FORT WORTH --- The 114th annual World's Original Rodeo, presented by the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show, is in full force.
The pre-rodeo competition, known as slack, began Wednesday and wrapped-up Thursday afternoon at Will Rogers Coliseum. This competition allows the majority of steer wrestling and tie-down roping contestants to compete in their first of two go-rounds. This gives the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo the ability to accommodate the numbers of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) members who want to compete.
Steer wrestlers, tie-down ropers, team ropers, and bull riders compete twice. Bareback and saddle bronc riders compete three times. The Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) barrel racers compete once, with the best from that competition advancing to a progressive round. For the second year, all rough stock riders and team ropers will compete in back to back performances.
This year's rodeo, sanctioned by the PRCA, will pay-out over $500,000 in prize money throughout 30 performances. Rodeo action begins Friday at 7:30 p.m. and will continue through Feb. 7, ending in a final round where the top 12 contestants from each event will compete to claim one of the coveted championship buckles.
In steer wrestling it was Gabe Ledoux from Kaplan, La., who had the fast time of 3.5 seconds. Ledoux finished the 2009 season in 16tth place just one spot out of qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR). He has been to rodeo's championship event twice and is off to a great start in 2010 to make it to Las Vegas to compete there next December. Ledoux also leads the over-all standings at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver.
Second-generation tie-down roper Ace Slone is following in his father Todd's footsteps. Ace is a former College National Finals Rodeo qualifier and is making his first bid for a WNFR qualification. He and veteran Justin Maas from Giddings, Texas, are tied for the lead with 8.2 second runs.
FORT WORTH --- The following are results from pre-rodeo competition of the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show World's Original Rodeo, January 21, 2010. Results are updated daily and available at fwssr.com
Pre Rodeo Competition --
Steer Wrestling: 1, Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La., 3.5 seconds. 2, Justin Davis, Bartonville, Texas, 3.6. 3, (tie) Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., and Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo.,3.7. 5, Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla., 3.8. 6, (tie) Alex Robertson, Bend, Ore., Ronnie Fields, Oklahoma City, Okla., and Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D., 3.9.
