BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The Lea County PRCA Rodeo is the highest paying rodeo in New Mexico and the state’s only PRCA Playoff Event.
Fans this year saw a top-notch saddle bronc riding, a huge win for a bubble barrel racer, big scores in bull riding and more.
Starting in the bronc riding, where eight cowboys rode for at least 86 points with young Aussie Damian Brennan taking the top spot with 89.5 points on Pete Carr’s High Dive. Brennan continues to be one of the most prolific bronc riders in the PRCA as of late, bringing in more than $30,000 since the start of August.
In barrel racing, Wenda Johnson got some breathing room with a $6,236 payday for first place in Lea County. The win, which was her third Playoff Series win of the year, moved her from No. 13 to No. 11.
In bull riding, only five cowboys made the whistle, but all five of them were 86.5 points or better. T Parker, Clayton Sellars, Deklan Garland, Trevor Reiste and Trey Kimzey all made the whistle with Kimzey taking first with 89 points on Stockyards ProRodeo’s Cheddar Biscuit.
Other winners from the Lea County PRCA Rodeo were Richie Champion in bareback riding (88.5 points) Laramie Warren in steer wrestling (8.0 seconds on two), Chad Masters/Trey Yates in team roping (9.8 seconds on two), Cory Solomon in tie-down roping (18.1 seconds on two) and Rylee A. George in breakaway roping (2.0 seconds).
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Richmond Champion, 88.5 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo Co’s Uncapped, $5,922; 2. Jess Pope, 87, $4,540; 3. Tim O’Connell, 85, $3,356; 4. (tie) Mason Clements, Jacob Lees, Sam Petersen and Ty Pope, 84, $1,333 each; 8. Chad Rutherford, 83.5, $592.
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. Riley Westhaver, 3.7 seconds, $2,034; 2. Tyler Pearson, 4.0, $1,769; 3. Gus Franzen, 4.1, $1,503; 4. (tie) Joshua Hefner and Remey Parrott, 4.2, $1,105 each; 6. Laramie Warren, 4.3, $707; 7. Darcy Kersh, 4.5, $442; 8. (tie) Mitch Hutto and Tristan Martin, 4.6, $88 each.
Second Round: 1. Riley Duvall, 3.5 seconds, $2,034; 2. (tie) Heath Thomas and Laramie Warren, 3.7, $1,636 each; 4. Mason Couch, 3.9, $1,238; 5. Cody Devers, 4.0, $973; 6. (tie) Don Payne and Cash Robb, 4.2, $575 each; 8. Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.3, $177.
Average: 1. Laramie Warren, 8.0 seconds on two head, $3,051; 2. Remey Parrott, 8.7, $2,653; 3. Joshua Hefner, 9.0, $2,255; 4. (tie) Heath Thomas and Tristan Martin, 9.1, $1,658 each; 6. (tie) Rowdy Parrott and Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.4, $862 each; 8. Mitch Hutto, 10.2, $265.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 4.5 seconds, $2,483 each; 2. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.6, $2,159; 3. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 4.8, $1,835; 4. (tie) Tanner Bryson/Tye Reddell, Jake Clay/Kollin VonAhn and Kreece Thompson/Landen Glenn, 4.9, $1,188 each; 7. Nelson Wyatt/Chase Tryan, 5.0, $540; 8. (tie) Brock Grashuis/Oliver White and Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 5.1, $108 each.
Second Round: 1. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.0 seconds, $2,321 each; 3. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 4.1, $1,835; 4. (tie) Chad Masters/Trey Yates and Chet Weitz/Cutter Pake Thomison, 4.2, $1,350 each; 6. Keven Daniel/Travis Graves, 4.3, $864; 7. (tie) Peyton Holliday/Kolton Good and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 4.4, $378 each.
