2026 Rodeo Recap – July 17

Joey Williams, who earned the Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) breakaway roping championship two years ago, advanced to next week’s semifinals at the 130^th CFD. The Volberg, Montana, cowgirl won the first performance with a time of 4.9 seconds and continues her quest to take home another coveted CFD trophy buckle.  CFD photo by Hailey Rae.

Heeler Trey Yates continued his efforts to win a second Cheyenne Frontier Days title by winning the first performance with his team roping partner Riley Kittle of Woodland, Alabama. Their time of 8.3 seconds earned them $2,000 each and a spot in next week’s semifinals at Frontier Park.  CFD photo by Laura Storey.

 Rookie Hunter Greenup of Lexington, Oregon, scored 88 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s horse named Indecent Exposure to tie for first place in bareback riding at the first performance of the 130^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Greenup was using a rigging he borrowed from former world champion Jess Pope after his was damaged at a rodeo earlier this week.  CFD photo by Laura Storey.

 Kash Loyd, the 2024 National High School Bareback Riding Champion from Cleburne, Texas, rode a horse named High Hills from Stace Smith Rodeo for 88 points to tie for first place in bareback riding at the first performance of the 130^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Loyd, who won the Texas High School Rodeo Shootout in January at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, advanced to the semifinals at Frontier Park next week. CFD photo by Laura Storey.

130^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Action Underway

CHEYENNE, Wyo., (July 17, 2026) — Two former Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) champions earned wins at the first performance of the 130^th Daddy of ‘em All and have a chance to win titles here again as they advanced to next week’s semifinals.

Joey Williams of Volberg, Montana, was the next-to-last competitor in the breakaway roping. She just needed a qualified time to advance to the semifinals, but the 2023 CFD champion breakaway roper did not settle for simply advancing. Instead, she stopped the clock in 4.9 seconds to win first and nearly $2,600.

Williams, who has qualified four times for National Finals Breakaway Roping, stays busy helping run the family ranch and being mom to three children.

Trey Yates of Pueblo, Colorado, who won the CFD team roping title in 2019 with header Dustin Bird, took first place in that event Friday with header Riley Kittle of Woodland, Alabama. Their time of 8.3 seconds earned them $2,000 each and a trip to the semifinals.

Yates is part of a strong family legacy at Frontier Park. His father J.D. Yates won CFD all-around and steer roping championships and his grandfather Dick Yates and aunt Kelly Yates were also successful here.

The reigning CFD all-around champion Jake Clay of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, also advanced to the semifinals in team roping with his partner Whip Peterson of San Simon, Arizona.

A couple of young bareback riders tied for top honors with 88-point rides in a performance when a score of 85 points was not enough to be among the top 6. Kash Loyd, the 2024 National High School Champion bareback rider, scored 88 on a horse called High Hills from Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s, matching the score that Lexington, Oregon’s Hunter Greenup tallied on another Smith horse named indecent exposure. Greenup, who is currently ninth in the rookie standings, was using a rigging he borrowed from former world champion Jess Pope after his gear was damaged earlier this week.

The day’s most inspiring win was when barrel racer Anita Ellis of Blackfoot, Idaho,

smoked the field by nearly four-tenths of a second. Ellis is back in the saddle after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a horseback accident in November, keeping her from competing at her first National Finals Rodeo. Ellis, riding her six-year-old grey gelding named SGL Rico, stopped the clock in 17.87 seconds, earned more than $2,600 and advanced to the semifinals.

The day began with the grand opening of the Morning Star American Indian Village at Frontier Park, a brand new 3.8-acre venue for Native American cultural activities.

The second performance begins Saturday at 12:45 when new contestants in every event but bull riding will be vying for their spots in the Semi Finals. Bull riders compete in two consecutive performances here to try to advance to the semifinals.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 17, 2026)- The following are unofficial results from the performance of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Friday, July 17. Prize money subject to change.

