RENO, Nev. – Australian turned Utah cowboy Anthony Bello had a great opening night at the 89th annual Reno Rodeo riding Rosser Rodeo’s Hill Top for 86 points. Bello, who currently resides in Oakley and won the 2007 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, edged Justin Arnold of Santa Margarita, Calif., by one point to take the early lead in the saddle bronc riding. Arnold posted an 85 on Flying U Rodeo’s Sam’s Town. Both cowboys will be back on Saturday night during the second performance of the Reno Rodeo for their second round horse and they hope to at least equal or improve on their first round score to secure their spot in the final round on June 28.
Tyson Thompson of Merrill, Ore., took the early lead in the bareback riding for the first round with an 83-point ride on Rosser Rodeo’s Baxter Black. Like Bello, he too will return on Saturday for his second round horse. Tim Shirley of Conifer, Colo., was close on Thompson’s heels posting an 81 on Rosser Rodeo’s Peppy Bound.
Chancey Larson of Manhattan, Kan., took the early lead in the steer wrestling with a time of 4.8 seconds. It was a rough night for the rest of the steer wrestlers with only three actually posting a time. However, Jon Ragatz of Cassville, Wis., and Caleb Ray of Ironside, Calif., broke the barrier and received a 10-second penalty costing them a check in the first round.
It was a less than perfect night in the team roping with only one team out of eight to record a time. That team was the team of Jake Stanley of Hermiston, Ore., and Marty Becker of Edmonton, Alberta, with a time of 6.4 seconds.
Kass Kayser of Ellensburg, Wash., leads the tie-down roping after one night with a time of 9.8 seconds. His closest competitor was Seth Hopper of Stanfield, Ore., who finished with an 11.9-second run.
In the first round of the WPRA barrel race Mary Burger smoke the field of 65 with a time of 17.04 seconds. Her closest competitor was Jill Moody of Letcher, S.D., with a time of 17.23. Burger of Pauls Valley, Okla., picked up a first round check totaling $2,990 to get her summer run started. She will return later in the week for her second run. Andrea Clark of Brock, Texas, turned in the fastest time of the rodeo thus far with a time of 17.03 seconds to get the second round started. She currently leads the average with a total time of 34.64 seconds on two runs.
Jay Morrow took advantage of his draw in the bull riding to move to the top of the leaderboard in the first round. Morrow of Wayland, Iowa, posted 86 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Jack & Water. His closest competitor was Camo Mullins of Phoenix, Ariz., who scored 78 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Mr. Attitude. The top 12 on one head in the bull riding will return for the final round on Saturday, June 28.
The second performance will begin at 7 p.m. PT on Saturday.
Reno Rodeo results brought to you by Reno Rodeo Sponsorship Committee:
First performance
Bareback riding: 1. Tyson Thompson, Merrill, Ore., 83 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Baxter Black; 2. Tim Shirley, Conifer, Colo., 81; 3. (tie) Scotty NeSmith, Russellville, Tenn., and Forest Bramwell, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 79.
Steer wrestling: 1. Chancey Larson, Manhattan, Kan., 4.8 seconds; 2. Jon Ragatz, Cassville, Wis., 14.8; 3. Caleb Ray, Ironside, Ore., 16.7; no other qualified times.
Team roping: 1. Jake Stanley, Hermiston, Ore./Marty Becker, Edmonton, Alberta, 6.4 seconds; no other qualified times.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Anthony Bello, Oakley, Utah, 86 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Hill Top; 2. Justin Arnold, Santa Margarita, Calif., 85; 3. Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo., 77; 4. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, 75.
Tie-down roping: 1. Kass Kayser, Ellensburg, Wash., 9.8 seconds; 2. Seth Hopper, Stanfield, Ore., 11.9; 3. Brad Goodrich, Hermiston, Ore., 12.8; 4. Marty Becker, Edmonton, Alberta, 15.9.
Barrel racing: 1. Andrea Clark, Brock, Texas, 17.03 seconds; 2. Jetta McCormick, West Weber, Utah, 17.25; 3. (tie) Sherrylynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., and Megan Williams, Daingerfield, Texas, 17.60.
Bull riding: 1. Jay Morrow, Muskogee, Okla., 86 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Water Dog; 2. Camo Mullins, Phoenix, Ariz., 78; 3. Spud Jones, Tohatchi, N.M., 75; 4. Douglas Duncan, Huntsville, Texas, 74.
Current Leaders
Bareback riding: First round leaders: 1. Tyson Thompson, Merrill, Ore., 83 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Baxter Black; 2. Tim Shirley, Conifer, Colo., 81; 3. (tie) Scotty NeSmith, Russellville, Tenn., and Forest Bramwell, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 79.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Chancey Larson, Manhattan, Kan., 4.8 seconds; 2. Jon Ragatz, Cassville, Wis., 14.8; 3. Caleb Ray, Ironside, Ore., 16.7; no other qualified times.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Jake Stanley, Hermiston, Ore./Marty Becker, Edmonton, Alberta, 6.4 seconds; no other qualified times.
Saddle bronc riding: First round leaders: 1. Anthony Bello, Oakley, Utah, 86 points on Rosser Rodeo’s Hill Top; 2. Justin Arnold, Santa Margarita, Calif., 85; 3. Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo., 77; 4. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, 75
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Kass Kayser, Ellensburg, Wash., 9.8 seconds; 2. Seth Hopper, Stanfield, Ore., 11.9; 3. Brad Goodrich, Hermiston, Ore., 12.8; 4. Marty Becker, Edmonton, Alberta, 15.9.
Barrel racing: First round winners: 1. Mary Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla., 17.04 seconds, $2,990; 2. (tie) Jill Moody, Letcher, S.D. and Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 17.23, $2,350 each; 4. Tammy Key-Fischer, Ledbetter, Texas, $1,851; 5. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 17.36, $1,424; 6. (tie) Brittany Hofstetter, Portales, N.M. and Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., 17.38, $997 each; 8. Maegan Reichert, Mt. Pleasant, Texas, 17.39, $570; 9. (tie) Megan McLeod, Star, Idaho and Stacey Freitas, Galt, Calif., 17.42, $356 each.
Second round leaders: 1. Andrea Clark, Brock, Texas, 17.03 seconds; 2. Jetta McCormick, West Weber, Utah, 17.25; 3. (tie) Sherrylynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., and Megan Williams, Daingerfield, Texas, 17.60.
Average leaders: 1. Andrea Clark, Brock, Texas, 34.64 seconds on two runs; 2. Jetta McCormick, West Weber, Utah, 34.79; 3. Sherrylynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., 35.14; 4. Megan Williams, Daingerfield, Texas, 35.30.
Bull riding: First round leaders: 1. Jay Morrow, Muskogee, Okla., 86 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Water Dog; 2. Camo Mullins, Phoenix, Ariz., 78; 3. Spud Jones, Tohatchi, N.M., 75; 4. Douglas Duncan, Huntsville, Texas, 74.