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July 18-27, 2025
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Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding:
Instead of contestants to watch today, it could be contestant to watch. It would be easy to focus all the attention on Stetson Wright who will be competing in the saddle bronc riding and bull riding today. Yes, he is one of those Wrights, the famous rodeoing family from Utah.
This one is on track to do things no member of his family has even attempted. The Wright family has five saddle bronc riding world titles to their credit. Two belong to Stetson’s father Cody. His older brother Ryder, who is also riding today earned one in 2018. Stetson is the first member of the family to take on the bulls in the rodeo arena and he is doing very well. He is number one in the all-around world standings, with $120,853 won this year. He will be competing next December at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in the bull riding – he is third in the world standings. And, he has a chance to make it in the saddle bronc riding at 22nd. He just needs to move up seven spots and stay there.
Stetson will turn 20 on July 30th. This is his Rookie year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He leads the rookie-of-the-year race in both of his events as well as the overall category. If he holds onto that first place there and in the all-around race, it will be the first time in rodeo’s history that a rookie has won the all-around cowboy title. It will also be the first time that a rough stock contestant has earned the title since Ty Murray won his last in 1998.
There are two other Wright family members here today, Rusty, the oldest of Cody’s boys and Spencer, their uncle. Wade Sundell has come close to winning a world title on multiple occasions. He finally got the job done last December. Likewise, he has come close to winning a title here and hopes this will be the year. The gregarious cowboy loves horses so much that he and his family have started raising performance horses preparing for a future where he gets on horses that don’t buck.
In the bareback riding, Wyoming’s own Chance Ames will be a crowd favorite. Ames is from Big Piney and has been furthering his education at Sheridan College. In June, he qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo for the third time and it was a charm. He earned the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s title and rides with the buckle for being college rodeo’s best.
Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down and Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing:
Cheyenne Frontier Days made history this year when they added breakaway roping to their event roster. They are the first major regular season rodeo to do that. Now cowgirls are hoping to become the first breakaway champion in the history books here. It means a lot for the women to have an opportunity to compete in a rodeo as legendary and prestigious as this one.
There are two breakaway ropers who are very familiar with what it means to win a title here. Coralee Spratt from Shoshone has watched many of her family members compete here. Her grandmother, Pat Spratt, has run barrels and her grandfather, Bill Spratt, won the steer roping here in 1976. Coralee also entered the barrel race here but didn’t advance from the qualifier. She now will put all of her focus into the next two days of roping.
J.J. Hampton is legendary in the roping world. She has won 17 Professional Women’s Rodeo Association world titles and has helped gain a lot of notoriety for women in rodeo. Hampton has a go for broke style that some say is a family characteristic. Her nephew Marty Yates never ropes for second place, much like his aunt. Marty won first place here in the tie-down roping in 2015 so the family knows what it means to win at the “Daddy of ‘em All.”
Today’s team roping will be fun for all of the Wyomingites to watch. Their own world champion heeler, Jhett Johnson will be among the field roping with Travis Bard from Prescott, Arizona. Jhett is staying pretty close to his home in Casper these days. He is the rodeo coach at Casper College and is watching his boys compete. At the recent Wyoming High School Rodeo Finals, he spent time in the arena as a pick-up man.
While none of the scores or times from qualifying carry forward, the momentum and success hopefully will. Bard and Johnson have won $3,278 and hope their success in Frontier Park continues. A barrel racer that is hoping for the same thing is Jessi Fish from Franklin, Tennessee. She tied for second at the qualifier and earned over $7,000.
The new format of the rodeo gives every contestant an opportunity to win money today. Each event will see checks paid and each check will give the contestant an opportunity to advance to the next bracket in the tournament style format. So expect some fast-paced and exciting action!
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 19, 2019) – Frontier Park has been full of rodeo contestants for the past week who did their best to advance into the performances at the 123rd Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo which officially gets underway on Saturday, July 20, 2019.
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 here.
To have a chance to pick up one of those daily checks, qualifying competition was held in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association sanctioned barrel race and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s 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. This year’s prize money will be well over $1 million.
