SAN ANGELO, Texas – A San Angelo cowboy shined brightly Wednesday night at his hometown rodeo.

The crowd inside Foster Communications Coliseum is always loud and always on point when it comes to enjoying the rodeo performances, but the sound exploded during Ty Harris’ 7.9-second run. It was his first of at least two runs, and he finished in a three-way tie for fifth place in the opening round.

That’s worth $2,442 already, and he’ll make his second run Thursday to see if he can place again; most of all, he wants to earn his spot in Friday’s championship round of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo and put himself into contention to win his hometown rodeo.

“I sure know I get excited,” Harris said of the crowd’s raucous ovation for his performance. “I’d rope here every day for $10. This is what it’s about; this is what dreams are made of. When I was growing up, I dreamt of stuff like this, but I couldn’t even put it into thoughts how it feels.

“These people … this crowd … it doesn’t get any better. I’m so excited to be here, and I’m glad it worked out tonight.”

Harris, 24, is a four-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier who finished 11^th in the 2022 world standings. He isn’t among the top 50 yet this year, but he pulled off the biggest victory of any cowboy in 2023 when he won the tie-down roping title at The American. As a cowboy that wasn’t invited into the field, he earned a share of the $1 million bonus with breakaway roper Jackie Crawford.

In all, both Harris and Crawford left Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, with $600,000 in earnings. That will go a long way, but the money doesn’t count for the ProRodeo world standings. Money earned in San Angelo does, and he needs every dollar he can muster if he hopes to return to the NFR for a fifth straight year.

“It was kind of a blur,” he said of his run. “It all happened fast. I didn’t know if (the rope) was going to go on (the calf). I thought I missed. Thank goodness (I didn’t). Hopefully we can put one more together.”

Truth be told, he’d prefer three good runs in consecutive days to close out his run at home. Only the top 12 in each event from the preliminary performances advance to Friday’s round.

Dawson Hay, a three-time NFR qualifier from Wildwood, Alberta, rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s South Point Gambler for 90.5 points to take the saddle bronc riding lead and give himself a good shot at the San Angelo title. Each time the horse has bucked in Las Vegas, he’s done so in bareback riding.

Hay proved the paint horse has plenty of power to work in bronc riding.  

“I didn’t now a whole lot about hat horse,” said Hay, the middle son of saddle bronc riding legend Rod Hay. “I just knew he was definitely a chance if I did my stuff.

“We love coming here every single year. I can’t wait until the short round.”

The championship round is where the best from three weeks in west Texas meet, and it’s the route all want to take to get to the coveted San Angelo title.

San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo
March 31-April 14
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Jess Pope, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Painted River, Clayton Biglow, on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Stevie Knicks, Cole Reiner, on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Cat Nap, and Leighton Berry, on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Rip, 87 points; 5. Orin Larsen, 86.5; 6. Bronc Marriott, 85.5; 7. (tie) Richmond Champion and Jacek Frost, 84.5; 9. (tie) R.C. Landingham, Caleb Bennett and Kody Lamb, 84; 12. (tie) Ty Pope, Dean Thompson and Tim O’Connell, 83.5.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Dakota Eldridge, 3.4 seconds, $6,530; 2. (tie) Will Lummus and Josh Garner, 3.5, $5,252 each; 4. Jay Williamson, 3.7, $3,975; 5. (tie) Eli Lord, Logan Kenline, Denard Butler and Remey Parrott, 3.8, $1,845 each. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Cody Devers, 3.5 seconds; 3. (tie) Tanner Milan and Brandon Harrison, 3.8; 5. Stan Branco, 3.9; 6. (tie) Tucker Allen, Joe Nelson and Talon Roseland, 4.1. Average leaders: 1. Ty Erickson, 8.1 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Cody Devers, Will Lummus and Eli Lord, 8.2; 5. Jesse Brown, 8.3; 6. Jay Williamson, 8.4; 7. Talon Roseland, 8.5; 8. (tie) Paul Melvin and Mason Couch, 8.8; 10. Curtis Cassidy, 9.0; 11. (tie) Sam Powers and Stephen Culling, 9.1.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Jaxson Tucker/Wyatt Cox and J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 3.9 seconds, $5,188 each; 3. Dustin Equsquiza/Levi Lord, Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Cyle Denison/Cody Hogan, 4.0, $3,378 each; 6. Chad Masters/Trey Yates, 4.1, $1,930; 7. (tie) Shay Carrol/Evan Arnold, Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins and Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 4.2, $563 each. Second round leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 3.4 seconds; 2. Brenten Hall/Paden Bray, 3.6 seconds; 3. (tie) Coy Brittain/Colton Brittain and Billy Bob Brown/Kirby Blankenship, 4.0 seconds; 5. Garett Chick/B.J. Dugger, 4.1; 6. (tie) Tanner Green/Caleb Green and Reno Stoebner/Whit Kitchens, 4.2; 8. Tyler Mangus/Max Kuttler, 4.3. Average leaders: 1. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 8.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Tanner Green/Caleb Green, 8.7; 3. Ty Arnold/Kaden Michael Profili, 8.8; 4. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 9.1; 5. Tyler Mangus/Max Kuttler, 9.3; 6. (tie) Jake Clay/Kollin VonAhn, Jaxson Tucker/Wyatt Cox and Garrett Tonozzi/Corey Hendrick, 9.5; 9. Tanner James/Jason Johe, 9.6; 10. (tie) McCray Profili/McCoy Profili and Chris Francis/Cade Passig, 9.7; 12. Jase Staudt/Jhett Trenary; 9.8.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Dawson Hay, 90.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s South Point Gambler; 2. Brody Cress, 87.5; 3. Wyatt Casper, 86; 4. Ian McGivney, 85; 5. Sage Newman, 84.5; 6. (tie) Cash Wilson and Tanner Butner, 84; 8. (tie) Ryder Wright, Statler Wright, Jacobs Crawley and Chet Johnson, 83.5; 12. (tie) Wade Sundell, Ross Griffin, Brandon Lansford, Zac Dallas and Kolby Wanchuk, 83.

