WNFR crowns 2022 champions
Las Vegas – The 64th Annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) took place Dec. 1-10 at the Thomas and Mack Center.
Several contestants across the Mountain Region were in attendance, and the 2022 WNFR champions have been crowned.
Bareback riding
Caleb Bennett from Corvallis, Mont. entered the WNFR third in the world standings. In the fourth round, Bennett tied for fourth place with an 85.5-point ride with Kaycee Field, Tilden Hooper and Jess Pope, each bringing home $6,063 in the round. Bennett finished the WNFR 12th in the world standings.
Cole Reiner, a Kaycee native, entered the bareback riding in first place. In round three, he placed fifth, and in round four he placed first with an 89-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics Southland’s Shoutin’. In round nine, Reiner tied for fourth place with Clayton Biglow and Jess Pope. Reiner finished the WNFR seventh in the average and world standings with $12,592 in finals earnings.
Jess Pope of Waverly, Kan. won the average and the WNFR Bareback World Champion, bringing home $75,150 in WNFR earnings on 10 horses.
Steer wrestling
Stetson Jorgensen, former Central Wyoming College alumni and Blackfoot, Idaho native, placed third in round one with a 4.2-second run. In round two, he placed second, and in round five he tied for second with Will Lummus with a four second run. In round six, he tied for sixth with Dakota Eldridge and J.D. Struxness. Jorgensen started the WNFR in first place in the world standings and finished in sixth place.
Tyler Waguespack of Gonzales, La. was crowned the WNFR Steer Wrestling Champion. Kyle Irwin of Robertsdale, Ala. won the average title with 46.1 seconds on 10 steers.
Team roping
Pueblo, Colo. native Heeler Trey Yates started the WNFR in 10th place. In round four he placed first with a time of 3.9 seconds. In round six, he placed fifth, and in round seven he placed first with a time of 3.9 seconds. In round 10, he tied for first with team roping partners Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler and Tanner Tomlinson and Patrick Smith. Yates finished the WNFR in eighth place in the world standings.
Kaleb Driggers, header of Hoboken, Ga., was crowned the World Champion Team Roper Header with roping partner Junior Nogueira of Presidente Prudente, Spain. The pair also won the average, both bringing home $60,159 in WNFR earnings.
Saddle bronc riding
Chase Brooks of Deer Lodge, Mont. started the WNFR in 13th place in the world standings. In round three, he tied with Sage Newman with an 88-point ride. In round four he placed second, and in round seven he tied for fifth place with Dawson Hay, both receiving a 86-point ride. In round eight, he tied with Logan Hay, and in round nine he placed fifth. In round 10, he tied for first on Sutton Rodeo’s South Point. He tied with Zeke Thurston and Kolby Wanchuck, all three receiving an 89.5-point ride.
Brooks finished the WNFR in ninth place in the world standings.
Hillsdale native Brody Cress entered the WNFR in sixth place in the world. In round one, he tied for fifth place with Lefty Homan, both riding for 86.5-points. He finished the WNFR in third place in the average and sixth place in the world standings. He took home $47,568 in WNFR earnings.
Tanner Butner of Daniel entered the WNFR in 15th place. During his first trip to the WNFR, he tied for second in round two with Logan Hay and Zeke Thurston with an 85.5-point ride. In the third round, he tied for sixth place with Zeke Thurston. Butner finished the WNFR 14th place in the world.
Former Sheridan College graduate Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alberta, Canada entered the finals in sixth place. In round one, he tied with Dawson Hay for second place with an 87.5-point ride. In round two, he tied for second with Tanner Butner and Logan Hay. In round three, Thurston tied for sixth place with Tanner Butner, and in round four he placed first with an 88.5-point ride on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Heaven on Earth. In round six, he placed third, and in round seven he placed second. In round eight, he placed second, third in round nine and tied for first in round 10.
Thurston finished the WNFR winning the average with 876.5 points on 10 horses, bringing home $75,150 in WNFR earnings. He was also crowned the 2022 WNFR Saddle Bronc Champion.
Tie-down roping
Haven Meged of Miles City, Mont. entered the finals in third place. In round one and two, he tied for fifth place with Cory Solomon, Ty Harris and Zack Jongbloed, respectively. In round four, he tied for fourth place with Caleb Smidt, and in round nine he placed sixth. Meged finished the average in fourth place bringing home $34,976 from the finals. He finished eighth in the world standings.
Caleb Smidt of Bellville, Texas was crowned the WNFR Tie-Down Champion and average champion. He entered the finals in fourth place. In round one and two, he placed first with a time of 7.5 and 7.2 seconds, respectively. In round three, he tied with John Douch, and in round four he tied for fourth with Haven Meged. In round five and six he placed third. In round seven and eight, he placed fourth. He won a total of $74,150 in finals earnings.
Barrel racing
Jessica Routier of Buffalo, S.D. entered the WNFR in 13th place. In round five, she placed sixth, and in round six she placed fifth. In round eight, Routier tied for sixth with Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi. In the final round, she placed fourth with a time of 13.52 seconds. Routier finished 15th in the world.
Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, S.D. started the WNFR in 14th place. She placed fourth in round two and third in round three. In round four, she tied for second with Margo Crowther. In round five, she tied for first with Hailey Kinsel. In round six, she placed fourth, and in round eight she placed third. In round nine, she tied for fifth with Dona Rule. Lockhart placed third in the average, taking home $47,568 in earnings and rounded out the finals fourth in the world.
Hailey Kinsel of Cotulla, Texas was named the WNFR Barrel Racing Champion, and Shelley Morgan of Eustace, Texas won the average, bringing home $74,150.
Bull riding
Tristen Hutchings of Monteview, Idaho entered the finals in fifth place. In round one, he placed first on Stockyards ProRodeo’s Party Animal. In round five, he placed first with a 90.5-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s County Jail. In round six, he placed first with an 88-point ride on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s Caddyshack. In round nine, he placed second, and in round 10 he placed first with an 89.5-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Twilight Zone. Hutchings finished the average in fourth place, earning $34,976 and third in the world.
Josh Frost of Randlett, Utah entered the WNFR in second place. In round one, he placed fourth and in round three he tied for third with Creek Young. In round four, he tied for fourth with Ky Hamilton. In round five, he placed second, and in round six he tied for third with Trevor Kastner. In round seven, he placed third, and in round eight he placed fifth. Frost finished the WNFR in second place in the average, bringing home $60,159 in WNFR earnings and second in the world.
Stetson Wright of Milford, Utah won the WNFR Bull Riding Champion as well as securing the average title. He rode for a total of 684.5 points on eight bulls, bringing home $74,150 in WNFR earnings.
Brittany Gunn is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
