CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 31, 2022) –The 126^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (CFD) crowned a mixture of repeat and new champions on Sunday, July 31. Fourteen individuals left Frontier Park with coveted titles from America’s biggest outdoor western celebration known as the “Daddy of ‘em All.”

Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill, the final pair to rope on Championship Sunday, set personal and CFD records. They stopped the clock in 7.5 seconds to win the team roping. Tryan, from Billings, Montana, and Corkill, who lives in Fallon, Nevada, won Frontier Days for the second time roping together. They earned their first CFD championship in 2013.

Corkill, who also won titles here in 2009 with Chad Masters and last year with Clay Smith, joins three others who have won four championships at Frontier Park in a single event. With his winnings here, Tryan became the first team roper in the history of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) to pass $4 million in career earnings.

Andrea Busby, a Wyoming native who now lives in Brock, Texas, was the final barrel racer to compete. Five previous racers had stopped the clock in less than 17.3 seconds when Busby rode her mare Tito (registered name Blazin With My Dude) into the arena. Tito, who was making just her fifth run in a professional rodeo, crossed the finish line in a time of 17.13 seconds to win the title.

Busby, whose Wyoming roots are deep, grew up on a ranch near Lusk that has been in her family for more than a century. She made the 140-mile trip to Cheyenne many times growing up. She said that she always hoped she would ride and win at CFD, so this title made a childhood dream a reality.

Tim O’Connell of Zwingle, Iowa, joined the ranks of rodeo legends who have three bareback riding championships at Cheyenne. O’Connell, who has won three world titles, rode Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ horse Sozo for 88.5 points to win by a single point. He joins ProRodeo Hall of Fame cowboys Joe Alexander and Clint Corey as well as fellow three-time world titlist Will Lowe as three-time winners at “The Daddy.”

Stetson Wright of Milford, Utah, rode another Sankey horse – Pendleton Roundup’s Marquee – for 88 points to win his second consecutive CFD title in saddle bronc riding. Wright had surgery on his hand in early July and stayed home for less than two weeks. He admits he may have started back too soon as he bucked off the first seven horses he got on after surgery. This week he turned the corner and has been on a winning streak. Wright’s family – his father, three brothers and four uncles – have competed at CFD, but Stetson is the only one to win championships at Frontier Park. He also has two CFD all-around titles.

Ora Taton, a 53-year-old cowboy from Rapid City, South Dakota, also won a second CFD title. Taton won the steer roping in 2003 and repeated the feat 19 years later. He was the first steer roper to ride from the box on Championship Sunday and set a pace of 13.6 seconds that no one else could beat.

Three timed events crowned co-champions on Sunday. In breakaway roping Macy Young of Whitman, Arizona, and Tiffany Schieck of Floresville, Texas, both caught their calves in 4.0 seconds. This was Young’s first time to compete in Cheyenne. She was not part of the invitational field when the event first was introduced in 2019; there was no CFD in 2020 due to the pandemic, and last year she was pregnant with her daughter Hadley. Schieck was roping here for the first time since 2019.

Ryan Thibodeaux of Stephenville, Texas, has competed in Frontier Park on Championship Sunday several times, finishing as reserve tie-down roping champion in 2019. He was the second roper to compete Sunday and turned in a time of 10.3 seconds. Two ropers later, eight-time National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier Cory Solomon of Prairie View, Texas, tied Thibodeaux’s time. None of the next eight ropers could post a faster time.

Trell Etbauer of Goodwell, Oklahoma, grew up watching his father and uncles compete at The Daddy. His dad Robert won two world championships, his uncle Billy won five world titles and one CFD title, and his uncle Dan won two CFD titles, all in saddle bronc riding. Trell won the all-around title here in 2014. He set the pace in steer wrestling with the fastest time of the rodeo – 5.4 seconds –as the second cowboy to compete. No one came close to matching his effort until the final competitor, Justin Shaffer of Hallsville, Texas, managed to stop the clock in 5.4 as well. Schaffer had the quickest time in the finals last year, but a 10-second penalty cost him his shot at the title, so this year’s performance was redemptive.

Etbauer was riding a horse named Corduroy that his uncle Billy had raised and given to him as a wedding present 13 years ago. Trell had won calf roping money at Cheyenne riding Corduroy and started steer wrestling on him after an injury sidelined his steer wrestling horse last season.

