• 2018 CFD Champions who will be defending their titles today include bareback rider Will Lowe, bull rider Ruger Piva, saddle bronc rider Brody Cress, team ropers Chad Masters and Joseph Harrison and barrel racer Nellie Miller.
• Today’s field also includes 11 former CFD champions: four more in bareback riding – Richmond Champion (2014), Tanner Aus (2015), Orin Larsen (2016); two in saddle bronc – Wade Sundell (2013) and Jacobs Crawley (2016); team roper Cesar de la Cruz (2010); senior steer roper Dan Fisher ( 2013); three barrel racers – Brittany Pozzi-Tonnozzi (2007), Lisa Lockhart (2015) and Stevi Hillman (2017); and all-around cowboy Trell Etbauer (2014).
• Will Lowe could win CFD for the fourth time in bareback riding, a feat no other cowboy has managed since bareback riding began here in 1936. He won here in 2009, 2012 and 2018.
• Local favorite Brody Cress could also set a CFD record should he win the saddle bronc riding championship for the third consecutive year. Since saddle bronc riding began here in 1897, no one has won the title three times in a row. Cress still would trail Earl Thode, who won the event four times between 1927 and 1934.
• Chad Masters has a chance for his own CFD records. If he and Harrison win first, they would be the first back-to-back champs here in team roping. Masters would become the first team roper to win this rodeo three times since the team roping was first offered in 2000.
• Three sets of Texan siblings will compete against each other today. Rylea and Jordan Jo Fabrizio in breakaway roping; Jacobs and Sterling Crawley in saddle bronc riding and Vin Fisher, Jr., and J. Tom Fisher in steer roping. The Fishers will also be competing against their father, Dan Fisher, meaning that one-fourth of the steer roping field are members of the Fisher family.
• The husband-wife duo of Garrett Tonnozzi (team roping) and Brittany Pozzi-Tonnozzi (barrel racing) will be aiming to take home a pair of CFD titles today.
• While breakaway roper KL Spratt may be listed from Arizona on the daysheet, she grew up in Lysite, Wyoming. That means every event today will have at least one Wyoming connection.
• Two college rodeo coaches will compete today. Linsay Sumpter in breakaway roping is the head coach for both men and women at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado. Beau Clark, former head coach for Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, now is the head coach at the University of Wyoming.
• Two people named Cheyenne will be trying to win a championship at Frontier Park today – tie-down roper Cheyenne Stanley from Oklahoma and barrel racer Cheyenne Wimberly from Texas. Wimberly last competed here in 1999.
• Two men named Stetson will be aiming for CFD titles today. Stetson Vest competes in tie-down roping. Stetson Wright is the only cowboy we will see twice today as he qualified for Championship Sunday in both saddle bronc riding and bull riding and is a favorite to win the all-around title.

Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding

Four of this year’s top bareback riders will be hoping to advance to the semifinals today. The one highest in the world standings is Ty Breuer, who is 6th. The four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) cowboy is having the best season of his career and is the proud father of a new baby boy born less than two months ago. This is he and his wife Kelly’s second child.

Last year’s reserve champion and perennial all-around hand Steven Dent is matched up with Dakota Rodeo’s Chirrikawa, a horse that is equally strong whether bucking in the bareback or the saddle bronc riding. Dent is traveling with former CFD champion Tanner Aus. The fourth of the group is Jake Brown (13th).

Craig Wisehart has an usual upcoming itinerary. After he competes tomorrow, he will head a few miles south to Colorado’s Weld County Fair for the goat show later that afternoon. When he was younger, not only did he show goats in 4-H and FFA, he started a hoof trimming business that brought the enterprising youth some spending money to rodeo with.

Taygen Schuelke is a former college all-around champion who is trying to make his mark here in the saddle bronc riding. He is joined this year by his younger brother Lane Schuelke who competes today in the rookie saddle bronc riding.

Californian Tim Ditrich spent his whole life around horses, but never considered saddle bronc riding until he was in college. He saw photos of his rodeo coach and mentor, Ben Londo, riding broncs and decided to try the event. Londo loaned him a saddle and equipment and helped him learn the event.

A pair of former world champions – Jesse Wright and Jesse Kruse – are in today’s field along with former CFD champion Bradley Harter.

Two of the winningest bull riders in PRCA history will be making a bid for their first CFD championship starting today. Neither J.W. Harris, who has four world championships, nor Sage Kimzey, who has won five, have won a CFD buckle in their careers. Sage, who’s currently leading the world standings, is here along with his younger brother Trey Kimzey who is ranked 11th.

