Pendleton Saddle Bronc Sees Finals Rally By Canadian Rider

Layton Green wasn’t even among the top eight riders after the first round of the Pendleton Round-Up in saddle bronc riding.

But it only took one huge ride in the finals — the best of any rider in the event — to claim the title on his two-ride average during Saturday’s finals.

Green rode Black Tie from Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics to a 90.5 ride in the finals and then watched the rest of the field unable to match it. With that ride, he claimed an additional $1,650 in prize money.

Then, that ride, combined with his 83-point ride in the first round, gave him a combined 173.5 points and an additional $5,694 in winnings.

For Green, it was his first title this season outside of his native Canada.

Sage Newman entered the final with the best ride of any competitor, an 88-point ride on Four Star Rodeo's Kemosabi. But Newman wasn’t among the Top 6 riders in the finals and fell into a sixth-place tie with Q Taylor in the average with a combined 168 points.

In the finals, Zeke Thurston — who was tied for third after the first round — and Stetson Wright — who was tied for sixth — each rode to an 87 to finish in a tie for second. Dawson Dahm’s 85-point ride put him in fourth, while Statler Wright’s 84.5-point ride rounded out the top five.

After Green, Thurston finished second in the average with 173 points, while Dahm and Wright tied for third at 171.5. Chase Brooks rounded out the Top 5 with 169 points.

Pendleton Round-Up

Saddle Bronc Riding

First round: 1. Sage Newman, 88 points on Four Star Rodeo's Kemosabi, $5,694; 2. Wyatt Casper, 87, $4,365; 3. (tie) Chase Brooks, Dawson Dahm and Zeke Thurston, 86, $2,214 each; 6. (tie) Q Taylor and Stetson Dell Wright, 84.5, $854 each; 8. Lucas Macza, 84, $569.

Finals: 1. Layton Green, 90.5 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics' Black Tie, $1,650; 2. (tie) Zeke Thurston and Stetson Dell Wright, 87, $1,075 each; 4. Dawson Dahm, 85.5, $600; 5. Statler Wright, 84.5, $350; 6. Joe Harper, 84, $250.

Average: 1. Layton Green, 173.5 points on two head, $5,694; 2. Zeke Thurston, 173, $4,365; 3. (tie) Dawson Dahm and Stetson Dell Wright, 171.5, $2,657 each; 5. Chase Brooks, 169.5, $1,329; 6. (tie) Sage Newman and Q Taylor, 168, $854 each; 8. Statler Wright, 167, $569.