The bull riding competition was feast or famine. Nine of the 12 finalists bucked off their bulls before the eight-second buzzer sounded. Garrett Smith of Rexburg, Idaho started the scoring with a 90-point effort on Dakota Rodeo’s bull Scary Larry. Josh Frost of Randlett, Utah, who is ranked second in the PRCA standings, matched Smith’s total on Dakota Rodeo’s bull Stretch.

But Caldwell, Idaho’s Brady Portenier made the ride of the day. He earned 92.5 points when he rode Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ bull Let’s Gamble. Portenier, who qualified for the NFR in 2020, jumped from 23^rd to 16^th in the PRCA bull riding standings with his earnings at Frontier Park. That puts him in close contention for a return trip to Las Vegas to ride bulls in December.

The all-around title went to Coleman Proctor of Pryor, Oklahoma. Proctor, who has qualified for six NFRs in team roping, recently began steer roping. He and partner Logan Medlin finished seventh in the qualifying round of team roping but did not advance beyond the quarter finals. The steer roping was a different story. Proctor won third in the first round and first place in the second round. He finished fourth overall in the event which was enough to earn him the all-around championship.

The 127th edition of Cheyenne Frontier Days is scheduled for July 21-30, 2023.

2022 Cheyenne Frontier Days Champions with total money

Bareback Riding, Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, $10,264

Breakaway Roping, Macy Young, Whitmann, Ariz., $15,497

Breakaway Roping, Tiffany Schieck, Floresville, Texas, $18,078

Tie-Down Roping, Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, $11,403

Tie-Down Roping, Ryan Thibodeaux, Stephenville, Texas, $11,000

Steer Wrestling, Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., $12,226

Steer Wrestling, Justin Shaffer, Hallsville, Texas, $12,010

Team Roping, Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., $16,400 each

Saddle Bronc Riding, Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, $12,198

Barrel Racing, Andrea Busby, Brock, Texas, $15,948

Steer Roping, Ora Taton, Rapid City, S.D., $12,453

Bull Riding, Brady Portenier, Caldwell, Idaho, $10,287

All-Around, Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Oklahoma

(money won in team roping and steer roping)

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 31, 2022)- The following are unofficial results from the 126^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Bareback Riding: 1, Tim O’ Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 88.5 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo’s Sozo, $8,481. 2,  R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 87.5, $6,425. 3, (tie)Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., and Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb., 86.5, $3,855. 5, (tie) Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D., and  Yance Day, Tahlequah, Okla., 85.5, $1,542.

Breakaway Roping:  1, (tie) Macy Young, Wittmann, Ariz., and Tiffany Schieck, Floresville, Texas, 4.0 seconds, $10,699 each. 3, Emma Charleston, Reeds, Mo., 4.1, $6,641. 4, Alli Masters, Leon, Iowa, 4.3, $4,427. 5, Lynn Smith, Elfrida Ariz., 5.0, $2,582. 6, Devan McAdow, Hyannis, Neb., 5.3, $1,844.

Tie Down Roping: 1, (tie) Ryan Thibodeaux, Stephenville, Texas, and Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, 10.3 seconds, $8,600 each. 3, Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas, 11.1, $6,800. 4, Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 11.9, $5,600. 5, Kase Bacque, Huntsville Texas, 12.6, $4,400. 6, Trenton Smith, Bigfoot, Texas, 13.3, $3,200. 7, Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla., 13.6, $2,000. 8, Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla., 13.8, $800.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 88 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Pendleton Roundup’s Marquee, $8,180. 2, Lefty Holman, Visalia, Cali., 87.5, $6,197. 3, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley Alberta, 87, $4,461. 4, Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 86.5, $2,974. 5, Dean Wadsworth, Buffalo Gap, Texas, 85.5, $1,735. 6, Tanner Butner, Daniel, Wyo., 85, $1,239.

Team Roping: 1, Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 7.5 seconds, $9,200 each. 2, (tie) Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz., and Paden Bray, Stephenville, Texas; and Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn., and Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 8.3, $7,400 each. 4, Rhett Anderson, Annabella, Utah, and Max Kuttler, American Falls, Idaho, 8.7, $5,600 each. 5, Garrett Rogers, Baker City, Ore., and Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif., 9.6, $4,400 each. 6, Brayden Parker and Dustin Searcy, Scottsdale, Ariz., 9.9, $3,200 each. 7, Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, Okla., and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 10.2, $2,000 each. 8, Turner Harris, Killdeer, N.D., and Matt Kasner, Cody, Neb., 10.4, $800 each.