Average: 1. Chad Masters/Trey Yates, 9.8 seconds on two head, $3,725 each; 2. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 10.0, $3,239; 3. Tanner Baldwin/Tanner Luttrell, 10.9, $2,753; 4. Tanner Bryson/Tye Reddell, 11.1, $2,267; 5. Chris Francis/Cade Passig, 11.6, $1,781; 6. Chet Weitz/Cutter Pake Thomison, 11.9, $1,296; 7. Wyatt Kent/Jacob Auza, 13.2, $810; 8. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 13.6, $324.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. Damian Brennan, 89.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s High Dive, $6,007; 2. Logan Hay, 88.5, $4,605; 3. (tie) Ross Griffin and Will Pollock, 87.5, $2,803 each; 5. (tie) Tanner Butner, Lefty Marvel Holman and Cash Wilson, 87, $1,068 each; 8. Ryder Sanford, 86, $601.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.7 seconds, $3,002; 2. Jake Pratt, 8.8, $2,611; 3. Marcos Costa, 8.9, $2,219; 4. Cory Solomon, 9.1, $1,827; 5. Caleb Smidt, 9.2, $1,436; 6. Shane Hanchey, 9.5, $1,044; 7. Garrett Jacobs, 9.6, $653; 8. (tie) Dylan Hancock and Kalai Nobriga, 10.2, $131 each.
Second Round: 1. Riley Mason Webb, 7.2 seconds, $3,002; 2. (tie) Tuf Case Cooper, Quade Hiatt and Taylor Santos, 8.0, $2,219 each; 5. Dylan Hancock, 8.1, $1,436; 6. Tom Crouse, 8.2, $1,044; 7. Mesquite Mahaffey, 8.3, $653; 8. (tie) Ty Harris and Lucas Potter, 8.5, $131 each.
Average: 1. Cory Solomon, 18.1 seconds on two head, $4,503; 2. Trevor Hale, 18.2, $3,916; 3. Dylan Hancock, 18.3, $3,328; 4. Lucas Potter, 19.5, $2,741; 5. Caleb Smidt, 19.6, $2,154; 6. Marcos Costa, 20.0, $1,566; 7. Lane Livingston, 20.1, $979; 8. Riley Mason Webb, 20.4, $392.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Wenda Johnson, 17.34 seconds, $6,236; 2. Jamie Olsen, 17.40, $4,989; 3. LaTricia Duke, 17.48, $4,053; 4. Katelyn Scott, 17.53, $3,118; 5. Tara Carr, 17.55, $2,494; 6. Tara Seaton, 17.58, $1,871; 7. (tie) Keyla Costa and Victoria Procter, 17.60, $1,481 each; 9. Kortni McConnell, 17.63, $1,247; 10. Bryana Lehrmann, 17.64, $1,091; 11. Rainey Skelton, 17.66, $935; 12. Emily Beisel, 17.72, $780; 13. Ilyssa Riley, 17.76, $624; 14. Hailey Kinsel, 17.77, $468; 15. Sierra Scott-Williams, 17.81, $312.
BULL RIDING
First Round: 1. Trey Kimzey, 89 points on Stockyards ProRodeo’s Cheddar Biscuit, $6,686; 2. Trevor Reiste, 88.5, $5,241; 3. Deklan Garland, 87.5, $4,003; 4. Clayton Sellars, 87, $2,765; 5. T Parker, 86.5, $1,940.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
First Round: 1. Rylee A George, 2.0 seconds, $5,631; 2. Brighton Bauman, 2.1, $4,505; 3. Maddy Deerman, 2.2, $3,660; 4. Kayelen Helton, 2.4, $2,815; 5. Taylor Munsell, 2.5, $2,252; 6. Josie Conner, 2.6, $1,689; 7. (tie) Lindsey Baker, Christi Braudrick and Hailey Schafer, 2.8, $1,267 each; 10. Madalyn Richards, 3.0, $985; 11. (tie) Macy Devenport and Madison Outhier, 3.3, $774 each; 13. (tie) Bailey Jay, Alex Loiselle and McKenzie Watkins, 3.4, $422 each.
