Rodeo Wrap Up: Reno Rodeo Winners

When the dust settled on the 2021 Reno Rodeo, there were some very happy rodeo contestants heading out of town. The rodeo marks the start of the busy summer rodeo season and winning here gives contestants momentum as they head into “Cowboy Christmas,” which includes all of the rodeos held over the Fourth-of-July Holiday. This year was extra special after so many cancellations last year, including the Reno Rodeo.

The best bareback ride of the week went to Clayton Biglow with an 89 on Bridwell Pro Rodeos' Girl Crush, but it wasn’t quite enough for the 2016 Reno Rodeo champion to get his second pair of Silver Spurs. That honor went to Tilden Hooper who nabbed his first pair a decade ago. Hooper of Carthage, Tex., went into the short round as the leader and clinched the win with an 84 on Bridwell Pro Rodeos' Ted to win the average with 254.5 points on three head. This win solidifies his place at the top of the world standings. Caleb Bennett of Corvallis, Mont. is leaving Reno in second place overall with 253.5 on three with Kaycee Feild, Genola, Utah, rounding out the bareback leaderboard with 251. 

A veteran bulldogger took home his fourth set of Silver Spurs in front of the sold-out crowd on Saturday night. Hunter Cure of Holliday, Texas took the win with a 4.3 in the short go and 13.1 on three head. Sharing the night’s top time was Tyler Waguespack, Gonzalez, La., with 4.3 but it wasn’t enough to break the top three. Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss., came in second on the average with 13.3 on three head and rounding out the leaderboard is Jacob Talley, Keatchie, La., with 13.9.

Jason Stewart (header) and Jason Duby (heeler) took first in the final round with a 5.5-second run, but the average of 18.5 seconds on three head put them in fifth place overall. Derrick Begay (header), Seba Dalkai, Ariz, and Cory Petska (heeler), Marana, Ariz., didn’t have the fastest time of the night, but their 6.4-second run was fast enough to win the average with a 16.5-second time on three head. Rhen Richard (header), Roosevelt, Utah, and partner Jeremy Buhler (heeler), Arrowwood, Alberta, came in second on the average with 17.8. It was a tie for third with Jake Clay (header), Sapulpa, Okla., and Rance Doyal (heeler), Heartshorne, Okla., and Laramie Allen (header), Llano, Texas, and Truman Magnus (heeler), Mason, Texas, ending the week with 18 each. 

It was an exciting night for saddle bronc fans, with Layton Green of Meeting Creek, Alberta getting the highest scoring ride of the night with an 85 on Flying 5 Rodeo's Spring Tunes. He ended up sixth in the average. Tegan Smith of Winterset, Iowa scored an impressive 83 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ California Dreamin, giving him a 251.5 total on three head, and the Silver Spurs. CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah, had the highest score of the week with his 90-point ride on the first night, but he would be one-point shy of the leader with 250.5 on three. Chase Brooks, Deer Lodge, Mont., rounded out the top three with 247 total points.

In tie-down roping, Justin Smith of Leesville, Texas had the fastest time of the night with 8.5 seconds and grabbed the Silver Spurs with 26.7 on three head. Smith made the National High Finals Rodeo four times and won the Southeastern Circuit Finals this year. Trenton Smith, Bigfoot, Texas, grabbed second with 27.9 in the average and Michael Otero, Weatherford, Texas, took third with 28.1. 

This was the first year for women’s breakaway roping as an official Reno Rodeo event and it did not disappoint.

JJ Hampton of Stephenville, Texas had the fastest run of the night with a lightning-quick 2.0-second run and was crowned as the very first Reno Rodeo breakaway champion with 6.7 on three. Shelby Boisjoli, also of Stephenville, took second overall with 8.3 in the average followed by Jordan Jo Fabrizio of Canyon, Texas with 8.9 on three.

The fastest turn around the barrels went to three-time world champion Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, with a 16.74 second run (the arena record is 16.73 seconds, set by Terri Kaye Kirkland in 2006). Wenda Johnson, Pawhuska, Okla., took second in the final night’s performance with a 16.99-second run but she would take the championship with 50.92 on three head, just two-tenths of a second faster than Kinsel’s 50.94. Shelley Morgan of Canton, Texas rounded out the leaderboard with 51.7 on three. 

