Collegiate Rodeo Athletes Lighting Up the Leaderboard at the CNFR

Two full rounds are complete, and the college rodeo athletes are putting together some incredible performances.

Acey Pinkston at CNFR | CNFR photo by Jackie Jensen

1. Bareback Riding
2. Saddle Bronc Riding
3. Bull Riding
4. Tie-Down Roping
5. Steer Wrestling
6. Team Roping
7. Barrel Racing
8. Breakaway Roping
9. Goat Tying

The gathering of college rodeo athletes from across the country is in full swing in Casper, Wyoming, at the College National Finals. The students have already competed in two full go rounds, and the leaders are starting to emerge.

Earlier in the week, we took a look at the full roster and did some predictions. Here’s an update on how those are working out and who is firmly in control headed into the final full go. This year every contestant will compete in a performance, so all of the third go will be split up into perfs before the top 12 in each event are determined for the short round.

Let’s take a quick look at where things stand.

Bareback Riding

Rodeo On SI Predictions: Kooper Heimburg, Wyatt Warneke and Blayn Hughston

Kooper Heimburg was a great choice. He took the win in the first round with a 86.75 score. Wyatt Warneke stayed solid in the average by winning third in the first round with his 82 points. Blayn Hughston got his covered and represented West Texas College with a 77.75-point ride.

The top five in round one were:
1. Kooper Heimburg 86.75
2. Toby Deudney 84
3. Wyatt Warneke 82
4/5. Colton Farrow and Rhett Robbins 81.5

In round two, Tarleton State University took the top spot with Daxtyn Field scoring 84 points. Our picks remained solid with Warneke splitting fifth and sixth at 77.75, Hughston stayed right in the hunt with a 76.75, and Heimburg rode another one for 75.

The top five from round two:
1. Daxtyn Feild 84
2. Gauge McBride 80.75
3. Collin Roland 79
4. Carson Hildre 78.75
5/6. Jason Wilson and Wyatt Warneke 77.75

The leaders in the average going into round three are:
1. Kooper Heimburg, Missouri Valley, 161.75
2/3. Feild and Roland, 160.25
4. Warneke, 159.7

Bareback riding at CNFR | CNFR photo by Jackie Jensen

Saddle Bronc Riding

Rodeo On SI Predictions: Waitley Sharon, Mitchie Story, Judd Pope

Waitley Sharon came out swinging in round one with his third-place finish. He scored 82.75 points to keep him well within reach of a championship. Mitchie Story unfortunately took a no-score in the first round, which could likely eliminate him from being seen in the short round. Judd Pope kept himself alive with a 66-point ride in round one, but will have to move up.

None was better than Tagg Bond from Clarendon College, though. His 86-point ride was three points better than the field and set himself up well for the following rounds.

Top five in round one:
1. Tagg Bond 86
2. Jack Ford 83
3. Waitley Sharon 82.75
4. Christopher Nelson 81.75
5. Dane McPhail 79.75

Round two proved that this would be a battle to the end. Tagg Bond came with a plan, and he is executing it. He was at the top of the leaderboard yet again with an 83.75-point score. Mitchie Story redeemed himself by taking the second-place finish with an 82.25, and Waitley Sharon just keeps chipping away, winning third. Pope ended up with a no score in round two and will have to score high in the third round to have a chance at advancing.

Top five in round two:
1. Tagg Bond 83.75
2. Mitchie Story 82.25
3. Waitley Sharon 81.75
4. Dane McPhail 81.5
5. Jack Ford 80

The leaders in the average going into the third round:
1. Bond, 169.75
2. Waitley Sharon, 164
3. Ford, 163
4. McPhail, 161.25

Bull Riding

Rodeo On SI Predictions: Hayden Welsh

Given the volatility of the sport, we chose to take the easy route here and just pick one, Hayden Welsh. In round one, Welsh covered his bull for 79.75 points to pick up the third-place check.

Of the 36 bull riders competing, only eight rode their bulls in round one.

Top five in round one:
1. Gavin Knutson 82
2. Dakota Smith 80.5
3. Hayden Welsh 79.75
4. Wyatt Davis 79
5. Tucker Taylor 78.75

Round two brought even more buck-offs to the screen when only six riders got a score. Unfortunately, Welsh was one of the many who hit the dirt a little too early.

Top five in round two:
1. Jace Hensley 84.5
2. Mossy Waite 80.25
3. Lane Vaughan 79.5
4. Brock Cooper 71.25
5. Gavin Knutson 61

While Knutson might not be thrilled with his second-round score, he is the only one who has been noted in the top five of both rounds. Brock Cooper leads the average, though, as he might not have been top five in round one but made a solid ride of 76.5 points that carried forward.

The leaders in the average going into round three:
1, Cooper, 147.75 on two
2. Knutson, 143 on two
3. Hensley, 84.5 on one
4 Dakota Smith, 80.5 on one

Tie-Down Roping

Tyler Hansen at CNFR. | CNFR photo by Jackie Jensen

Rodeo On SI Predictions: Koby Douch, Brodey Clemmons, Sam Lewis and Coleman Canton

Moving on to the timed event side, the tie-down ropers are putting on a show. To review our predictions, Coleman Canton was the best of the four in the first round when he tied his calf in 9.9 seconds. Brodey Clemons threw his hands up at 10.6, while Koby Douch and Sam Lewis both took no times in the first round.

Tyler Hansen arrived right at the top with his 8.4-second run to take the win and set himself up well for the remainder of runs.

Top five in first round:
1. Tyler Hansen 8.4
2. Clint Southworth 8.8
3. Dalton Porch 9.0
4. Cort Boyd 9.3
5. Coleman Canton 9.9

Round two brought about the same speed just some different names at the top. Clemons kept himself in the game with a 9.9, while Canton stopped the clock at 18.5. Douch came back in round two with a 12.4.