Bareback Riding: 1, (tie) Kash Loyd, Cleburne, Texas, on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s High Hills, and Hunter Greenup, Lexington, Ore., on Smith’s Indecent Exposure, 88 points, $2,050 each. 3, Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 87, $1,300. 4, (tie) Trevar McAllister, Ronan, Mont., and Daxtyn Field, Roosevelt, Utah, 86 points, $585 each. 6, Keenan Hayes, Hayden, Colo., 85.5.

Tie Down Roping: 1, Dylan Hancock, San Angelo, Texas, 10.4 seconds, $2,000. 2, Haven Meged, Miles City, Mont., 11.3, $1,500. 3, Trey Stembridge, Kamas, Utah, 11.7, $1,000. 4, Macon Murphy, Keatchie, La., 11.9, $500. 5, Trenton Smith, Iowa, La., 12.3, $250.

Breakaway Roping: 1, Joey Williams, Volberg, Mont., 4.9 seconds, $2,591. 2, Martha Angelone, Stephenville, Texas, 5.7, $1,943. 3, (tie) Lari Dee Guy, Abilene, Texas, and Jackie Crawford, Stephenville, Texas, 6.9. $972 each. 5, Millie Greenwood, Caldwell, Idaho, 15.9. 6, Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, Calgary, Alberta, 18.3.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Sage Newman, Melstone, Mont., 87 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Buck Owens, $2,300. 2, Christopher Nelson, Lake Andes, S.D., 83, $1,800. 3, Wyatt Casper, Miami, Texas, 82.5, $1,300. 4, Will Pollock, Utopia, Texas, 80.5, $750. 5, (tie) Wyatt Lavergne, Sulphur, La., Ross Griffin, Tularosa, N.M., and Gus Gaillard, Mors140 each 80, $140 each.

Team Roping: 1, Riley Kittle, Woodland, Ala., and Trey Yates, Pueblo, Color, 8.3 seconds, $2,000 each. 2, Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla., and Whip Peterson, San Simon, Ariz., 8.8, $1,500 each. 3, Austin Crist, Wiley, Colo., and Dave Tripp, Penrose, Colo., 9.0, $1000 each. 4, (tie) Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, S.D., and Arye Espenscheid, Big Piney, Wyo.; and Rawley Ben, Jr., Peridot, Ariz., and Blake Walker II, Forest City, N.C., $375.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Ryan Shuckburgh, Innisfail, Alberta, Canada, 7.6 seconds, $2,000. 2, Ty Bauerle, Jourdanton, Texas, 7.7, $1,500. 3, Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Idaho, 8.1, $1,000. 4, (tie) Dalton Walker, Bertram, Texas, and Cash Robb, Altamont, Utah, 8.9, $375.

Barrel Racing: 1, Anita Ellis, Blackfoot, Idaho, 17.87 seconds, $2,462. 2, Kim Squires, Carnegie, Okla., 18.20, $1,981. 3, Taryn Boxleitner, Loveland, Colo., 18.28, $1,321. 4, Laura Lambert, Wiggins, Colo., 18.40, $660. 5, Kathy Grimes, Medical Lake, Wash., 18.61. 6, Kylie Kanngieser, Attica, Kan., 18.77.

Bull Riding: (four rides)1, Lane Vaughan, Klamath Falls, Ore., 82 points on Harper & Morgan Rodeo’s Wicked, $2,188. 2, Dakota Hill, Bagwell, Texas, $1,737. 3, Jace Hensley, Marshall, Mo., 79.5, $888. 4, Riggen Hughes, Kempner, Texas, 79, $437.

Rookie Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Lanny Brooks, Faith, S.D., 83 points. 2, Kaden Wood, Whitewood, S.D., 81. 3, Cade Costello, Newell, S.D., 77. 4, (tie) Pace Garrett, Gillette, Wyo., and Holden Eisemann, Glenham, S.D., 75.

Wild Horse Race: 1, Team Masi, $638. 2, Baty Bunch, $491. 3, Beer Money!, $344.