BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The Santa Maria Elks Rodeo had beautiful weather, terrific rodeo action and paid at least $2,500 to every winner, with some banking more than $5,000.
In bareback riding, 2019 World Champion Clayton Biglow won in California for the sixth time in the 2022 season with an 87 point ride on Flying U Rodeo’s Cat Caller. Bronc Marriott, who won the first performance, was second with an 85.
Steer wrestling was dominated by two-time NFR qualifier Jesse Brown, who won both rounds with a 4.6 in Round 1 and 4.5 in Round 2. His 9.1 second aggregate time was more than two seconds faster than second place Levi Rudd.
In team roping, Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor were 11.4 seconds on two and placed in the Top 3 in both rounds to beat out Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, the only other team to place in both rounds.
In saddle bronc riding, Q McWhorter snatched the lead from Kade Bruno, who set the pace on Thursday, by a half-point on the fittingly named California Dreamin’ from Rosser Rodeo. He was 86, making it the highest marked ride he has had all season by 4.5 points.
Brushton Minton split the First Round and took second in the Second Round to run away with the tie-down roping and win by 2.5 seconds.
In barrel racing, Katie Pascoe won the first performance with a 17.17 second and no one was able to unseat her. Santa Maria was her first rodeo win of 2022.
Finally, in bull riding, only two cowboys rode the entire weekend and Wade Berg got the better of Ray Mayo by two points. Both cowboys won more than $5,500.
Bareback riding
First round: 1. Clayton Biglow, 87 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Cat Caller, $2,572; 2. Bronc Marriott, 85, $1,972; 3. (tie) Jacek Frost and Shane O’Connell, 83, $1,200 each; 5. Payton Wright, 78, $600; 6. Garrett Shadbolt, 73.5, $429; 7. Jacob Raine, 68, $343; 8. Trenten Montero, 66, $257.
Steer wrestling
First round: 1. Jesse Brown, 4.6 seconds, $958; 2. Josh Garner, 5.3, $793; 3. Levi Rudd, 5.4, $628; 4. (tie) Dillon Hushour and Garrett Shell, 6.0, $380 each; 6. Sterling Lambert, 6.5, $165.
Second round: 1. Jesse Brown, 4.5 seconds, $958; 2. (tie) Trace Agin, Kyle Easterly and Grant Peterson, 5.2, $710 each; 4. Ory James Lemmons, 5.6, $462; 5. Levi Rudd, 5.9, $297; 6. Taite Stickler, 6.4, $165.
Average: 1. Jesse Brown, 9.1 seconds on two head, $1,437; 2. Levi Rudd, 11.3, $1,189; 3. Tucker Allen, 14.0, $941; 4. Ory James Lemmons, 17.0, $694; 5. Dillon Hushour, 17.3, $446; 6. Josh Garner, 19.6, $248.
Team roping
First round: 1. (tie) Jake Barnes/Clay O’Brien Cooper and Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 5.6 seconds, $1,601 each; 3. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 5.7, $1,148; 4. Blake Hirdes/Wyatt Hansen, 6.0, $846; 5. Kelly Barker/Jared Hixon, 6.2, $544; 6. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 6.3, $302.
Second round: 1. Dan Williams Jr./Rhett Kennedy, 5.2 seconds, $1,752 each; 2. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 5.7, $1,450; 3. Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 5.8, $1,148; 4. (tie) Marcus Battaglia/Jason Johe, Preston Burgess/Monty Joe Petska, C.J. DeForest Jr./Kyle Lockett and Chant DeForest/Bronc Boehnlein, 5.9, $564 each.
Average: 1. Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 11.4 seconds on two head, $2,629 each; 2. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 12.0, $2,175; 3. Tanner Kent/Joseph Shawnego, 13.0, $1,722; 4. Doyle Hoskins/Stoney Boy Joseph, 13.5, $1,269; 5. Preston Burgess/Monty Joe Petska, 13.7, $816; 6. Dan Williams Jr./Rhett Kennedy, 15.1, $453.
Saddle bronc riding
First round: 1. Q McWhorter, 86 points on Rosser Rodeo’s California Dreamin, $2,800; 2. Kade Bruno, 85.5, $2,147; 3. Statler Wright, 83, $1,587; 4. Reed Neely, 82, $1,027; 5. Lefty Marvel Holman, 81.5, $653; 6. Jake Clark, 80.5, $467; 7. Ryan Verling, 78.5, $373; 8. Stetson Dell Wright, 77.5, $280.
Tie-down roping
First round: 1. (tie) Brushton Minton and Lucas Potter, 11.1 seconds, $1,356 each; 3. Chris McCuistion, 11.2, $972; 4. Chant DeForest, 11.4, $716; 5. (tie) C.J. DeForest Jr. and Hudson Wallace, 11.5, $358 each.
Second round: 1. Taylor Santos, 9.1 seconds, $1,484; 2. Brushton Minton, 9.7, $1,228; 3. Josh Frost, 10.6, $972; 4. Lane Karney, 10.9, $716; 5. (tie) Dakota Felton and Brandt Ross, 11.5, $358 each.
Average: 1. Brushton Minton, 20.8 seconds on two head, $2,226; 2. Hudson Wallace, 23.2, $1,842; 3. (tie) Josh Frost and Dakota Felton, 23.4, $1,266 each; 5. Chris McCuistion, 24.1, $691; 6. (tie) Wyatt Imus and Lucas Potter, 24.2, $192 each.
Barrel racing
First round: 1. Katie Pascoe, 17.17 seconds, $2,527; 2. Emily Hannaford, 17.29, $2,148; 3. Nellie Miller, 17.32, $1,769; 4. Ali Anton, 17.50, $1,516; 5. Kathy Petska, 17.62, $1,263; 6. Oceana Champion, 17.63, $884; 7. Hayle Gibson, 17.64, $632; 8. Shelley Holman, 17.65, $505; 9. Cheyenne Hattesen, 17.75, $442; 10. Meghann McNulty, 17.77, $379; 11. (tie) Taylor Arakelian and Kristi Youngblood, 17.78, $284 each.
Bull riding
First round: *1. Wade Berg, 79 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Western Madness, $6,599; 2. Ray Mayo, 77, $5,735; no other qualified rides. *(all totals include ground money).
Miss any of the action? You can watch replays of every performance from the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo on PRCA on Cowboy Channel+.