Rahlmann, Ellsinore, Mo., and Ryan Von Ahn, Palmyra, Mo., 10.4.
Saddle Bronc Riding: (first round) 1, Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., 86 points on New West Rodeo’s Moderation. 2, Leon Fountain, Socorro, N.M., 85.5. 3, (tie) Brody Cress, Hillsdale, Wyo., Kobyn Williams, De Berry, Texas; and Trayson Antonic, Overton, Texas, 83 points each. (second round) 1, Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah, 88 points on The Cervi Brother’s Tank. 2, (tie) Parker Fleet, Axtell, Texas and Ty Manke, Rapid City, S.D., 86. 4, Kobyn Williams, 85.5. (total on two) 1, Williams, 168.5. 2, Fountain, 166.5. 3, Ryder Wright, 166. 4, Chet Johnson, Douglas, Wyo., 163.5.
Tie Down Roping: (first round) 1, Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M., 6.9 seconds. 2, Ryle Smith, Oakdale, Calif., 7.7. 3, Hagen Houck, Byers, Texas, 7.9. 4, Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 8.1. (second round) 1, (tie) Harris and Chase Williams, Stephenville, Texas, 7.3 each. 3, Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., 7.7. 4, Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas, 7.8. (total on two) 1, Harris, 15.4. 2, Williams, 16.4. 3, Hughes, 16.6. 4, Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla., 16.8.
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, (tie) Sabra O’Quinn, Ocala, Fla., and Wendy Hoefer, Fort Lupton, Colo., 15.23. (second round) 1, Alishea Broussard, Estherwood, La., 14.94. 2, Tillar Murray, 15.00. 3, Cindy Smith, Lovington, N.M., 15.03. 4, Jimmie Smith, 15.10. (total on two) 1, Murray, 29.97. 2, Jimmie Smith, 30.20. 3, Hurst, 30.34. 4, Christine Laughlin, Reddick, Fla., 30.47.
Bull Riding: (first round) 1, Matt Palmer, Poplar Grove, Ill., 86.5 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Political Promise. 2, (tie) Dillon Tyner, Eaton, Colo., and Cole Fischer, Jefferson City, Mo., 85 each. 4, Clayton Sellars, Fruitland Park, Fla., 84.5. (second round) 1, Toby Collins, Stephenville, Texas, 90 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Rawhide. 2, Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah, 89.5. 3, Hawk Whitt, Thermopolis, wyo., 87.5. 4, (tie) Sellars and Ruger Piva, Challis, Idaho, 86.5 points each. (total on two) 1, Collins, 174. 2, Sellars, 171. 3, Shad Winn, Nephi, Utah, 158. 4, Coy Pollmeier, Fort Scott, Kan., 157.5.