Casper, Wyo., cowboy Q Taylor rode Rocky Mountain Rodeo's "Sabre" to Saturday night's high score of 86 points in the saddle bronc competition of the Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo on Oct. 22, 2022. The payout increased his commanding lead for the year-end money title (earning $15,391.58) and an invitation to next year's NFR Open in Colorado Springs, Colo. Rodeo-RFP-103122-9
Close shaves and inspiring rides wrap up the circuit for 2022
The weekend of Oct. 21-22 brought the top performers of the Mountain States Circuit together to compete for a solid payday, year-end standings titles, and the potential to qualify for the million dollar 2023 NFR Open rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colo. With a total purse approaching $200,000 the three rodeo performances finished up in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday night.
That crowd watched barrel racer Shali Lord win the average title by just .01-seconds over second place finisher Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, who posted the fastest time of the weekend on Saturday night to make things interesting. “I knew really, no matter what, I needed to be fast, but after she ran the fastest time of the weekend I was thinking I am going to have to be really fast!” revealed Lord of her thoughts before her final run aboard her 12-year-old mare “CeCe.”
The crowd was also inspired by Garrett Norby, who overcame what at first appeared to be a serious knee injury in the chutes to return minutes later and successfully ride his bull to win the average title and an invitation to the prestigious 2023 NFR Open. “I knew I had something to ride for still, so I told myself ‘You gotta go get it. Give it everything you got. Whatever you’ve got left,'” said a badly limping Norby when collecting his trophy buckle after the rodeo.
Up and comers were also notable, as 19-year-old bareback permit holder Keenan Hayes continued his successful year with a 90-point ride to win the circuit finals rodeo and the year-end standings title, along with putting himself on the map as a serious candidate to compete for PRCA Rookie of the Year honors in 2023.
Mountain States Circuit Finals and Standings Winners:
Bareback: Keenan Hayes – Average AND Standings Titles
Breakaway Roping: Charity Hoar – Average. Erin Johnson – Standings
Team Roping: Egurrola/Flake – Average. Van Aken/Johnson – Standings
Saddle Bronc: Chris Williams – Average. Q Taylor – Standings
Tie Down: Cash Enderli – Average AND Standings Titles
Barrel Racing: Shali Lord – Average. Andrea Busby – Standings
Bull Riding: Garrett Norby – Average. Clayton Savage – Standings
All Around: Jase Staudt – Average AND Standings Titles
Overall Rookie of the Year: Zaine Mikita
Keenesburg, Colo., cowboy Gage Hesse collected a trophy buckle for winning the year-end money title of the Mountain States Circuit in the steer wrestling event. Hesse nailed down the fastest Saturday night time of 4.3 seconds to maintain his lead and stand atop the circuit ladder with $13,578.75 in his event. Rodeo-RFP-103122
Wyoming breakaway roper Charity Hoar nailed down the average title with this 3.6-second time in Saturday night’s third round of action at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo (Oct. 21-22, 2022). Hoar was the only breakaway roping competitor to be successful on all three of her runs over the weekend, which propelled her to the average title and an invitation to the million dollar NFR Open rodeo in 2023. Rodeo-RFP-103122-1
Greybull, Wyo., saddle bronc cowboy Chris Williams scored 79.5 points on this Saturday night ride to win the average title for the Mountain States Circuit Rodeo Finals with 236 points over three rides. Not only did Williams secure a coveted spot in 2023’s NFR Open with the title, he also took home almost $6,000 in winnings from the two-day rodeo finals in Loveland, Colo. Rodeo-RFP-103122-2
The stands inside the Mack Equipment Inc Indoor Arena at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo., filled early before the start of Saturday night’s sold-out performance for 2022’s Mountain States Circuit Rodeo Finals (Oct. 21-22). The Saturday night crowd took in the third of three rounds in the rodeo, as well as having the benefit of seeing which contestants won the average title and the year-end money title for the two-state rodeo circuit. Rodeo-RFP-103122-3
Three-time WPRA Breakaway Roping champion Erin Johnson of Fowler, Colo., was hot on the heels of this calf during her 2.6-second run on Saturday night at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo (Oct. 22). The effort helped Johnson ensure her lead in the year-end money standings for the circuit and qualify her for the high profile NFR Open in Colorado Springs in 2023. Rodeo-RFP-103122-4
Team ropers JC Flake and Pedro Egurrola won two out of the three rounds of action to take home the average title and acompanying buckles at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals in Loveland, Colo. The duo’s total of 18.3 seconds on three head was over a second faster than the second place finishers. Rodeo-RFP-103122-5
Yampa, Colo., steer wrestler Jace Logan quickly got off his horse and stopped the timers in 4.4 seconds during the final round of the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo to win the average title and qualify to compete in the prestigious million dollar NFR Open in Colorado Springs in 2023. Rodeo-RFP-103122-6
