Bucking Bareback Makes a Comeback at 2nd San Angelo Rodeo Performance of 2017

Only one scheduled actually appearred on opening night, but the bareback riders redeemed themselves at the second performance of the 85^th Annual San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo at 1 p.m. today. Five tried, and five scored.

The audience was livelier than at Friday’s opening, probably because the action got off to a fast start when Joel Schlegel from Burns, Colorado took Black Coffee for a ride, scoring a respectable 79 points in the opening competition of bareback riding. Three rides in, Jamie Howlett of Snyder bested him with 80 points. All who tried rode and scored Saturday afternoon.

Steer wrestling added one more to first place, when Dakota Eldridge brought it in in 3.3 seconds. Last night, Tyler Waguepack scored the same, and announcer Boyd Polhamus said the 3.3-second score would be hard to beat. For the 2017 rodeo, a two-way tie exists for first, as does a two-way tie for second place. Last night’s 3.5 second-place score by Ty Erickson was matched by Saturday afternoon’s Blake Knowles of Heppner, Oregon.

In the Saddle Bronc riding, Magin Lane Montoya of Roy, New Mexico took the lead for the rodeo with an 80-point ride on Pete Carr Rodeo's horse Covergirl. Watch:

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Last night’s 87.5 score in bull riding by Brennon Eldred on the bull named Shellac was not challenged, though Tanner Learmont from Cleburne posted a respectable 83 points atop the bull named Speckled Chicken.

Watch Tanner Learmont's 83-point bull ride:

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For the third performance tonight, fans will be watching to see if 87.5 points wins the bull riding overall. Bull rider Rocky McDonald, who didn’t make eight today, said he expects the score to keep Eldred within the top three at least. There is only one “go” for the riding events, meaning you only have one shot at scoring and you’re done for the rodeo. McDonald is looking forward to the San Antonio rodeo that starts Feb. 9.

Tips for the newcomer to the San Angelo rodeo: At the door, ask the ticket taker for the 4-page score sheet with The Bank of San Angelo's ad on it. It will list all of the contestants, where they are from, and provide a way for you to track scores throughout the performance. Here is the excitement to look for in the third performance tonight:

1. Bareback riding. A solid showing in the second performance. Will anyone get in the high 80s?

2. Steer wrestling: 3.3 seconds is the best time yet, and that's a really hard time to beat. Will anyone do it?

3. Team roping: 5.5 seconds is the time to beat.

4. Bull riding is the best, and because it's the best, it's the last event. If someone beats that 87.5 and gets into the low 90s, the world of rodeo will be tuning in to what happens in San Angelo throughout the rest of the rodeo.

5. Count how many politically incorrect statements announcer Boyd Polhamus. He is a hoot to watch as he interacts with his sidekick, bullfighter Justin Rumford, especially when Rumford states he has to go into his "safe place."

Here are the San Angelo rodeo leaders after the second performance:

* Barrel racing -  p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.3px Arial; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} Average leaders: 1. Morgan Breaux, 30.44 seconds on two runs; 2. Laura Kennedy, 30.80; 3. Lindsay Sears, 30.83; 4. Brooke Jeter, 31.00; 5. Kimmi Byler, 31.09; 6. Margo Crowther, 31.15; 7. J.J. Baldwin, 31.29; 8. Kirstin Carlson, 31.33; 9. Kelly Kennedy-Joseph, 31.33; 10. Molly Childers, 31.40.

* Team roping -  p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.3px Arial; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} Average leaders: 1. Caleb Smidt/B.J. Dugger, 13.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Matt Sherwood/Joel Bach, 4.1 seconds on one run; 3. Zac Small/Will Woodfin, 4.5; 4. (tie) Cory Clark/Clint Summers and Jake Cooper/Brady Norman, 5.5; 6. Aaron Macy/Evan Arnold, 6.1; 7. Billy Bob Brown/Logan Medlin, 9.2. No other qualified times.

Reporting, photos and videos were produced using an iPhone 7. Ted Harbin contributed the scores to this report.