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Rodeo Recap: March 11 - 17

Rodeo Recap: March 11 - 17

History Making Technology and NFR Qualifying Payouts Conclude an Exciting 2024 RODEOHOUSTON

Sydney Butler
March 19, 2024

We’ve seen it for years on sports television: NFL games where the final score comes down to a referee flag or a too-close-to-call Kentucky Derby race that comes down to a nose. Instant replays are game-changing technology and often determine the outcome of sports.

For the first time in PRCA history, instant replay technology was used to confirm judge calls at the RODEOHOUSTON championships. A separate judge reviewed camera angles and used the footage to either uphold or overturn the call of the judges in the arena.

Instant replays are already in use by large-scale, high-publicity western events such as The American and PBR, so a PRCA rodeo implementing the likes is a great sign of the growth to come in our sport!

In this edition:

RODEOHOUSTON 2024 Champions and their road to $50,000
Thompson, Wright Brothers see success at Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo, Southeastern Livestock Exposition

ARE ARIAT BOOTS ACTUALLY COWBOY BOOTS?

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RODEOHOUSTON Super Series Launches Winners to Lead 2024 World Standings

RODEOHOUSTON has crowned its 2024 champions. Saddles, buckles and guitars are among the prizes awarded to champions this year.

However, it’s the $50,000 check written to the winners of the Championship Shootout that will have a lasting impact on competitors’ run for the an NFR qualification. $50,000 means a dramatic shift in the 2024 Ram World Standings, creating a tough-to-beat gap or overcoming current leaders.

In the last week of rodeo action inside Houston’s NRG Stadium, five Super Series came to a close and the top 20 from each event competed in two Semifinals for a chance at the Championship.

Two Wildcard rounds offered one last wild chance at the Championships, and the rodeo concluded with a winner-takes-all Championship Shootout round. Only the top four from each event in the Championship qualify for the Shootout and it’s the last man standing who lands the $50k cash prize.

The winners of RODEOHOUSTON will be contenders to keep your eye on for the duration of this year’s rodeo season.

Let’s meet them:

Bareback: Leighton Berry

3x NFR qualifier, Leighton Berry is two for two as both your 2023 and 2024 RODEOHOUSTON Bareback Champion. Berry qualified for the Semifinals in Super Series 3, then ended the semis in a three-way tie with Clayton Biglow and Tanner Aus, all who rode for 85.

Berry covered The Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s, Aint No Angel for 88 to win the Championship and advance himself to the final Shootout. On Shootout Sunday, Berry drew Calgary Stampede’s, Agent Lynx and rode the bronc for an impressive 91.5 points, far outscoring second place’s 87.5.

With his RODEOHOUSTON winnings, Berry now leads the Barback 2024 World Standings with over $74,000 in season earnings.

Steer Wrestling: Dakota Eldridge

Super Series 5 was a nailbiter for 10x NFR qualifier, Dakota Eldridge. He placed 5th in the first round, won the second round and didn’t even place in the third round.

Regardless, Eldridge qualified for the semis where he ran a 4.6 seconds. Although the run was impressive, Eldridge was up against Stetson Jorgensen’s 4.0, Dalton Massey’s 4.3 and Tristan Martin’s 4.4. His 4.6 was just enough for him to place fourth and qualify for the Championships.

Eldridge won the Championships then ran an 8.1 in the Shootout, his slowest time of the rodeo by almost double. Again, in a true, edge-of-your-seat RODEOHOUSTON-style finish, Tucker Allen ran a 9.9, Stetson Jorgensen a 15.2 and Dalton Massey a no-time.

$50,000 richer, Eldridge now leads the standings with just over $59,000 in 2024 season earnings.

Team Roping: J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II

J.C. Yeahquo has never qualified for the NFR; 2023 was Yeahquo’s closest finish to the top 15 and he finished 27th. This year, roping with 6x NFR qualifier and 2021 NFR Average Champ, heeler Buddy Hawkins may just be Yeahquo’s shot at Vegas after a win in Houston.

Yeahquo and Hawkins qualified for the semis in Super Series 3 with one round win under their belt, but barely made the Championships after a 6.7 second run in Semifinal 2. That said, even fourth place qualifies for the Championships and the team placed second with a 6.2. In Sunday’s Shootout, Yeahquo and Hawkins roped for 4.8 seconds, their second-fastest time of the rodeo.

Both now lead the Team Roping Header and Heeler 2024 World Standings, Yeahquo with nearly $66,000 and Hawkins with over $70,000 in season earnings.

Saddle Bronc: Damian Brennan

NFR qualifier, Damian Brennan started RODEOHOUSTON strong, winning two rounds of Super Series 3 right out of the gate. He was third going into the Semifinals with $6,000 in winnings.

Of course, in Houston, your rodeo earnings thus far are irrelevant, scorecards in the semis are reset and it’s the scores that determine the champions. In the second Semifinal, 3x NFR qualifier, Lefty Holman rode for 87, putting him in fourth place. Brennan scored an 87.5, earning him the last spot in the Championship.

From there, Brennan scored big for big checks, covering Calgary Stampede’s, Wild Cherry for 90 points to win the champs before winning the Shootout with a 91.5 on The Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s, R Watson Ed Bishop.

He now dominates the 2024 World Standings, sitting in the number one position with nearly $107,000 in season earnings. For comparison, Statler Wright sits second with $67,000.

