(By Susan Kanode/National Western Stock Show Rodeo)
DENVER, Colo. — The National Western Stock Show Rodeo has been a great stop on the rodeo road for bareback rider Tim O’Connell.
He joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2013, and entered the rodeo here for the first time that same year where he finished sixth and won $5,838. The Zwingle, Iowa, native has won money here nearly every time he has gotten on a bucking horse. He was the champion here last year, bringing the total amount of money he has won in the Denver Coliseum up to $26,137.
He went on to qualify for the 2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo where he won his second consecutive world championship. Now he is hoping for a repeat across the board in 2018. He made steps towards accomplishing that goal here on Sunday.
O’Connell took the lead in the first round of competition at the matinee performance with an 89.5-point effort on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Jason’s Pride. That is currently leading the first round of competition. He came back Sunday night and scored 77. While he would have liked to have had a better score in the second round he still moved into a tie for second place in the overall standings with a total score of 166.5 points.
Now, he will have to wait through the next eleven performances to see where he is in the overall category and learn about qualifying for the U.S. Bank Pro Rodeo Finals. With his score, he is nearly assured a top spot, but with talented bareback riders yet to compete, the standings could change.
Monday’s action in the Denver Coliseum will see the rodeo continue at 1 p.m. At 6 p.m., the National Western will host the Martin Luther King Jr., African American Heritage Rodeo of Champions.
Seventh Performance —
Bareback Riding: 1, Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 89.5 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Jason’s Pride. 2, Zach Brown, Red Bluff, Calif., 79. 3, Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 77. 4, Logan Corbett, Las Cruces, N.M., 70.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Jace Melvin, Bluff Dale, Texas, 4.3 seconds. 2, Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., 5.4. 3, Beau Clark, Cheyenne, Wyo., 5.8. 4, (tie) Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D., and Zack Jongbloed, Iowa, La., 7.0.
Team Roping: 1, Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah and Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, 4.7 seconds. 2, Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla., and Tad Sheets, Goodland, Kan., 5.6. 3, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 6.1. 4, Scott White, Oelrichs, S.D., and Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb., 6.6.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Chanse Darling, Hyattville, Wyo., 81.5 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Shasta. 2, Johnny Espeland, Tygh Valley, Ore., 78. 3, Ben Londo, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 76. 4, Tim Ditrich, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 72.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Zack Jongbloed, Iowa, La., 8.0 seconds. 2, Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, 8.8. 3, Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla., 9.8. 4, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 10.1.
Women’s Barrel Racing: 1, Wendy McKee, Craig, Colo., 15.52 seconds. 2, Jaime Hinton, Bulverde, Texas, 15.65. 3, Kim Schultz, Larkspur, Colo., 15.69. 4, Holly Wright, Gruver, Texas, 15.93.
Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Lon Danley, Tularosa, N.M., 82 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Body N Soul. 2, Cain Smith, Pendleton, Ore., 78.5. 3, Garrett Jones, Devers, Texas, 77.
Eighth Performance –
Bareback Riding: 1, Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 83.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Greeley Hat Works Dust Storm. 2, (tie) Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, and Logan Corbett, Las Cruces, N.M., 81.5. 4, Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 77.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 4.4 seconds. 2, J.D. Struxness, Milan, Texas, 4.8. 3, Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb., 4.9. 4, Zack Jongbloed, Iowa, La., 5.1.
Team Roping: 1, Spencer Mitchell, Orange Cove, Colo., and Jason Duby, Klamath Falls, Ore., 4.1 seconds. 2, Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 4.5. 3, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 5.7. 4, Jay Tittel, Pueblo, Colo., and Cullen Teller, Fort Collins, Colo., 9.7.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Chanse Darling, Hyattville, Wyo., 79 points on Calgary Stampede’s X Men Marvel. 2, Ben Londo, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 72. 3, (tie) Tim Ditrich, San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Justin Lawrence, Exeter, Calif., 61.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.2 seconds. 2, Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, 8.5. 3, Zack Jongbloed, Iowa, La., 9.3. 4, Jake Harris, Canyon, Texas, 9.9.
Women’s Barrel Racing: 1, Wendy McKee, Craig, Colo., 15.44 seconds. 2, Holly Wright, Gruver, Texas, 15.52. 3, Jaime Hinton, Bulverde, Texas, 15.57. 4, Katie Pasco, Morro Bay, Calif., 15.58.
Bull Riding: (no rides)
Current leaders –
Bareback Riding: (first round) 1, Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 89.5 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Jason’s Pride. 2, Casey Colletti, Pueblo, Colo., 86.5. 3, Jake Brown, Cleveland, Texas, 85. 4, Nate McFadden, Elsmere, Neb., 83.5. (second round) 1, (tie) Nate McFadden, Elsmere, Neb., on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dream Machine and Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Wild Style, 85 points each. 3, Jared Keylon, Uniontown, Kan., 84. 4, Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D., 83.5. (total on two) 1, Nate McFadden, Elsmere, Neb., 168.5. 2, (tie) Casey Colletti, Pueblo, Colo., and Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 166.5. 4, Jared Keylon, Uniontown, Kan., 164.5.