Steer Roping: (three times) 1, Ora Taton, Rapid City, S.D., 13.6 seconds, $11,451. 2, Cole Patterson, Pratt Kan., 14.0, $9,733. 3, Shorty Garten, Claremore, Okla., 16.6, $8,016.

Steer Wrestling: 1, (tie) Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., and Justin Shaffer, Hallsville, Texas, 5.4 seconds, $6,450 each. 3, Talon Roseland, Marshalltown, Iowa, 6.2, $5,100. 4, Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, Mont., 6.9, $4,200. 5, Jesse Brown, Baker City, Ore., 7.0, $3,300. 6, Mason Owen Couch, Bronaugh, Mo., 7.3, $2,400. 7, Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La., 7.5, $1,500. 8, Cody Harmon, Dublin, Texas, 10.2, $600.

Barrel Racing: 1, Andrea Busby, Brock, Texas, 17.13 seconds, $10,239. 2, Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, Okla., 17.21, $8,474. 3, Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., 17,24, $6,708. 4, Presley Smith, Danham Springs, La., 17.25, $4,943. 5, Katie Pascoe, Morro Bay, Calif., 17.26, $3,177. 6, Taycie Matthews, Wynne, Ark., 17.29, $1,765.

Bull Riding: 1, Brady Portenier, Caldwell, Idaho, 92.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Lets Gamble, $8,276. 2, (tie) Garrett Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, and Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 90, $5,329 each. 4, (tie) Shad Winn, Nephi, Utah, and Tristen Hutchings, Monteview, Idaho, $2,382 each. 6, Tyler Bingham, Howell, Utah, $1,253.

Wild Horse Race: 1, Small Miracles, $10,470. 2 (tie) Team Krening, and Leon Stewart. $6,686.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 29, 2022) –The Friday crowd at Frontier Park watched as Semifinals 1 set half the field for Sunday’s Championship Finals at the 126^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (CFD). Twelve rodeo athletes competed in each event (12 teams in team roping) with just six advancing to Sunday’s competition.

In the bareback riding Garrett Shadbolt of Merriman, Nebraska, went to the winners’ circle for the second consecutive day. The father of two won Quarterfinals 6 on Thursday, then took first place in Semifinals 2 with a score of 86 points on United Pro Rodeo’s bucking horse named Pow Wow Nation. Shadbolt is currently ranked 12^th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s (PRCA) standings and aiming for a second trip to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December. Another cowboy advancing to Sunday is Will Lowe of Canyon, Texas. At age 39 he is competing, and winning, against men half his age. The three-time world champion has won the bareback riding title at CFD three times. If he wins the championship round, he will become the only bareback rider to win the “Daddy of ‘em All” four times.

Three-time world champions Clay Tryan of Billings, Montana, and Jade Corkill of Fallon, Nevada, also won for the second day in a row at Frontier Park. The pair won the CFD team roping championship together in 2013. A win Sunday could make Corkill the first four-time team roping champion at the “Daddy of ‘em All”. He won in 2009 with Tennessee roper Chad Masters and last year with Oklahoman Clay Smith.

A couple of Texas women tied for the win in Semifinals 2 of breakaway roping. Tiffany Schieck of Floresville and Martha Angelone of Stephenville both roped their calves in 4.6 seconds. Angelone has qualified for the National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) twice, winning the inaugural event in 2020, and is currently third in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) standings. Schieck, on the other hand, is not among the top 50 in the standings and a win at Frontier Park on Sunday would be the biggest of her career.

Reese Riemer of Stinnett, Texas, set the pace early in the tie-down roping with a 10.5-second run. The three-time NFR qualifier has not qualified for rodeo’s season finale since 2018. Today’s win, plus a win on Sunday, could put another trip to Las Vegas within reach for the 31-year-old Texan.

Two-time world champion Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alberta, rodeo Summit Pro Rodeo’s bucking horse Corina for 89.5 points to win Semifinals 2. Thurston has never won a championship at CFD, but his father Skeeter Thurston was the rookie saddle bronc riding winner at Frontier Park in 1982. With a winning ride on Sunday, Zeke could take another CFD title home to Canada for the Thurston family 40 years later.