With the addition of the breakaway roping, there is also a new arena record in place. Syerra Christensen, a former student at Cheyenne’s Laramie County Community College, holds that with a 4.01-second run. It was also worth $4,406 for the Kennebec, South Dakota resident. And, she will be one of the 40 women who will rope again twice during the performances hoping to qualify for the finals.
The winner of the women’s barrel racing was none other than last year’s champion at the Daddy of ‘em All, Nellie Miller from Cottonwood, California. Miller, the 2017 world champion rode her great mare, Sister 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. She will be a favorite for a repeat title but will have to advance through a quarterfinals and semifinals to have a chance at a 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 Championship Finals where the fastest time will get to make the trip around the arena as the winner.
All of these events, along with bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding will be part of the first performance on Saturday. The grand entry starts at 12:45 with competition getting underway at 1 p.m.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 19, 2019) – 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 Possi Tonozzi, 17.55, $4,503. 6, Ryan 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, Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., and Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 17.69, $392.
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.
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.
Syerra Christensen from Kennebec, South Dakota made history at the 123rd Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo when she had the fastest time in the breakaway roping, held for the first time here. She stopped the clock in 4.01 seconds to win $4,406. CFD photo by Dan Hubbell
Defending barrel racing champion Nellie Miller won the qualifying competition aboard her great horse “Sister. Miller from Cottonwood, California had a time of 17.44 seconds adding $8,2224 to her season earnings. CFD photos by Dan Hubbell
A pair of Wyoming barrel racers represented their state, and generations, well in the Cheyenne Frontier Days qualifying round on Friday. Elaine Hollings is a proud Pavillion, WY 68-year-old who rides a 14-year-old horse nicknamed ‘Fly.’ Karson Bradley was astride ‘Pixie’ and the Big Piney native qualified for the nationals last month as a Central Wyoming College Rustler. She is now planning to finish school in Laramie where she’ll rodeo at UW. Friday was her first run ever at ‘The Daddy.'”
Fort Worth, TX – March 4, 2019 – In an announcement during the Finals for RFD-TV’s The American, The Cowboy Channel, announced a partnership with Cheyenne Frontier Days™ to broadcast live all nine days of rodeo action and feature other Western lifestyle activities from their “World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo & Western Celebration.” The event and live coverage takes place July 19-28, 2019, from Cheyenne, Wyo. Broadcasting the event will help fill the need for more Western sports and Western lifestyle coverage and attract new fans to rodeo.
Available in 42 million households, The Cowboy Channel was established to expand and improve coverage of Western sports programming and the Western lifestyle, which is perfectly aligned with the events at Cheyenne Frontier Days™. “The Cowboy Channel is proud to partner with Cheyenne Frontier Days™ as the first organization to agree to carry all nine days of action-packed rodeo,” said Patrick Gottsch, Founder and President of The Cowboy Channel.
Known for its fast pace and large number of contestants, Cheyenne Frontier Days™ rodeo ensures viewers will see top-notch athletes in action. “The opportunity to broadcast live and provide on-line content of Cheyenne Frontier Days™ will give avid rodeo fans the excitement they crave and also expose the sport to a group of new fans who can then come experience the nine day ‘Festival Unlike Any Other,’ next year,” stated The Cowboy Channel’s CEO, Raquel Gottsch.
“We are excited about this new partnership with the Cowboy Channel. The futuristic thinking of this organization brings a new way to promote the Western lifestyle and sport of rodeo. This partnership will take events like Cheyenne Frontier Days™ and expand them to new audiences,” said Tom Hirsig, Cheyenne Frontier Days™ CEO.
By continuously adding Western content, The Cowboy Channel is focused on expanding both its rural and urban viewership. Similarly, Cheyenne Frontier Days™ intends to continue their growth, which includes plans to expand and improve their 83-acre park. The future is bright for both companies and the partnership will further their plans of providing the best in western entertainment.
