BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The PRCA Playoff Series got off to an earlier start in 2024 as the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo in Odessa, Texas was added to the lineup of Top 60 rodeos this year.
In its Playoff debut, more than $250,000 was paid out.
In bareback riding, 19-year-old Brayze Schill rode Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Tic Tac for 87 points to get his first win of his rookie season. Its the second straight year a rookie bareback rider won Odessa as NFR qualifier Kade Sonnier did so in 2023.
Tim Kemp was the champion in the steer wrestling with an aggregate time of 8.6 seconds on two. The Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo is a one-header in every event except the bulldogging and team roping.
In team roping, 2023 NFR pair Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord emerged victorious with a two-head time of 7.8 seconds. They won more than $5,000 at the event and topped a leaderboard that also included Clay Tryan/Jake Long and Clay Smith/Coleby Payne.
Statler Wright was the champion in the saddle bronc riding after making an 87.5-point ride in the Second Performance that held up for the next four. Wright is No. 11 in the PRCA World Standings and Odessa marks his third win of the 2024 season already.
In tie-down roping, Haven Meged stayed hot less than a month after setting a new NFR Average record and arena record. He was 7.3 seconds in Odessa to win the rodeo by 1.2 seconds. Shad Mayfield, the current World No. 1, was second.
Addie Weil finished first in an impressive breakaway roping with a 1.6-second run in an event where 15 cowgirls were faster than 2.5 seconds. She received a hard-earned payday of almost $6,000.
In barrel racing, Katie Halbert’s 14.14-second run was almost two tenths better than anyone else as Shelley Morgan took second at 14.33 and Acey Pinkston and Randee Prindle split third at 14.34. The $5,956 earned helped push Halbert to No. 1 in the WPRA World Standings.
Lastly, 2022 NFR qualifier Maverick Potter got off to a good start in his attempt to return to Vegas by riding for 88 points and winning by two over Justin Houston and Brett McAbee Jr.
BAREBACK RIDING
First Round: 1. Brayze Schill, 87 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Tic Tac, $3,294; 2. Lane McGehee, 85.5, $2,525; 3. Tuker Carricato, 84.5, $1,866; 4. Jacob Lees, 84, $1,208; 5. Tyler Griffin, 83, $769; 6. Bryce Eck, 82, $549; 7. Gavin French, 81.5, $439; 8. Will Lowe, 81, $329.
STEER WRESTLING
First Round: 1. Shane Frey, 3.7 seconds, $1,990; 2. (tie) Darcy Kersh and Tyler Ravenscroft, 4.0, $1,475 each; 4. (tie) Chance Carlson, Tyrel Cline and Tim Kemp, 4.1, $640 each.
Second Round: 1. Jay Williamson, 3.5 seconds, $1,990; 2. (tie) Eric Logan, Jace Melvin and Seth Peterson, 4.0, $1,304 each; 5. Logan Lemmel, 4.1, $618; 6. (tie) Cody Devers and Brandon Harrison, 4.2, $172 each.
Average: 1. Tim Kemp, 8.6 seconds on two head, $2,985; 2. Seth Peterson, 8.8, $2,470; 3. (tie) Wade Steffen and Ty Allred, 9.2, $1,698 each; 5. (tie) Payden McIntyre and Eric Logan, 9.3, $721 each.
TEAM ROPING
First Round: 1. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord and Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 3.9 seconds, $2,246 each; 3. Riley Kittle/Jake South, 4.1, $1,776; 4. (tie) Mason Appleton/Cooper Freeman, Trey Gallais/Denim Ross, Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp and Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn, 4.3, $993 each; 8. (tie) Reno Stoebner/Clay Green and Clay Tryan/Jake Long, 4.6, $104 each.
Second Round: 1. Payden Emmett/Jace Davis, 3.7 seconds, $2,403 each; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Paul Eaves, 3.8, $2,089; 3. (tie) Cyle Denison/Dustin Davis, Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord and Cory Kidd V/Clay Futrell, 3.9, $1,463 each; 6. (tie) J7 Bland/Tyson Thompson and Chad Masters/Wyatt Cox, 4.1, $679 each; 8. (tie) Cole Morgan/Josh Patton and Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 4.2, $104 each.
Average: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 7.8 seconds on two head, $3,604 each; 2. (tie) Clay Tryan/Jake Long, Cory Kidd V/Clay Futrell, Clay Smith/Coleby Payne and Mason Appleton/Cooper Freeman, 8.9, $2,429 each; 6. Trey Gallais/Denim Ross, 9.0, $1,254; 7. (tie) Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn and Riley Kittle/Jake South, 9.1, $548 each.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
First Round: 1. Statler Wright, 87.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Rawhide, $4,563; 2. (tie) Sterling Crawley and Riggin Smith, 84, $3,042 each; 4. Sam Weston, 82, $1,673; 5. (tie) Sawyer Eirikson, Noel Johnson and Bailey Small, 81, $811 each; 8. (tie) Jake Finlay, Gus Gaillard, Dylan Hancock, Kaden Chance Horrocks and Warwick Southern, 78, $91 each.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
First Round: 1. Haven Meged, 7.3 seconds, $4,698; 2. Shad Mayfield, 8.5, $4,145; 3. Sterling Smith, 8.7, $3,593; 4. Garrett Jacobs, 8.8, $3,040; 5. Blane Cox, 9.1, $2,487; 6. Lane Livingston, 9.2, $2,211; 7. Monty Lewis, 9.5, $1,935; 8. (tie) Nick Achille and Chet Weitz, 9.6, $1,520 each; 10. Ryan Belew, 9.7, $1,105; 11. Michael Otero, 9.8, $829; 12. Hagen Houck, 10.0, $553.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
First Round: 1. Addie Weil, 1.6 seconds, $5,828; 2. Chenoa Vandestouwe, 1.7, $4,662; 3. (tie) Nicole Baggarley and Shiloh Napp, 1.8, $3,351 each; 5. (tie) Kelsie Domer and Aspen Miller, 1.9, $2,040 each; 7. Shelby Whiting, 2.0, $1,457; 8. (tie) J J Hampton, Lynn Smith and Ariana Varischetti, 2.1, $1,166 each; 11. (tie) Taylor Hanchey and Willow Wilson, 2.2, $801 each; 13. (tie) Martha Angelone and MaryBeth Beam, 2.3, $510 each; 15. (tie) TiAda Gray and Quincy Sullivan, 2.4, $146 each.
BARREL RACING
First Round: 1. Katie Halbert, 14.14 seconds, $5,956; 2. Shelley Morgan, 14.33, $4,765; 3. (tie) Acey Pinkston and Randee Prindle, 14.34, $3,425 each; 5. Ashley Harvey, 14.35, $2,382; 6. Hailey Kinsel, 14.48, $1,787; 7. Abby Phillips, 14.50, $1,489; 8. Marcie Wilson, 14.52, $1,340; 9. Halyn Lide, 14.53, $1,191; 10. (tie) Madison Bean, Rainey Skelton and Leslie Smalygo, 14.55, $893 each; 13. (tie) McKenna Coronado and Abby Pursifull, 14.57, $521 each; 15. Sabra O’Quinn, 14.58, $298.
BULL RIDING
First Round: 1. Maverick Potter, 88 points on Powder River Rodeo’s No. 183h, $5,273; 2. (tie) Justin Houston and Brett McAbee Jr, 86, $3,516 each; 4. Tristan O’Neal, 84.5, $1,934; 5. Clayton Savage, 83.5, $1,230; 6. (tie) Jace Catlin and Scott Wells, 83, $791 each; 8. (tie) Hayden Harris and Tristan Mize, 82, $264 each.
