SAN ANTONIO, Texas --- Tom McFarland’s comeback story just continues to get better.
The Wickenburg, Ariz., bareback rider was hurt last June at a rodeo in Pecos, Texas. The horse he was to ride there flipped over in the bucking chute with McFarland underneath it. McFarland’s riding arm and wrist was broken in 28 places. The future of his career in the rodeo arena was definitely questionable.
McFarland has answered the question in a big way, coming back and winning money on the very first bareback horse he got on. That was in Odessa, Texas, in January. He has been on several more horses since then and in spite of 1,200 pounds of bucking horse on the end of his arm, he is feeling good and more importantly riding well.
An 86-point ride on Flying Five Rodeo’s Dark Town put him at the top of the leader board in the AT&T Center at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. McFarland added $2,074 for the effort to his 2010 earnings. Prior to San Antonio’s rodeo he was ranked 10th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings and is hoping to be among the top 15 at the end of the regular season who qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
McFarland is one of the contestants in the third bracket competing here. They all had their first round Friday night, will have their second and third on Saturday with their fourth and final competition Sunday afternoon. The fourth and final bracket will start on Sunday night.
Contestants advance to the semi-finals based on money won, so every dollar counts. Three men that are hoping to increase their earnings are saddle bronc riders Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., and Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo., all tied for first place with 80-point rides. They each got $1,556 for their efforts but will need to add to that to advance to the semi-finals.
Nellie Williams, who was the reserve champion at the 2008 College National Finals Rodeo in women’s barrel race was at the top of the board here Friday night with a 14.02-second run. Williams, now from Cottonwood, Calif, was part of the women’s championship team for the University of Las Vegas – Nevada. She is now competing in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and a big win would put her well on her way to qualifying for her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Two Canadians were at the top of the steer wrestling standings. Tanner Milan, from Cochrane, Alberta, had the fast time at 3.5 seconds. Right behind him was Cody Casssidy from Donalda, Alberta, had a 3.7. They won $2,074 and 1556 respectively.
There were only three bull rides on Friday night and rising star Dylan Werner from Bushnell, Fla., had the best performance. He scored 87-points on Crazy Train from Rafter H Rodeo. Ardie Maier from Timber Lake, S.D., was second. Another cowboy that came out of the ranks of college rodeo, Brad Pierce was third. Pierce, originally from Australia, is calling Snyder, Texas, where he attended college home now.
There are two performances at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo on Saturday, at 1 and 7:30 p.m.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas --- The following are results from the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, Friday, Feb. 12, 2010.
Ninth Performance --
Bareback Riding: 1, Tom McFarland, Wickenburg, Ariz., 86 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Bright Star, $2,074. 2 (tie), Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, Alberta and Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, 80, $1,296 each. 4 (tie), Bud Munns, Snowville, Utah and Cody DeMers, Kimberly, Idaho, 79, $259.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alberta, 3.5 seconds, $2,074. 2, Cody Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 3.7, $1,556. 3, Blacke Knowles, Heppner, Ore., 3.8, $1,037. 4, Curt La Duke, Terry, Mont., 4.1, $519.
Tie-down Roping: 1, Bubba Paschal, Laporte, Texas, 8.8 seconds, $2,074. 2, Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla., 8.9, $1,556. 3 (tie), Brad Goodrich, Hermiston, Ore., and Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, 9.0, $778.
Team Roping: 1, Britt Williams, Hammond, Mont., and Bobby Harris, Gillette, Wyo., 5.7 seconds, $2,074. 2, Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz., and Cesar de la Cruz, 6.1, $1,556. 3 (tie), Matt Robertson, Augusta, Mont., and Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont.; Cody Tew, Harlowton, Mont., and Mickey Gomez, Holland, Texas; and Tommy Edens, Gatesville, Texas, and Justin Hendrick, Rosenberg, Texas, 6.3, $519 each.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1 (tie), Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo., on J Bar J’s Cat Power; Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., on Rafter H Rodeo’s High Trails; and Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., on Big Bend’s Distant Fire, 80 points, $1,556 each. 4, Jeff Willert, Belvidere, S.D., 79, $519.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Nellie Williams, Cottonwood, Calif., 14.02 seconds. 2, Annesa Self, Valley View, Texas, 14.20, $1,556. 3, Shelley Morgan, Canton, Texas, 14.25, $1,037. 4 (tie), Stephanie Fryar, Big Spring, Texas, and Cassie Mosley, Farwell, Texas, 14.29, $259.
Bull Riding: (three qualified rides) 1, Dylan Werner, Bushnell, Fla., 87 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Crazy Train, $2,074. 2, Ardie Maier, Timber Lake, S.D., 83, $1,556. 3, Brad Pierce, Snyder, Texas, 77, $1,037.