About The Cowboy Channel:
The Cowboy Channel is the first 24-hour television network totally dedicated to western sports and the western lifestyle. Headquartered in the Fort Worth Stockyards, The Cowboy Channel features content focused on rodeo, bull riding, roping, reining, barrel racing, and other western sports genres, along with western fashion, music, and movies. The lineup also features a wide variety of “live” coverage from major western events showcasing the world’s toughest and most talented cowboys and cowgirls. The network enjoys distribution into 42 million homes on cable/satellite systems on DISH, DIRECTV®, AT&T U-Verse, Charter Spectrum, Cox, Comcast, Mediacom, Verizon FIOS TV, and many other rural cable systems. In addition, The Cowboy Channel can be streamed via Sling TV’s Heartland Extra package.
About Cheyenne Frontier Days:
With roots dating back to 1897, Cheyenne Frontier Days™tdraws top rodeo professionals who compete for more than $1 million in cash and prizes. Complementing the rodeo action are behind-the-chutes tours, trick riding and a wild-horse race. A Native American Village, an Old Frontier Town, saloons and dancing, a chuck wagon cook-off, pancake breakfasts, a Western art show and the CFD Old West Museum continue the frontier theme. Rounding out the program are a carnival midway, a performance by the USAF Thunderbirds, top-name entertainment, Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and several parades that include antique carriages and automobiles. Cheyenne Frontier Days™ takes place each summer during the last full week in July.
About RFD-TV The American:
RFD-TV The American is the results of a full-year of work. Qualifying events are held across the country, throughout the calendar year as ropers and riders hope to compete in Arlington during the world’s richest one-day rodeo.
RFD-TV’s The American is an annual event that occurs each year at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. The American is now “the world’s richest weekend in Western Sports” and will pay out $2.35 million through a series of qualifiers, The Semi-Finals, and the final event, RFD-TV’s The American. The event unites the top athletes in the world from the PRCA and pits them against underdogs who advance from The American Semi-Finals, together to battle for the biggest single paycheck of their lives.
Las Vegas (Nov. 10, 2018) – PBR (Professional Bull Riders) today announced its popular Last Cowboy Standing will take place during Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) in 2019.
PBR CEO Sean Gleason announced the new location of the PBR Major, scheduled for July 22-23 at Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena, during the PBR World Finals at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this evening.
The new summer season Major, a higher-profile regular-season event offering more World standings points and prize money, expands on a partnership between the leading bull riding league and world’s largest outdoor rodeo.
In July, 2018, PBR produced the final CBR Championship event during Cheyenne Frontier Days as well as a new Touring Pro Division event. Both events were brought to fans live on RidePass, the PBR’s western sports digital network.
From 2011 to 2018, Last Cowboy Standing had competed in Las Vegas, which remains home of the PBR Championship Week and the PBR World Finals.
“PBR is thrilled to pair Last Cowboy Standing with one of the world’s greatest rodeo and western sports celebrations,” Gleason said. “This marquee event extends our premier series schedule into the summer and is sure to be a highlight of the entire PBR season – one every fan will want to experience, and every cowboy will want to win.”
“We are honored to be selected as a stop in the premier bull riding tour of all,’” said Tom Hirsig, CEO, CFD. “Last Cowboy Standing fits right in line with the Western brand that is ‘The Daddy of ’em All.’ Cheyenne Frontier Days is excited to reunite our partnership with the Professional Bull Riders, two organizations sharing the common goal of preserving Western heritage and the cowboy way of life.”
Cheyenne Frontier Days is the premier celebration of cowboy life and Western entertainment that takes place each July. The 10-day festival features the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, concerts by top name entertainers, dining, shopping, educational exhibits, Native American Indian performances, a Western Art show, U.S.A.F Thunderbirds performance, pancake breakfasts, parades that feature antique carriages and Western pageantry galore.
Tickets to the Last Cowboy Standing event at Cheyenne Frontier Days event will go on sale December 15 at www.cfdrodeo.com and by calling (307) 778-7222.
