Bareback rider Tim O’Connell has already done that and after his success here on Sunday in Quarter Finals 2, he is on track to be the only contestant in his event to win the “Daddy of ‘em All” four times. If O’Connell, from Zwingle, Iowa, does that he will also be the first bareback rider to win the title three consecutive times after earning it in 2021 and 2022.

O’Connell’s winning ride on Sunday came aboard Stace Smith Rodeo’s horse named Mr. Harry. His score of 86.5 points put him at the top of the board and added nearly $2,500 to his earnings. Prior to Cheyenne’s rodeo he was fifth in the world standings and is on track to qualify for his tenth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with his eye on a fourth world championship. Money he earns here will help him work toward both of those goals.

Two contestants that have already had success in the Cowboy State this month are continuing that trajectory here, and they are both from Oklahoma. Cannon Cravens, from Porum, posted the highest marked ride in the bull riding so far at 91.5 points earning him a spot in the Semi Finals. He won the Xtreme Bulls competition in Cody and he will be back here for the Semi Finals.

Also punching her ticket to the Semi Finals was barrel racer Paige Jones from Wayne. Jones had the fastest time in Frontier Park on Sunday at 17.52 seconds. Jones won the Cody Stampede over the Fourth-of-July and then won the Central Wyoming Fair in Casper. She also placed in qualifying rounds here. Since July 4th, she has earned a whopping $27,230 in the Cowboy State.

Steer wrestler Rowdy Parrott grew up in the bayous of Louisiana at Mamou before moving to Bellville, Texas. He has become a fan favorite in the big man’s event simply because he is not the biggest. At 5 feet 11 inches and maybe weighing 180 pounds, he is one of the smaller athletes in this event. What he lacks in size he makes up in talent and determination.

He proved that in Frontier Park on Sunday when he brought a 600-pound steer to the ground in 5.4 seconds. Not only was that the fastest time of the day, it also earned him $2,000 and punched his ticket to the Semi Finals.

Quarter Finals 3 begins on Monday at 12:45 where new contestants in every event will be vying for their spots in the Semi Finals. It is a special performance that salutes all military.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 23, 2023)- The following are unofficial results from the Quarter Finals (second performance) at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Sunday, July 23. Payoff subject to change.

Oklahoma barrel racer Paige Jones has been winning across Wyoming this month with wins in Cody and Casper. She continued that streak with a win in Quarter Finals 2 of Cheyenne Frontier Days with a time of 17.52 seconds to advance to the Semi Finals next week at Frontier Park. PRCA photo by Jackie JensenCHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 23, 2023)- The following are unofficial results from the Quarter Finals (second performance) at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Sunday, July 23. Payoff subject to change.

Bareback Riding: 1, Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 86.5 points on Stace Smith Rodeo’s Mr. Harry, $2,448. 2, Tristan Hansen, Dillon, Mont., 83.5, $1,836. 3, Trevar McAlester, Ronan, Mont., 81, $1,224. 4, Ben Kramer, Max, N.D., 80.5, $622.

Breakaway Roping: 1, (tie) Brooke Winward, Grace, Idaho, and KeAnn Hayes, Blanchard, Okla., 5.0, seconds $2,538 each. 3, Jenna Dallyn, Nanton, Alberta, Canada, 5.2, $1,450. 4, (tie) Brandy Schaack, Chadron, Neb., and Kennedy Buckner, Redmond, Ore., 5.4, $363 each.

Tie Down Roping: 1, J.D. McCuiston, Estes Park, Colo., 11.2 seconds, $2,000. 2, Joe Keating, Sour Lake, Texas, 12.8, $1,500. 3, Rafe Wientjes, Onida, S.D. , $1,000. 4, King Pickett, Weatherford, Texas, $500.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, (tie) Chris Williams, Greybull, Wyo., on Dakota Rodeo’s Little Sicillia, and Rosey Rosendahl, Meeker, Colo., on Stace Smith Rodeo’s Exposed Vegas, 79.5 points, $2,060 each. 3, (tie) Dylan Hancock, Clarendon, Texas, and Kole Ashbacher, Arrowwood, Alberta, Canada, 79, $883 each.

Team Roping: 1, Rowdy Jones, Tupelo, Okla., and Gage Williams, Foster, Okla., 8.8 seconds, $2,000 each. 2, Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla., and Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M., 9.0, $ 1,500 each. 3, Walt Arnold, Midway, Texas, and Michael Profili, Jacksonville, Texas, 9.2, $1,000 each. 4, Corben Cullen, Muse, Okla., and Blayne Horne, McAlester, Okla., 14.1, $500 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Rowdy Parrott, Bellville, Texas, 5.4, $2,000. 2, Tate Petrak, Martin, S.D., 6.2, $1,500. 3, Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 6.4, $1,000. 4, Emmett Edler, State Center, Iowa., 6.5, $500.

Barrel Racing: 1, Paige Jones, Wayne, Okla., 17.52 seconds, $2,354. 2, Michelle Darling, Medford, Okla., 17.62, $1,765. 3, Shyann Lucas, Jackson, Wyo., 17.93, $1,177. 4, Kassie Mowry, Dublin, Texas, 17.94, $588.

Bull Riding: 1, Cannon Cravens, Porum, Okla., 91.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Little Bit Crazy, $2,397. 2, Ernie Courson, Jr., Okeechobee, Fla., 89, $1,798. 3, Brody Yeary, Morgan Mill, Texas, $1,199. 4, Mazinho Jeremias Sousa, 86, $599.

