Rodeo Recap: February 4 - 11

Rodeo’s winter run continues in Texas

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Comparing Top Circle Y Saddles

When it comes to saddles, few names ring as true as Circle Y. With a legacy that's deeply rooted in American tradition, they've set the standard for what riders expect and deserve. But there's a lot of diversity in their lineup. Let’s break it down and help you find the right fit.

Did you watch the Super Bowl? If so, you might have noticed National Anthem singer, Reba McEntire was wearing a PRCA World Champion buckle. That buckle belonged to McEntire’s father, who is a three-time World Champion Steer Roper. What an honor to see rodeo represented on the NFL’s biggest stage!

Rodeo’s Winter Run Continues in Texas with the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo

The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is next-up on the list of Texas’s must-hit rodeos. The payout is Texas-sized too at over $1.5 million. The rodeo is a five bracket-style competition, with four rounds in each bracket. The top four high scorers in each event of each bracket qualify for the semifinals, the rest compete in a wildcard round before the Championship takes place. Here’s who’s qualified since the rodeo began February 8th, with two brackets complete:

Here’s Your Qualifiers:

Bareback

Bracket 1: Kade Sonnier, Bronc Marriott, Luke Thrash & Weston Timberman 

Sonnier finished 3rd in the 2023 World Standings and the NFR Average and is currently sitting 13th in the 2024 standings

Bracket 2: Jess Pope, Keenan Hayes, Brayze Schill & Mason Stuller

Hayes won the World in 2023 and the NFR Average, the first rookie ever to do so, and currently leads the 2024 standings. Pope finished 2nd in 2023.

Team Roping

Bracket 1: Coy Rahlmann/Billie Jack Saebens, Jake Cooper/Chase Graves, Clint Summers/Jake Long & Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson

Summers and Long finished 2023 2nd in the World Standings, Summers is a 3x NFR qualifier, Long a 13x NFR qualifier and both currently sit 7th in the 2024 standings

Bracket 2: Brady Tryan/Calgary Smith, Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, Tanner James/Sid Sporer & Andrew Ward/Tanner Braden

Wade and Thorp won the 2023 World Championship and currently sit 5th in the ’24 standings. Ward finished 2023 in 3rd place and currently sits 11th. Tryan currently sits 14th in the 2024 standings

Saddle Bronc

Bracket 1: Ryder Sanford, Keene Justesen, Parker Fleet & Logan Cook 

Sanford finished 14th in 2023 and currently sits 11th in the ’24 standings. Fleet currently sits 5th and Cook is 8th in the ’24 standings.

Bracket 2: Statler Wright, Zeke Thurston, Sage Newman & Quintin McWhorter

Thurston won the 2023 World Championship and the NFR Average. He’s a 4x World Champion and 9x NFR qualifier. He currently sits 9th in the ’24 standings. Newman is a 3x NFR qualifier and ended 2nd in 2023. Wright is currently first in the 2024 World Standings.

Tie Down

Bracket 1: Cole Walker, Brushton Minton, Kincade Henry & Joel Harris

Minton finished 15th in the 2023 World Standings and is currently second in the ’24 standings. Henry finished 2023 8th and is a 2x NFR qualifier. Harris is currently 7th in the ’24 standings.

Bracket 2: Luke Potter, Hunter Herrin, Guy Raasch & Haven Meged

Herrin is a 13x NFR qualifier and finished 2023 9th in the world. Meged is the 2019 World Champion and finished 2nd in 2023, Meged is currently 4th in the 2024 World Standings

Barrel Racing

Bracket 1: Shelley Morgan, Dona Kay Rule, Ashley Castleberry & Emily Beisel

Multi-time NFR qualifier Beisel finished 2023 5th in the world. Castleberry is currently 3rd in the ’24 standings.

Bracket 2: Preslie Reid, Sue Smith, Jodee Miller & Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi

Multi-time NFR qualifier and reigning World Champion Pozzi Tonozzi is currently 10th in the 2024 World Standings; Reid is currently 14th; Smith finished 14th for 2023.

Bull Riding

Bracket 1: Luke Mast, Creek Young, Fulton Rutland & JaCauy Hale

Young is a 3x NFR qualifier and finished 6th in the ’23 standings, he’s currently 2nd in the world.

Bracket 2: Clayton Sellars, T Parker, Jack Gilmore & Jace Trosclair

Sellars is a 3x NFR qualifier and sits fourth in the ’24 World Standings. Parker finished 2023 in 13th after his first NFR and is now 7th. Trosclair is currently 3rd in the 2024 standings.

Breakaway

Bracket 1: Erin Johnson, Tacy Webb, TiAda Gray & Taylor Munsell

Johnson ended 2023 15th in the World Standings. Munsell is currently 5th in the ’24 standings.

Bracket 2: Nicole Baggarley, Maddy Deerman, Shelby Boisjoli-Meged & Shai Schaefer

Deerman is currently 8th in the ’24 World Standings. Boisjoli-Meged is the reigning 2023 NFBR World Champion and currently sits 9th. Deerman is currently 8th in the 2024 World Standings.

Dixie National Rodeo Ropes Off to a Southern Start

It doesn’t get much better than rodeo in the South, especially in the winter! The Dixie National Rodeo is a Mississippi staple, and nine days of rodeo kicked off over the weekend. Already, big names and NFR champs are leading the board. Ryder Wright is tied for first after an 85.5 on United Pro Rodeo’s, Concho. Stevi Hillman is tied for third after a 13.84 second run, a flying-high 13.6 leads the barrels. With a full week of rodeo action to go, expect the list of greats on the Dixie National day sheets to grow.

Check back next week and each week thereafter for all the highlights on your favorite contestants as they work their way down the 2024 rodeo road.

- Richard S.

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