RENO, NEV., June 23, 2015 — Less than a week ago, saddle bronc rider Clay Elliott was riding for a national championship at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR).
Three days after earning that title, he took the lead in the first round of saddle bronc riding here. Elliott, from Nanton, Alberta, had an 86-point ride on Big Bend Rodeo’s horse Kool Toddy, beating Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifiers and world champions.
Elliott won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association title competing for Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Okla., where he is a sophomore majoring in animal science. He has been balancing school, college rodeo and pro rodeo. This was his first qualification for the CNFR The successful bronc rider is also ranked 13th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings.
Cort Scheer, from Elsmere, Neb., was the second high-marked ride here on Tuesday. The four-time NFR qualifier scored 84 points on Big Bend’s Feature Attraction. Last year, Scheer only bucked off one horse in all of the 2014 season and it was here at the Reno Rodeo. All of tonight’s bronc riders competed in their first round and will have their second round on Wednesday night.
Elliott, Scheer and two-time Reno Rodeo and world champion Chad Ferley all have a good opportunity to advance to Saturday night’s championship finals. Ferley won his Reno Rodeo spurs in 2006 and 2013. He went on to win world titles both of those years. Ferley had an 80-point ride here on the Flying Five Rodeo horse named Sundance. Another good score and he will have a chance to win his third pair of spurs.
The sixth performance begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are available at www.renorodeo.com or by calling 800-325-7328.