Rookie Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Coleman Shallbetter, Gunnison, Colo., 82. 2, Tanna Ireland, Australia, 72. 3, Ben Kukowski, Kaycee, Wyo., 70. 4, Caleb Meeks, Geraldine, Mont., 69.

Ladies Ranch Saddle Bronc Riding World Championship: (tie) 1, Bee Underwood, Douglas, Wyo., and Allysa Spierings, Carthage, Mo., 76 points. 3, Pearl Kersey, Millarville, Alberta, Canada, 71. 4, Ilona Bercx, Westerlo, Antwerp, Belguim, 70. (total on two) 1, Spierings, 152 points (world champion), 2 Bercx, 141. (reserve world champion).

Wild Horse Race: 1, Team Ice, $550. 2, CLS Team, $412.50.

Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding

Saddle bronc riding is known as the classic event of rodeo and was one of the first included in Cheyenne Frontier Day’s rodeo. Today’s event promises to be exciting with second-generation stars making a bid for their own CFD buckle.

Zeke Thurston from Big Valley, Alberta is one of the winningest bronc riders going down the road today. The eight-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier is currently third in the world standings. He has three world titles to his credit including the one he earned in Las Vegas last December. Zeke is following in his father’s footsteps and they both have Wyoming ties. He went to college in Sheridan. His father Skeeter Thurston went to Casper. While Zeke has earned titles across the U.S. and Canada, CFD’s has eluded him. Skeeter never won the saddle bronc riding here either, but he did win the rookie bronc riding in 1982.

Rod Hay won this rodeo in 2000 and now he has two sons trying to get that buckle for the family. Logan rode in the first performance and is advancing to the Semi Finals. Today it is Dawson’s turn. The three-time NFR qualifier is coming off of a big win at the Calgary Stampede and is hoping that momentum continues at Frontier Park. He is currently fifth in the world standings and will be working towards the family’s first gold buckle at the NFR in December.

Also look for Wild West Wade Sundell to make his mark in the arena. Sundell tied for the title here in 2013 and would like to see his name alone at the top of the leaderboard. Sundell has been riding bucking horses in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association since 2007 and a stop at CFD has been part of his schedule for most of those years. He is among the top 40 in the world standings and a win here could give him a big boost.

Jess Pope is the reigning world champion bareback rider after finishing third in 2020 and second in 2021. Pope, from Waverly, Kansas, went to school at Missouri Valley College which has produced the likes of Tim O’Connell and Tanner Aus. He is currently 12th in the world standings and has some ground to make up. A win here would add his name to the list of MVU athletes that have won titles here. He is known for his positive outlook and lives by the saying, “The view from the windshield is a lot bigger than the one from the rearview mirror.”

Today’s bull riding sees the second group of contestants making the first of two performances. Among them is the reigning and two-time college champion Tristan Hutchings. Hutchings also qualified for last years’ NFR and finished third in the world standings. He is currently eighth in the world and is on track to be back in Vegas in December.

Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing

Rodeo action at Frontier Park started on July 15th with qualifying competition. That was where a jaw-dropping record-setting tie-down roping run was set on Monday, July 17. Tyler Milligan from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, stopped the clock in 9.3 seconds and won $5,172 to jump start his Cheyenne Frontier Days. Milligan is riding a mare that he bought from Ryan Thibodeaux who tied for the win here last year with Cory Solomon who is also competing here today. Tyson Durfey, the 2016 world champion is also in the mix. He has cut back his rodeos and is working as a coach and mentor for rodeo athletes.

Linsay Rosser Sumpter is playing double duty in her rodeo career. The Fowler, Colorado, resident has qualified for the Quarter Finals in breakaway roping, a spot she is very thankful to be in. She also has two full-time jobs, first as a rodeo coach at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado and also as the commissioner of Women’s Rodeo World Championships which are produced in part by the Professional Bull Riders. Sumpter has made the finals here before and is looking to be there again this year.

Jess Tierney, another rodeo coach, has also advanced to the Quarter Finals in team roping. He oversees the rodeo program at Western Oklahoma State College. He will be roping here today with Jett Hillman who grew up in Sterling, Colorado, and now also lives in Oklahoma.

Barrel racing will see former NFR qualifier Tracy Nowlin who has been known for years for training her own horses. She will be on one of those today, a mare known as Dolly that she found on Facebook as a rope horse prospect for her son. When that didn’t work out, she followed her instincts and started her on barrels. Dolly is the mare that she went to the NFR on. She is 36th in the world standings and a win here would improve that position significantly. The rodeo committee is working hard here to keep ground conditions even and safe for barrel racers and are working the ground midway through the competition daily. Jessica Routier will be running at the top of the ground after the drag and we expect her to have a fast time. Routier is a former college champion and has qualified for the NFR for five consecutive years. Her qualifications started in 2018 and have come aboard Fiery Miss West, a 12-year-old mare known as Missy.

Steer wrestling is always exciting at Frontier Park and today promises to live up to its reputation. Along with several up and comers, the 2019 world champion Ty Erickson from Montana has yet to win a title here. Erickson was 6.1 in the qualifying competition and added $2,991 to his earnings. One of those rising stars is Walt Arnold, the 2022 college champion. He competed at the CNFR representing Tarleton State University shortly after graduating with a degree in Criminal Justice.