Article and results provided courtesy Cheyenne Frontier Days
JULY 19, 2019, Cheyenne, Wyoming — Frontier Park has been full of rodeo contestants for the past week, doing their best to advance into the performances at the 123rd Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo which officially gets underway July 20.
This year’s rodeo features a new format that will see contestants winning money at each performance. If they do well, they advance to the next bracket and have more opportunities to get a piece of the $1 million in prize money available.
To have a chance to pick up one of those daily checks, qualifying rounds began in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association-sanctioned barrel race and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association team roping, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. History was made here with the addition of an invitational women’s breakaway roping that had 242 entries.
With the addition of the breakaway roping, there is also a new arena record in place. Kennebec, South Dakota, resident Syerra Christensen, a former student at Cheyenne’s Laramie County Community College, set the pace with a 4.01-second run, winning a check for $4,406. She will be one of the 40 women who will rope again twice during the performances hoping to qualify for the finals.
None other than 2018 champion at the Daddy of ‘em All, Nellie Miller of Cottonwood, California, topped the first round at Cheyenne. The 2017 WPRA World Champion rode her tough mare Rafter W Minnie Reba to the title last year amidst rain and hail.
It was nothing but sunshine and clear skies as the duo made the trip around the cloverleaf pattern a week ago. They stopped the clock in 17.44 seconds and have already won $8,224. Miller will be a favorite for a repeat title but will have to advance through a quarterfinals and semifinals to have a chance at the title.
With the new format, Miller’s previous time will not carry forward. She will be one of 12 barrel racers in the first six performances. The four women with the fastest time from each of those performances will run again in the semifinals. Then the field will be narrowed to 12 for the finals, where the fastest time will get to make the victory lap around the arena as the winner.
All of these events, along with bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding were part of the first performance July 20.
CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS RESULTS
The following are results from qualifying competition at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.
Barrel Racing
1, Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, Calif., 17.44 seconds, $8,224 2, (tie) Kristy Maxwell, Springtown, Texas, and Jessi Fish, Franklin, Tenn., 17.49 and $7,049 each. 4, (tie) Halyn Lide, Stephenville, Texas, and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.55, $4,503. 6, Ryann Pedone, Decatur, Texas, 17.56, $3,133 7, Meka Farr, Honeyville, Utah, 17.60, $2,349. 8, Kortney Kizer, Pep, N.M., 17.63, $1,567.9, Lacinda Rose, Willard, Mo., 17.66, $1,175. 10 (tie), Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., and Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 17.69, $392.
Breakaway Roping
First section: 1, Sydney Graff, Lone Pine, Neb., 4.04 seconds, $4,406. 2, Tiffany Niemeietz, Floresville, Texas, 4.35, $3,338. 3, Jana Wiedman, Morrill, Neb., 4.37, $2,403. 4, Devin Nicholls, Moorecroft, Wyo., 4.46, $1,602. 5, K.L. Spratt, Phoenix, Ariz., 4.48, $935. 6, Brandi Hollenbeck, Mooreland, Okla., $668.
Second section: 1, Syerra Christensen, Kennebec, S.D., 4.01, $4,405. 2, Jordon Jo Fabrizio, Canyon, Texas, 4.42, $3,338. 3, Georgie Lage, Sughterland, Neb., 4.6, $2,403. 4, Tamara Smith, Barnsdall, Okla., 4.68, $1,602. 5, Shaley Griffin, Arthur, Neb., 4.94, $935. 6, Hannah Lee, Durant, Okla., 4.96, $668.
Team Roping
First Round: 1, Jade Stoddard, Sugar City, Idaho and Cole Cooper, Clearmont, Wyo., 7.6 seconds, $2,432. 2, Dustin Eguisquiza, Mariana, Fla., and Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 8.2 seconds, $2,115. 3, (tie) Peyton Holiday, Chouteau, Okla., and Thomas Smith, Barnsdall, Okla.; and Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev.; 8.5 and $1,639 each. 5, Travis Bard, Prescott, Ariz., and Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 9.0, $1,163. 6, (tie) Cody Hilzendeger, Bismarck, N.D., and J.C. Flake, Laramie, Wyo.; and Adam Rose, Willard, Mo., and Jett Hillman, McAlester, Okla.; 9.1, $687. 8, B.J. Campbell, Aguila, Ariz., and Carl Sweazea, Mountainair, N.M.; and Lane Ivy, Dublin, Texas, and Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., $106.
