With only one spot on the line for each rodeo event, the competition was stiff at RODEOHOUSTON Wild Card 1. The top athletes from each event are headed to the Championship on Sunday, March 17.
Macon Murphy claimed the only spot in Wild Card 1 for tie-down roping with a time of 4.1 seconds. Beating his closest competitor by a tenth of a second, Murphy laid it all on the line. “I knew that was a fresh set of calves… I put everything on her, and it all worked out,” Murphy said.
Clint Laye from Cadogan, Alberta, Canada, won bareback riding with an impressive 87.5 points.
“The draw was dang sure nice,” Laye said when asked about his draw of the horse ‘San Angelo Sam.’ “I’ve watched that horse a lot over the last few years. I knew it was gonna be a big, soggy, strong horse with lots of power, but she did her job, and so did I.”
Team ropers, Cash Duty and Ross Ashford will appear in the Finals after catching in 5.1 seconds.
Lefty Holman had a big week after not only announcing that he and his wife are expecting their first child but also securing the Wild Card spot for saddle bronc riding after showing out on bronc, ‘Wrong Flavour.’ “Rodeo is a very selfish sport; a lot of the time you do it for yourself, but having a family now makes me look at it differently. This is how I provide,” Holman said.
With a time of 4.7 seconds in steer wrestling, Ty Erickson of Helena, Montana, is preparing to share his 12-year-old horse, ‘Crush,’ with friend and fellow RODEOHOUSTON Finals competitor JD Struxness. Struxness rode ‘Crush’ in the Super Series to qualify for the Championship.
“I’m pretty proud of that horse,” Erickson said about his horse’s performance at RODEOHOUSTON. “I trained him myself, and he is just phenomenal.”
Sissy Winn won big during Aggie Night at NRG Stadium. Taking home first in barrel racing, Texas A&M University alumna Winn said the hospitality is top tier at RODEOHOUSTON.
“It’s first class, they spoil us here too much,” Winn said. “Free shavings, free stalls… they spoil us way too much.”
Winn gave advice to young rodeo fans, “You never know where God’s going to have you… I never thought I’d be here, and now I’m here.”
Shelby Boisjoli Meged won the round in breakaway. Boisjoli Meged discussed how no matter the outcome, aspiring cowboys and cowgirls should, “just do your best.” Meged’s horse did not let her down tonight, and the connection between them is unique. “I love her, she’s like my kid,” Meged said.
After two rerides, Josh Frost won the Wild Card on his third ride of the night. With a score of 80.5, Frost will advance to the next round. “It’s all reaction; you never have a plan for a reride…It gave me a couple of bulls to get warmed up on, and it couldn’t have worked out better,” Frost said.
Wild Card 2 is Saturday, March 16 in NRG Stadium at 2:45 p.m. The RODEOHOUSTON finals will take place the following day.
- Tie-Down Roping: Macon Murphy, Keatchie, Louisiana
- Bareback Riding: Clint Laye, Cadogan, Alberta, Canada
- Team Roping: Cash Duty, Weimar, Texas; Ross Ashford, Lott, Texas
- Saddle Bronc: Lefty Holman, Visalia, California
- Steer Wrestling: Ty Erickson, Helena, Montana
- Barrel Racing: Sissy Winn, Chapman Ranch, Texas
- Breakaway Roping: Shelby Boisjoli Meged, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Bull Riding: Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah
About the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage, and provides year-round educational support within the community. Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $600 million to the youth of Texas and education. The 2024 Rodeo is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 17. The 2024 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, presented by Cotton Holdings, is scheduled for Feb. 22 – 24. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and follow @RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and YouTube for all the latest news.