CHEYENNE, Wyo., July 22, 2024 — Reigning world champions Zeke Thurston and Ky Hamilton dominated their signature events in Quarterfinals 3 of the 128^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.

Thurston, who won his fourth world title last December, notched the first 90-point ride of the 2024 Daddy of ‘em All when he rode Brookman Rodeo’s Ragin Lunatic to win the round by four points.

While Thurston, who lives in Big Valley, Alberta, has won nearly every legendary rodeo at least one time, he has come close, but never captured a championship at Frontier Park. He advanced to the Semi Finals (July26 and 27) and would love to add this title to his list of career achievements.

Australian bull rider Ky Hamilton of Mackay, Queensland, injured his shoulder enroute to winning his first world championship at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December. He tried to continue competition but had to take a break for shoulder surgery and rehabilitation. He returned to competition earlier this month. In Cheyenne he won Quarterfinals 3 with an 88-point ride on Dakota Rodeo’s bull named Regular Joe. Hamilton was the 2021 CFD bull riding champion and winning a second title at Frontier Park this year would put him on the list of two-time winners here.

Macon Murphy of Keatchie, Louisiana, qualified for the NFR in 2022 and is currently ranked 16^th in the world championship standings. He won a tough round of tie-down roping with a time of 10.8 seconds to advance to the Semifinals and have a chance at more of the more than $1 million purse in Cheyenne.

Quarter Finals 3 begins on Tuesday at 12:45 where new contestants in every event except bull riding will be vying for their spots in the Semi Finals.

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 22, 2024)- The following are unofficial results from Quarter Finals  3 (third performance) at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Monday, July 22. Payoff subject to change.

 

Bareback Riding: 1, Jacob Lees, Caldwell, Idaho, 85 points on Rocky Mountain Pro Rodeo’s Half Moon, $2,448. 2, (tie) Roedy O. Farrell, Thermopolis, Wyo., and Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, Canada, 84, $1,530 each, 4, Bryce Eck, Redfield, Kan., 83,  $612.

Breakaway Roping: 1, Eryn Maddock, Adrian, Ore., 5.3 seconds, $2,960. 2, Tiffany Schieck, Floresville, Texas, 5.5, $2,220. 3, Taniah Nez, Ganado, Ariz., 6.6, $1,480. 4, Jade Kinney, Canyon, Texas, 6.8, $740.

Tie Down Roping: 1, Macon Murphy, Keatchie, La., 10.8 seconds, $2,000. 2, Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 11.1, $1,500. 3, Booker McCutchen, Harrison, Ark., 12.3. 4, Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 14.3, $500.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, Canada, 90 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Ragin Lunatic, $2,354. 2, Wyatt Casper, Miami, Texas, 86,  $1,766. 3, Ross Griffin, Tularosa, N.M., 83.5, $1,177. 4, (tie) Zac Dallas, Las Cruces, N.M., and Cauy Pennington, Kiowa, Colo., 83, $294 each.

Team Roping: 1, Wawa Ben, Jr., and Brandon Ben, Peridot, Ariz., 8.3 seconds,  $2,000 each. 2, Riley and Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 9.4, $1,500 each. 3, Billy Bob Brown, Carbon, Texas, and Josh Patton, Shallowater, Texas, 9.7, $1,000 each. 4, Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla., and Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M., 10.2, $500 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Colton Swearingen, Cowlesville, N.Y., 7.0 seconds, $2,000. 2, Trisyn Kalawaia, Hilo, Hawaii., 7.3, $1,500. 3, Seth Peterson, Wellington, Colo., 7.9, $1,000 . 4 Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb., 8.0, $500.

Barrel Racing: 1, Tiffany Lujan, Stephenville, Texas, 17.23 seconds, $2,471. 2, Jordon Briggs, Tolar, Texas, 17.29, $1,854. 3, Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., 17.46, $1,236. 4, Katelyn Scott, Odessa, Texas, 17.47, $618.

Bull Riding:   1, Ky Hamilton, Mackay, Queensland, Australia, 90 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Regular Joe, $2,578. 2, Fulton Rutland, Westville, Okla., 85, $1,785. 3, Parker Breding, Edgar, Mont., 84, $1,190. 4, TJ Gray, Dairy, Ore., 82.5, $595.

Rookie Saddle Bronc Riding: First round leaders: 1, Hank Whitaker,  81 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s 463. 2, Clint Read, Wildwood, Alberta, Canada, 79. 3, Skinny Parsons, Springdale, Ark., 78. 4, Josue Molina, Pampa, Texas, 74. Second round leaders: 1. Read, 80 points on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s 483. 2, Skiver, 75. 3, (tie) Beau Ryan Scarborough, Pine Bluffs, Wyo., and Josue Molina, Pampa, Texas, 74. Overall leaders: 1, Read,  159. 2, Molina, 148. 3, Parsons, 147. 4, Scarborough, 144.

Wild Horse Race: 1, Team Meanus, $600. 2, Team Agin, $450. 3, Kicked in the Belly, $300,  4, Team Chizzie, $150.

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.

The 42^nd Annual Western Spirit Juried Art Show & Sale will take place from Saturday, March 11 to April 23, 2023 at the CFD Old West Museum. On March 11, the Opening Reception begins at 5 p.m. for Museum Members and 6 p.m. for non-Members. There will be hors d’oeuvres and drinks available for attendees at the Opening Reception. There will also be a “Quick Draw” event where artists featured in the show will paint live. These pieces will be up for auction that same evening.

Artwork from Western Spirit and the Vandewark Miniature Show will go on sale at the Opening Reception on March 11, but if purchasers are unable to attend that night, buyers can fill out a Proxy Form or wait for the work to go on sale from March 12 to April 23 both at the Museum and online. To purchase online or to find out more information on the show visit https://www.oldwestmuseum.org/spirit

Admission for the Western Spirit Opening Reception on March 11, 2023

• Non-Museum Member: $65
• Museum Member: $55

Western Spirit started in 1982 as a sibling show to the Cheyenne Frontier Days™ Western Art Show and Sale. Over the last forty years, Western Spirit has grown to become the premier western juried art show in the Rocky Mountain region for emerging perspectives in western art. This exhibition differentiates itself by providing an open call to local and national artists who create superior artwork beyond the classic western themes presented in our summer exhibition.

Quick Facts: 

What: Western Spirit Art Show and Sale

When: Saturday, March 11, 2023. Opening Reception for Museum Members Only begins at 5 p.m. Reception opens for all guests starting at 6 p.m. The show can be seen through Sunday, April 23, 2023 during regular Museum hours.

Where: Cheyenne Frontier Days™ Old West Museum – 4610 Carey Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82001

Cost: Opening Reception: – $55 for Museum Members, $65 for Non-Museum Members;

How: Tickets to the Opening Reception can be purchased by calling 307-778-7243 or visiting https://www.oldwestmuseum.org/spirit

Contact: Amanda Byzewski, Art Shows & Events Coordinator, amanda.byzewski@oldwestmuseum.org (307) 778-7289