Second Round: 1, Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas, and Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla., 7.2 seconds, $2,432. 2, Tanner Baldwin, Vail, Ariz., and Nano Garza, Las Cruces, NM, 7.5, $2,115. 3, Garrett Rogers, Baker City, Ore., and Jake Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 7.8, $1.798. 4, Spencer Mitchell, Orange Cove, Calif., and Cody Doescher, Webbers Falls, Okla., 8.0, $$1,480. 5, (tie) Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D., and Blaine Vick, Breckenridge, Texas; and Joshua and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla., 8.2 and $1,005 each. 7, Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas, and Ty Arnold, Midway, Texas, 8.3, $529. 8, Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, and Colby Siddoway, Honeyville, Utah, 8.4, $212.
Overall winners on two head: 1, (tie) Dustin Eguisquiza, Mariana, Fla., and Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan.: Travis Bard, Prescott, Ariz., and Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo.; and Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas, and Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla.; 17.5 and $2,115, each. 4, Lane Ivy, Dublin, Texas, and Cesar de la Cruz, 18.6, $1,481. 5, Adam Rose, Willard, Mo., and Jett Hillman, McAlester, Okla., 19.3, $1,163. 6, Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont., and Trey Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 19.4, $846. 7, Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 19.9, $529. 8, Peyton Holliday, Chouteau, Okla., and Thomas Smith, Barnsdall, Okla., 20.1, $212.
Tie-Down Roping
First Round: 1, J.D. McCuistion, Collinsville, Texas, 10.1 seconds, $2,128. 2, Landon Mcclaugherty, Tilden, Texas, 10.4, $1,851. 3, Seth Hall, Albuquerque, N.M., 10.8, $1,573. 4, kyle dickens, 11.0, $1,296. 5, Cheyenne Stanley, Caddo, Okla., 11.1, $1,018. 6, (tie) Jason Schaffer, Broadus, Mont., and Garrett Busby, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 11.3, $601. 8, Tyler Thiel, Belle Fourche, S.D., 11.4, $185.
Second Round: 1, Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M., 9.5 seconds, $2,129. 2, Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas, 9.9, $1,851. 3, (tie) Trey Young, Duopree, S.D., and Cole Robinson, Moorecroft, Wyo., 10.1, $1,435 each. 5, Ryan Thibodeaux, Stephenville, Texas, 10.6, $1,018. 6, Tyler Prcin, Alvord, Texas, 11.0, $740. 7, Marcos Costa, Menard, Texas, 11.2, $463. 8, Ross Tucker, Archer City, Texas, 11.3, $185.
Overall winners on two head: 1, Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas, 21.6, $2,129. 2, Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M., 21.9, $1,851. 3, Ryan Thibodeaux, Stephenville, Texas, 22.3, $1,573. 4, Seth Hall, Albuquerque, N.M., 22.5, $1,296. 5, J.D. McCuistion, Collinsville, Texas, $1,018. 6, Marcos Costa, Menard, Texas, 23.6, $740. 7, Tyler Thiel, Belle Fourche, S.D., 24.0, $463. 8, Jason Schaffer, Broadus, Mont., 24.3, $185.
Steer Wrestling
First Round: 1, Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 6.4 seconds, $1,545. 2, Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb., 7.5, $1,343. 3, Riley Hamilton, Thatcher, Idaho, 8.5, $1,142. 4, Michael Bates, Jr., 9.6, $940. 6, Caden Camp, Belgrade, Mont., 10.4, $739. 6, Talon Roseland, Marshalltown, Iowa, 11.3, $537. 7, Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D., 11.5, $336. 8, Dean Stermer, Pilot Point, Texas, 11.6, $134.
Second Round: 1, Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb., 6.9 seconds, $1,545. 2, Linn Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 7.5, $1,343. 3, Troy Smotherman, Rose Bud, Ark., 8.6, $1,142. 4, Reed Kraeger, Elwood, Neb., 9.2, $940. 5, Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D., 9.5, $739. 6, Kyle Callaway, Blue Creek, Mont., 9.6, $537. 7, Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 10.5, $336. 8, (tie) Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb., and Ty Talsma, Avon, S.D., 11.0, $67 each.
Overall winners on two head: 1, Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., 16.9 seconds, $1,545. 2, Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb., 18.5, $1,343. 3, Riley Hamilotn, Thatcher, Idaho, 20.4, $1,142. 4, Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D., 21.0, $940. 5, Rileey Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb., 21.4, $738. 6, Joe Nelson, Alexander, N.D., 26.6, $537. 7, Reed Kraeger, Elwood, Neb., 28.4, $335. 8, Talon Roseland, Marshalltown, Iowa, 29.3, $134.
