PUYALLUP, Wash. – If you are a rodeo contestant from Henryetta, Okla. – Jim Shoulders’ hometown – there is a certain expectation of toughness and Sherrylynn Johnson more than lived up to that in the second round of the Ariat Playoffs at the Western Washington Fairgrounds.
Despite suffering with a painful bout of kidney stones, Johnson swept all four rounds of the barrel racing competition at the Puyallup Pro Rodeo, capping the weekend with a 14.97 second run in Sunday’s finals to edge Canadian Lindsay Sears by six-hundredths of a second.
The $6,199 that Johnson earned in the finals brought her total earnings here to a rodeo-best $18,596 and assured her advancement to the third round of the Ariat Playoffs, Sept. 27-29 in Omaha, Neb. – an outcome that seemed highly unlikely at the start of the three-day competition.
Johnson barely made it into the 24-contestant field at Puyallup, standing just 23rd in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour standings. She knew she needed either a win (for an automatic berth in Omaha) or good enough results to make up a nearly $7,000 gap to make the earnings cutoff for round three of the Playoffs.
What she managed was a nice bit of overachievement. Her earnings have lifted her, unofficially, to eighth in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour standings and from ninth to fifth in the world standings with Omaha’s $400,000 River City Roundup looming.
“It feels great to win and to punch my ticket for Omaha,” said Johnson. “My husband (tie-down roper Mike Johnson) had already qualified for Omaha and I wanted to make it so it would be a family affair. It was a lot of fun this weekend.”
Sunday’s semifinal program featured the top eight contestants in the average standings after the first two rounds. All scores and times were tossed out and everyone started with a clean slate. The top four times and scores in the semifinals advanced to the final round and those with the top time or score in the final round were crowned the champions of the Ariat Playoffs for the Puyallup Round.
Like Johnson, Justin Arnold also produced a remarkable performance under pressure during Sunday’s double round. The Santa Margarita, Calif., saddle bronc rider – just 24th in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour standings at the start of the week – assured his participation at Omaha by posting an 89-point ride on Sankey Rodeo Company’s Blazing Saddle in the final round, four points better than Canada’s Rod Hay.
Arnold made it to the finals with an 83 point score on Growney Brother’s Painted Feather in the 1 p.m. (PT) semifinals, good for third place.
“It feels good to get this win and a shot at the Wrangler NFR,” Arnold said. “I have been trying for a long time. I have been 16th and 17th (in the world standings) and the 16th last year was a heartbreaker. That is the hardest part of rodeo to keep your head up and keep trying when that happens. This year it is working out for me.”
Earnings of $7,748 for the weekend solidified his position for the Wrangler NFR, moving him up one spot to 12th in the world standings with a total of $61,793 for the year.
Apart from Johnson, no one was more consistent at Puyallup than steer wrestler Billy Bugenig, of Ferndale, Calif. He had the fastest average time through two rounds, had a 3.8 second run to finish second in the semifinals and then won the finals in 4.2 seconds, a tenth-of-a-second ahead of Curtis Cassidy of Donalda, Alberta.
It all added up to $15,187 for Bugenig, the second highest total of the weekend, followed by, Josh Peek of Pueblo, Colo., who earned $13,766 for winning the tie-down roping championship and finishing third in the steer wrestling.
Peek actually tied for the title in tie-down roping with world champion all-around cowboy Trevor Brazile – both stopping the clock at 7.9 seconds in the final – but Peek was named champion on the strength of having a faster time than Brazile in the semifinals. Peek had a time of 8.0 seconds in the day’s first session while Brazile finished in 8.1 seconds.
“I needed to make Omaha really bad and I am really excited,” Peek said. “I was a little more aggressive in my start in the calf roping today. I told myself that they only pay first and second in the finals, so I knew I needed to go at it.”
The bareback riding competition also required a tie-breaker to determine the winner. Justin McDaniel, of Porum, Okla., had a 90-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s three-time U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company’s Bareback Horse of the Year Grated Coconut and 2004 World Champion Kelly Timberman matched that score on Sankey Rodeo’s Gus.
Timberman got the win because he had an 84-point ride in the semifinal, one point better than McDaniel. They have been about that close all season. McDaniel is second and Timberman third in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour standings.
Seven-time world champions Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper captured the team roping championship with a time of 4.5 seconds in the final round, after barely making into the semifinal round – finishing eighth in the average with a two head time of 11.7 –and then getting the fourth, and final, spot coming out of the semifinals with a time of 5.1 seconds. Clay Tryan and Walt Woodard, who are both past world champions, finished second in the finals at 4.7 seconds.
“We are looking down the road that with this win here, it gets us into Dallas in November,” said Cooper. “Since I live just an hour away, I sure didn’t want to miss that one.”