Tyler Bingham (ranked 6th) and Joe Frost are hoping to join their brothers Tim and Josh, who have already qualified for CFD’s semifinals. Another NFR bull rider in today’s field is Garrett Smith, who is ranked 10th this season.

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

Kyle Whitaker will highlight today’s steer wrestlers. Whitaker is a nine-time winner of professional rodeo’s ironman award – the Bill Linderman Award which is awarded to the cowboy who earns the most money in at least three rodeo events in a season. To be eligible a cowboy must win at least $1,000 in a timed event and a rough stock event, plus another $1,000 in a third event.  Dean Finnerty of Wheatland, Wyoming, will be competing his either his 31st or 32nd consecutive CFD in steer wrestling.

Syerra “CY” Christensen of Kennebec, S.D., is the new CFD arena record holder in breakaway roping after winning the first qualifying round last week with 4.01 seconds. She is a four-time survivor of childhood cancer with a great perspective on life and rodeo. Linsay Sumpter, the college rodeo coach at Otero Junior College in Colorado, is a member of the famous Rosser rodeo family of California and her husband Wade is a former NFR steer wrestler. To put in perspective what it means for the breakaway ropers to compete here, her parents who are part of the Flying U Rodeo legacy caught a plane to Cheyenne to watch her compete in the preliminary rounds.

Sterling Smith of Stephenville, Texas, holds the arena record of 9.4 seconds in tie-down roping that he set last year and is looking for more success at Frontier Park. Marcos Costa, the former world champion, is back in action after sitting out for several months following knee surgery. This rodeo has been good for Costa in the past and he’s hoping that trend continues.

Team ropers Kaleb Driggers (seven NFRs) and Junior Nogueira (five) finished as runners-up for the world championships the past two years. Both are looking for their first individual event world championship. (Junior won the All-Around title in 2016.) Also, in today’s field is former world champion header Levi Simpson from Canada who is as famous for his beard as he is for his roping.

Nellie Miller, who won the CFD championship last year with a great barrel racing run in a hailstorm, is back to defend her championship. She won the preliminary round and already has won more than $8,000 in Cheyenne this year. Miller, the 2017 world champion, has been locked in a battle for the world standings lead all season with 2018 champion Hailey Kinsel.

Tennessee cowgirl Jessi Fish tied for second in the preliminary round and is primed for more success in Frontier Park. Cheyenne Wimberley retired from fulltime rodeo after back-to-back trips to the NFR in 1997-98, but could return to Las Vegas with a strong finish to the season. She’s currently ranked 19 and success at this rodeo could give a big boost to her season.

CHEYENNE – Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) invites visitors to use the current Park-n-Ride located on Happy Jack Road in 2019. Buses will travel between Park-n-Ride and Frontier Park all day long during the “Daddy of ‘em All,” and a quick five-minute bus ride will take visitors directly to the celebration.

A new plot of land on Southwest Drive is intended to be used as the Park-n-Ride location in future years, but the move won’t take place until 2020.

“Our Park-n-Ride will remain in the same location for 2019. The extra time will allow us to further develop the Park-n-Ride infrastructure in the new location,” Tom Hirsig, Cheyenne Frontier Days CEO said.

The CFD Park-n-Ride is located at I-25 and Happy Jack Road in Cheyenne. (Heading northbound on I-25, take exit 10D and southbound on I-25, take exit 10D.) Cost is $10 per carload, and includes gate admission. Visit www.cfdrodeo.com for exact hours of operation.

Cheyenne Frontier Days refreshed an economic impact study last year to quantify the economic benefits generated from visitors outside of Laramie County to the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County.  Dean Runyan Associates, of Portland, Oregon conducted the research using data generated from the 2018 event; prior studies were conducted in 2015 and 2012. Dean Runyan Associates also produces economic impact research for the Wyoming Office of Tourism.

The 2018 edition of the Daddy of ‘em All was a solid year for attendance despite heavy, daily rainfalls. A total of 543,705 people attended all combined events during the ten-day celebration and a total of 247,655 tickets were sold. 

Economic impacts resulting from direct visitor spending surrounding the event totaled approximately $27.1 million, down slightly from $28 million in 2015, which was a record year for attendance.

