(PHOTO BY RIC ANDERSEN)
SAN ANGELO, Texas – Barrel racing at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo is always tough. There are dozens of outstanding horses with exceptional jockeys involved in ProRodeo.
With 275 barrel racers entered, this year’s competition is exceptional. On Saturday afternoon, Dona Kay Rule and her horse, High Valor, shot past them all, posting a 14.17-second run to take the second-round lead; she also leads the aggregate with a two-run cumulative time of 30.08 seconds.
“That was really, really fun, except for almost falling off on Barrel 1,” Rule, a two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Minco, Oklahoma, said with a laugh. “I didn’t like that very well, but I knew I had to sit back up and hurry if I wanted to win 10 cents at this rodeo.”
She has already pocketed $1,599 for placing seventh in the first go-round, which took place nearly two weeks ago and served as the first step in the progressive format; only the top 120 of the total list of competitors advanced to compete in the second round.
“In the first round, I was the 260th in a very deep arena, so I was very proud of my horse,” she said.
She should be. Valor is a 12-year-old sorrel gelding that has been selected as the WPRA AQHA Barrel Racing Horse of the Year each of the past two seasons. He’s been exceptional in just about any type of arena, and he proved that Saturday in Foster Communications Coliseum.
“It feels good, and it’s very exciting to compete in that building,” Rule said. “There’s a lot of history. I know the San Angelo committee is excited to have a non-COVID event.
“I’m so excited to be able to go again and have it be more open. Generally, Valor feels extremely good. I have had a little bit of a sore joint, as we do when we age, but it seems to be hanging in there.”
Rule finished the year 13th in the final world standings, and though she earned a bid to compete at the NFR, she wasn’t able to do so. Prior to the start of competition, the pandemic protocol revealed she had tested positive for COVID, and she was replaced.
Is there another NFR in the plans for her and Valor for 2021?
“I’ll just leave it in God’s hands and go do what I do,” she said. “I’ll take care of my horse. Run by run, I’ll have my team as good as I can. I’m just grateful to do what I do. I know it’s all a gift, and I’m just delighted to be here.”
Here is a good spot. While there are three more performances and 36 more schedule runs left in the preliminary go-rounds, Rule and Valor are in good shape to make a third run inside San Angelo’s storied coliseum during the championship round, set for Friday, April 23.
“I would be tickled to death to come back,” Rule said. “There are a lot of great horses to go. We’ll just sit back and see what happens.”
San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo
April 9-23
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Cole Franks, 88 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Hot Flash; 2. (tie) Tilden Hooper and Zach Hibler, 87; 4. Caleb Bennett, 86.5; 5. Tim O’Connell, 86; 6. Chad Rutherford, 85.5; 7. (tie) Luke Creasy and Garrett Shadbolt, 85; 9. Kaycee Field, 84.5; 10. Cauy Pool, 84; 11. Kody Lamb, 83; 11. (tie) Tanner Aus, Bill Tutor, Jamie Howlett and Hunter Carter, 82.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Brandon Harrison, Jacob Edler and Jacob Talley, 3.5; 5. (tie) Dakota Eldridge, Gavin Soileau and Kalane Anders, 3.6; 8. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Cody Devers, 3.7. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Tyler Pearson and Kyle Irwin, 3.6; 3. T.J. Hall, 3.7; 4. (tie) Jay Williamson, Cody Moore, Gavin Soileau, Termaine Debose and Cody Harmon, 3.8 seconds. Average leaders: 1. Gavin Soileau, 7.