The WRANGLER Horse and Rodeo News is an equine and rodeo publication with circulation in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Utah and Idaho.
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May 20 -June 4, 2018 • The Wrangler, annual Team roping and rodeo edition 5 LAS VEGAS – As Sunday a ernoon came to a close and the dust se led at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, the WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance) crowned its first event champions at its inaugural $400,000 rodeo in Las Vegas. Top bull riders, steer wrestlers, team ropers, saddle and bareback bronc riders, barrel racers and e-down ropers converged for the all-new WCRA Rodeo Showdown. Following ght compe on among the world's best western athletes during Saturday's opening round, the top four in each discipline hit the dirt to ba le their way to the final round where the top two faced off. In an unprecedented format, the athletes picked either their animal or their posi on in the final round dra . BULL RIDING: It came down to two bull riders as the WCRA's first major rodeo rolled to a close inside Thomas & Mack Center. Claudio Montanha Junior and Jose Vitor Leme (2017 PBR Rookie of the Year) were the last men standing in the final round of the bull riding. In the end, a monster 90-point score aboard Bo oms Up (TNT Bucking Bulls/ Hart Ca le Co) earlier in Round 2 sent Leme into the winner's circle as the inaugural WCRA bull riding champion. Leme had made his PBR debut in Las Vegas last November, going a perfect 6 for 6 at the PBR World Finals to win the event and rookie of the year honors. "The first me I set my feet in the U.S., it was here (in Las Vegas)," said the Brazilian cowboy, who played semi-pro soccer and is coming back from a torn ACL. "Every me I come here I feel like a new man." 1st ...... Jose Vitor Leme ................................................... Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil 2nd .... Claudio Montanha Junior ................................... Ribeirao Dos Indiox, Brazil STEER WRESTLING: Alabama cowboy Kyle Irwin brought the crowd to its feet on Sunday as he recorded a 5.49-second score a er throwing his steer and proving that hustle ma ers. Irwin went up against Idaho's own Olin Hannum in the final round, but walked away the champion. 1st ...... Kyle Irwin ............................ Robersdale, AL ............................5.49 seconds 2nd .... Olin Hannum....................... Malad, ID ...................................10.21 seconds TEAM ROPING: Clay Smith and Paul Eaves were not messing around during their run as Sunday's event came down to the wire. A er a consistent weekend Smith, a new dad, was excited to walk to the winner's circle for his belt buckle and check presenta on with his partner Eaves. The brotherly duo of the night Riley and Brady Minor were consistent and fast, but fell short of the win in the final round. 1st ...... Smith/Eaves ........................ Broken Bow, OK /Lonedell, MO ...4.04 seconds 2nd Minor / Minor .......................... Ellensburg, WA ............................8.79 seconds SADDLE BRONC: Nebraskan cowboy Cort Scheer was the only man to ride in the final round on Sunday with an impressive score of 89.5, including his patented classic dismount. Wyoming's Brody Cress, who took the Round 1 win on Saturday was bucked off leaving Scheer to stand in the winner's circle. 1st ...... Cort Scheer ......................... Elsmere, NE - Get Smart ............................89.5 2nd .... Brody Cress ......................... Hillsdale, WY - Owen's Mistake ...... Bucked Off BARREL RACING: Hailey Kinsel, seemingly can't be stopped. The 23-year old just keeps knocking down big wins including the San Antonio Stockshow and Rodeo this year prior to today's inaugural WCRA. Kinsel and her horse, Sister, have an impressive history in Las Vegas including four round wins during the WNFR at the Thomas & Mack in 2017, topping off a season during which she won at pres gious rodeos Days of '47 and The American. 1st ...... Hailey Kinsel ....................... Cotulla, TX .............................................13.937 2nd .... Lisa Lockhart ....................... Oelrichs, SD ...........................................19.121 TIE-DOWN ROPING: Marty Yates is a gambling man; instead of playing it safe to beat his opponent Tuf Cooper's score, he put one wrap on the calf and called it a day. 1st ...... Marty Yates ......................... Stephenville, TX .........................................8.59 2nd .... Tuf Cooper .......................... Decatur, TX ..............................................10.05 BAREBACK: Richmond Champion, no stranger to big wins, was the original champion of The American. When the heat is on, he knows how to buckle down, ride to huge scores and live up to his surname. 1st ...... Richmond Champion .......... The Woodlands, TX - Straight Jacket ............90 2nd .... J.R. Vezain ........................... Cowley, WY - Spilled Perfume ...................87.5 "I'm very proud of this inaugural WCRA rodeo. The atmosphere was fast-paced and electric, and the compe on world-class," said WCRA CEO Gary McKinney. "I want to thank PBR for a great produc on and the fans for coming out. This weekend proves our alliance is working, and we look forward to our next event." WCRA crowns first event Champions - Las Vegas, NV CORT SCHEER, Elsmere, NE - Saddle Bronc Champion rodeo Visit our Online Version ANYWHERE ANYTIME - FREE! www.thewrangler.com