About the PBR (Professional Bull Riders)
The world’s premier bull riding organization began as a dream of 20 bull riders 25 years ago and now operates in five countries. On its elite tour, the organization features the top 35 bull riders in the world and the top bulls in the business. The televised 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast, along with the PBR Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour (RVT), the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD) and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico have paid nearly $184 million in earnings to its athletes. Thirty bull riders have earned more than $1 million, including two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney who is the top-earning athlete in Western sports history with more than $7.2 million in career earnings. PBR is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network. For more information on the PBR, go to PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Instagram at Instagram.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.
Cheyenne Frontier Days is an action-packed 10 day festival, celebrating Wyoming’s western roots. From bucking broncos to country music stars, you’ll truly have a hard time deciding where to start. These 5 attractions provide you a great sampling of Cheyenne Frontier Days, the “Daddy of ’em All”. Most of the following events are accessible every day throughout the 10 day celebration, so check out the schedule for Cheyenne Frontier Days to make the best plan for yourself.
If you can only attend one event at Cheyenne Frontier Days, make sure you check out the rodeo! You can catch the action 9 out of the 10 days the festival is in town; the adrenaline from the cowboys (and cowgirls!) to the crowd is surely unmatched. The tradition of rodeo runs deep in American roots, dating back to the 1800’s. Get the most out of your experience by visiting the Cheyenne Frontier Days website for information geared towards rodeo newbies and experts alike.
The Old West Museum has a wonderful collection of art and western artifacts. The Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration has been a part of the Wyoming culture for over 120 years, and this museum spans the decades with a great combination of art and history. A looping rodeo video plays in the heart of museum, bringing the viewer right into the history of rodeo. Additionally, rotating art installations show the vibrancy of western culture portrayed through a variety of mediums. The museum is open year-round as a permanent fixture in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with extended hours during Cheyenne Frontier Days.
National touring acts and local musicians alike perform at Cheyenne Frontier Days, bringing the best in folk and country music. Big country stars take the main stage in the fairground most nights during the celebration. The music reverberates through the concert, and creates an energy that gets everyone stomping their boots. For the 21+ crowd, the Buckin’ A Saloon is a great place to enjoy smaller, yet highly entertaining acts. Music in the Buckin’ A Saloon is free with admission into the fairgrounds, and a great place to show off your two-step.
Experience a real taste of authentic Native American culture in the Indian Village at Cheyenne Frontier Days. There are scheduled dance performances daily that are truly mesmerizing! An inspiring display of colorful clothing, drumming, and impressive dance routines will keep you on the edge of your seat. Additionally, there is a great Indian taco stand (a must try!), and of course fantastic shopping featuring Native American handicrafts. Visiting the village is a fun and informative way to explore American Indian heritage and culture.
The Grand Parade in Cheyenne, Wyoming combines top marching bands, horses, antique carriages, vintage bicycles, and everything in between. Announcers along the parade route provide commentary for each float, so you’ll get a great sense of the history and culture of Wyoming. Fortunately, the Grand Parade takes place 4 times during Cheyenne Frontier Days, so you’ll have multiples opportunities to attend.
This article has been created in partnership with Herrmann Global (Publisher of Visit USA Parks)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — July 29, 2018 — It’s been 86 years since a saddle bronc rider won back-to-back championships at Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD), but local favorite Brody Cress was not intimidated by history.
The 22-year-old from nearby Hillsdale won his hometown rodeo in 2017, an accomplishment that fueled the rest of his season and helped him win his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo championship last December. Cress is sponsored by CFD and proudly wears the legendary rodeo’s iconic arrowhead logo on his chaps and his shirts. “There’s no other rodeo I’d want to represent,” he said.
Last year he came into Championship Sunday in second place and had to ride two broncs after being awarded a re-ride. He won the title by half a point. This year he came in with the overall lead and had to wait on Texan Wyatt Casper’s re-ride to see if his lead would hold for his second, record-setting CFD Championship. The crowd of 12,401 erupted with cheers and were on their feet when Cress took his victory lap around the arena.
The biggest money winner at the 122nd “Daddy of ‘em All” was steer wrestler Levi Rudd. The Chelsea, Oklahoma, cowboy earned $21,396. When the day began he had already collected more than $11,000 in the first and second rounds. He added nearly $900 for fourth place in the final round and about $9,500 for winning the overall championship by 1.1 second.