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Jacob Talley, 7.8; 3. (tie) Jesse Brown, Jacob Edler and Cade Stanton, 8.0; 6. (tie) Taz Olson and Nick Guy, 8.1; 8. (tie) Shane Frey, Billy Boldon and Ryan McKay Nettle, 8.2; 11. (tie) Cody Devers, Remey Parrott and Tory Johnson, 8.3.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 3.9 seconds; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 4.0; 3. (tie) Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp and Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 4.2; 5. (tie) Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, Cooper White/Tucker White and Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.3; 8. Hayes Smith/Justin Davis, 4.4. Second round leaders: 1.(tie) Dustin Eguisquiza/Travis Graves and Cyle Denison/Brady Norman, 3.5; 3. (tie) Clay Tryan/Jake Long and Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 3.6; 5. Jr. Dees/Rich Skelton, 3.7; 6. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 3.8; 7. Clint Summers/Rosh Ashford, 3.9; 8. (tie) Kal Fuller/Coleby Payne and Wyatt Muggli/Casey McCleskey, 4.0. Average leaders: 1. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Clay Tryan/Jake Long, 8.4; 3. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 9.5; 4. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 8.6; 5. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 8.9; 6. Cooper White/Tucker White, 9.0; 7. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 9.4; 8. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 10.0; 9. Cory Clark/Wyatt Cox, 10.8; 10. Jaguar Terrill/Sid Sporer, 11.0; 9. Wyatt Muggli/Casey McCleskey, 13.8; 11. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 12.5; 12. Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 13.6.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Kolby Wanchuck, 86 points on Hampton Pro Rodeo’s Desert Stomper; 2. Jacobs Crawley, 84; 3. (tie) Cort Scheer, Isaac Diaz and Jarrod Hammons, 83.5; 6. (tie) Allen Boore, Chase Brooks and Sage Newman, 83; 9. Lucas Macza, 82.5; 10. Cash Michael Wilson, 82; 11. Brody Cress, 81.5; 12. (tie) Mitch Pollock, Taos Muncy and Tyrel Larsen, 81.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Tuf Cooper, 7.3 seconds; 2. Bradley Bynum, 7.5; 3. Tanner Green, 7.6; 4. Shad Mayfield, 7.7; 5. Reid Zapalac, 7.9; 6. Riley Pruitt, 8.0; 7. (tie) Kincade Henry, Beau Cooper, Seth Cooke and J.D. McCuistion, 8.1. Second round leaders: 1. Haven Meged, 7.2 seconds; 2. Sy Felton, 7.4; 3. Clint Robinson, 7.8; 4. Cooper Martin, 8.0; 5. (tie) Tuf Cooper and Caleb Smidt, 8.1; 7. Trent Creager, 8.2; 8. Colten Wallis, 8.3. Average leaders: 1. Tuf Cooper, 15.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Cooper Martin, 16.6; 3. Seth Cooke, 17.1; 4. Shad Mayfield, 17.3; 5. Garrett Jacobs, 17.4; 6. (tie) Jake Booze and Beau Cooper, 18.0; 8. Chance Thiessen, 18.2; 9. (tie) John Clark and Sy Felton, 18.3; 11. Westyn Hughes, 18.4; 12. Reese Riemer, 18.5.
Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 14.17 seconds; 2. (tie) Michelle Alley and Lacinda Rose, 14.22 seconds; 4. Cheyenne Wimberley, 14.27; 5. (tie) Megan Champion and Stephanie Fryar, 14.28; 7. Bristan Kennedy, 14.32; 8. Alex Lang, 14.35; 9. (tie) Kelly Bruner and Jimmie Smith, 14.36. Average leaders: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 30.08 seconds on two runs; 2. Cheyenne Wimberley, 30.15; 3. Megan Champion, 30.24; 4. Kelly Bruner, 30.28; 5. Bristan Kennedy, 30.43; 6. Stephanie Fryar, 30.47; 7. Michelle Alley, 30.49; 8. Ivy Saebens, 30.53; 9. Randee Prindle, 30.55; 10. (tie) Alex Lang and Latricia Mundorf, 30.56; 12. Keyla Polizello Costa, 30.62.
Bull riding leaders: 1. Boudreaux Campbell, 92.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Oyster Bayou; 2. Laramie Mosley, 89; 3. (tie) Trey Benton III and Sage Kimzey, 88; 5. Jace Trosclair, 87; 6. Wyatt Gregg, 86.5; 7. Maverick Potter, 86; 8. Shawn Bennett Jr., 85.5; 9. Joao Veiera, 85; 10. (tie) Josh Frost and Chris Bechtold, 84.5; 12. Tyler Bingham, 84.5.