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RODEOHOUSTON Semifinals: A Race Against Time Inside and Outside NRG Stadium

Originally posted on FanNation Rodeo Daily
By Laura Motley Lambert | Last updated 3/14/24

RODEOHOUSTON starts each rodeo performance with a grand entry and then moves right into the calf roping. That means the competition was fast and intense right off the bat. With everything to gain and nothing to lose, the tie-down ropers took chances and went fast.

Only the top four would advance to the finals, and the bottom six performers would have to try again in the wild card rounds.

Marty Yates said, "New year, new baby, new me. I'm going for it."

Yates went for it, and he won. At 8.1 seconds, Yates dominated the field of ropers and secured his spot in the finals and a chance to win $50,000. That would buy a lot of diapers for the new dad!

Yates has a story to tell after tonight. His best performance may have come on the dirt within NRG Stadium, but it was his second performance of the night. The first one happened to be beside the road and down the bar ditch.

When you are the second calf roper in the lineup, and your event is first, you need to arrive early. Well, traffic didn't allow it, and Yates wasn't taking any chances of missing his turn.

Yates went ahead and saddled up, loped down the side of I-10, and 'slid in sideways' to finish his journey to NRG Stadium for the night and keep the $50,000 dream alive.

Coming in second and third at 9.4 seconds were a pair of cowboys, Joel Harris and John Douch.

Shane Hanchey, riding the 5-year-old gelding owned by Walter Johnson, Rolling On the River, which Hanchey calls "River," claimed the fourth position with a 9.8-second run.

The team ropers have some nights when nothing goes right for the entire field and other nights when everything seems spot on. Tonight started out with two no-times, and then, the team ropers turned it around.

In some of the toughest roping seen so far at Houston, it took a 5.3-second run to be in the top four positions. In true World Champion form, Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira took the first position with a 4.7-second run.

Right on the heels of the World Champions, Lightning Aguilera and Jonathan Torres roped both ends in 4.9 seconds to earn their way to Championship Sunday.

In a tie for third and fourth with their matching 5.3-second runs were the teams of Billy Smith with Douglas Rich and the hottest veteran team going, Derrick Begay and Colter Todd.

The rest of the field will have to go to the wild card round to give it one more shot at making the finals.

Semifinals #1 Full Results

Bareback riding: 1. Richmond Champion, 85.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Fresh Chick, $3,000; 2. Keenan Hayes, 84.5, $2,000; 3. Caleb Bennett, 83.5, $1,000; 4. Nick Pelke, 83, $750.

Steer wrestling: 1. Stetson Jorgensen, 4.0 seconds, $3,000; 2. Dalton Massey, 4.3, $2,000; 3. Tristan Martin, 4.4, $1,000; 4. Dakota Eldridge, 4.6, $750.

Team roping: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.7 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres, 4.9, $2,000; 3. (tie) Jake Smith/Douglas Rich and Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 5.3, $875 each.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Statler Wright, 86 points on Calgary Stampede’s Daunting News, $3,000; 2. Quinten Taylor, 83.5, $2,000; 3. (tie) Cole Elshere and Ryder Sanford, 81.5, $875 each.

Tie-down roping: 1. Marty Yates, 8.1 seconds, $3,000; 2. (tie) Joel Harris and John Douch, 9.4, $1,500; 4. Shane Hanchey, 9.8, $750.

Barrel racing: 1. Hayle Gibson, 14.76 seconds, $3,000; 2. Paige Jones, 14.80, $2,000; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 14.86, $1,000; 4. Andrea Busby, 14.92, $750.

Bull riding: 1. Tristan Hutchings, 85 points on Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Keep Talkin, $3,000; 2. T.J. Gray, 81, $2,000; 3. Chance Schott, 78, $1,000; 4. Roscoe Jarboe, 76, $750.

Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Taylor Munsell and Jackie Crawford, 2.8 seconds, $2,500 each; 3. (tie) Willow Wilson and TiAda Gray, 3.0, $75 each.

This article first appeared on FanNation Rodeo Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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