Gilbert eyes Reno Rodeo redemption in steer wrestling

By Guy Clifton

Steer wrestler Gary Gilbert made it to the championship round of the Reno Rodeo in 2015 but a bad run in the finals dashed his hopes of a first set of Reno Rodeo Silver Spurs.

He put himself in position for a little redemption on a sold-out Sunday night at the Reno Rodeo Arena.

Gilbert, of New Underwood, S.D., threw his steer in 4.4 seconds, the fast time of the night, and when combined with his time of 4.9 in slack earlier Sunday morning, his 9.3 puts him well in the top 12 to make it back to Saturday’s championship go-round.

“I had a great haze from Billy Bugenig and was able to get good run on him,” said Gilbert.

Gilbert, who is 27th in this week’s World Standings in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, knows an win in Reno can send him well up the ladder in the world standings.

“If I could win here, that would get me easily into the top 15 and maybe the top 10,” he said. “It’s one of our biggest rodeos and one you definitely want to win.”

In the saddle bronc, two-time word champion Taos Muncy stands to pick up a go-round check after spurring Flying U Rodeo Company’s bronc Hat Stomper for 84.5 points. It was the high score of the rodeo thus far and puts Muncy into first place in the first round. He and the other saddle bronc and bareback riders will make their second-round rides on Monday night.

There was also a lead change atop the first round in bareback riding. Ty Fast Taypotat of Regina, Sk., jumped to the lead after riding the Flying U Rodeo bronc Gold Coast Jacki for 85.5 points.

Only one bull rider made the 8-second whistle on Sunday night. Dalan Duncan of Ballard, Utah took home the day money with a 75-point ride on Flying U’s bull Stardust.

In the tie-down roping, it was Jerrad Hofstetter of Shallow Waters, Texas setting the pace by roping and tying his calf in 8.8 seconds.

The top team ropers on Sunday were Chris Francis and Cade Passig, both from Las Vegas, N.M., who turned their steer in 5.1 seconds.

In barrel racing, it was Kelly Tovar of Rockdale, Texas, who set the pace with a run of 17.50 seconds.

Reno Rodeo

Third Performance

Bareback: 1, Ty Fast Taypotat, Regina, SK, 85.5 points on Flying U’s Gold Coast Jacki; 2/3/4 Teddy Athan, Livermore, Calif., Tyler Scales, Severance, Colo., and Caine Riddle, Vernon, Texas 80.5; 5, Luke Creasy, Denton, Texas, 79.

Steer wrestling: 1, Gary Gilbert, New Underland, S.D., 4.4 seconds; 2, Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisc., 4.8; 3, Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 5.1; 4, Riley Butler, Blackfoot, Idaho, 14.7.

Team roping: 1, Chris Francis, Las Vegas, N.M., and Cade Passig, Las Vegas, N.M., 5.1 seconds; 2, Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah and Cole Davison, Stephenville, Texas 5.3; 3, Aaron Macy, Post, Texas and Cody Pearson, Tucson, Ariz., 12.3. No other qualified times.

Saddle bronc: 1, Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 84.5 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Hat Stomper; 2, Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 80; 3, Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB, 77; 4, Clay Elliott, Nanton, AB, 76.5; 5, Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 74.

Tie-down roping: 1, Jerrad Hofstetter, Shallow Water, Texas, 8.8 seconds; 2, Tyler Prcin, Alvord, Texas, 10.2; 3, Kyle Lucas, Carstairs, AB, 10.4; 4, Ace Sloan, Cuero, Texas 11.0; 5, Cody Quaney, Cheney, Kan., 21.8.

Barrel Racing: 1, Kelly Tovar, Rockdale, Texas 17.50 seconds; 2, Nicole Laurence, Cresson, Texas 17,.51; 3, Megan Johnson, Deming, N.M., 18.03; 4, Carlee Pierce, Lowndesboro, Ala., 18.04; 5, Tyra Kane, Dublin, Texas 18.42.

Bull riding: Dalen Duncan, Ballard, Utah, 75 on Flying U Rodeo’s Star Dust. No other qualified rides.

Reno Rodeo Third Performance