Dave Samsel’s 90 point ride on Korkow Rodeo’s Red Neck in the final gave him the Puyallup title, and new hope for claiming the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour bull riding championship. With earnings of $10,460 for the weekend, he cut leader J.W. Harris’ earnings margin from more than $12,000 to $3,284 entering Omaha and the championship event in Dallas, Nov. 9-11.
“One month would be good and then the next would be bad,” Samsel said. “This is a great win and really boosts my confidence up there. Winning heals everything.”
The field at Puyallup was comprised of the top 22 contestants in each event based on total prize money won from the cumulative Tour regular season, plus money won during the Caldwell Night Rodeo. They were joined by event champions from Caldwell, Idaho, and the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo.
Fox Sports Net will broadcast four separate one-hour shows from Puyallup, beginning the week of Sept. 22. Visit the Tour page on prorodeo.com for more information.
Ariat Playoffs – Puyallup Round
Semifinal and final round results
Bareback riding: Final round: 1. (tie) Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., on Calgary Stampede's Grated Coconut, and *Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., on Sankey Rodeo’s Gus, 90 points, $5,166 each; 3. Jess Davis, Payson, Utah, 82; 4. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 79. Semifinal round: 1. Jess Davis, Payson, Utah, 87 points on Growney Bros' Raggidy Ann, $3,099; 2. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 85, $2,325; 3. Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 84, $1,550; 4. (tie) Jason Havens, Prineville, Ore., and Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 83, $387 each; 6. Larry Sandvick, Billings, Mont., 82; 7. Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, Colo., 80; 8. Tom McFarland, Wickenburg, Ariz., 0. Total event earnings: 1. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., $13,689; 2. Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., $7,490; 3. Tom McFarland, Wickenburg, Ariz., $5,424; 4. Larry Sandvick, Billings, Mont., $4,649; 5. Jess Davis, Payson, Utah, $3,099; 6. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., $2,325; 7. (tie) Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash., and Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, $1,550; 9. Bo Casper, Fort Scott, Kan., $775; 10. (tie) Jason Havens, Prineville, Ore., and Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., $387.
*Timberman is the Ariat Playoffs Puyallup Round champion based on his semifinal performance
Steer wrestling: Final round: 1. Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., 4.2 seconds, $6,199; 2. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 4.3, $4,133; 3. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 4.6; 4. Dane Hanna, Littleton, Colo., 13.3. Semifinal round: 1. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 3.6 seconds, $3,099; 2. Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., 3.8, $2,325; 3. (tie) Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., Dane Hanna, Littleton, Colo., and Levi Wisness, Keene, N.D., 3.9, $775; 6. .Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 4.2; 7. Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla., 4.4; 8. Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La., NT. Total event earnings: 1. Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., $15,187; 2. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, $10,021; 3. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., $5,501; 4. Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla., $3,099; 5. Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., $2,325; 6. Dane Hanna, Littleton, Colo., $2,015; 7. Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La., $1,937; 8. Levi Wisness, Keene, N.D., $1,240.
Team roping: Final round: 1. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Clay O'Brien Cooper, Morgan Mill, Texas, 4.5 seconds, $6,199; 2. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Walt Woodard, Stockton, Calif., 4.7, $4,133; 3. Kevin Stewart, Glen Rose, Texas/Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga., 5.2; 4. Tommy Edens, Gatesville, Texas/Coby Jones, Gatesville, Texas, NT. Semifinal round: 1. Tommy Edens, Gatesville, Texas/Coby Jones, Gatesville, Texas, 4.9 seconds, $3,099; 2. (tie) Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Walt Woodard, Stockton, Calif., and Kevin Stewart, Glen Rose, Texas/Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga., 5.0, $1,937; 4. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Clay O'Brien Cooper, Morgan Mill, Texas, 5.1, $775; 5. Colter Todd, Marana, Ariz./Cesar De La Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 9.6; 6. Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas/Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla., 10.2; 7. (tie) Keven Daniel, Altha, Fla./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., and Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M./Jimmie Cooper, Monument, N.M., NT. Total event earnings: 1. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Walt Woodard, Stockton, Calif., $10,719; 2. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Clay O'Brien Cooper, Morgan Mill, Texas, $6,974; 3. Colter Todd, Marana, Ariz./Cesar De La Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., $5,036; 4. Keven Daniel, Altha, Fla./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., $3,487; 5. Kevin Stewart, Glen Rose, Texas/Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga., $3,487; 6. Tommy Edens, Gatesville, Texas/Coby Jones, Gatesville, Texas, $3,099; 7. Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M./Jimmie Cooper, Monument, N.M., $2,712; 8. Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas/Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla., $2,325; 9. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Cody Cowden, Merced, Calif., $1,550; 10. (tie) Coleman Proctor, Miami, Okla./Jake Long, Nowata, Okla., and David Key, Caldwell, Texas/Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas, $775each; 12. Wade Wheatley, Hughson, Calif./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, $387.