Steer Wrestling: (first round) 1, Ryle Smith, Oakdale, Calif., 3.8 seconds. 2, Chason Floyd, Buffalo, S.D., 3.9. 3, Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 4.2. 4, Jace Melvin, Bluff Dale, Texas, 4.3. (second round) 1, Jacob Talley, Keatchi, La., 3.8. 2, Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 3.9. 3, Will Lummus, West point, Miss., 4.0. 4, Jon Ragatz, Beeville, Wis., 4.1. (total on two) 1, Chason Floyd, 8.3. 2, Jon Ragatz, Beeville, Wis., 8.7. 3, Jason Thomas, Benton, Ark., 8.8. 4, Cody Pratt, Pueblo, Colo., 8.9.
Team Roping: (first round) 1, Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah and Quin Kesler, Holden, Utah, 4.7. 2, (tie) Lane Ivy, Adrian, Texas, and Buddy Hawkins II, Columbus, Kan.; and Lightning Aguilera, Athens, Texas, and Brady Norman, Springer, Okla., 5.1 each. 4, Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz., and Kyle Lockett, Visalia, Calif., 5.3. (second round) 1, Spencer Mitchell, Orange Cove, Calif., and Jason Duby, Klamath Falls, Ore., 4.1. 2, Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 4.5. 3, Joshua and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla., 4.6. 4, Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas, and Levi Tyan, Wallace, Neb., 4.7. (total on two) 1, Lightning Aguilera and Brady Norman, 10.1. 2, Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Okla., and Kyle Lockett, Visalia, Calif., 10.5. 3, Joshua and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla., 10.6. 4, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 11.8.
Saddle Bronc Riding: (first round) 1, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, 85.5 points on Cervi Brother’s Womanizer. 2, Tanner Lockhart, Lewis, Colo., 84.5. 3, Chanse Darling, Hyattville, Wyo., 81.5. 4, Cort Scheer, Douglas, Wyo., 80.5. (second round) 1, Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas, 86.5 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Sue City Sue. 2, (tie) Tyrel Larsen, Weatherford, Okla., and Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, 84.5 each. 4, Audy Reed, Spearman, Texas, 82. (total on two) 1, Zeke Thurston, 170. 2, Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 162. 3, (tie) Audy Reed, Spearman, Texas, and Chanse Darling, Hyattville, Wyo., 160.5.
Tie-Down Roping: (first round) 1, Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 7.5 seconds. 2, (tie) Cody Craig, Wendell, Idaho, and Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas, 7.5 each. 4, (tie) Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla., and Zack Jongbloed, Iowa, La., 8.0. (second round) 1, Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.2. 2, Randall Carlisle, Athens, La., 7.3. 3, Matt Shiozawa, Chubbock, Idaho, 7.8. 4, Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca city, Okla., 8.0. (total on two) 1, Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla., 16.0 seconds. 2, Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas, 16.3. 3, Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, 16.6. 4, Matt Shiozawa, Chubbock, Idaho, 17.1.
Women’s Barrel Racing: (first round) 1, Cayla Small, Burneyville, Okla., 15.39 seconds. 2, Kathy Grimes, Medical Lake, Wash., 15.46. 3, Lori Todd, Willcox, Ariz., 15.48. 4, (tie) Sissy Winn, Chapman Ranch, Texas, and Benette Little, Ardmore, Okla., 15.50 each. (second round) 1, Cayla Small, Burneyville, Okla., 15.37. 2, Wendy McKee, Craig, Colo., 15.44. 3, (tie) Kelly Brunner, Milsap, Texas, and Nikki Hansen, Dickinson, N.D., 15.49. (total on two) 1, Cayla Small, Burneyville, Okla., 30.76. 2, Wendy McKee, Craig, Colo., 30.96. 3, (tie) Lori Todd, Willcox, Ariz., and Nikki Hansen, Dickinson, N.D., 31.05.
Bull Riding: (first round) 1, (tie) Tanner Bothwell, Rapid City, S.D., on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s HTTR, and Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo., on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Living After Midnight, 86 points each. 3, (tie) Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas, and Joseph McConnell, Bloomfield, N.M., 85. (second round) 1, Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo., 87.5 points on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Foolish Crimes. 2, Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas, 85.5. 3, (tie) Colby Demo, Red Bluff, Calif., and Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 82. (total on two) 1, Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo., 173.5 points. 2, Colby Demo, Red Bluff, Calif., 162. 3, Shane Proctor, Grand Coulee, Wash., 160.5. 4, Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 159.5.