Chief Executive Officer Tom Hirsig said, “We are pleased to report this economic benefit to our city and county. Our mission is to bring visitors to Cheyenne and Laramie County to support economic well-being for the entire community. We continue to focus on this priority and deliver consistent results.”

“We are proud of our volunteers and the work that we do to support Cheyenne and Laramie County,” said Jimmy Dean Siler, General Chairman. “In collaboration with city and county officials, we host visitors from across town, all fifty states and around the globe, to experience the history and traditions of the iconic American West.”

2018 Economic impacts of visitors who reside outside of Laramie County

● Visitors to Cheyenne Frontier Days spent $27.1 million in Laramie County.

● These visitors spent approximately $5.3 million on food and beverages in restaurants and bars, $5.1 million on overnight accommodations, $7.8 million on entertainment and recreation, including ticket sales, and $8.8 million on retail purchases, including motor fuel and groceries.

● Other direct economic impacts include approximately 302 full- and part-time jobs, $5 million in earnings (wage and salary disbursements), $633,000 in local tax revenue, and $683,000 in state tax revenue.

● Total economic impacts resulting from direct visitor spending which include secondary impacts, also known as “multiplier effects,” resulted in approximately $35 million of business activity generated for Laramie County.

2018 Profile of Cheyenne Frontier Days Attendees

● The majority of Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees participated in a Frontier Nights/Concert (72%) and/or the Rodeo (74%).

● A large portion (68%) attended Cheyenne Frontier Days during a previous year.

● Attending Cheyenne Frontier Days was the primary purpose for travel to Laramie County for the vast majority of overnight (79%) and day (97%) visitors.

● Just under half (49%) of Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees stayed overnight while traveling.

● Among overnight visitors, over half (68%) stayed in a hotel, motel, lodge, or B&B; most of the reminder stayed in private homes with friends and relatives, or in campgrounds.

● Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees traveled to or through a number of Wyoming communities and places including: Laramie, Casper, Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Snowy Range, and Cody.

Unique Attendees and Attendees from Outside of Laramie County

Cheyenne Frontier Days is a major Rocky Mountain regional event with numerous Western heritage activities and experiences; while some events charge admission, many events are free. Attendance measures include totals that track both paid attendance and total attendance. It is recognized as the consummate Western heritage, cultural, and entertainment experience in the world. Cheyenne Frontier Days is a top attraction in the state of Wyoming behind Yellowstone National Park, Jackson and Grand Teton National Park.

“It’s no surprise Cheyenne Frontier Days attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe,” said Diane Shober, Executive Director for the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “As one of Wyoming’s most treasured events, CFD brings the cowboy history and spirit to life during its ten-day celebration.” 

Hirsig recognizes the importance of Cheyenne Frontier Days to the rest of Wyoming as a travel destination. “This study shows that many travelers incorporate CFD into their summer plans that include other destinations, or a road trip, in Wyoming. In this way, we deliver a positive economic impact not only to our community, but to our entire state, as part of a larger itinerary.”

Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding:

Three-time world champion bareback rider Will Lowe is no stranger to Cheyenne Frontier Day’s famous belt buckles. A CFD champion in 2009 and 2012, Lowe took the lead in the first round with an 86.5-point ride on Hi Lo ProRodeo’s Pretty Woman. He will be matched with Brookman Rodeo’s Cop a Feel where he will be going for broke to place in the average. Hot on his trail, Ranchester, Wyoming’s Seth Lee Hardwick is placing in the first round with his 85.5-point ride and has drawn Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s Good Times. Hardwick qualified for the 2015 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR), where he won money in seven rounds. Bareback bronc riding is the most physically demanding event in rodeo. Following the WNFR, he had hip surgery and missed the entire 2016 season. He came back and finished in 23rd last year. Neither Lowe or Hardwick are among the top 20 in the world standings, so the rest of the season depends on their success at Frontier Park.

The 2015 world champion saddle bronc rider, Jacobs Crawley hopes to add a second CFD championship to his resume. He won his first one in 2016. He has already won major rodeos like the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo and the Redding (California) Rodeo. He will have to battle it out on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s Mother Feather Legs today and hopes to move into the overall standings to return for Championship Sunday. If he wins this year, it will be the first time as a dad. He and his wife, Lauren, had their first child, a son, Corley, last November.

Crawley is first in the PRCA world standings. He has a $25,000 lead over Wade Sundell, who will compete here later this week. With the amount of prize money available at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, no lead is big enough to secure a world championship just from money won during the regular season. However, another win here would certainly give Crawley a bigger advantage through the rest of the season. Crawley was 82 points yesterday, so all he needs is another good ride today to be championship round bound.