J.B. Mauney showed why he is a $7 million dollar cowboy. The bull rider from Cotulla, Texas hasn’t been in Reno since 2009 and though he made the short round then, it didn’t pan out for him. This year was a whole different story. He came out on top with 89 points on Flying 5 Rodeo's No. 516 in the first round and then took the win by a whopping 8.5 points ahead of the second place winner with his 87.5-point ride in the final go. That earned him a combined 176.5 on two head and his first set of Silver Spurs. Stetson Wright of Milford, Utah took third with his 84-point ride on Flying 5 Rodeo’s’ Hot Pursuit, giving him a combined 168 on two head and second place overall. Lon Danley of Tularosa, N.M. had the fourth best score of the night with his 82-point ride on Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Monkey Punch, which put him in third in the average with a total of 165.5. 

(Release courtesy of Reno Rodeo.)

2021 Reno Rodeo Champions:

Bareback Riding: Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, $8,243

Steer Wrestling: Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas, $8,431

Team Roping: Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz. and Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz. $9,064 (each)

Saddle Bronc Riding: Tegan Smith, Winterset, Iowa, $8,023

Tie-Down Roping: Justin Smith, Leesville, Texas, $8,876

Women’s Breakaway Roping: JJ Hampton, Stephenville, TX, $2,809

WPRA Barrel Racing: Wenda Johnson, Pawhuska, OK, $7,027

Bull Riding: J.B. Mauney, Cotulla, Texas, $9,790

All-around: Marcus Theriot, Lumberton, Miss., $3,057, steer wrestling and team roping.

Bareback riding: First round: 1. (tie) Cole Franks, on Powder River Rodeo's Knot So Foxy, and Tilden Hooper, on Flying 5 Rodeo's Cougar Country, 87 points, $4,854 each; 3. Cole Reiner, 85.5, $3,114; 4. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Jamie Howlett, 85, $1,649 each; 6. (tie) Wyatt Denny and Chad Rutherford, 84.5, $824 each; 8. Clay Jorgenson, 83.5, $550. Second round: 1. Jacob Lees, 86 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeos' Scarlet Lady, $5,495; 2. (tie) Tim O'Connell and Bill Tutor, 85.5, $3,664 each; 4. Richmond Champion, 85, $2,015; 5. Kaycee Feild, 84, $1,282; 6. (tie) Bronc Marriott, Jamie Howlett and Tilden Hooper, 83.5, $733 each. Finals: 1. Clayton Biglow, 89 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeos' Girl Crush, $1,650; 2. Kaycee Feild, 86, $1,250; 3. Caleb Bennett, 85.5, $900; 4. (tie) Wyatt Denny and Tim O'Connell, 85, $475 each; 6. Tilden Hooper, 84, $250. Average: 1. Tilden Hooper, 254.5 points on three head, $8,243; 2. Caleb Bennett, 253.5, $6,320; 3. Kaycee Feild, 251, $4,671; 4. Clayton Biglow, 249.5, $3,022; 5. Jamie Howlett, 249, $1,923; 6. Cole Franks, 247, $1,374; 7. Wyatt Denny, 246.5, $1,099; 8. Tim O'Connell, 246, $824.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Ringo Robinson, 3.6 seconds, $5,621; 2. (tie) Don Payne and Tyler Pearson, 3.8, $4,521 each; 4. (tie) Bridger Anderson and Hank Filippini, 4.3, $3,055 each; 6. Cameron Morman, 4.4, $1,955; 7. (tie) Ty Erickson and Hunter Cure, 4.5, $855 each. Second round: 1. Grady Payne, 3.9 seconds, $5,621; 2. (tie) Will Lummus and Wyatt Jurney, 4.0, $4,521 each; 4. Levi Rudd, 4.2, $3,421; 5. (tie) Hunter Cure and Talon Roseland, 4.3, $2,322 each; 7. Tyler Pearson, 4.4, $1,222; 8. (tie) Marcus Theriot, Tucker Allen and Brandon Harrison, 4.5, $163 each. Finals: 1. (tie) Hunter Cure and Tyler Waguespack, 4.3 seconds, $1,272 each; 3. (tie) Talon Roseland and Jacob Talley, 4.5, $792 each; 5. Jake Stocking, 4.9, $432; 6. Tyler Pearson, 5.1, $240. Average: 1. Hunter Cure, 13.1 seconds on three head, $8,431; 2. Tyler Pearson, 13.3, $7,331; 3. Jacob Talley, 13.9, $6,232; 4. Tyler Waguespack, 14.3, $5,132; 5. Talon Roseland, 14.6, $4,032; 6. Jace Melvin, 15.1, $2,933; 7. Jake Stocking, 15.5, $1,833; 8. J.D. Struxness, 15.8, $733.

