PAGE 34 ROPERS SPORTS NEWS MARCH 2023 By Susan Kanode Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The $1.2 million FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament came to a rousing close on Saturday, February 4, in Dickies Arena. No one was more excited to win their first championships at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo than bareback rider Rocker Steiner and barrel racer Jackie Ganter. Steiner, who calls nearby Weatherford home, made a 90-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Yipee Kibitz. This was the second matchup for Steiner and the bucking horse. The last time the two met, Steiner won the Calgary Stampede in Alberta last July riding, so the 19-year-old was super excited to get on the horse again. The ride on Saturday added $20,000 to Steiner’s earnings. Prior to Fort Worth’s rodeo, he was 13th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. With his success in the brackets and the semifinals as well as the championship round, he added $27,080 which will give him a big boost on his way to his second consecutive Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualification. “This win is really special,” Steiner said. “It’s close to home, the fans are great, and I just love that horse.” An emotional Jackie Ganter, from Abilene, Texas, got the win in the barrel racing. Riding her great gelding Howes a Tycoon, she stopped the clock in 16.30 seconds, the same time that she had when she won the wildcard round. Ganter and Tycoon made four trips around the barrels to have the opportunity to run on Saturday. They watched as two-time FWSSR champion Hailey Kinsel stopped the clock in 16.35 seconds. Ganter and Tycoon earned $25,260 here. They were seventh in the world standings before and with their earnings here they will be very close to the number one spot. She has qualified for the NFR twice in 2015 and 2016. With her success here and her blazing fast horse, the former hunterjumper equestrian is on track to make a third trip to Las Vegas this year. Will Lummus, a college rodeo coach from By h a l i a , Mississippi, punched his ticket in the steer wrestling with a 4.1-second run. The horse he rode was Be Dun By Three, nicknamed “Benz”, owned by Clayton Hass. While this was a great rodeo for Lummus, who earned a total of $27,080 here, it was even better for Benz. Ty Erickson, from Helena, Montana also rode Benz and finished second for the championship. Benz earned $32,000 for his riders on Saturday night. The saddle bronc riding ended in a tie, and it was a big one. Stetson Wright of Milford, Utah and Dawson Hay from Wildwood, Alberta, each had 90.5 point rides to win $16,000. They both rode horses from the Calgary Stampede. Wright got on Xena Warrior and Hay rode Tokyo Bubbles. In the breakaway roping, Cheyanne Guillory caught the win with a 1.9-second run. The National Finals Breakaway AI Only | Shipped Cooled Semen 2023 FEE: $1,250 (Plus chute fee) LFG / Multiple Mare Discount Will Gill & sons: 974 S. Pine st., Madera, ca. 93637 David gill (559) 647-5619 Kaci gill (661) 304-5362 wgnsons.com | kaci@wgnsons.com Head, heel, ranch work and barrel racing, Switch is truly a horse for the whole family! He has earnings in the heading, heeling, and barrels. A versatile sire who is passing along his kind demeanor, athleticism, and classic conformation to his offspring. 2022 Highlights: Placed at Stan Sanders ATRA, Placed at ACTRA Finals Super 7. Studio 318 Photography use THEIR NEW UPDATED AD!! 2/10/23... Barrel racer Jackie Ganter of Abilene, Texas, was the only Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo champion who had to compete four times to earn her title. She was the third-highest money winner in Bracket 7, sending her to the Wild Card where she won first place with a time of 16.30. She headed to the semifinals, advanced to the finals and ran another 16.30 on her big gelding Howes A Tycoon to win the FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament and earn a total of $25,260. – FWSSR photo by James Phifer Champions Crowned At FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament Roping qualifier earned a total of $26,193 to take back home to Kingston, Oklahoma. A Texan took the top spot in tie-down roping. Weston Hughes from Cameron stopped the clock in 7.4 seconds for the win. He earned a total of $25,200 here and said, “It couldn’t have happened at a better time.” Andrew Ward from Edmond, Oklahoma and his brother-inSee FORT WORTH On Page 37
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