Justin Shaffer of Hallsville, Texas,  took first place in steer wrestling in Semifinals 1 with a time of 6.5 seconds. One of his biggest career wins was at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in 2017. Winning here could be another. There is at least a 50-50 chance that Sunday’s steer wrestling winner will be a first-time CFD winner since none of the men advancing from Semifinals 1 have won in Frontier Park.

Summer Kosel made history at Cheyenne Frontier Days during last week’s qualifying round of barrel racing by clocking the fastest time recorded at the “Daddy of ‘em All” in barrel racing. The South Dakota barrel racer proved that was no fluke by winning Semifinals 1 with a time of 17.34 seconds.

Josh Frost of Randlett, Utah, tallied 91 points when he rode Harper & Rodeo Company’s bull Blackout to win the Semifinals. Frost, who won the 2021 NFR title in bull riding for the highest cumulative score over 10 rounds, is currently ranked second in the PRCA standings. The younger brother of retired bull rider Joe Frost and second-cousin to bull riding legend Lane Frost is striving to become the first in his family to win a CFD championship.

CHEYENNE, Wyo (July 29, 2022)- The following are unofficial results from Semifinals 1 at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Friday, July 29. Payoff subject to change.  

Bareback: 1, Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb., 86 points on Universal Pro Rodeo’s Pow Wow Nation, $3,163. 2, Cole Franks, Clarendon, Texas, 85.5, $2,396. 3, Will Lowe, Amarillo, Texas,  84.5, $1,725. 4, R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 84, $1,150. 

Breakaway:  1, (tie) Tiffany Schieck, Floresville, Texas, and Martha Angelone, Stephenville, Texas, 4.6 seconds, $5,534 each. 3, Ashley Goforth, Azle, Texas, 4.9, $3,505. 4, Lynn Smith, Elfrida, Ariz., 5.2, $2,398. 

Tie Down Roping: 1, Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 10.5 seconds, $5,200. 2, Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif., 11.1, $4,300. 3, Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas, 11.4, $3,400. 4, Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla., 12.6, $2,500. 

Rookie Saddle Bronc: (Round 1) 1, Isaac Richard, Eunice, La., 83 points. 2, Chance West, Chino Valley, Ariz., 80. 3, (tie) Rowdy Dunklin, Cheyenne, Wyo., and Cable Wareham, Whiting, Kan., 79. (Round 2): 1, Reed Neely, Sanger, Calif., 82. 2, Ira Dickinson, Rock Springs, Wyo., 81. 3, Carson Bingham, Rigby, Idaho, 77. 4, Lavern Borntreger, Elsmere, Neb., 76. (Total on two): 1, Wareham, 154. 2, Q McWhorter, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 150. 3, Bingham, 149. 4, Dunklin, 147

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, Canada, 89.5 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Corina, $3,051. 2, Riggin Smith, Winterset, Iowa, 86.5, $2,311. 3, Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 86, $1,664. 4, Kolby Wanchuk, Sherwood Park, Alberta, 84, $878. 

Team Roping: 1, Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 8.4 seconds, $5,200 each. 2, Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz., and Paden Bray, Stephenville, Texas, 9.1, $4,300 each. 3, Rhett Anderson, Annabella, Utah, and Max Kuttler, American Falls, Idaho,  9.7, $3,400 each. 4, Kellan and Carson Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 10.6, $2,500 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Justin Shaffer, Hallsville, Texas, 6.5 seconds, $4,060. 2, Talon Roseland, Marshalltown, Iowa, 7.4, $3,360. 3, Emmett Edler, State Center, Iowa, 7.5, $2,660. 4, Cody Harmon, Dublin, Texas, 7.6, $1,960.

Barrel Racing: 1, Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D., 17.34 seconds, $5,119. 2, Cindy Smith, Lovington N.M., 17.53, $4,237. 3, Andrea Busby, Brock, Texas, $17.57. 4, Katie Pascoe, Morro Bay, Calif., 17.65, $1,647. 

Bull Riding: 1, Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, 91 points on Hunter & Morgan Rodeo Company’s Blackout, $3,087. 2, (tie) Tristen Hutchings, Monteview, Idaho, and Brady Portenier, Caldwell, 86, $2,011 each. 4, Tyler Bingham, Howell, Utah, 83.5, $1,122. 

Wild Horse Race: 1, Leon Stewart, $678. 