Team roping: First round: 1. Clay Tryan/Jake Long, 4.9 seconds, $6,043 each; 2. (tie) Garrett Rogers/Jake Minor, Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler and Jade Stoddard/Max Kuttler, 5.0, $4,466 each; 5. Kolton Schmidt/Wyatt Cox, 5.1, $2,890; 6. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 5.2, $2,102; 7. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, Riley Minor/Brady Minor and Tanner Baldwin/Clay Elkington, 5.4, $613 each. Second round: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 4.4 seconds, $6,043 each; 2. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.5, $5,254; 3. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 4.6, $4,466; 4. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cory Petska and Lane Ivy/Evan Arnold, 4.7, $3,284 each; 6. Jake Clay/Rance Doyal, 5.0, $2,102; 7. Rhett Anderson/Cullen Teller, 5.3, $1,314; 8. (tie) Brooks Dahozy/Tyler Forsberg and Laramie Allen/Truman Magnus, 5.4, $263 each. Finals: 1. Jason Stewart/Jason Duby, 5.5 seconds, $1,378 each; 2. Jake Clay/Rance Doyal, 6.1, $1,140; 3. Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, 6.4, $903; 4. Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, 6.5, $665; 5. (tie) Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison and Marcus Theriot/Jim Ross Cooper, 6.9, $333 each. Average: 1. Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, 16.5 seconds on three head, $9,064 each; 2. Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, 17.8, $7,882; 3. (tie) Laramie Allen/Truman Magnus and Jake Clay/Rance Doyal, 18.0, $6,108 each; 5. Jason Stewart/Jason Duby, 18.5, $4,335; 6. (tie) Marcus Theriot/Jim Ross Cooper and Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 19.0, $2,562 each; 8. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 23.6, $788.

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. CoBurn Bradshaw, 90 points on Flying U Rodeo's Wicked Game, $5,348; 2. Spencer Wright, 87.5, $4,100; 3. Ben Andersen, 85.5, $3,031; 4. (tie) Chase Brooks and Tegan Smith, 84.5, $1,605 each; 6. Colt Gordon, 83.5, $891; 7. (tie) Mitch Pollock and Allen Boore, 82, $624 each. Second round: 1. Layton Green, 87 points on Flying 5 Rodeo's No. 799, $5,348; 2. Ryder Wright, 86.5, $4,100; 3. CoBurn Bradshaw, 86, $3,031; 4. Brody Cress, 85.5, $1,961; 5. (tie) Dawson Hay and Lefty Holman, 85, $1,070 each; 7. Isaac Diaz, 84.5, $713; 8. (tie) Tegan Smith and Sage Newman, 84, $267 each. Finals: 1. Layton Green, 85 points on Flying 5 Rodeo's Spring Tunes, $1,650; 2. (tie) Brody Cress and Chase Brooks, 84.5, $1,075 each; 4. Tegan Smith, 83, $600; 5. Jake Finlay, 81.5, $350; 6. Ben Andersen, 81, $250. Average: 1. Tegan Smith, 251.5 points on three head, $8,023; 2. CoBurn Bradshaw, 250.5, $6,151; 3. Chase Brooks, 247, $4,546; 4. Brody Cress, 245.5, $2,942; 5. Ben Andersen, 244, $1,872; 6. Layton Green, 243, $1,337; 7. Jake Finlay, 240, $1,070; 8. Allen Boore, 239.5, $802.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Caleb Smidt, 8.4 seconds, $5,917; 2. Blake Chauvin, 8.7, $5,145; 3. (tie) Ty Harris, Taylor Santos, Justin Smith and Bo Pickett, 8.9, $3,216 each; 7. Michael Otero, 9.0, $1,286; 8. Chris McCuistion, 9.2, $515. Second round: 1. Cory Solomon, 7.8 seconds, $5,917; 2. Marcos Costa, 8.3, $5,145; 3. (tie) Lucas Potter and John Douch, 8.7, $3,988 each; 5. (tie) Chris McCuistion and Ryan Thibodeaux, 8.8, $2,444 each; 7. Dakota Felton, 8.9, $1,286; 8. (tie) Trey Young and Michael Otero, 9.0, $257 each. Finals: 1. Justin Smith, 8.5 seconds, $1,392; 2. Trenton Smith, 8.7, $1,152; 3. Caleb Smidt, 9.2, $912; 4. Ty Harris, 9.7, $672; 5. Michael Otero, 10.1, $432; 6. Marcos Costa, 10.2, $240. Average: 1. Justin Smith, 26.7 seconds on three head, $8,876; 2. Trenton Smith, 27.9, $7,718; 3. Michael Otero, 28.1, $6,560; 4. Caleb Smidt, 28.3, $5,403; 5. Ty Harris, 29.6, $4,245; 6. Marcos Costa, 30.5, $3,087; 7. Lucas Potter, 31.2, $1,930; 8. J.D. McCuistion, 31.3, $772.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Christine Laughlin, 17.05 seconds, $4,685; 2. Wenda Johnson, 17.08, $4,016; 3. Steely Steiner, 17.14, $3,346; 4. Kassie Mowry, 17.17, $2,900; 5. Stephanie Fryar, 17.18, $2,231; 6. Emma Charleston, 17.21, $1,785; 7. Lynette Clyde, 17.22, $1,339; 8. Hailey Kinsel, 17.23, $892; 9. Shelley Morgan, 17.26, $669; 10. Kylee Scribner, 17.31, $446. Second round: 1. Wenda Johnson, 16.85 seconds, $4,685; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 16.97, $4,016; 3. Stevi Hillman, 17.11, $3,346; 4. Cheyenne Hattesen, 17.12, $2,900; 5. Kylee Scribner, 17.13, $2,231; 6. Shelley Morgan, 17.14, $1,785; 7. Emily Miller-Beisel, 17.19, $1,339; 8. (tie) Ali Anton and Amanda Welsh, 17.24, $781 each; 10. Carly Taylor, 17.25, $446. Finals: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 16.74 seconds, $3,470; 2. Wenda Johnson, 16.99, $2,603; 3. Amanda Welsh, 17.27, $1,735; 4. Shelley Morgan, 17.30, $868. Average: 1. Wenda Johnson, 50.92 seconds on three head, $7,027; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 50.94, $6,023; 3. Shelley Morgan, 51.70, $5,020; 4. Christine Laughlin, 51.75, $4,350; 5. Amanda Welsh, 51.88, $3,346; 6. Kassie Mowry, 52.01, $2,677; 7. Kylee Scribner, 52.02, $2,008; 8. (tie) Cheyenne Hattesen and Emily Miller-Beisel, 52.09, $1,171 each; 10. Stevi Hillman, 52.11, $669.

