Canadian Horses Bring NFR-Level Bareback Rides to the San Angelo Rodeo

SAN ANGELO, TX — Many of the horses used tonight for were raised way up north in Alberta, Canada. “In Canada, the rodeo arenas are huge,” explained Tom Thompson.

Canadian horses in a smaller arena made for excellent theatrics during the bareback competition of the fifth performance at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Friday night.

“These broncs are athletes,” said Rory Lemmel. “One day even Michael Jordan will score 63 points and the next day, 20.” Lemmel is the horse whisperer for this year’s rodeo. They are in his charge. Tonight for the bareback riding cowboys, the broncs were giving all something to watch.

“The barebacks tonight were as good as any round of the national finals,” Lemmel said. And the scores proved it, where two cowboys Friday night tied Sunday’s leader.

Now three are tied at the top of the bareback competition at 86 points apiece.

One of tonight’s 86-pointers, Bareback rider Ty Breuer hasn’t ventured too far from his home near Mandan, N.D., very often in February.

“I usually don’t rodeo in the winter as much because we start calving back home,” said Breuer, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “We started calving a little bit later this year so I could go to some of these.”

His 86-point ride was accomplished by matching moves with C5 Rodeo’s White Water.

Watch Ty Breuer ride:

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His score was equaled Friday by Tyler Nelson of Victor, Idaho, who spurred C5’s Night Life in the ride immediately following Breuer’s.

After Nelson’s ride, announcer Boyd Polhamus remarked, “Folks, that’s back-to-back bareback rides that are NFR quality.”

Until tonight, the leader, also with 86 points, was Devan Reilly of Sheridan, Wyoming. He took the top spot Sunday on Touch of Class from the Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo firm.

Watch Tyler Nelson's ride Friday night:

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Now the trio sits atop a strong leaderboard in anticipation to the championship round, which takes place Friday, Feb. 17, and will feature the top 12 contestants in each event from the preliminary rounds. Breuer has been in the San Angelo short round before; Nelson hasn’t.

“I haven’t really done that well here before,” said Nelson, who is 15th in the world standings “It’s always good to get a good start to the season. It gives you momentum through the year. I’ve drawn pretty well so far this year.

He did. In fact, the lion’s share of his 2017 earnings came recently in Fort Worth, Texas, where he placed in three of four go-rounds, finished fourth in the average and pocketed more than $5,200. He stands a good chance to catch some west Texas cash, thanks in part to his dancing partner Friday night inside Foster Communications Coliseum.

“I really had no idea what the horse was, but she was really good and a lot of fun,” Nelson said of Night Life. “She gave me a lot of time to expose myself. She’s a good example of a horse that doesn’t travel very far but gets up in the air. She lets you show off a little bit.”

While Nelson knew little about his mount, Breuer has had success on White Water.

“I’ve seen it a couple of times, and last year I got on him in Ponoka (Alberta) and was 86 points on him there,” Breuer said. “It’s always good to do well, especially in San Angelo.

“I started out the season pretty good, but I haven’t been going to many rodeos. I had some luck in Rapid City (S.D.) and a little luck in Denver.”

In fact, the North Dakota cowboy won the Rapid City title and earned $5,584 in the process. He sits seventh on the money list with $15,786, and he’ll need every dime. He’ll have to take time away from the rodeo trail as he handles the family’s cattle business back home.

Of course, he’s riding a wave of momentum that carried him to the NFR for the second time this past December. He’d like to return again and, hopefully, make it a regular destination.

“The NFR really helps and really drives a guy to get better,” Breuer said. “I didn’t really do what I wanted to there, so you just have to keep working at it.”

Breuer added more than $43,000 in Las Vegas money by placing in four go-rounds. That’s a solid wage for 10 days of work, but it still left a bad taste in the cowboy’s mouth.

Nelson, though, would just like to get the feeling of what it means to compete at ProRodeo’s grand finale. He has finished among the top 30 in the world standings each of the past two seasons and has hopes that 2017 is his breakthrough season.

“I’m definitely going to reach for it this year,” he said. “I just need to stay healthy and draw good, and that can help you get to the top 15 to get to Vegas.

“My confidence is as good as it’s ever been. I’m also enjoying it, which helps a bunch, too.”

It certainly showed Friday night.

Ted Harbin contributed to this report.