Josh Frost continued his winning ways at Cheyenne Frontier Days. The bull rider from Randlett, Utah, had a 91-point ride on Harper & Morgan Rodeo’s Blackout to win Semifinals 1. Frost is second in the world standings and is hoping for a win in Frontier Park on Sunday to help him get back to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo next December where he is the defending champion for having the highest total score on ten rides. PRCA photo by Click Thompson

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 28, 2022) –Although heavy rain on Wednesday left the arena muddy at Frontier Park, three-time world champions Clay Tryan of Billings, Montana, and Jade Corkill of Fallon, Nevada, took first place in the team roping in Quarter Finals 6 at the 126^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (CFD). Their time of 7.9 seconds was half a second faster than the second-place team.

The duo has won the CFD team roping championship twice as together, first in 2013 and again last year. If their success continues throughout the weekend, they could become the first pair to win the team roping title at the “Daddy of ‘em All” in consecutive years. Corkill, who also won the team roping title at Frontier Park in 2009 with Tennessee roper Chad Masters, could win his fourth CFD championship.

Injuries are inherent in rodeo. The old rodeo saying is  “it is not if you’ll get hurt; it’s when you’ll get hurt.” Nobody knows that better that two of the timed event winners of Quarter Finals 6 – ropers Megan Small and Hunter Herrin.

Small, who grew up on a ranch in Montana, has a passion for roping. She lost her thumb on her roping hand in a team roping accident and had to re-learn many things, including how to rope since ropers rely on their thumbs to control their loops. The former Indian National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Busby, Montana, caught her calf in 3.8 seconds to win the breakaway roping by 1.1 seconds and advance to the Semifinals.

Hunter Herrin of Apache, Oklahoma, has nearly $2 million in career tie-down roping winnings and has qualified for 11 Wrangler National Finals Rodeos (WNFR). He missed most of three rodeo seasons after 2016 with major injuries and multiple hip surgeries before returning to the top 15 the past two seasons. This year started slowly for Herrin, but he has been winning lately, winning $11,000 plus at the California Rodeo in Salinas and more than $10,000 at Spanish Fork, Utah last week to move up to 12^th in the world championship standings.

His time of 12.0 seconds won Quarter Finals 6 and advanced him to the Semifinals. A win here on Championship Sunday could virtually guarantee a 12^th trip to Las Vegas for Herrin.

CHEYENNE, Wyo (July 28, 2022)- The following are unofficial results from the Quarter Finals 6 at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Thursday, July 28. Payoff subject to change. 

Bareback Riding: 1, Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb., 87 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo’s Many Enemies, $2,447. 2, Cole Franks, Clarendon, Texas, 86.5, $1,835. 3, Seth Hardwick, Ranchester, Wyo., 84, $1,223. 4, Waylon Bourgeois, Churchpoint, La., 83, $611. 

Breakaway:  1, Megan Small, Busby, Mont., 3.8 seconds, $2,951. 2, (tie) Tiffany Schieck, Floresville, Texas, and Megan Burbidge, Tremonton, Utah, 4.9, $1,844. 4, Kamie Landolfi, Coleman, Okla., $737. 

Tie Down Roping: 1, Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 12.0 seconds, $2,000. 2, Ryan Thibodeaux, Stephenville, Texas, 12.2 seconds, $1,500. 3, (tie) Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla., and Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash., 13.8, $750. 

Rookie Saddle Bronc: (Round 1) 1, Isaac Richard, Eunice, La., 83. 2, (tie) Rowdy Dunklin, Cheyenne, Wyo., and Cable Wareham, Whiting, Kan., 79. 4, Denton Ward, Santa Fe, N.M., 77. (Round 2): 1, Reed Neely, Sanger, Calif., 82. 2, Ira Dickinson, Rock Springs, Wyo., 81. 3, Carson Bingham, Rigby, Idaho, 77. 4, Lavern Borntreger, Elsmere, Neb., 76. (Total on two): 1, Wareham, 154. 2, Q McWhorter,  150. 3, Bingham, 149. 4, Dunklin, 147

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Wyatt Casper, Miami, Texas, 86.5 points on Hurst & TNT Pro Rodeo’s Party Pooper, $2,341. 2, Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 84.5, $1,756. 3, Jake Clark, Crane, Ore., 81, $1,170. 4, Dean Wadsworth, Buffalo Gap, Texas, 80.5, $585. 