Rudd had competed at CFD twice in the past but had never done well. “I was happy after I won the first round since I’d never done any good here,” he said. Rudd started the week ranked 50th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) steer wrestling standings. He more than doubled his season earnings after his win here and jumped about 20 spots in the standings.
Three-time world champion bareback rider Will Lowe started the day in sixth place, but an 88-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo’s Black Tie earned the Canyon, Texas, cowboy his third CFD championship and nearly $16,000. He previously won here in 2009 and 2012. Lowe, who has qualified for 14 National Finals Rodeos (NFR) is grateful to still be riding at the highest level 10 years after winning his first title in Frontier Park.
“It’s so awesome to be able to still be here, riding with these guys and still be competitive,“ he said. The win here should help his quest for a 15th NFR berth.
Lowe joins three legendary cowboys – Jim Shoulders, Joe Alexander and Clint Corey – as the only ones to win three bareback riding championships here.
Idaho bull rider Ruger Piva has accomplished something in the past year that many bull riders never will in their entire careers. Last September Piva, now 23, won the Pendleton Round-Up in Pendleton, Oregon. This week he competed for the first time at CFD, rode all three of his bulls and left with more than $10,000 in prize money and a Cheyenne Frontier Days title. The 23-year-old former high school and college wrestler can now claim wins at two of the most historic and prestigious rodeos in North America.
“If you had told me two years ago that I would win Pendleton and Cheyenne within a year, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Piva said. “Cheyenne felt a lot bigger than I expected. I hid in the ready room and watched the action on the tv screen.
He received congratulations from four-time world champion J.W. Harris, who finished second. As Harris walked away, Piva asked Harris for an autograph. “He’s one of my heroes,” Piva explained.
For the second year, weather affected the Championship Sunday competition. Last year it rained, but this year a tornado warning issued during the rodeo resulted in a weather delay of about 20 minutes. When competition resumed, rain and hail came down, particularly during the barrel racing.
World champion Nellie Miller and her horse Rafter W Minnie Reba, that she calls “Sister,” were on the course during some of the worst of the weather, but the California duo made a solid run. Although they did not win money in the final round, their total time of 53.21 seconds earned Miller the championship. She won $19,530 and helped boost her lead in the 2018 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) standings. Miller and her father, Sam Williams, raised and trained Sister, who got her name because she is a half-sister to the horse Miller rode to her first NFR in 2010.
Second-generation rodeo athlete Brodie Poppino of Big Cabin, Oklahoma, came into Championship Sunday ranked fifth in steer roping. It was the first time he qualified for Championship Sunday in seven years of trying.
Poppino won the final round by nearly six seconds, riding his 22-year-old horse named Shaggy, a full brother to the horse his mother, Tana Poppino, rode to qualify for the NFR in barrel racing. “He stays in the pasture most of the year and about a month before we start legging him up for Cheyenne,” Poppino said.
“This is one of the most prestigious, one of the oldest rodeos in the world. It’s called “The Daddy” for a reason,“ he said. “Everybody wants to win this one. It’s a dream come true.”
Tie-down roper Shane Hanchey credits his horse Si, the 2017 horse of the year, for helping him come from seventh place to win his first CFD title. The former world champion and eight-time NFR qualifier had the second-fastest time on Sunday. Although he did not place in the first two rounds, he earned more than $13,000.
“I never really dreamed of winning this rodeo,” he said. “I weigh 140 pounds. All I’ve ever heard since I was about four years old is how big the calves were and how little people didn’t fare very well (at Cheyenne). I don’t show emotions very much, but this win’s got me shook up.”
Coming from the middle of the field to take the title was a trend in the roping events. Tennessee’s Chad Masters and Oklahoma’s Joseph Harrison were sixth in team roping when the day began, but out-paced the rest to win the final round. Their total time of 26.4 earned Masters his second CFD title (his first was in 2009) and Harrison his first.
Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, won his eighth CFD championship when he took home the all-around title for the fourth time. He has also won a team roping and three steer roping championships at CFD.
