OKLAHOMA CITY – Riley Duvall is hoping a run of luck can last through a hiatus of more than a decade.
He’s giving it a shot, anyway. The third-generation steer wrestler, Duvall knocked his steer down in 4.0 seconds during Friday’s opening night of the Oklahoma City ProRodeo to take the bulldogging lead with one day of competition remaining.
“This is the first time I’ve run one here in 13 years,” said Duvall, a four-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Checotah, Oklahoma, who competed in Las Vegas in 2016, 2018-19 and 2021. “The last time I ran one here, I won the average at the National Circuit Finals, so maybe we’re still on a hot streak.”
He said that with a bit of a smirk, but doing well at this rodeo is one of the reasons he’s competing this weekend. This is the last PRCA event to take place inside the historic Jim Norick Arena, which hosted its inaugural event the 1965 NFR. The sport’s grand finale continued in the State Fair Arena for 14 years before moving downtown in Oklahoma City from 1979-84; it has remained in Nevada since then.
“My family’s been bulldogging here for 60 years,” Duvall said, tipping his cap to his grandfather, Bill, and great uncle, Roy, who are the dual patriarchs for the family’s rodeo legacy. “That means a lot to me, 60 years in a building, three different generations and my uncle (Roy) won all three of his world championships here.
“My dad won the high school here, so if I can end this arena with a ‘W,’ that would be something special.”
He owns a half-second lead over the No. 2 man, Adam Musil of Crescent, Oklahoma, and will have to hold off 16 more bulldoggers that are set to run Saturday. Running steers is how the family has conducted business for decades, and Riley Duvall is just the next stage of that factor. In addition to competing, he also helps as a hazer.
If that weren’t enough, he’s also the PRCA’s steer wrestling director, so he handles the political side of the job, too. He knows the animals and the athletes, so it has set him up for success.
“These are J.J. Miller’s steers, and me and J.J. talk probably four or five times a week,” said Duvall, who finished the 2024 campaign 24th in the world standings. “I didn’t know my steer at all, but I called J.J., and he told me that my steer was one of the best ones. I just tried to be honest, catch him and throw him down.
“I’ve probably got the best group of guys to work with as a director; if I had to be a director in any other event, I probably wouldn’t do it. I saw my uncle, Spud, do it for eight to 10 years, so I learned from him how to handle the business and the bulldogging side of it and separate them.”
Riley Duvall learned how to compete from the generations before him, but he handles the business of rodeo like the veteran he is.
Oklahoma City ProRodeo
Oklahoma City
Jan. 24-25
Bareback riding: 1. Jence Griffith, 74.5 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Hell’s Angel; 2. (tie) Bubba Holcomb and Jacoby Campbell, 70; 4. Stetson Bierman, 60; no other qualified rides.
Steer wrestling: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.0 seconds; 2. Adam Musil, 4.5; 3. Shawn Musil, 4.9; 4. (tie) Laramie Warren and Cooper Orr, 5.1; 6. Wyatt Scales, 9.5.
Team roping: 1. Brandon Farris/Braden Harmon, 5.3 seconds; no other qualified times.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Waitley Sharon, 84 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Red Cloud; 2. Taylor Nelson, 74; 3. Brody Baca, 71; 4. Cooper Tyler, 65; 5. Hunter Greathouse, 64; 6. Heston Harrison, 62.
Tie-down roping: 1. Sam Ward, 12.5 seconds; 2. Luke Potter, 12.6; 3. Billy Hamilton, 18.5; 4. Jesse Clifton, 24.0; no other qualified times.
Breakaway roping: 1. No qualified times.
Barrel racing: 1. (tie) Wenda Johnson and Devon Brown, 15.66 seconds; 3. Tristan Parish, 15.76; 4. Bradee Addison, 16.21; 5. Kathryn Todd, 16.44; 6. Mollie Bassett, 16.46; 7. Cacee Hendrick, 16.54; 8. Makenna Shook, 21.06; 9. Delaney Seibert, 21.48; no other qualified times.
Bull riding: 1. Josiah Chism, 86 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Bam Bam; 2. Brayden Lamb, 76; no other qualified rides.