March 1, 2019, Fort Worth, Texas, Cowtown Coliseum — Dona Kay Rule and High Valor topped the third performance of RFD-TV’s The American Semifinals and took the lead in the overall standings with a 13.963.
The veteran competitor and the 10-year-old gelding by Valiant Hero and out of Rare High by Rare Form have been blazing the rodeo trail this year, making the short round at prestigious events like the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo and San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. Now, they’ve secured their ticket to AT&T Stadium for RFD-TV’s The American.
“I told my husband if I was going to make a mistake, I was going to make a mistake going fast,” Rule said with a chuckle. “[High Valor] is very kind and willing and very ethical.”
Rule has a steady game plan going into every run—to stay focused, do her job and let “Valor” do his.
“Just work,” Rule said of her game plan for AT&T Stadium. “Get my head together and don’t be distracted and do our thing as this team can.”
The final performance of the Semifinals will solidify the standings of who will be advancing on to The American on Saturday, when the final 10 competitors will make their bid for championship honors inside Cowtown Coliseum. From there, the top 10 overall in the Semifinals standings will advance to The American and go head-to-head against the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s top 10 invitees from the 2018 world standings.
The American will consist of one long round Saturday, where the top 10 Semifinals qualifiers and the top 10 invitees will be narrowed down to a field of the eight fastest times. Those top eight will advance to Sunday’s final round in AT&T Stadium, will they will make another run to be narrowed down again to the top four fastest times. Those top four will battle it out in a clean-slate shootout round to determine The American champion.
To watch Rule’s winning run, click here.
Click here for a complete list of Semifinals performances qualifiers from the slack and buyback rounds and an explanation of who advances to AT&T.
RFD-TV’s The American Semifinals Performance Three Results
- Dona Kay Rule, High Valor, 13.963
- Debbie Pate, Creditthefirefighter, 14.138
- Joy Wargo, Smokin Koa Lena, 14.207
- Halyn Lide, Jettin Ta Heaven, 14.208
- Kelsey Hayden, Buhbye, 14.267
- Cindy Patrick, Flit Ta Heaven, 14.317
- Haley Wolfe, Iron Eyes Rio Bravo, 14.337
- Kathy Grimes, KG Justiceweexpected, 14.351
- Wenda Johnson, Macgyver Moonflash, 18.973*
- Kricket Gintner, Dial A Little Fame, 19.319*
*denotes penalty