Team Roping: 1, Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 7.9 seconds, $2,000 each. 2, Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz., and Payden Bray, Stephenville, Texas, 8.4, $1,500 each. 3, Kellan and Carson Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 8.6, $1,000 each. 4, Chaz Kananen, Pocatello, Idaho, and Colby Siddoway, Honeyville, Utah, 500 each. 

Steer Wrestling: 1, Adam Musil, Crescent, Okla., 7.5 seconds, $2,000. 2, Justin Shaffer, Hallsville, Texas, 7.6, $1,500. 3, Cody Harmon, Dublin, Texas, 8.5, $1,000. 4, Talon Roseland, Marshalltown, Iowa, 8.9, $500. 

Barrel Racing: 1, Tarryn Lee, St. David, Ariz., 17.56, $2,353. 2, Megan McLeod Sprague, Marsing, Idaho, 17.93, $1,765. 3, Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. 18.0, $1,176. 4, Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 18.08, $588. 

Bull Riding: 1, Trevor Reiste, Linden, Iowa, 88.5 points on Universal Rodeo’s Big Bank, $2,397. 2, Reid Oftedalh, Raymond, Minn., 87.5, $1,797. 3, Tyler Bingham, Howell, Utah, 87, $1,198. 4, (tie) Tyler Taylor, Stephenville, Texas, and Jake Gardner, Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada, 84.5, $299. 

Wild Horse Race: 1, Team Krening, $678. 

Hunter Herrin of Apache, Oklahoma, roped and tied this calf in 12.0 seconds to win Quarter Finals 6 of the 126^th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Herro, who won more than $21,000 last week at Salinas, California, and Spanish Fork, Utah, is now ranked 12^th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) world championship standings and, with continued success at CFD, could rise even higher. PRCA Photo by Robert Rosales

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 27, 2022) –As the 126th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (CFD) reached the midway point of its nine rodeo performances, surprises ruled the day on Wednesday, beginning with the bareback riding. Will Lowe, who began his professional rodeo career 21 years ago, is one of three cowboys to have won three CFD championships in bareback riding. At age 39, Lowe is competing against men half his age, but his experience is unmatched.

He brought all that experience – 15 years of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) qualifications, three world championships and two WNFR average titles – to his ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Flashcard Champ, to win Quarter Finals 5 with an 86-point-ride and advance to the Semifinals this weekend. If Lowe can be one of the six from his semi-final to advance to Sunday’s Championship Finals, he could become the first to win four bareback riding titles at the “Daddy of ‘em All.” On the other hand, six-time world champion Kaycee Feild has more world titles than any other bareback rider but has never won a title at Frontier Park. That achievement will have to wait as he finished out of the top four and did not advance to the Semifinals.

Eli Lord of Sturgis, South Dakota, left Frontier Park with the steer wrestling title in 2019. He would love to repeat that feat in 2022 and join Ote Berry as the only two-time CFD steer wrestling champion not to win those titles in consecutive years. He stopped the clock in 7.5 seconds to tie for first place Quarter Finals 5 and continue his championship quest. Curtis Cassidy of Donalda, Alberta, also wrestled his steer in 7.5. Cassidy is an eight-time WNFR qualifier who has won six Canadian steer wrestling titles.

Header Quinn Kesler of Holden, Utah, and heeler Caleb Hendrix of Fallon, Nevada, roped first place in Quarter Finals 5 with a time of 8.1 seconds. Kesler has qualified for the WNFR three times in team roping while Hendrix, who is in his sophomore season of pro rodeo, is pursuing his first WNFR qualification.

Canadian Ben Anderson found some success last year at Frontier Park, winning both his quarterfinals and semifinals. This year his goal is to win the championship, and he made a good start with an 83.5-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo’s horse named The Turtle to win Quarter Finals 5. Former CFD and world champion Wade Sundell’s score of 81 on Sankey’s Intelligent Caddy put him into the Semifinals. Hometown favorite and three-time CFD champion Brody Cress will not advance after bucking off Dakota Rodeo’s horse Sippin Whiskey.

Two former CFD champions – Stevi Hillman of Weatherford, Texas, and Nellie Miller of Cottonwood, California, did not advance to the Semifinals, but rookie Jamie Olsen of Brock, Texas, will be there after winning the day with a time of 17.47 seconds.