Saddle bronc riding: Final round: 1. Justin Arnold, Santa Margarita, Calif., 89 points on Sankey's Blazing Saddle, $6,199; 2. Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, 85, $4,133; 3. Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo., 83; 4. Jeff Willert, Belvidere, S.D., 82. Semifinal round: 1. Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, 87 points on Sankey's Surprise Package, $3,099; 2. Jeff Willert, Belvidere, S.D., 85, $2,325; 3. Justin Arnold, Santa Margarita, Calif., 83, $1,550; 4. Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo., 82, $775; 5. Cody Demoss, Heflin, La., 80; 6. Scott Keogh, Queensland, AU, 79; 7. Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, N.D., 69; 8. Heith DeMoss, Crowville, La., 0. Total event earnings: 1. Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, $8,007; 2. Justin Arnold, Santa Margarita, Calif., $7,748; 3. Cody Demoss, Heflin, La., $6,586; 4. Jeff Willert, Belvidere, S.D., $6,199; 5. Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, N.D., $5,036; 6. Rusty Allen, Lehi, Utah, $3,099; 7. Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo., $2,325; 8. Scott Keogh, Queensland, AU, $1,550; 9. Heith Demoss, Crowville, La., $775
Tie-down roping: Final round: 1. (tie) *Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., and Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 7.9 seconds, $5,166; 3. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 8.5; 4. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, NT. Semifinal round: 1. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 7.9 seconds, $3,099; 2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 8.0, $2,325; 3. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, 8.1, $1,162; 5. Barry Burk, Ponca City, Okla., 8.3; 6. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 9.0; 7. Brad Goodrich, Hermiston, Ore., 9.2; 8. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., 9.4. Total event earnings: 1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, $10,977; 2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., $8,265; 3. Barry Burk, Ponca City, Okla., $5,036; 4. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $3,874; 5. (tie) Jake Hannum, Ogden, Utah, and Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, $3,099 each; 7. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., $2,325; 8. Mike Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., $1,937; 9. Jeff Chapman, Athens, Texas, $1,550; 10. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, $1,162
* Josh Peek is the Ariat Playoffs Puyallup Round champion based on his semifinal performance
Barrel racing: Final round: 1. Sherrylynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., 14.97 seconds, $6,199; 2. Lindz Sears, Nanton, Alberta, 15.03, $4,133; 3. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 15.28; 4. Shelly Anzick, Livingston, Mont., 15.47. Semifinal round: 1. Sherrylynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., 15.21 seconds, $3,099; 2. Lindz Sears, Nanton, Alberta, 15.27, $2,325; 3. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 15.33, $1,550; 4. Shelly Anzick, Livingston, Mont., 15.37, $775; 5. Molly Powell, Stephenville, Texas, 15.40; 6. Andrea Clark, Lusk, Wyo., 15.52; 7. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 15.55; 8. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.70. Total event earnings: 1. Sherrylynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., $18,596; 2. Lindz Sears, Nanton, Alberta, $13,431; 3. (tie) Andrea Clark, Lusk, Wyo., Molly Powell, Stephenville, Texas, Brittany Pozzi-Pharr, Victoria, Texas, and Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., $1,550 each; 7. Shelly Anzick, Livingston, Mont., $1,550; 8. (tie) Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., and Jana Jarreau, Greenwell Springs, La., $775 each.
Bull riding: Final round: 1. Dave Samsel, Haslet, Texas, 90 points on Korkow's Red Neck, $6,199; 2. Ted Bert, Modesto, Calif., 86, $4,133; 3. Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, 77; 4. Jarrod Craig, Hillsboro, Texas, 0. Semifinal round: 1. Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, 91 points on Western's Deep Blue, $3,099; 2. Ted Bert, Modesto, Calif., 88, $2,325; 3. Jarrod Craig, Hillsboro, Texas, 83, $1,550; 4. (tie) Dave Samsel, Haslet, Texas,Colin McTaggart, Brentwood, Calif., Wesley Silcox, Payson, Utah, Logan Knibbe, Rockdale, Texas, and J.C. Bean, Goldendale, Wash., 0. Total event earnings: 1. Dave Samsel, Haslet, Texas, $10,460; 2. Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, $9,298; 3. Ted Bert, Modesto, Calif., $6,844; 4. Jarrod Craig, Hillsboro, Texas, $4,649; 5. (tie) Wesley Silcox, Payson, Utah, and Logan Knibbe, Rockdale, Texas, $1,937 each; 7. (tie) Cody Buller, Glendive, Mont., J.W. Harris, May, Texas, and Kanin Asay, Powell, Wyo., $1,550 each; 10. (tie) Colin McTaggart, Brentwood, Calif., and B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis., $387 each.
Copyright 1996 - 2008 Rodeo Attitude, LLC., All rights reserved.