Results
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 29, 2018) – When an agent of the Union Pacific Railroad suggested Cheyenne have a festival to the editor of the newspaper in 1897, they had no idea of the legendary event that it would grow into.
With less than ideal weather during several of the 10-days of activities, attendance at this year’s Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) was beyond what might have been expected. The loyalty of fans is very gratifying for the nearly 3,000 volunteers who work year-round for the “Daddy of ‘em All.”
Fans from across the United States and a variety of foreign countries make their way to Wyoming to attend Cheyenne Frontier Days. While the rodeo is the centerpiece of the celebration, patrons also take in parades, pancake breakfasts, visit the Indian Village, and go to night shows along with other activities. It all adds up to the “World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo & Western Celebration.”
This year’s activities kicked off on July 20 with a Wild West Show that was reminiscent of the events held years ago. All of the activities including a ladies’ ranch bronc riding was broadcast live on RIDE TV. Rodeo performances started the next day where over 1,200 contestants were vying for CFD championships and $840,031 in prize money. The largest money winner was steer wrestler Levi Rudd from Chelsea, Oklahoma. He left Wyoming with an additional $21,395 in his bank account.
New and a fan favorite at the rodeo this year was mini bareback and mini bull riding for aspiring competitors. Throughout the competition, with parades and all the activities over 6,000 animals come through Frontier Park.
Approximately two-thirds of them were part of the rodeo. A team of veterinarians checked those animals before and after each performance. Reports showed that 121 of animals were examined. Treatments were provided to 41 of them with all but two expected to make a full recovery.
Rodeo attendance saw a big gain at 101,462, an increase of 7.6 percent over last year. Cheyenne/Laramie County Day’s rodeo was the second largest Wednesday crowd in history. The night show featuring Eric Church the same day was sold out.
Professional Bull Riders returned to Frontier Park for the first time since 2010. They brought their riders on Monday night, then produced a second night of bull riding featuring Championship Bull Riders. It was the first time in the organizations’ history where they partnered on an event and had competitors riding against each other. The action was broadcast on PBR’s RidePass.
Other numbers were in line with previous years. Four parades were estimated to have 90,700 visitors. Three pancake breakfasts saw 23,138 meals served and 47,611 visited the Indian Village. With expanded entertainment options around the park and enhancements to the Western Experience, total attendance for 2018 was 543,705 a slight increase from 2017.
The final rodeo on Championship Sunday, July 29, had 12,401 fans on their feet when local favorite Brody Cress won the saddle bronc riding title. The highest attended rodeo was on Saturday, July 28 at 14,138. The Behind the Chutes Tours gave 2,608 fans an up close and personal rodeo experience.
Military Monday continues to be popular. All branches of the military were honored with active personnel and veterans receiving free admission. The U.S. Navy Parachute Team, the Leapfrogs, thrilled rodeo and night show fans by jumping into the arena at Frontier Park and the USAF Thunderbirds were another hit. A new attendance record was set for the Thunderbirds performance at Laramie County Community College on July 25 at 18,876. The previous record was 16,100 in 2014.
A partnership with Colorado State University’s (CSU) Equine Clinical Services program provided comprehensive care for the second year. The CSU Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation veterinarians provided care similar to athletic trainers for contestants. Onsite services included digital radiographs, ultrasound, acupuncture, chiropractic care and shock wave therapy.
The Justin Sportsmedicine Team was on site and along with local medical personnel provided over 400 treatments. A bull rider was transported and had surgery after getting hit in the face during the PBR. He has been released and is expected to make a full recovery.
The Bureau of Land Management in cooperation with Mantle Ranch Wild Horse and Burro Training presented wild horses and burros that were all adopted. Demonstrations were provided by the Mantle family.
RFD-TV broadcast their popular Western Sports Roundup on Rural Radio. Their broadcast reached over 70 million fans. The final three performances were webcast on the Wrangler Network. Over 300,000 people from 52 countries enjoyed the global coverage.
Night shows were once again a popular attraction. Total night show attendance was 115,214 compared to the record set in 2016 of 118,123.