Trey Stembridge was the only man to tie his calf in the eight-second frame and he took the win with an 8.7.

Top five in round two:
1. Trey Stembridge 8.7
2/3. Rio Nutter and Garrett Jepson 9.0
4. Lucas Cruz 9.7
5. Brodey Clemons 9.9

The leaders in the average going into round three:
1. Southworth, 18.8
2. Tyler Hansen, 19.3
3. Clemons, 20.5
4. Blake Carter, 21.3.

Steer Wrestling

Rodeo On SI Predictions: Colin Fox and Clay Hurt

The steer wrestlers have stopped the clock quickly and it’s a good thing given the size of the arena they are competing in. Starting with our picks, Hurt found his way to the number eight position in round one with his time of 4.9. Colin Fox went out of the average with a no time.

Now, Tydon Tsosie found his way right to the top with a 3.7-second run and Emmett Edler was right behind with a 3.8.

Top five in round one:
1. Tydon Tsosie 3.7
2. Emmett Edler 3.8
3/4. Andrew Morian and Parker Sandstrom 3.9
5/6. Sam Shofner and Ryder Gaasch 4.2

Round two got just a little quicker for the crew and both of our predictions happened to be in the top five (go team!).

Top five in round two:
1. Travis Cadwell 3.6
2/3. Clay Hurt and Cole Pugh 4.1
4/5. Colin Fox and Damian Padilla 4.2

The leaders in the average going into round three:
1/2. Edler and Morian, 8.5
3/4. Parker Sandstrom and Hurt, 9.0.

Team Roping

Rodeo On SI Predictions: Rowdy and Roan Weil

This is literally the hardest event in this arena. A little pen and steers that might not want to cooperate makes predicting this crazy. But, we stand with our picks. The Weil brothers got a time in round one of a 15.1 but, it’s a time and that’s important to the average.

The leaders, however, were fast, as can be expected in a setup like this one in Casper. Walker Smith and partner Cade Sandstrom took the win with their 5.0-second run.

Top five in round one:
1. Walker Smith/Cade Sandstrom 5.0
2. Heston Harrison/Nick Lovins 5.2
3. Hunter Helton/Jeryn Ellerd 5.7
4/5. Jett Steward/Belden Cox and Marcus Marriott/Sam Saunders 6.0

In total, 33 teams captured their first steer. In round number two, that number dropped to 28. The University of Wyoming Weil brothers were one of the no-time victims. However, Coleman Canton and Tyler Hansen showed off their all-around cowboy skills by picking up a check here.

Top five in round two:
1. Casper Ringelstein/Will Smith 4.3
2/3/4. Coleman Canton/Carson Sonnier; Jett Steward/Belden Cox; and Tyler Hansen/Justin Gukenberger 5.7

Average leaders going into round three:
1. Smith and Sandstrom, 11.6
2. Stewart and Cox, 11.7
3. Harrison and Lovins, 11.8
4. Marcus Marriott and Sam Saunders, 12.7

Barrel Racing

Rodeo On SI Predictions: Acey Pinkston, Adyson Wright, Brylee Grubb and Emma Ricke

Acey Pinkston is making us look good on the prediction side while also just proving exactly how good she and her horse are. She took the win in round one with her fast 13.62. Wright took an unfortunate downed barrel in round one while Grubb and Ricke stayed solid.

Top five in round one:
1. Acey Pinkston 13.62
2. Devin Young 13.77
3/4. Morgan Addison and Anneliese McCurry 13.89
5. Lauryn Motley 13.99

In round two the ladies at the top kept things interesting. This is going to be a race to watch and guaranteed the crowd will be on the edge of their seats. Our picks did incredibly, placing second, third, fourth, and twelfth.

Top five in round two:
1. Devin Young 13.81
2. Acey Pinkston 13.83
3. Adyson Wright 13.84
4/5. Emma Ricke and Morgan Addison 13.88

Leading the average going into round three:
1. Pinkston, 27.45
2. Young, 27.58
3. Addison, 27.77
4. Chance, 27.91

Breakaway Roping

Rodeo On SI Predictions: Brooke Bruner

We had a little bit of inside information when we made our pick because the first round had been completed, but that didn’t help us in round two. Bruner went out with a no time.

The rest of the field upped their game and came out swinging. There were three cowgirls who stopped the clock under the two second mark and the rest of the top seven were 2.0.

Top five in round two:
1/2/3. Sierra Hilgenkamp, Josie Mousel, and Jessi Everett 1.9
4/5/6/7. Quincy Morgan-Montoya, Shaylee Baxley, Morgan Bodenheimer and Brooklin Baukol 2.0.

Leaders in the average going into round three:
1. Bodenhemier and Alyssa Erickson, 4.5
3. Brynn Leavitt, 4.6.
4/5. Scott and Elizabeth Miranda, 4.7.

Goat Tying

Goat Tying at CNFR | CNFR photo by Jackie Jensen

Rodeo On SI Prediction: The crowd will love this event and the girls are amazing.

We couldn’t have gotten this prediction any better. This is an incredible event to watch and these ladies put on a show. In round one it was Josie Mousel who took top honors with a 5.8. She was closely followed by Faith Lundberg.

Top five in round one:
1. Josie Mousel 5.8
2. Faith Lundberg 5.9
3. Alyssa Clark 6.0
4/5/6/7. Alyssa Gary, Justine Jones, Quincy Morgan-Montoya, and Michaela McCormick 6.1.

Leaders of the average going into round three:
1. Mousel, 11.8
2. Lundberg, 12.2
3/4. Barratt, and Richards, 12.4.