The top four athletes in each event of the RODEOHOUSTON® Semifinals 2 secured spots in Sunday’s Championship round.
Riley Pruitt won tie-down roping, riding a horse originally trained for barrel racing. “I got him a couple years ago,” Pruitt said. “I’ve been riding him for the last year now, and he’s got his pieces together.”
Clay Jorgenson, coming off a win in Super Series V, claimed the bareback riding victory. Feeling “super excited,” Jorgenson said the round was redemption compared to 2024. “I made it to the Semis here last year and came short,” Jorgenson said. “I got bucked off in the Wild Card, so it feels like redemption.”
Team roping partners Coleby Payne and Clay Smith, who have been competing together for three years, locked in the Semifinals 2 win. “It’s been going good,” Smith said. “He’s [Payne] been awesome.”
Tyler Waguespack earned the top spot in steer wrestling riding Baby, the same horse Kyle Irwin rode in Semifinals 1. “She’s [Baby] running really hard and working outstanding for us, so I’m hoping to keep it going,” Waguespack said.
Logan Hay secured his first-ever spot in the saddle bronc Championship. “I’m excited,” Hay said. “I’ve never made the short round here. I’ve made the Semifinals but never had any luck.”
Kassie Mowry topped barrel racing with an impressive time of 14.65 seconds, building momentum heading into the Championship.
Joey Williams, another Super Series V standout, won breakaway roping with a time of 3.0 seconds, earning her first Championship appearance.
Tristen Hutchings continued his run from Super Series V, taking the bull riding win after a demanding travel schedule. “I’m going to rest these next days,” Hutchings said. “I didn’t get much sleep.”
The RODEOHOUSTON Finals begins at 2:45 p.m. Sunday in NRG Stadium.
Contestants advancing to the Finals:
Tie-Down Roping:
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- Riley Pruitt
- Shane Hanchey
- Kincaide Henry
- Blane Cox
Bareback Riding:
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- Clay Jorgenson
- Jess Pope
- Rocker Steiner
- Dean Thompson
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Team Roping:
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- Smith/ C. Payne
- Summers/ P. Eaves
- Begay/ C. Todd
- Rogers/ K. Von Ahn
Saddle Bronc:
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- Logan Hay
- Damian Brennan
- Zac Dallas
- Layton Green
Steer Wrestling:
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- Tyler Waguespack
- Eli Lord
- Holden Myers
- Tyler Pearson
Barrel Racing:
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- Kassie Mowry
- Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi
- Acey Pinkston
- Emily Beisel
Breakaway Roping:
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- Joey Williams
- Jackie Crawford
- Cheyanne McCartney
- Beau Peterson
Bull Riding:
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- Tristen Hutchings
- Lane Vaughan
- Mason Moody
- Luke Mast
Visit rodeohouston.com for more information about the 2025 athletes and click here to see the athletes advancing to the Wildcards.
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 $630 million to the youth of Texas and education. The 2025 Rodeo is scheduled for March 4 – March 23. The 2025 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, presented by Cotton Holdings, is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 1. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and follow @RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and YouTube for all the latest news.