“Despite the weather, our awesome fans showed up to support Cheyenne Frontier Days,” said Bill Berg, General Chairman of Cheyenne Frontier Days. “Our volunteers stepped up to the plate in every case. We couldn’t do any of it without the loyalty of our sponsors. Everybody got a little dirty this year, but it was worth it.”
Three 2017 CFD Champions have a chance to defend their titles- saddle bronc rider Brody Cress, team roping header, Erich Rogers, team roping heeler, Cory Petska (Rogers and Petska are now roping with different partners)
Today’s field includes 13 more former CFD champions: Tanner Aus (bareback-2015), Will Lowe (bareback- 2009, 2012), Jacobs Crawley (saddle bronc- 2016), Nick Guy (steer wrestling- 2015), Chad Masters (team roping header- 2009), Derrick Begay (team roping header- 2010), Clint Cooper (tie-down roping- 2004), Scott Kormos (tie-down roping-2013), Sherry Cervi (1995), Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi (barrel racing- 2007), Lisa Lockhart (barrel racing- 2015), Matt Herbbert (competing in steer roping, rookie saddle bronc- 2003) Jarrett Blessing (steer roping- 2016)
2008 CFD bull riding champion Steve Woolsey will not be competing. He broke his leg in Deadwood, S.D.
Wyoming will be cheering for three of their own cowboys, steer wrestler Miguel Garcia from Kaycee, bareback rider Seth Lee Hardwick who makes his home in Ranchester, and hometown hero, Brody Cress will be defending his title in saddle bronc riding.
Trevor Brazile virtually has the all-around title sewn up. None of the other contestants in the running have won money in two events.
Fourteen current or former world champions qualified for today’s finals.
Several bucking horses and bulls from different stock contractors in today’s draw were selected for the 2017 National Finals Rodeo.
None of today’s bull riders have won CFD titles.
Championship Sunday is a family affair in the team roping, barrel racing, saddle bronc, steer roping and tie-down roping.
Cory Petska (team roping heeler) and his wife Sherry Cervi (barrel racing)
Brothers Jacobs and Sterling Crawley (saddle bronc)
Rusty Wright will compete against his Uncle and 2014 World Champion Spencer Wright (saddle bronc)
Brothers Tuf Cooper (steer roping) and Clint Cooper (tie-down roping), sons of Roy Cooper (eight-time world champion and six-time CFD champion)
Former world (1985 -1086) and CFD (1998 – 1999) champion steer roper Jim Davis’ son, Bryce Davis will be competing in the steer roping.
Paden Hurst had the highest marked ride in the bareback yesterday at 84 points. While the first round of bareback is not complete due to rerides, he is currently tied for fourth in the round. The 21-year old is a former College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) qualifier and is learning how to win, from his traveling partners. It is said that those you surround yourself with is who you become. Hurst, who is competing on his permit, is getting plenty of experience traveling with the number three man in the world standings, Bill Tutor, as well as fitness and nutrition expert, Cody Kiser. Tutor, who qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 2017, was 82.5 points yesterday. He enjoys building in his free time, as well as hunting and fishing. Tanner Aus, the 2015 CFD champion, has competed at the NFR the past three years. His life changed forever last May when his wife gave birth to their first child, a daughter. Aus was 82-points in the first round. The muddy arena yesterday caused some havoc in the so some of the competitors will be riding two bucking horses today due to yesterday’s arena conditions. Reigning CFD and world champion, Tim O’Connell, was one of the riders to get a reride yesterday, so he will be getting on two horses today. O’Connell has also become a dad since winning here last year, and his wife, Sami and son, Hazen will be in the stands watching. Audy Reed was the 2015 CFD rookie saddle bronc riding champion. Reed’s 82-point ride provides him a strong opportunity to return on Championship Sunday if followed with another high score. He competed at the NFR in Las Vegas for the first time last year. Dawson Jandreau comes from a rodeo family. His dad, Marty qualified for the 1985 NFR in saddle bronc riding. His 81.5-point ride provides him a good opportunity to ride for a championship here. Some saddle bronc riders will also be riding two horses today,
