BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo was an action packed PRCA Playoff Series Rodeo. With just one go in each event and $182,000 on the line, fans in Vernal, Utah saw the No. 1 man in the world win the bareback riding, fan favorite barrel racer take home another title as well as the highest marked bull ride we’ve seen all season.
We’ll begin with top-ranked bareback rider Keenan Hayes, who simply keeps winning. He was 87.5 points to win the rodeo in Vernal, the highest paying of three he won on the weekend. Hayes has been to 12 rodeos in July and finished first or second in seven of them.
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi won Reno a few weeks ago and is now No. 3 in the WPRA Barrel Racing World Standings after winning the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo. She stopped the clock at 17.36 seconds and the $4,900 she earned was her third biggest check of the season.
In bull riding, Braden Richardson thrilled with a 93.5-point ride aboard Power River Rodeo’s Heater to win $9,600 at a bull riding full of high scores. There were only seven cowboys to make the whistle, but all seven were marked 88.5 points or better.
The other winners at the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo were Cameron Morman in steer wrestling (3.6 seconds), Clay Smith/Coleby Payne in team roping (4.5 seconds), Houston Brown and Stetson Wright in saddle bronc riding (87 points each) and Brush Minton in tie-down roping (7.8 seconds).
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Keenan Hayes, 87.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Flip A Coin, $4,089; 2. Orin Larsen, 86, $3,135; 3. Leighton Berry, 85, $2,317; 4. Jacob Raine, 84, $1,499; 5. Kaycee Feild, 82.5, $954; 6. Jayco Roper, 81, $682; 7. Strawbs Jones, 80, $545; 8. (tie) Sage Allen and Chett Deitz, 77, $204 each.
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. Cameron Morman, 3.6 seconds, $3,516; 2. Ty Erickson, 3.8, $3,102; 3. (tie) Joshua Hefner, Tristan Martin, Colton Swearingen and Tyler Waguespack, 4.1, $2,223 each; 7. (tie) Ty Allred and Walt Arnold, 4.3, $1,551 each; 9. (tie) Stetson Jorgensen and Heath Thomas, 4.4, $1,034 each.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 4.5 seconds, $3,915 each; 2. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.6, $3,455; 3. Wyatt Bray/Josh Patton, 4.8, $2,994; 4. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 5.0, $2,533; 5. Brye Crites/Rance Doyal, 5.6, $2,073; 6. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 5.9, $1,842; 7. Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, 6.2, $1,612; 8. Payden Emmett/Lucas Falconer, 6.6, $1,382; 9. Kaden Richard/Howdy Jackson, 6.7, $1,152; 10. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 7.9, $921; 11. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 10.0, $691; 12. Tanner Pallesen/Kelton Morse, 10.2, $461.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. (tie) Houston Brown, on Powder River Rodeo’s Toss Across, and Stetson Dell Wright, on Powder River Rodeo’s After Party, 87 points, $3,861 each; 3. (tie) Garrett Long and Cash Wilson, 86, $2,040 each; 5. Statler Wright, 85, $1,020; 6. Kole Ashbacher, 83.5, $729; 7. (tie) Sterling Crawley, Ross Griffin, Jesse Wright and Stu Wright, 83, $255 each.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. Brush Minton, 7.8 seconds, $4,914; 2. Haven Meged, 8.2, $4,336; 3. (tie) Westyn Hughes and Chance Thiessen, 8.4, $3,469 each; 5. (tie) Blane Cox and Lucas Potter, 8.6, $2,457 each; 7. Owen Wahlert, 8.9, $2,023; 8. (tie) John Douch and Colton Kofoed, 9.0, $1,590 each; 10. (tie) Colton Farquer and Drake Wycherley, 9.4, $1,012 each; 12. (tie) Bridger Crandall and Shane Hanchey, 9.7, $289 each.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.36 seconds, $4,860; 2. LaTricia Duke, 17.41, $3,888; 3. Shelley Morgan, 17.42, $3,159; 4. Sue Smith, 17.55, $2,430; 5. Marcie Wilson, 17.69, $1,944; 6. Leslie Smalygo, 17.71, $1,458; 7. Rainey Skelton, 17.72, $1,215; 8. Katie Halbert, 17.76, $1,093; 9. Natalie Bland, 17.82, $972; 10. Dena Kirkpatrick, 17.83, $850; 11. (tie) Gracie Beckstrom and Victoria Procter, 17.84, $668 each; 13. Ashley Castleberry, 17.86, $486; 14. Meka Farr, 17.87, $364; 15. Dee Ratliff, 17.89, $243.
BULL RIDING
First Round: *1. Braden Richardson, 93.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Heater, $9,552; 2. JB Mauney, 90, $7,355; 3. Ky Hamilton, 89.5, $5,471; 4. Cannon Cravens, 89, $3,588; 5. (tie) Trey Benton III, Jate Frost and Brody Yeary, 88.5, $1,809 each; no other qualified rides. *(all totals include ground money).
