HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Things don’t always go as planned. Teams don’t always win. The guy doesn’t always get the girl.
When Darcy Kersh arrived in town for the first performance of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, he had envisioned a solid night of calf roping and bulldogging. He didn’t think he’d break the barrier in both events. Both instances took him out of a chance at money, but he still had a smile on his face knowing he’s doing something he loves.
“It’s just a lot more opportunity,” said Kersh, 25, of Charter Towers, Queensland, Australia. “The rodeos pay so much more money over here. There are more guys at the, and we’re just going against the best people in the world, and that’s the thing for me. I want to be the best, so I need to compete against the best.”
Now living in Stephenville, Texas, Kersh wrapped up the 2024 regular season a few days ago 38th in the steer wrestling world standings. He’s hoping to do a little better now that the new campaign is under way – a 12-month rodeo season runs Oct. 1-Sept. 30, so there are plenty of chances ahead of the Aussie to see where this run of rodeos takes him.
“We came down to the steer wrestling jackpot (Wednesday) night, and it was pretty cool,” he said of the bulldogging-only event that offered contestants opportunities to qualify for The American, a stand-alone rodeo that takes place each spring in Arlington, Texas. “It’s always a good rodeo here in Hempstead.”
Kersh put his name in the hat to be the all-around cowboy by competing in two events. He grew up doing that in team roping, tie-down roping and steer wrestling, but he focused on the latter when he moved to the United States about four years ago to attend Oklahoma Panhandle State University.
Now competing in ProRodeo, he spent the last several months traveling with Hawaiian Trisyn Kalawaia and Louisianan Tristan Martin; Kalawaia finished the 2024 season 20th on the money list, while Martin was 16th. Only the top 15 advance to the National Finals Rodeo in December, so they all will be pushing for that in the next few months.
“The goal is the NFR,” Kersh said. “It’d be pretty cool to be the first Australian to make the NFR in the timed-events.”
Yes, it would.
Waller County Fair and Rodeo
Oct. 3-5
Hempstead, Texas
Bareback riding: 1. Kade Sonnier, 74 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Rockin The Boat; 2. Hayden James, 65; no other qualified rides.
Steer wrestling: 1. Taylor Pavlovsky, 5.5 seconds; 2. Jeremy Burkhalter, 8.0; 3. Chase Pope, 8.3; 4. Sterling Walton, 13.5; 5. Darcy Kersh, 14.7; no other qualified runs.
Tie-down roping: 1. Brokk Baldwin, 9.9 seconds; 2. Dakota Felton, 10.6; 3. Darcy Kersh, 23.2; no other qualified runs.
Breakaway roping: No qualified runs
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Skinny Parsons, 82 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Beer Thirty; 2. Dean Wadsworth, 77; 3. Liam Pauley, 72.5; 4. Nick LaDuke, 71; 5. Warwich Southern, 70; 6. Heston Harrison, 64; no other qualified rides.
Team roping: 1. Quisto Lopez, 10.4 seconds; 2. Todd Arthur/Charles Henry, 12.3; 3. Tyler Waters/Jessen James, 19.2; Chet Weitz/Austin Rogers, 19.7; no other qualified rides.
Barrel racing: 1. Acey Pinkston, 15.32 seconds; 2. Billie Harmon, 15.74; 3. Jessi Wade, 15.82; 4. Taylour Latham, 15.83; 5. Jennifer Sharp, 20.48; 6. Alex Odle, 20.81; 7. Jimmie Smith, 25.50; 8. Preslie Reid, 26.15; no other qualified runs.
Bull riding: 1. (tie) Jacob Carige, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deviant, and Tyler Kippes, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Grindstone, 85 points; 3. Kolt Achenbach, 77; no other qualified rides.