Leaderboard for the San Angelo Rodeo, post 5th performance on Feb. 10, 2017:

Bareback riding leaders: 1. (tie) Devan Reilly, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Touch of Class, Tyler Nelson, on C5 Rodeo’s Night Life, and Ty Breuer, on C5 Rodeo’s White Water, 86 points each; 4. Kelly Timberman, 85; 5. (tie) Jamie Howlett and Casey Breuer, 80 each; 7. (tie) Justin McDaniel, Joel Schlegel, Luke Creasy and Jordan Petlon, 79 each.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Dakota Eldridge, 3.3 seconds each; 3. (tie) Ty Erickson, Blake Knowles, Luke Branquinho and Justen Notes, 3.5 each; 7. Stephen Culling, 3.6; 8. Baylor Roche, 3.7. Second round leaders: 1. David Hinman, 3.3 seconds; 2. (tie) Baylor Roche, Dirk Tavenner and Josh Peek, 3.5 each; 5. (tie) Timmy Sparring, Clayton Hass, Nick Guy Todd Suhn and Rowdy Thomas, 3.6 each. Average leaders: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 7.0 seconds on two runs; 2. Baylor Roche, 7.2; 3. Todd Suhn, 7.4; 4. (tie) Josh Peek and Blake Knowles, 7.7 each; 6. (tie) Kyle Whitaker and Cooper Shofner, 7.9 each; 8. (tie) Nick Guy, Dakota Eldridge, David Hinman and Dakota Champion, 8.0 each; 12. (tie) Dirk Tavenner and Ty Erickson, 8.1 each.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 3.8 seconds; 2. Bart Brunson/Trace Porter, 4.2; 3. Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 4.3; 4. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza/Kory Koontz and Charly Crawford/Joseph Harrison, 4.5 each; 6. (tie) Shawn Besette/Sid Sporer, Tate Kirchenschlager/Trevor Kirchenschlager and Cole Markham/Nick Simmons, 4.6. Second round leaders: 1. Derrick Begay/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 3.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Caleb Smidt/B.J. Dugger and Matt Sherwood/Joel Bach, 4.1 each; 3. 4. Brett Stuart/Wesley Moss, 4.2; 5. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.4; 6. (tie) Zac Small/Will Woodfin and Travis Tryan/Chase Tryan, 4.5; 8. Jr. Dees/Matt Zancanella, 4.6. Average leaders: 1. Tate Kirchenschlager/Trevor Kirchenschlager, 9.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Chase Massengill/Kory Bramwell, 10.1; 3. Clayton Van Aken/Shawn Darnall, 10.3; 4. Seth Hall/Byron Wilkerson, 10.6; 5. Dustin Egusquiza/Kory Koontz, 13.3; 6. Caleb Smidt/B.J. Dugger, 13.4; 7. Travis Tryan/Chase Tryan, 13.9; 8. Charly Crawford/Joseph Harrison, 14.5.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Ryder Wright, 81 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pendleton Whisky Django; 2. (tie) Magin Lane Montoya and Dalton Davis, 80 each; 4. (tie) Jacobs Crawley and Chuck Schmidt, 78; 6. (tie) Colt Gordon and Charlie Kogianes, 76 each; 8. Rusty Wright, 75.5.

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Michael Otero and Tuf Cooper, 7.0 seconds each; 3. Darnell Johnson, 7.5; 4. (tie) Marty Yates, Catfish Brown and Tyler Milligan, 7.6 each; 7. Clint Singleton, 7.7; 8. Cody Quaney, 7.8. Second round leaders: 1. Cody Quaney, 7.0 seconds; 2. Justin Smith, 7.1; 3. (tie) Scott Kormos and Tim Pharr, 7.3 each; 5. (tie) J.C. Malone and Lane Livingston, 7.4 each; 7. (tie) Blane Cox, Seth Cooke and Trinton Downing, 7.5 each. Average leaders: 1. Cody Quaney, 14.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Tuf Cooper, 15.0; 3. Clint Singleton, 15.8; 4. Cooper Martin, 16.1; 5. (tie) Clint Robinson and Cimarron Boardman, 16.2 each; 7. Catfish Brown, 16.3; 8. (tie) Josh Peek and E.J. Robertrs, 17.0 each; 10. (tie) Shank Edwards Kody Mahaffey, 17.1 each; 12. Will Howell, 17.6.

Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Cassie Mowry, 14.20 seconds; 2. Laura Kennedy, 14.24; 3. Lindsay Sears, 14.24; 4. Jennifer Arnold, 14.35; 5. (tie) Cassidy Kruse and Carmel Wright, 14.39 each; 7. Shelby McCauley, 14.40; 8. Brooke Jeter, 14.42; 9. Morgan Breaux, 14.43; 10. Rainy Robinson, 14.44. Average leaders: 1. Kassie Mowry, 30.15 seconds on two runs; 2. Carmel Wright, 30.23; 3. Morgan Breaux, 30.44; 4. Shelby McCauley, 30.53; 5. (tie) Jennifer Arnold and Rainy Robinson, 30.74 each; 7. Cassidy Kruse, 30.78; 8. Laura Kennedy, 30.80; 9. Lindsay Sears, 30.83; 10. Amy Jo Farella, 30.84; 11. Fallon Jordan, 30.95; 12. Deb Guelly, 30.99.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Trey Benton III, 88.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Red Rocket; 2. Brennon Eldred, 87.5; 3. Jordan Hansen, 85; 4. (tie) Kyle Balls and Jordan Wacey Spears, 84 each; 6. Brock Radford, 83.5; 7. (tie) Tanner Learmont and John Pitts, 83 each.