It was all smiles as the winners of the RodeoHouston BP Super Series IV Championship move into the Semifinal Rounds, with the Championship and a $50,000 purse waiting around the corner.
Tie-down roper Ryan Jarrett came out on top with a third round time of 8.8 seconds, totaling his overall time to 29.5 seconds and taking the series championship by storm. Fellow roper Jeff Chapman, a seasoned RodeoHouston contestant, said of tie-down roping, “It is the most intricate sport in rodeo. It’s just you, the horse and the calf, all working in unison for one result,” he said. “There is never a certainty of what’s going to happen.” Chapman also will advance to the Semifinals Round.
For his second trip to RodeoHouston, bareback rider Bud Munns had an overall score of 237.5 points, moving him into the champion slot for BP Super Series IV. He said the fans and atmosphere in Houston are unlike any other. “I love the camaraderie of traveling with my buddies and the free-spirit of being your own boss,” he said.
“This was only our second time to compete together,” said team roper Reese Kerr, header, about he and partner Ryon Tittel, heeler. The team’s overall score of 28.6 seconds on three runs sent them into the Semifinal Round to work together as a team one more time. “I’ve known Reese a long time, and I’ve seen him compete,” Tittel said. “He’s a great partner.”
After several trips to RodeoHouston, Cody Wright, Super Series IV Saddle Bronc Champion finished with an overall score of 238.5 points. He said he has been riding broncs for 17 years, and the horses just keep getting better. “For me, it’s about getting a better ride each time;” he said. “The better I do, the more I keep going and the more I win.
Dane Hanna moved to the semifinal round as the Super Series IV Steer Wrestling Champion with a payout of $4,500. He said he has been steer wrestling since he was a freshman in high school and that it has always been a part of his life. “I enjoy steer wrestling because I was never any good at roping,” Hanna said. Aggregate leader Brad Morgan also will move on to a Semifinal Round.
Barrel Racing Super Series IV Champion Delores Toole returned to RodeoHouston with her 17-year-old horse after a four-year absence, excited to be back. “I didn’t go to Fort Worth; I didn’t go the San Antonio; I came to Houston,” she said. After growing up around cattle and horses, Toole began riding in competitions when she was young. Her overall 46.27-second score takes her to the Semifinals.
During his first trip to RodeoHouston, 19-year-old Stormy Wing was the only contestant to ride all three bulls, becoming Super Series IV Bull Riding Champion with an overall score of 236 points. He said bull riding isn’t about competing against each other; rather, it is about competing against the bulls you draw. “I am pumped up and thrilled to be here at Houston,” he said. “I have been looking forward to it all year.”
See these champions and more in one of the RodeoHouston BP Super Series Semifinals March 18 and 19.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ is a Section 501(c)(3) charity that benefits youth, supports education, and facilitates better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentation. Since its beginning in 1932, the Show has committed more than $235 million to the youth of Texas. The 2009 Show continues through March 22.
For complete results and highlights, visit the Show’s Web site at www.rodeohouston.com.
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