Courtesy of HLSR
Five Champions LEft STanding After the RODEOHOUSTON Super shootout: North America’s Champions®, Presented by Crown ROyal — MARCH 18, 2018 — HOUSTON — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Champions from the top rodeos in the US and Canada gathered in NRG Stadium, Sunday, March 18, to compete in the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout: North America’s Champions, for their chance to win $25,000 and bragging rights as the best of the best.
With a total purse of $250,000, the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout is one of the richest one-day rodeo events in the world. Each rodeo athlete competed as an individual as well as with a team. Each champion received a $25,000 payout, and the winning team received a $12,500 payout. The teams consisted of the champion athletes from the following eight rodeos: Calgary Stampede, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, National Western Stock Show, Reno Rodeo, Rodeo Austin, RODEOHOUSTON, and San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo.
Tonight’s high point team was Reno Rodeo. The winning team consisted of bareback rider Wyatt Bloom, steer wrestler Dakota Eldridge, saddle bronc rider Heith Demoss, barrel racer Nellie Williams-Miller and bull rider Brady Portenier.
BAREBACK RIDING
JR Vezain of Melstone, Montana, claimed the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout Bareback Riding Championship title with a 90-point ride. Vezain said he had been on the horse, Special Delivery, but still did not know what to expect.
“I’ve been on him four or five times,” Vezain said. “Thank God it worked out tonight.”
JR Vezain – courtesy of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Top Four
JR Vezain: Melstone, Montana — $25,000
David Peeples: Powell Butte, Oregon — $10,000
Clint Laye: Pocatello, Idaho — $5,500
Richie Champion: The Woodlands, Texas — $3,500
STEER WRESTLING
Tyler Waguespack of Gonzales, Louisiana, took the lead to win the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout Steer Wrestling Championship with a time of 4 seconds. Waguespack said he was super pumped to win here after winning the RODEOHOUSTON Championship in 2017.
“It is incredible,” Waguespack said. “Growing up you want to win here, and winning last year and now is amazing.”
Top Four
Tyler Waguespack: Gonzales, Louisiana — $25,000
Dakota Eldridge: Elko, Nevada — $10,000
Cody Cassidy: Donalda, Alberta, Canada — $5,500
Tommy Cook: McAlester, Oklahoma — $3,500
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Heith Demoss of Heflin, Louisiana, secured the win for RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout Saddle Bronc Riding with an 89-point ride. Demoss said family is everything, and having his whole family at such a great rodeo is a blessing.
“I feel like I won a million bucks,” Demoss said. “It is a great day between me and Cody [Demoss’ brother].
Top Four
Heith Demoss: Heflin, Louisiana — $25,000
Brody Cress: Hillsdale, Wyoming — $10,000
Ryder Wright: Beaver, Utah – $5,500
Zeke Thurston: Big Valley, Alberta, Canada – $3,500
BARREL RACING
Nellie Williams-Miller of Cottonwood, California, won the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout Barrel Racing Championship, a night after winning the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout. Nellie said she wouldn’t be able to win RODEOHOUSTON without her family.
“It’s a fun thing to look up in the stands and see so many fans,” she said. “It’s a huge win, it’s life changing.”
Top Four
Nellie Williams-Miller: Cottonwood, California — $25,000
Tammy Fischer: Ledbetter, Texas — $10,000
Kellie Collier: Hereford, Texas — $5,500
Stevi Hillman: Weatherford, Texas — $3,500
BULL RIDING
Sage Steele Kimzey of Strong City, Oklahoma, won the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout Bull Riding Championship with a 90-point ride. Sage arrived in Houston at 3 a.m. this morning and said he’s a little bit of a wreck, but winning feels great.
“RODEOHOUSTON is one-of-a-kind,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how beat up or sore you are. It never gets old, and that’s because of the fans.”
Top Four
Sage Steele Kimzey: Strong City, Oklahoma — $25,000
Shane Proctor: Grand Coulee, Washington— $10,000
Brady Portenier: Caldwell, Idaho — $4,500
Riker Carter: Stone, Idaho — $4,500