Tie Down: Ty Harris

The 2024 Texas pro-rodeo Tie Down scene has thus far been a string of win after win for Shad “money” Mayfield.

Mayfield, the 2020 World Champion and 5x NFR qualifier, won both the San Antonio and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeos. This time, it was 5x NFR qualifier, Ty Harris’s time to shine. Harris won two rounds of Super Series 4, then beat Mayfield’s leading 8.6 second run with his own 8.3 seconds to win Semifinals 2.

After placing third in the Championships, in the end, it was Harris and his brother Joel who had a rope-off for the $50,000, Joel sealing 2024’s RODEOHOUSTON in second and Harris taking it all. Harris now sits second in the 2024 World Standings behind, you guessed it, Shad Mayfield.

Harris has earned $76,000 this season compared to Mayfield’s $103,000.

Barrel Racing: Leslie Smalygo

Consistency lead NFR qualifier, Leslie Smalygo to the Championships at RODEOHOUSTON. Smalygo won Super Series 2 with a first, second and third place finish, each run within a tenth of a second of each other. Another consistent 14.76 second run earned Smalygo a second place finish in Semifinal 2 and then she really turned up the heat.

Smalygo and her horse JustAHeartBeatTaFlame, a.k.a. “Gus,” turned a time of 14.51 in the Championships before running a 14.35 on Shootout Sunday, the single-fastest time of the entire 2024 RODEOHOUSTON tournament.

With $50,000 in her pocket and Gus by her side, Smalygo now unofficially leads the 2024 World Standings.

Bull Riding: Creek Young

There were only ten qualified rides in the Bull Riding in Super Series 3. If all riders covered their bulls, there could have been 27.

3x NFR qualifier, Creek Young was one of two qualified rides during round one, but did not make another qualified ride during the Super Series. Young found his rhythm in Semifinals 2, riding for 82.5 to earn second place behind Dustin Bouquet’s 84.

Again, he rode for eight seconds in the Championships, winning the round with an 86.5. And when it mattered most during the Shootout, Young scored his highest of the rodeo with an 87 on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s, Preacher to win himself a $50,000 check.

Young now leads the 2024 World Standings with just under $99,000 in season earnings, nearly a $25,000 lead from second place.

Breakaway: Jackie Crawford

Ties, ties and more ties about summed up 2020 NFBR World Champion, Jackie Crawford’s RODEOHOUSTON.

Crawford tied for the third/fourth place qualifying position in Super Series 5 after a no-time, a fourth place and a second place finish. She tied again for first place in Semifinals 1, roping a masterful 2.8 seconds. Again, Crawford and Taylor Munsell split second in the Championship round with a 3.1 each. Finally, on Shootout Sunday, Crawford roped a 3.7 seconds for her first solo win of the rodeo and a $50,000 check.

The win will take Crawford to unofficially lead the 2024 World Standings.

Bareback Rider Dean Thompson and the Infamous Wright Brothers Win Big in Alabama, Rio Grande, Texas

2023 was Utah cowboy, Dean Thompson’s first trip to the Thomas and Mack. He ended the year 13th but his 2024 is off to a promising start to put him back under the lights of Las Vegas and the NFR come December.

So far, Thompson won the La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros rodeo in Arizona and this past weekend, he added two more wins to his 2024 roster. Thompson won the Bareback at both the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo in Mercedes, Texas and the Southeastern Livestock Exposition in Montgomery, Alabama.

In Alabama, an 87.5 on Frontier Rodeo’s, Painted Smoke earned him the win while an 85.5 on Macza Pro Rodeo’s, Cadillac Jack got him the win at the Rio Grande. Thompson’s three big wins have paid him enough to now sit sixth in the 2024 World Standings. Generations of the infamous Wright family continue to earn success on the rodeo trail.

At the Rio Grande, 2014 World Champion Saddle Bronc rider and 4x NFR qualifier, Spencer Wright covered Macza Pro Rodeo’s, Call Me Kindra for 85.5 points to win the rodeo. And in Alabama, Statler Wright, brother of multi-World Champions, Ryder and Stetson and son of ProRodeo Hall of Fame Saddle Bronc rider, Cody, won on Frontier Rodeo’s, Big Sister with an 86.5. Statler is currently second in the ’24 standings.

Rodeo Austin Sees Early Success for Bronc Riders, Timed Event Competitors

Rodeo Austin will draws to a conclusion this week. With $450,000 in added money, the standings race continues with yet another big check from a big Texas rodeo. Here’s some highlights from the rodeo thus far:

2x NFR qualifier, Cole Franks leads the Bareback riding at Rodeo Austin with a solid 89 point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s, Amped Up. Franks currently sits 11th in the 2024
World Standings.
Fresh off his big win in Houston, Damian Brennan is currently leading the Saddle Bronc riding at Rodeo Austin. Another big win in Texas would further increase Brennan’s nearly $40,000 lead in the ’24 standings.
Steer wrestler, Justin Shaffer is currently sitting just outside the top 15 at 16th place in the World Standings. Shaffer now leads the average in Austin, hoping for a win that will boost him in the standings.
3x NFR qualifier, header Clint Summers and 13x NFR qualifier, heeler Jake Long are currently second in the Team Roping standings. They currently lead the average in Austin and a win there could be enough to bump them into first.
Finally, 4x NFR qualifier, Kassie Mowry leads the average in Barrel Racing. She’s unofficially 4th in the standings.

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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