CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 27, 2019) – Tilden Hooper and his traveling partner Kaycee Feild are going to be duking it out at Frontier Park on Sunday hoping one of them leaves with the bareback riding title at the 123rd edition of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.
Hooper, from Carthage, Texas, won the second semifinals on Saturday afternoon with an outstanding 90-point effort on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Shoot the Moon. That added $3,081 to his checking account, but most importantly it advanced him to Sunday’s finals. Prior to Cheyenne’s rodeo, he was fifth in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings and is looking forward to his sixth trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) next December.
Money won now will keep him in the top 15 that make the trip to Las Vegas to compete at the NFR and could improve his position. He is trying to catch his traveling partner, Feild, who is at the top of the world standings. Feild also qualified for Sunday’s Championship Finals with an 85.5-point ride. With the new bracketed format at the “Daddy of ‘em All,” scores and times from previous competition do not carry over. So, whoever has the highest-marked ride or fastest time on Sunday will be the champion in every event other than steer roping. That title will be awarded based on a total on three runs.
While Feild has four world titles to his credit and is looking to win his fifth, he has yet to win a championship at Cheyenne. As the bareback riders were getting prepared to ride on Saturday, no one was more excited than he was. Hooper is also looking for his first buckle from the “Daddy of ‘em All.” Three bareback riders that have already won the title here were among the six that advanced from Saturday to Sunday. They include Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba (2016); Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minnesota (2015): and Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas (2014).
The Cheyenne Frontier Days saddle bronc riding rookie champion was crowned on Saturday. The first-year card holders had two rounds of competition that started at the first performance one week ago. The rookie contest started here in 1911. This year’s winner was Jacob Kammerer from Philip, South Dakota. He had a total score of 152 points to earn $3,214. It is likely that he will be here next year competing in the saddle bronc riding.
History has been made at this year’s rodeo with the addition of women’s breakaway roping. Veteran roper and clinician Lari Dee Guy from Abilene, Texas, is one of the most successful ropers here so far. She placed second on Friday, won first on Saturday and has collected over $4,200. Guy will be among 16 ropers that will be competing for the first breakaway championship at the “Daddy.” Sunday’s rodeo will start with opening ceremonies at 12:45.