Bull riders came for the money yesterday with six qualified rides. Brady Portenier had the highest score when he rode bull #419 of Smith Harper & Morgan’s for 88 points. This gave him the lead in the first round. He finished 16th in the 2017 World Standings and is in the hunt for his first WNFR qualification. He will ride Dakota Rodeo’s White Dynamite today, which should be a great match up. White Dynamite has not been ridden this year in four attempts. However, judges have marked him with an average score of 42.5 out of 50 points. If Portenier covers his second bull he is liable to score high and position himself well in the overall standings. Bart Miller also rode in the first round for 84.5 points and is matched up against Dakota Rodeo’s Dusty’s Revenge who has yet to be rode this year. Miller’s grandfather, Eddie Boren, died while riding a bull in Texas, in 1978. That was eight years before Miller was born, but it has not affected his passion for the sport.

All six of yesterday’s successful riders are hoping to be the first men at the 122nd edition of the Daddy of ‘em All to get scores on two bulls. That would nearly assure them a spot in Sunday’s Championship finals.

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

All the eyes at Chute 9 will be watching Sterling Smith in the tie-down roping today. Smith broke a 19-year-old arena record when he roped and tied his calf in 9.4 seconds yesterday. While he had a nearly flawless run and his horse worked beautifully, that time is going to be very hard to match. But with that blazing-fast run, he just needs to be solid today to make plans to be back at Frontier Park next Sunday for the Championships. Smith is currently 12th in the world standings, so a win here would nearly secure him a spot in Las Vegas next December to compete for a world title.

Riley Pruitt was not far behind Smith. The Nebraska resident stopped the clock in 10.9. Pruitt, 26, grew up coming to this rodeo. His dad competed in tie-down roping and steer wrestling and his mom still competes in the barrel racing. Neither of them ever won a championship here.

Wyoming will be cheering during the barrel racing for their own Cassidy Kruse. The Gillette resident has lived in Wyoming all of her life and has represented the state well at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Kruse qualified for the championship event in 2015. Kruse had an 18.24-second run the first round and will really need to speed it up today to have a shot at a check from the Daddy.

The Kaminski name and barrel racing just seem to go together. Kelly Kaminski is a two-time world champion and is producer of all of the Junior NFR barrel races. Her daughter, Kenna Kaminski, is now on track to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Kenna has traveled to rodeos with her mom most of her life and being able to compete at Cheyenne is a dream come true for the second-year member of the WPRA.

None of the steer wrestlers were able to break into the top 6 in the first round yesterday, but Ty Talsma of Avon, South Dakota, and Kyle Whitaker of Chambers, Nebraska, both threw their steers in 8.4 seconds. They are tied for 12th in the first round. While that won’t get them any money, a similar or faster run today, could put them among the overall leaders.

Dru Melvin is very busy here at Cheyenne. The father of four children under four years of age is competing in the steer wrestling, hazing for other competitors and spending time with his family who made the trip from his home at Hebron, Nebraska to spend time with him. He stopped the clock in 8.5 seconds and if his cheering section has anything to do with it, he will have another good run today and get to come back next weekend.

Former CFD champ Chad Masters (2009) and his partner Joseph Harrison are seventh in the first round after an 8.9-second run yesterday. Another smooth, penalty-free run should put them in the hunt for Masters’ second CFD title and Harrison’s first.

Three other teams who compete today turned in times that are among the top 15 in the first round. Lane Ivy and Blaine Vick were 9.7 seconds, 11th fastest thus far in round one. Two other teams – Kaleb Driggers & Junior Nogueira and Charly Crawford & Ty Arnold were 10.0 on their first-round steers. While Driggers and Nogueira are both ranked eighth in the world standings, Ivy, Vick, Crawford and Arnold are outside the top 20 in the standings. A quick time today could help any of them qualify for the NFR in December.

All of today’s contestants are in their second round of competition.

Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding:

Today’s field of bareback riders includes three former champions of the Daddy of ‘Em All – Casey Colletti (2011). Orin Larsen (2016) and Will Lowe (2009 & 2012). Also competing today is Spur Lacasse, whose father Roger won here in 1994 and in 1998. Don’t be surprised if you hear someone speaking French behind the chutes (literally) as Lacasse and Pascal Isbelle are both French Canadian. Two Wyoming cowboys – Seth Harwick and Devan Reilly – begin their quest for a championship here, a goal of every contestant especially those from the Cowboy State. We will have two extra bareback riders today as well. Clayton Biglow and wyatt Denny have been collecting air miles. They rode their first horses here Saturday, then flew to Salinas, California to compete yesterday. They are flying back here today and hoping their success continues. Biglow finished second in Salinas and Denny was 8 th . Denny is sporting quite a mustache that he plans on growing until the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December.
Cody DeMoss has won three CFD titles in the saddle bronc riding (2004, 2010 and 2012). If he could win here again, he’d be the first individual to win an event here four times since 1960. Standing between him and that achievement is an entire field of bronc riders including Jacobs Crawley, who won here in 2016, and Jesse Bail, who took home the winner’s buckle in 2011. Crawley currently leads the world standings with his younger brother Sterling Crawley, who competes today, ranked 8 th and JJ Elshere, also in today’s field, ranked 14 th . J.W. Harris has four bull riding world championships on his resume, but he’s never won a title in Cheyenne. Harris is back on the pro rodeo circuit full time after concentrating on the PBR Tour for a few years. Three-time PBR champion Silvano Alves, a native of Brazil, competes today along with National Finals Rodeo (NFR) veterans Cody Rostockyj and Brennon Eldred. Louisiana cowboy Dustin Boquet is the highest ranked cowboy in the current standings to compete today. Bouquet is coming off of a big win at the Snake River Stampede, that just happened last Saturday night in Nampa, Idaho. That money will be added to his world standings later today and is likely to move him up from his fourth place ranking. Clayton Sellars (7 th ) and Jeff Askey (11 th ) are also in today’s field. Sellars is also leading the rookie of the year standings in the bull riding and has been competing for Western Texas College in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. He qualified for his second College National Finals Rodeo last June and finished as the
reserve champion.

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

Racing:

Cole Edge of Durant, Okla., has been near of the top of the steer wrestling standings for most of the season. He’s currently ranked second and will compete today along with Tanner Brunner who is ranked 10 th . They will be riding NFR veteran Sean Mulligan’s horses and he will haze for them. Mulligan, a UW graduate won the title here in 2000. South Dakotan Jake Rinehart was the 2009 CFD champion. At the other end of the experience spectrum are a group of three midwestern cowboys who will run a steer for the first time at the Daddy today. Ben Kilburg, Talon Roseland and Fenton Nelson arrived a day early to watch Sunday’s rodeo performance. They are traveling with Noah Lassa who has competed here once before. These cowboys have come up through the ranks of high school and college rodeo. Nelson, 23, is a graduate student at William
Woods University who qualified four times for the College National Finals. Kilburg is a junior at Missouri Valley College majoring in ag business and marketing. Roseland is a senior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University under the tutelage of NFR veteran turned rodeo coach Stockton Graves who also competes today.
Today’s team roping field features three former CFD champs, all on the heading side. Tyler Wade won in 2016 with Dakota Kirchenslager; Logan Olson won in 2008 with Bronc Cresta and Chad Masters won in 2009 with Jade Corkill. These three will all have different partners here this year and could get their heelers their first Cheyenne buckle. Of the 10 teams scheduled to rope today, 17 of the 20 contestants are ranked among the top 30 in the heading or heeling standings, including former All-Around World Champion Junior Nogueira who is roping with six-time NFR qualifier Kaleb Driggers. Junior will be keeping a close eye on the bull
riding today as he gets to watch his fellow countryman Alves.

The tie-down roping will feature the 2013 CFD champion Scott Kormos as well as the reigning college champion, Ty Harris. At 5’7” and just 160 pounds, the success that Kormos has had in his signature event is amazing. Not only has he been a champion roping here with the big head start for calves that weigh twice what he does, he has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo 8 times. The last time that Kormos qualified for the NFR was in 2013, the same year he won the title here. He is 22 nd in the world standings and another win at Frontier Park would give him another chance. The 2015 world champion, Caleb Smidt, is also on today’s Roster. He has also had to juggle his travel schedule, horses and family this week. The former college all-around champion qualified for the final round in Salinas and finished 4th there yesterday. Smidt is currently 6 th in the world and is looking for his fifth NFR qualification.

The barrel racer with the most to gain today is Montana’s Shelly Anzick. She had a first round time of 18.17 and has ground to make up. Anzick is 25 th in the world standings and her horse can fly. If they have their day today, look for them to shave a couple tenths off of that.