Veteran roper Eric Dublanko, the 2017 Canadian champion from Thorsby, Alberta, won the tie-down roping on Sunday. Also advancing to the Semifinals is two-time CFD champ Mike Johnson of Henryetta, Oklahoma, at age 58.

The last quarter-finals competition of the 126th CFD begins at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 28. Semifinals 1 is Friday followed by Semifinals 2 on Saturday. The top six from each semi-final advance to Sunday’s Championship Finals.

Unofficial Results

CHEYENNE, Wyo (July 26, 2022)- The following are unofficial results from the Quarter Finals 5 at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Wednesday, July 27. Payoff subject to change.

Bareback Riding: 1, Will Lowe, Amarillo, Texas, 86 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Flashcard Champ, $2,447. 2, Kade Sonnier, Carencro, La., 85.5, $1,835. 3, R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Cali., 83.5, $1,223. 4, A.J. Ruth, Huntsville, Texas, 82.5, $611.

Breakaway: 1, (tie) Katie White, Sumner, Texas, and Martha Angelone, Stephenville, Texas, 3.8 seconds, $2,582. 3, Erin Johnson, Fowler, Colo., 4.0, $1,475. 4, Abbea Faris, Grover, Colo., 4.7, $368.

Tie-Down Roping: 1, Erik Dublanko, Thorsby, Alberta, Canada, 12.2 seconds, $2,000. 2, Taylor Santos, Creston Calif., 14.2, $1,500. 3, Mike Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., 14.3, $1,000. 4, Reese Reimer, Stinnett, Texas, 15.6, $500.

Rookie Saddle Bronc: (Round 1): 1, Isaac Richard, Eunice, La., 83 points. 2, Rowdy Dunklin, Malakoff, Texas, 79. 3, Denton Ward, Goodwell, Okla., 77. 4, Q McWhorter, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 76. (Round 2): Ira Dickinson, Rock Springs, Wyo., 81. 2, Bingham, 77. 3, Lavern Borntreger, Elsmere, Neb., 76. 4, Cauy Masters, Leon, Iowa., 75. (Total on two) 1, Bingham, 149. 2, (tie) Benham, and Dickinson, 146. 4, Masters, 145.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Ben Anderson, Rocky Mountain High, Alberta, Canada, 83.5 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo’s The Turtle, $2.354. 2, (tie) Lefty Holman, Visalia, Cali., and Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 81, $1,471. 4, Dawson Dahm, Tomahawk, Alberta, 78, $588.

Team Roping: 1, Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, and Caleb Hendrix, Fallon, Nev., 8,1 seconds, $2,000 each. 2, Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn., and Paul Eaves, 8.9, $1,500 each. 3, Dustin Egusquiza, Marianna, Fla., and Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 9.0, $1,000 each. 4, Tyler Waters, Stephensville, Texas, and Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz., 9.8, $500 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1, (tie) Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D., and Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 7.5 seconds, $1,750 each. 3, J.D. Struxness, Milan, Minn., 7.7, $1,000. 4, Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La., 8.2, $500.

Barrel Racing: 1, Jamie Olsen, Brock, Texas, 17.47 seconds, $2,353. 2, Jimmie Smith, McDade, Texas, 17.69, $1,765. 3, Cindy Smith, Lovington, Mont., 17.76, $1,176. 4, Katie Pascoe, Morro Bay, Cali., 17.77, $588.

Bull Riding: 1, (tie) Tyler Bingham, Howell, Utah, on Dakota Rodeo’s Unstopable, and Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah, on Dakota Pro Rodeo’s Melanie’s Dream, 88, $2,097 each. 3, Trevor Reiste, Linden, Iowa, 87.5, $1,198. 4, Thayne Weight, Goshen, Utah, 86.5, $599.

Wild Horse Racing: 1, Team Krening, $678. 2, Residential Roofing, $508

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

R.C. Landingham of Hat Creek, California, has been one of the hottest bareback riders in the PRCA lately. This past Saturday he won first place and nearly $6,000 at the California Rodeo in Salinas. On Monday, he earned $25,000 and a gold medal at the Utah Days of 47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City. Although that money doesn’t count in the PRCA standings, it still fattens the pocketbook. He’ll be looking to continue that streak on Dakota Rodeo’s Gun Powder today. Will Lowe won the CFD bareback riding title in 2009, 2012 and 2018. At age 39, the three-time world champion is still riding well and can’t be overlooked to win another CFD title and hold the record for most bareback wins here. (He currently shares with Joe Alexander and Clint Corey who each have three championships.) Six-time world champion Kaycee Feild has won almost everything there is to win in bareback riding, except he has never won the “Daddy of ‘em All.”

