CHEYENNE, Wyo.—July 20, 2010 – Sherry Cervi is no stranger to winning. The two-time world champion barrel racer won the championship at the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) and hasn’t let up.
She started the year off in a big way winning Rodeo Houston last March and currently leads the world standings. The 13-time NFR qualifier will be making a trip to Las Vegas this December to compete in her 14th hoping to leave with a third gold buckle.
Cervi is the first contestant to get a check at the 114th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Cervi was riding A Man With Roses, affectionately known as George to win the first round of competition here. Their time of 17.62 seconds added $5,021 to their season earnings. Prior to Cheyenne’s rodeo she was leading the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association standings with over $121,000 so far this year.
Cervi didn’t even have a chance to see how her run held up through the competition. She was the 43rd of 132 competitors. Right after her run she made a fast trip to Denver where she got on a plane to Salt Lake City. Then a quick trip to Ogden, get on another horse and hopefully have more success.
Cervi will have her second run at the “Daddy of ‘em All” at the fifth performance, Wednesday, July 28th. A fast, penalty-free run will see her at the finals here on Aug. 1st where she could be competing for her second Cheyenne championship.
Some of the barrel racers competed twice during slack on Tuesday. Angie Meadors, a former NFR qualifier from Blanchard, Okla., took the lead in the second round with a 17.60-second run, the fastest here so far.
Sue Smith from Blackfoot, Idaho, leads the over-all standings with a total time of 35.50 seconds on two runs. Smith tied for fifth in the first round with Kelly Yates, from Pueblo, Colo., with a 17.70. She then came back and ran a 17.80. All that Cervi has to do next Wednesday is stop the clock in 17.88 seconds or less and she will be ahead of Smith.
There are 12 barrel racers in each of the rodeo performances starting on Saturday, July 24th. Among the first group and a favorite to move into the top 12 qualifying for Cheyenne’s finals is Sydni Blanchard from Albuqueque. Wyoming has been good to the college student at Mesalands Community College. She won the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., in June and tied for third here in the first round.
Competition continues Wednesday and Thursday where tie-down ropers will have their first and second round appearances in more slack. The competition will continue through the performances with times accruing until the finals on Aug. 1.
The following are results from the women’s barrel racing after slack at the 114th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, July 20, 2010.
First round winners: 1, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 17.62 seconds, $5,021. 2, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 17.63, $4,304. 3, (tie) Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., and kelli Tolbert, Hooper, Utah, 17.68, $3,347 each. 5, (tie) Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., and Sue Smith, Blackfoot, Idaho, 17.70, $2,152. 7, Jeanne Anderson, White City, Kan., 17.71, $1,435. 8, Jetta Abplanalp, Ogden, Utah, 17.72, $956. 9, (tie) Turla Churchill, Valentine, Neb.; Lindsey Ewing, Midland, Texas, and Kelly Maben, Spur, Texas, 17.74, $398.
Second round leaders: 1, Angie Meadors, Blanchard, Okla., 17.60. 2, Ashley Leifeste, Willow City, Texas, 17.74. 3, Sue Smith,17.80. 4, Rainy Graham, Gardendale, Texas, 17.81. 5, Brenda Mays, Terrebone, Ore., 17.82. 6, Amanda Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., 17.84. 7, Churchill, 17.94. 8, Nellie Williams, Cottondale, Calif., 17.95
Over-all leaders: (on two) 1, Smith, 35.50. 2, Meadors, 35.67. 3, Churchill, 35.68. 4, Kelli Tolbert, Hooper, Utah, 35.68. 5, Graham, 35.69. 6, Anderson, 35.73. 7, Maben, 35.79. 8, Lynn Brown, Weatherford, Texas, 35.89.
