It was an exciting first night at RFD-TV’s The American Rodeo as several qualifiers have moved on and will continue their quest for the million dollars.
In bareback riding, reigning world champion Tim O’Connell rode Scarlett Belle for 89.5 points. Canadian Orin Larsen was one point shy of O’Connell after going 88.5 on Zulu Warrior. The two will headline the bareback round of eight at AT&T on Sunday.
There will be a new breakaway champion at The American as last year’s champ, Madison Outhier was knocked out after failing to record a time. It was the last cowgirl out who stopped the clock the quickest as Mia Manzanera had a time of 1.94 seconds. Manzanera was .05 seconds faster than the second-place finisher, Jade Kenny.
In team roping, 12-time NFR qualifier Luke Brown and Joseph Harrison stopped the clock at 4.03 seconds to take the top time.
Three teams from the semi-finals, Manny Egusquiza and York Gill, Clint Summers and Ross Ashford, and Colby Lovell and Jared Fillmore qualified for the round of eight, giving them a shot at the million dollars.
Last year’s champions Coleman Proctor and Ryan Motes squeezed into Sunday after a run of 4.71 seconds.
Steer wrestling is jam-packed with the top talent in the world, but it is a qualifier who sits in first. Rowdy Parrott stopped the clock at 3.74 seconds to secure the top spot heading into the round of eight.
Parrott, a 2017 NFR qualifier, has been battling injuries for the past two years but is showing what he can do now that he is finally healthy. Six-time NFR qualifier Dakota Eldridge sits in second place after a run of 4.22 seconds and two-time world champion Hunter Cure rounds out the top three.
Wyatt Casper showed why he is currently the No. 1 saddle bronc rider in the world and he also sits in the top spot after the long go RFD-TV’s The American. Casper rode Korkow Rodeo’s Onion Ring for a 91.25-point ride to take first in the round.
Being a qualifier, Casper is in the running for a million-dollar payday. Spencer Wright, the 2014 world champion currently sits in second place after posting an 87.75-point ride.
If you are looking to pick an event that will have a million-dollar winner, tie-down roping may be your best bet.
Six of the eight who advanced to the round of eight are qualifiers, with superstar in the making Shad “Money” Mayfield leading the pack.
Mayfield posted a time of 7.91 seconds which was .02 seconds clear of Quade Hiatt. The only two invitees to advance are 2016 world champion Tyson Durfey and last year’s world champion Haven Meged.
It is another field packed full of qualifiers in barrel racing after five of eight to advance are semi-final qualifiers including Wenda Johnson who sits in first place. Johnson stopped the clock at 15.370 seconds. Stevie Hillman and Donna Kay Rule round out the top three.
2019 Bull Riding Champion who earned a cut of the million-dollar payday at The American last year will go into Sunday with a chance to defend his title.
Joao Ricardo Vieira rode Three Days for 84 points which was good for first place. Six-time PRCA world champion Sage Kimzey tied Ricardo Vieira with a painful 84-point ride as he is still recovering from an injury that kept him sidelined for two weeks.
Boudreaux Campbell, Tyler Bingham, and Stetson Wright were the only other bull riders to submit a score. In a random draw Trey Benton III, Jordan Hansen, and Claudio Montanha Jr advanced to the round of eight.