Hometown favorite Brody Cress won the saddle bronc riding title here three years in a row. He’s currently ranked second in the world and would love to win in front of the hometown crowd again. Another crowd favorite is 2018 world champion Wade Sundell of Boxholm, Iowa, who won The Daddy in 2013. Californian Lefty Holman who is ranked 9th in the standings would love to win a saddle bronc riding title in Cheyenne, just as his uncle Joe Marvel did in 1981. Logan Hay’s dad Rod won the CFD bronc riding title in 2000. The Canadian cowboy just won the Calgary Stampede and is 10th in the standings.

Shane Proctor won the bull riding world title, the Calgary Stampede Championship and the CFD championship all in 2011. Earlier this month he won his second title in Calgary, and he’d love to do the same here in Cheyenne. Josh Frost continues the momentum his 2021 National Finals Rodeo average and reserve world title started and currently sits second in the world standings. Frost won the Linderman Award last year, given to the cowboy with the highest season earnings who wins at least $1,000 in three events, including both a rough stock and a timed event. Despite the many accomplishments of his famous cousin Lane and his older brother Joe, Josh could become the first in his family to win a CFD championship. Watch for Trevor Reiste. The ambidextrous cowboy decides which hand to ride with depending on what bull he has drawn.

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

One of the most successful barrel racers in the history of Cheyenne Frontier Days is Nellie Miller from Cottonwood, California. Nellie won back-to-back championships here in 2018 and 2019. Her title in 2018 was as the reigning world champion and both of her wins in Frontier Park helped her qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo again last December. She didn’t win anything during qualifying, is 20th in the world standings and is hoping for success in the Quarter Finals to give her an opportunity to cash in.

One of the things that makes Cheyenne the “Daddy of ‘em All” is the opportunity for newcomers to compete against world champions and NFR qualifiers with equal chances. One of those newcomers is Laura Mote, the daughter of Bobby Mote who was the bareback riding champion here in 2004, one year after she was born. Laura has leaned on her dad for her mental game and also gotten experience from her barrel racing mom. She is ninth in the rookie of the year standings and if she finishes among the top four here today, it could be a game changer for the recent high school graduate.

Stevi Hillman, had barrel racing fans on the edge of their seats when she won the championship here in 2017 riding I’m a Sharp Guy an amazing gray gelding. This year, she has her solid gelding Cuatro Fame “Truck” in her trailer as well as a super palomino mare Famous Lemon Drop. Whatever she is riding, Stevi will be doing it with her whole heart and gratitude for the opportunities rodeo has provided her to share her faith.

The seasoned veterans will be trying to show the youngsters how it is done in the tie-down roping today. Mike Johnson has earned titles here in 1997 and 2003. At 58-years-old, he has a wealth of experience that he shares with others by hosting competitions and training horses. He has been to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo a record 23 times in his event. The other veteran in the field today is Blair Burk who will go down in history as the first header to ever win a championship in the team roping here. That happened in 2007. He was here consistently after that but has yet to win a title in his signature event – the tie-down roping. That could change in 2022, 15 years after he won the team roping title.

Steer wrestling should get fast today as former CFD champion’s Curtis Cassidy (all-around 2010,) Eli Lord (2019 and J.D. Struxness (2016) are in the mix. Eli is the only one of these that hasn’t been to the NFR, but he could be in contention this year if he has some success here. He is currently 24th in the world standings.

Add in Blake Mindeman, Rowdy Parrott, Tanner Milan who have all been to the NFR and 2021 college champion Gavin Soileau and it will be the timed-event of the day to watch. They have all come to play and have everything to gain today.

Eli will be watching the team roping today too as his brother Levi Lord will be roping with Jr. Dees. One of the most exciting headers in the industry to watch, Dustin Egusquiza, will be here with veteran heeler Travis Graves. They are looking for their first CFD title and their first gold buckles. Chad Masters and Paul Eaves have each won gold buckles, but not together. If their world-championship skills mesh at CFD, it would be the first title for Paul and the third for Chad who won here in 2009 and 2018.