Bull riding: First round: 1. JB Mauney, 89 points on Flying 5 Rodeo's No. 516, $9,430; 2. Stetson Dell Wright, 84, $7,230; 3. Lon Danley, 83.5, $5,344; 4. Creek Young, 81, $3,458; 5. Tyler Bingham, 79.5, $2,200; 6. (tie) Koby Radley, Jeff Askey and Sage Kimzey, 79, $1,257 each. * Finals: 1. JB Mauney, 87.5 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeos' C smoke, $1,700; 2. Jeff Askey, 86, $1,300; 3. Stetson Dell Wright, 84, $950; 4. Lon Danley, 82, $650; 5. Creek Young, 69, $400; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. JB Mauney, 176.5 points on two head, $9,790; 2. Stetson Dell Wright, 168, $7,506; 3. Lon Danley, 165.5, $5,548; 4. Jeff Askey, 165, $3,590; 5. Creek Young, 150, $2,284; 6. (tie) Koby Radley and Sage Kimzey, 79 on one head, $1,469 each; 8. Josh Frost, 78.5, $979. *(all totals include ground money).

Total payoff: $679,521. Stock contractor: Flying U Rodeo. Sub-contractors: Big Bend Rodeo, All In Pro Rodeos, Powder River Rodeo, Western Rodeos, Rosser Rodeo, Brehmer Rodeo, Bridwell Pro Rodeos, Diamond G Rodeo and Flying 5 Rodeo. Rodeo secretary: Cindy Rosser. Officials: Butch Kirby, Monty Van Komen, Joe Bob Locke and Rocky Steagall. Timers: Sherry Rice-Gibson and Robin Yerxa. Announcers: Wayne Brooks and Bob Tallman. Specialty act: John Harrison. Bullfighters: Aaron Hargo, Cody Webster and Dusty Tuckness. Clown/barrelman: John Harrison. Flankmen: Reno Rosser, Drew Blessinger, Tony Amaral and Chad Hutsell. Chute bosses: Tony Amaral and Reno Rosser. Pickup men: Bronc Boehnlein, Matt Twitchell, Joshua Reed and Bobby Marriott. Photographers: Kirt Steinke, Jake Link, Fernando Sam-Sin and Phil Doyle. Music director: Austin Lopeman.