CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 25, 2022) – Tyson Durfey of Brock, Texas, has more than $2 million in career winnings, 14 trips to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), a world championship and many other professional rodeo accomplishments, but the tie-down roper who always competes wearing a signature pink shirt has never won the championship at Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD).
Durfey, who has developed a strong mentorship program and has nearly more than half a million followers on social media, told his followers he still gets goosebumps when he backs his horse into the box at Cheyenne. In Monday’s Quarter Finals 3 Durfey was the next-to-last cowboy to rope. He roped and tied his calf in 11.8 seconds to win the day by two-tenths of a second. He advanced to the Semifinals which will be Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30.
Monday was a special day for barrel racer Emily Beisel of Weatherford, Oklahoma. Beisel rode Beau, a nine-year-old bay gelding whose registered name is Biddin on Fame, to win Quarter Finals 3 with a time of 17.49 seconds. She gave all the credit to Beau as she pointed out that the barrel racing pattern at Frontier Park is unique and requires a special horse. “I didn’t enter here for a few years,” she said, “because I didn’t have the right horse.” Beau, who is one of the calmest barrel horses entering the arena, is proving to be the right one for Beisel at the “Daddy of ‘em All.”
The three-time NFR barrel racer who is currently ranked 9th in the world championship standings was excited that her dad was able to watch her win the quarter-finals in person since he had never been to CFD. She wore red for Rita, her mother-in-law, whose 60th birthday coincided with Beisel’s win. She will be back at CFD for the Semifinals this weekend.
The bull riding competition at CFD has a different format, with riders competing in back-to-back quarter-finals performances with the top six riders each day advancing to the Semifinals. Twenty riders compete, divided into two sections within each performance.
Creek Young, the 2021 bull riding rookie of the year from Rogersville, Missouri, rode Stace Smith’s bull #606 for 88.5 points to take the lead after the first section. Former world champion Cody Teel of Kountze, Texas, made the first 90-point ride of this year’s CFD when he rode Building Champions LLC’s bull Sometime Sober to take the lead. That lead was short-lived.
The final rider of the day, reigning CFD champion Ky Hamilton, matched up with Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s bull Fire Ant. Hamilton, a two-time NFR qualifier from Mackay, Queensland, Australia, scored 92.5 points to win Quarter Finals 3. He will return to Frontier Park with the goal of becoming the fifth bull rider to win back-to-back CFD championships since the event became part of the rodeo in 1936.
Quarter Finals 4 begins at 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
CHEYENNE, Wyo (July 25, 2022)- The following are unofficial results from the Quarter Finals (first performance) at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Saturday, July 25. Payoff subject to change.
Bareback: 1, Yance Day, Tahlequah, Okla., 85.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Preacher, $2,447. 2, (tie) Lane Frost, Browns Valley, Calif., and Kyle Bloomquist, Raymond, Minn., 84.5, $1,529. 4, Matthew Smith, Saraland, Ala., 84, $611.
Breakaway: (Three times) 1, Devan McAdow, Hyannis, Neb., 5.2 seconds, $3,197. 2, Jennifer Canik, Iowa, La., 6.0, $2,459. 3,Taya McAdow, Keenesburg, Colo., 14.7, $1,721.
Tie Down Roping: 1, Tyson Durfey, Brock, Texas, 11.8 seconds, $2,000. 2, (tie) Tom Crouse, Gallatin, Mo., and Trenton Smith, Bigfoot, Texas, 12.0, $1,250. 4, Hudson Wallace, George West, Texas, 12.2, $500.
Rookie Saddle Bronc: Results pending
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 84.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Conference Call, $2,354. 2, Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, 84, $1,765. 3, Ryder Wright, Beaver, Utah, 83.5, $1,177. 4, Will Pollock, Utopia, Texas, 83, $588.
Team Roping: 1, Miles Kobold, Huntley Mont., and Clint Brower, Lander, Wyo., 8.6 seconds, $2,000 each. 2, Jeff Johnston, Thedford, Neb., and Jhett Hillman, McAlester Okla., 8.7, $1,500 each. 3, Wyatt Imus, Brenham, Texas., and Caleb Anderson, Mocksville, N.C., 8.9, $1,000 each. 4, Paul Tierney, Oklahoma City, Okla., and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 9.0, $500 each.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Will Lummus, Byhalia, Miss., 5.9 seconds, $2,000. 2, Justin Kimsey, Douglas, Wyo., 6.0, $1,500. 3, Caden Camp, 6.3, $1,000. 4, Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., 6.8, $500.
Barrel Racing: 1, Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla., 17.49 seconds, $2,353. 2, Suzanne Brooks, Seminole, Okla., 17.63, $1,765. 3, Rachelle Riggers, Lewiston, Idaho, $1,176. 4, Presley Smith, Denham Springs, La., 17.72, $588.
Bull Riding: 1, Ky Hamilton, Mackay, Queensland, Australia, 92.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Fire Ant, $2,397. 2, Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, 90.0, $1,797. 3, Creek Young, Rogersville, Mo., 88.5, $1,198. 4, Parker Breding, Edgar, Mont., 86.0, $599.
Wild Horse Race: No qualified rides
