Champions Named During RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout®: North America’s Champions, presented by Crown Royal
Reigning champions of the U.S. and Canada’s top rodeos competed for their chance to win $25,000 during the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout, Saturday, March 9.
BAREBACK RIDING
Richie Champion, of Dublin, Texas, had a hometown advantage at the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout. The former Woodlands, Texas, resident, representing Team Calgary Stampede, won Bareback Riding while his family was in the stands.
“My mom has been hauling me around to rodeos since I was a kid,” Champion said. “So, to be at this level and for them to still be with me pushing me along is special.”
Top Four
- Richie Champion, Dublin, Texas: Team Calgary Stampede — $25,000
- Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, Canada: Team Rodeo Austin — $10,000
- Clint Laye, Pocatello, Idaho: Team RODEOHOUSTON — $5,500
- Ty Breuer, Mandan, North Dakota: Team Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo — $3,500
STEER WRESTLING
Justin Shaffer, of Hallsville, Texas, won the RODEOHOUSTON Super Shootout in Steer Wrestling. Shaffer said his Super Shootout experience was incredible.
“It was big, it was huge, I can’t thank Houston enough,” Shaffer said. “For every rodeo athlete, the No. 1 dream they have is [to compete at] RODEOHOUSTON.”
Top Four
- Justin Shaffer, Hallsville, Texas: Team Days of ‘47 — $25,000
- Cole Edge, Durant, Oklahoma: Team Rodeo Austin — $10,000
- Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas: Team Calgary Stampede — $5,500
- Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nevada: Team San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo — $3,500
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Ryder Wright, of Beaver, Utah, representing Calgary Stampede, won the saddle bronc riding with an impressive 92 point ride in the final round. The 20-year-old is the youngest saddle bronc rider to win a world title and did not disappoint in the Super Shootout.
“I grew up watching these guys,” Wright said. “So to be here to compete with them and winning makes it pretty special.”
Top Four
- Ryder Wright, Beaver, Utah: Team Calgary Stampede — $25,000
- Clay Elliott, Nanton, Alberta, Canada: Team Rodeo Austin — $10,000
- Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas: Team Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo — $5,500
- Cody Demoss, Heflin, Louisiana: Team RODEOHOUSTON — $3,500
BARREL RACING
Riding her horse Sister, Nellie Williams-Miller, of Cottonwood, California, represented RODEOHOUSTON in the Super Shootout Barrel Racing and won with a time of 14.21 in the final round. Williams-Miller said she has owned Sister since she was a foal, and enjoyed riding in the Super Shootout.
“We wait for [RODEOHOUSTON] all year long and enjoy coming back,” Williams-Miller said. “It is a big accomplishment in the rodeo world.”
Top Four
- Nellie Williams-Miller, Cottonwood, California: Team RODEOHOUSTON — $25,000
- Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colorado: Team National Western Stock Show and Rodeo — $10,000
- Brittany Tonozzi, Victoria, Texas: Team Days of ‘47 — $5,500
- Jessi Fish, Franklin, Tennessee: Team Rodeo Austin — $3,500
BULL RIDING
Trey Benton, of Huntsville, Texas, of team San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, was the only bull rider to stay on for eight seconds in the Super Shootout Bull Riding final round. Benton was excited to do so well at RODEOHOUSTON this year.
“This is my city,” Benton said. “It is not every day you get to ride in front of 50,000 people in the stands.”
Top Four
- Trey Benton, Huntsville, Texas: Team San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo — $25,000
- Chase Dougherty, Prineville, Oregon: Team National Western Stock Show and Rodeo — $10,000
- Sage Steele Kimzey, Salado, Texas: Team Rodeo Austin — $5,500
- Garrett Smith, Rexburg, Idaho: Team Days of ‘47 — $3,500
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, Salt Lake Days of ’47, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, National Western Stock Show, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, Rodeo Austin, RODEOHOUSTON, and San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo.
Tonight’s high point team was Calgary Stampede. The winning team consisted of bareback rider Richie Champion, steer wrestler Matt Reeves, saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright, barrel racer Kelly Bruner, and bull rider Riker Carter.