Rodeo Recap - Elizabeth Stampede

Article and photos by Tyler Stockton

After the tractor crew managed to work some of the standing water back into the rain-soaked arena at Casey Jones Park, the Elizabeth Stampede ground conditions got better – much better. Running at draw No. 40 in the slack section consisting of 56 barrel racers, the arena record Meghan Johnson set will hold up for at least another year. Johnson’s 15.87 won the rodeo, annihilating the record in the process. Johnson rode her gritty 13-year-old sorrel mare, WW Nellie Laveaux (First Down Laveaux x Dashin Dannell x Dashing Encounter), to the win worth $1,532.The Deming, N.M., cowgirl is ranked No. 8 in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world standings with $37,088.

Paige Willis held onto second-place with a 16.11-second run. The WPRA Rookie from Goshen, Ala., earned $1,313 for her efforts to keep her solidly positioned among the WPRA’s current top 30 at No. 27 with $18,001, and third in the Rookie of the Year standings.

Colorado cowgirls dominated the next placing positions (third through eighth) with Jenna Waggoner claiming third with her 16.16-second run in Sunday’s afternoon performance for earnings of $1,094. That bumped Wendy Chambers down to fourth (16.26) and Ivy Conrado riding last year’s standout derby horse, C Four Tibbie Stinson, down to fifth (16.27).Jenna Waggoner’s younger sister, Nicole, laid down a great run during Sunday’s third and final performance, as well. Her 16.32 was good enough for sixth. Also moving into the money during the final performance was Kelly Schnaufer, who posted a 16.35 to tie C.J. Vondette, splitting seventh and eighth place monies. Megan Swint, Lithia, Fla., whose 16.42 was leading after the Saturday afternoon performance, moved down to ninth place, and Amy Jo Farella and Jean Winters split 10^th place.

Elizabeth Stampede Results

1. Meghan Johnson – 15.87; $1,531.82 Meghan Johnson