FORT WORTH, Texas; February 21, 2015 – Tie-down roper Tyson Durfey, who lives just outside Fort Worth, Texas, is handily dominating the $500,000 American Semi-Finals rodeo in Fort Worth’s Cowtown Coliseum.
On Saturday night, Durfey’s run of 7.72 seconds was the second-fastest in the third round and easily qualified him for Sunday’s top-10 short round. On Sunday, Durfey must post one of the six fastest times to advance March 1 into RFD-TV’s $2 million rodeo, The American presented by Polaris Ranger, held at AT&T Stadium.
At The American in Arlington last year, Durfey won his event and $100,000 plus roughly $40,000 in prizes. This year, because Durfey gained entry via the Semi-Finals rather than being invited as one of the top 10 in the world, he could win the $1 million bonus as a repeat champion.
Also on Saturday night, Tyler Wade and Kinney Harrell made the fastest run of the entire week – a 4.20 – to lead the team ropers into the short round, while steer wrestler Riley Duvall also carries plenty of momentum into the sudden-death round after posting a 4.28-second time in his event.
Bareback and bronc riding fields on Sunday will feature 14 competitors; bull riding 11; and all timed events except barrel racing will feature 10 (the 10 barrel racers running on Sunday will be competing against the 20 who ran on Friday and Saturday for the 10 open positions into The American). Just five slots are available into The American in bareback and bronc riding and team roping; six slots in steer wrestling and tie down roping; ten in barrel racing and one in bull riding.
The $500,000 American Semi-Finals continues Sunday at 2 p.m. (Central) and will be broadcast live on RFD-TV. Tickets are available at the Cowtown Coliseum box office, by calling (800) COWTOWN, or at stockyardsrodeo.com.
Tickets for RFD-TV’s The American, presented by Polaris Ranger, and the Iron Cowboy VI are on sale at the AT&T Stadium Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations and at americanrodeo.com.
Following are leaders at The American Semi-Finals through Feb. 21:
Bareback Riding: 1. Taylor Price, Huntsville, Texas, 83.25 points; 2. Seth Hardwick, Laramie, Wyo., 82.75; 3. Buck Lunak, Florence, Mont., 82; 4. Logan Berg, Mandan, N.D., 81.25; 5. Tilden Hooper, Weatherford, Texas, 81; 6. (tie) Jared Keylon, Uniontown, Kan., Jessy Davis, Power, Mont.; RC Landingham, Pendleton, Ore., 80.75; 9. Josi Young, Buhl, Idaho, 80.5; 10. Josi Young, Buhl, Idaho, 80; 11. Austin Graham, Jay, Okla., 79.5; 12. Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, William Tutor, Huntsville, Texas, and Ryan Gray, Reardan, Wash., 79.25 each.
Steer Wrestling: 1. Riley Duvall, Checotah, Okla., 4.28 seconds; 2. Garrett Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, 4.41; 3. Rowdy Parrot, Mamou, La., 4.48; 4. Cole Fritzlon, Rifle, Colo., 4.53; 5. KC Jones, Decatur, Texas, 4.56; 6. Blake Mindemann, Blanchard, Okla., 4.60; 7. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 4.84; 8. Lane Holland, Walker, La., 4.89; 9. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas, 4.99; 10. Stewart Gulager, Fort Scott, Kan., 5.02.
Team Roping: 1.Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas, and Kinney Harrell, San Angelo, Texas, 4.20 seconds; 2. Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas, and Kory Koontz, Earth, Texas, 4.99; 3. Manny Egusquiza, Madiso, Calif., and Jonathon Torres, Bell City, La., 5.33; 4. Blaine Vick, Dublin, Texas and Jed Middleton, 5.56; 5. Drew Horner, Plano, Texas, and Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont., 5.63; 6. Jimmy Tanner and Cole Bigbee, 6.00; 7. Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas and Daniel Braman, Refugio, Texas, 6.04; 8. Cale Markham, Vinita, Okla., and Buddy Hawkins, Columbus, Kan., 8.72; 9. Bubba Buckaloo, Kingston, Okla., and Jett Hillman, Purcell, Okla., 10.02; 10. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah and Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., 11.32.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 80.25 points; 2. (tie) Eric Wolford, Three Corners, USA, Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D., and Tyrell Smith, Cascade, Mont., 80 each; 5. Tyler Corrington, Guymon, Okla., 79.5; 6. Tyrell Smith, Cascade, Mont., 79.25; 7. Coburn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah, 79; 8. Ray Tom Meiers, 78.75; 9. Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta,78.5; 10. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, 77.5; 11. Layton Green, Meeting Creek, Alberta, 76.75; 12. Troy Crowser, Whitewood, S.D., Nat Stratton, Okeehobee, Okla., and Shorty Garrett, 76.5 each
Tie Down Roping: 1. Sterling Smith, Stephenville, Texas, 7.39 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, Peaster, Texas, 7.72; 3. Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas, 7.78; 4. Chase Williams, Stephenville, Texas, 8.00; 5. Cole Bailey, Okmulgee, Okla., 8.04; 6. Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D., 8.11; 7. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 8.12; 8. Cimarron Boardman, Stephenville, Texas, 8.14; 9. Justin Maas, Giddings, Texas, 8.31; 10. Walt White, Ochelata, Okla., 8.35.
Barrel Racing Leaders: 1. Chayni Chamberlain, Stephenville, Texas, 13.902 seconds; 2. Carmel Wright, Roy, Mont.; 14.005; 3. Lindsey McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.040; 4. Jane Melby, Burneyville, Okla., 14.066; 5. Callahan Crossley, Hermiston, Ore., 14.090; 6. Jackie Jatzlau, Giddings, Texas, 14.104; 7. Destri Devenport, Lubbock, Texas, 14.134; 8. Shelly Anzick, Livingston, Mont., 14.153; 9. Adeline Nevala, Sebeka, Minn., 14.242; 9. Sabra O’Quinn, Ocala, Fla., 14.271; 10. Kassie Mowry, Dublin, Texas, 14.279.
Bull Riding Leaders: First Round: 1. [one qualified ride] Stormy Wing, Dalhart, Texas, 86.25 points. Second Round: 1. [one qualified ride] Stormy Wing, Dalhart, Texas, 81.5.