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Brush Minton, Hayden Ford and Chase Webster, 7.6 seconds, $6,105 each; 4. King Pickett, 7.8, $4,273; 5. (tie) Quade Hiatt, Michael Otero and Ty Harris, 7.9, $2,442 each; 8. Kyle Lucas, 8.0, $610. Second round leaders: 1. Justin Smith, 6.9 seconds, 2. J.T. Adamson, 7.2; 3. (tie) Cory Solomon and Preston Pederson, 7.4; 5. (tie) John Douch and Trenton Smith, 7.6; 7. (tie) Caleb Smidt, Cimarron Boardman and Beau Cooper, 7.7. Average leaders: 1. Justin Smith, 15.3 seconds on two runs; 2. J.T. Adamson, 15.8; 3. Trevor Hale, 16.5; 4. Brush Minton, 16.6; 5. Hayden Ford, 16.7; 6. Cody Waldrop, 16.8; 7. (tie) Westyn Hughes, Joel Harris, Kyle Lucas and Chase Webster, 17.0; 11. Beau Cooper, 17.1; 12. (tie) King Pickett and Quade Hiatt, 17.3.  

Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Shelley Morgan, 14.12 seconds; 2. Dona Kay Rule, 14.13; 3. Ilyssa Riley, 14.17; 4. Jennifer Driver, 14.22; 5. (tie) Wenda Johnson and Kelly Allen, 14.23; 7. Kaycee Killingsworth, 14.25; 8. Nicole Love, 14.27; 9. (tie) Rachelle Riggers and Kalli McCall, 14.28. Average leaders: 1. Kelly Allen, 30.19 seconds on two runs; 2. Taycie Matthews, 30.20; 3. Dona Kay Rule, 30.27; 4. Shelley Morgan, 30.27; 5. Lindsay Sears, 30.31; 6. Emily Beisel, 30.33; 7. Ilyssa Riley, 30.34; 8. (tie) Jordon Briggs and Kalli McCall, 30.47; 10. Mallee Jones, 30.48; 11. Stephanie Fryar, 30.50; 12. (tie) Wenda Johnson and Tasha Welsh, 30.51.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Deklan Garland, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Smokin Again, and Trey Benton III, on Stockyards Rodeo’s Just Another Gangster, 88.5 points; 3. Koby Radley, 86; 4. (tie) Jax Woodward and J.C. Mortensen, 85.5; 6. Ernie Courson Jr., 85; 7. (tie) Colby Demo and Coy Pollmeier, 83.5; 9. (tie) Colton Kelly and Sage Kimzey, 82.5; 11. Cody Teel, 82; 12. (tie) Trey Kimzey and Maverick Smith, 81.5.