including the wild and western Wade Sundell. Sundell tied for the win here in 2012 with Chad Ferley. Sundell is second in the world standings and a win here would help narrow the gap between him and Jacobs Crawley. He is a new dad and his son Rankin gets excited when his daddy is in the arena. Rankin will also be cheering on his mom, barrel racer Shelby Hansen. Sundell would love a new trophy package from the 122nd CFD as his 2012 awards were lost in a house fire. Trevor Kastner is currently ninth in the world standings. He took some time off during the busiest time of the season with broken ribs, but is back and ready to make some money at the “Daddy of ‘em all.” Kastner rode Andrews Rodeo’s Ludicrous for 86.5 points to tie for fifth place and just over $1,000 in the first round. He has another reason to smile as he and his wife, Kate welcomed their first child, McKenna Mae to celebrate Valentine’s Day last February. Three-time NFR qualifier, Jordan Spears’, 86-point ride sets him up nicely for returning on Championship Sunday. A CFD win could help the avid outdoorsman make a fourth trip to Las Vegas. He is 22nd in the world standings. Tennessee’s Gray Essary III rode for 85.5-points, just out of the money. Essary was the most successful
bull rider at the 2015 CNFR while competing for Ranger (Texas) College. Illinois cowboy Will Crain made an 85-point ride. It is his second time competing here at the “Daddy of ‘em all.” With just three bull riders having scores on two rides, the door is wide open for qualifying for Championship Sunday here.
Racing:
Steer wrestler Levi Rudd didn’t mind playing in the mud yesterday, especially when his 6.1-second run was worth $5,500. Another time in that range today would vault him to the top of the leaderboard. The Oklahoma cowboy had never placed at the “Daddy of ‘em All” until yesterday. Jacob Talley’s 6.7 in the sloppy mud on Friday was good enough for 5 th place in round one and more than $3,000. Both cowboys just need a solid time today to qualify for Championship Sunday. Four other steer wrestlers have a chance to make Sunday’s field if they can better the times they turned in yesterday. Billy Bugenig and Cody Cabral are both in the top 30 of the world standings and need the boost that winning here can provide to help their bids for the NFR. Blake Mindemann is having the best season of his career. The horse shoer and second generation steer wrestler is seventh and should he win here, his first trip to Las Vegas for rodeo’s championships in December would nearly be guaranteed. Ted Gollaher, who travels with former world champion Hunter Cure, also could compete on Sunday depending on his performance today. Cure and the rest of the field will be motivated by second-round prize money only, since their runs yesterday took them out of the
overall race. Texan Timber Moore will need to be faster than 9.7 seconds today to qualify for Championship Sunday. The six-time NFR qualifier is only ranked 31 st this season, but a CFD championship would give him a huge boost and help him toward another trip to Las Vegas. Since none of the other tie-down ropers had much success on Friday, all of them will be going for second-round money today. Tuf Cooper, the reigning all-around world champ and four-time tie-down roping world champ who’s currently second in the world standings, needs to win some money in this event to solidify his bid for his second CFD all-around championship. He’s leading the overall standings in the steer roping and will compete on Sunday in that event. Ryle Smith is currently ranked third in the world standings, less than $3,500 behind Cooper. First place in the round pays over $6,500 so all of the ropers will be running for that today. Brock Hansen and Ryan Motes finished second in the first round yesterday, so they are the team ropers with the most potential today. Anything close to 10 seconds today will see them at the top of the overall leader board. With a clear forecast and sunshine, expect barrel racing times to speed up today. First round winner and current world champion Nellie Miller competed here in slack on July 16. Then they went home to Cottonwood, California. They will be back here today. Sister, Miller’s horse really likes the set up here, but the mare is consistent and runs well in big arena’s like the one in Frontier Park or in buildings like the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas where Miller won her world championship. Lisa Lockhart, the 2015 champion here will be riding a buckskin horse, most likely Louie that took her to a third-place finish in the first round. She also has a buckskin mare, Rosa, that is extremely fast, but not as consistent as the fan-favorite gelding. The barrel racing leader board is likely to have some shakeups.