Semifinals are set for 126th Cheyenne Frontier Days

Jul. 29—CHEYENNE — Bareback rider Garrett Shadbolt had quite a ride and an even better greeting immediately following his winning score.

He didn't hesitate to see his family, with his wife Katie and children George and Mavis waiting for him near the roughstock chutes at Frontier Park Arena after Thursday's sixth and final quarterfinal performance.

Two days of semifinals are next for the 126th anniversary of Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo after the top four in each event and top six bull riders advanced.

Shadbolt rode Sankey Pro Rodeo's Many Enemies to a score of 87 for the top score in Thursday's quarterfinal performance.

"I've seen that horse buck once or twice, but I didn't expect him to be that great, to be honest," said Shadbolt, who hails from Merriman, Nebraska. "But he jumped out there and saw that big mud puddle, sucked back and threw one up in the air. I was like, 'All right, let's get it on.' It was pretty awesome after that.

"I have the first bowling pin knocked down, with two more to go, and I am going to focus on coming back for another good ride."

Winning a performance and coming back for more chances is sure to give Shadbolt a boost toward qualifying for his second National Finals Rodeo. He finished fifth in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings last year, and was sixth at the NFR. He is currently ranked No. 12, with the top 15 qualifying for the NFR.

"There's always ups and downs in any season," Shadbolt said. "But every day is a new opportunity to win money, and I'm fighting around in the top 15 the whole year, and 10th right now. It's not exactly a safe position, but a happy position to finish the season strong and get back to the finals."

Bull riding

Bull rider Trevor Reiste of Linden, Iowa, turned in an 88.5 on Universal Pro Rodeo's Big Bank, and he immediately went to the Justin Boots medical trailer after his dismount.

But not to worry. "I landed face first, and my eyes filled with sand and muddy water, and I couldn't see anything and had to go wash my eyes out," Reiste said.

His ride was in the first section, and it lasted through the second section for the performance win.

"I knew it was a young bull from Universal Pro Rodeo, and I had to have my hammer cocked to get him rode," Reiste said. "I'm always happy to move on here in Cheyenne. I have been here three or four times and made the short round two other times. I guess the bulls just fit me."

Reiste, who had an 87.5, which good for third during Wednesday's performance, last qualified for the NFR in 2017 and finished 27th in the PRCA world standings last year. Before Cheyenne, he was sitting at No. 22, and now has a chance to come back for the semifinals.

"There's always room for improvement, but I can't complain," Reiste said.

Saddle bronc

Saddle bronc rider Wyatt Casper and his traveling partners didn't hang around long after their rides. They were frantically packing up to hightail it out of Cheyenne to catch another rodeo in Deadwood, South Dakota.

But Casper will be back in Cheyenne after he posted a winning score of 86.5 on Hurst & TNT Pro Rodeo's Party Pooper.

"He really bucks, and some other guys hadn't got along with him very well," said Casper, who hails from Miami, Texas. "But he felt really good today, and it was really fun."

Casper, who qualified for the NFR the last two years and finished No. 8 in the PRCA world standings last year, is having a monster season thus far, as he is No. 4 in the standings.

"The season has been very good, and I am just going through these last several months trying to stay healthy," Casper said.

Other top performances

The standing water and plenty of mud on the arena grounds also played havoc with timed events Thursday.

But the tournament, contestant-friendly format for the CFD Rodeo meant they were competing against each other — in the same conditions — for the day, instead of other top scores and times from earlier, drier days.

Rookie steer wrestler Adam Musil of Crescent, Oklahoma, made the most of his first trip to Cheyenne when he bulldogged his steer in 7.5 seconds to win the performance.

Eleven-time NFR qualifier Hunter Herrin of Apache, Oklahoma, solidified his appearance in the semifinals in tie-down roping with the top time of 12 seconds flat.

Other top times: breakaway roper Megan Small of Busby, Montana, clocked a 3.8; barrel racer Tarryn Lee of St. David, Arizona, posted a 17.56; and team ropers of Clay Tryan of Billings, Montana, and Jade Corkill of Fallon, Nevada, recorded a 7.9.

Tryan and Corkill were the only team ropers under 8 seconds. Tryan, currently at No. 2 in the standings, is a 19-time NFR qualifier as a header and world champion in 2005, 2013 and 2014. Corkill, at No. 5, is a 12-time NFR qualifier as a heeler and world champion in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

David Watson is the assistant editor for WyoSports. He can be reached at dwatson@wyosports.net or 307-755-3327. Follow him on Twitter at @dwatsonsports.