Permit holder Keenan Hayes had the high score ride of the night with this 90-point effort aboard Cervi Championship Rodeo’s “On Second Thought” to put his stamp on the 2022 bareback title for the Mountain States Circuit, both for the year-end money title and the rodeo finals average The 19-year-old earned almost $24,000 in the Mountain States Circuit and will be justifiably aiming for PRCA “Rookie of the Year” honors and more in 2023 when he purchases his professional PRCA card. Rodeo-RFP-103122-7
Hayden, Colo., bareback competitor Keenan Hayes whooped it up with the Saturday night crowd immediately after his impressive 90-point ride in the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Rodeo Finals (Oct. 21-22) at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo. The 19-year-old continued his winning ways as a permit holder with a Mountain States Circuit title and looks forward to his rookie year of competing professionally in the PRCA in 2023. Rodeo-RFP-103122-8
Casper, Wyo., cowboy Q Taylor rode Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s “Sabre” to Saturday night’s high score of 86 points in the saddle bronc competition of the Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo on Oct. 22, 2022. The payout increased his commanding lead for the year-end money title (earning $15,391.58) and an invitation to next year’s NFR Open in Colorado Springs, Colo. Rodeo-RFP-103122-9
Wyoming team roper Clayton Van Aken has his loop almost encircling the steer while Jayden Johnson, also from Wyoming, readies to catch the heels during Saturday night action at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Rodeo Finals at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo. Van Aken ($19,000-plus) and Johnson (almost $18,000) earned the year-end money title for the Mountain States Circuit and qualified to take part in 2023’s million dollar NFR Open rodeo in Colorado Springs. Rodeo-RFP-103122-10
Walsenburg, Colo., bull rider Garrett Norby acknowledges the cheers of the sold-out crowd after his gutsy 79-point ride propelled him to the average title win at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals rodeo at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo. (Oct. 21-22). Norby injured his knee in the chute and had to be helped out of the arena, only to return later and ride Summit Pro Rodeo’s Grey Denim for the win. “I knew I had something to ride for still, so I told myself ‘You gotta go get it. Give it everything you got. Whatever you’ve got left,'” said Norby when collecting his buckle. Rodeo-RFP-103122-11
Andrea Busby took home the 2022 Mountain States Circuit’s year end standings title after a year in which she won the world famous Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo. Riding a different horse from she and her husband’s Busby Quarter Horses lineup — a 2014 gelding named Jets Letters Ta Abby — Busby did not place in the money at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals, but she still earned the final standings title for the circuit and a resulting invitation to the prestigious 2023 NFR Open in Colorado Springs. Rodeo-RFP-103122-12
Texas cowboy Cash Enderli roped his calf in 10.8 seconds Saturday night (Oct. 22) to win both the average title of the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals rodeo and the year end standings title with a circuit total of $17,994.13 for the year. Rodeo-RFP-103122-13
Wyoming cowboy Clayton Savage was briefly interviewed after being awarded the 2022 bull riding event’s year end standings title for the Mountain States Circuit. It was Savage’s eigth Mountain States Circuit year end standings title after taking home $21,312.81 from circuit rodeos over the course of the year. Rodeo-RFP-103122-14
Fellow competitors and the sold out crowd cheered Colorado bull rider Garrett Norby during his harrowing ride aboard Summit Pro Rodeo’s Grey Denim on Saturday night (Oct. 22). Minutes before the ride, Norby and Grey Denim mixed it up inside the chute and Norby’s knee was bent all the way back. After being unable to stand and helped out of the arena by personnel, Norby “walked it off” and returned for the chance to get on a bull he had been looking forward to riding all day. The result was a hanging-on-by-a-thread, crowd-inspiring 79-point effort that earned him a payday of almost $10,000, the average title, and an invitation to 2023’s prestigious NFR Open. Rodeo-RFP-103122-15
Nathrop, Colo., cowboy Jase Staudt combined his winnings in the Tie Down Roping and Team Roping events to earn over $5,000 and the All Around buckle at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals rodeo at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo. (Oct. 21-22). Staudt’s total also kept him on top of the circuit and earned him the year end standings title. Rodeo-RFP-103122-16
Lamar, Colo., barrel racer Shali Lord and her 2010 mare Frosted In Fame (“CeCe”) burst around the third barrel and collected themselves for the stretch run on their way to a quick 15.28-second time during Saturday night’s final round of action at the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals in Loveland, Colo. The time helped Lord earn the average title by a razor-thin margin of just .01-seconds over Brittany Pozzi Tonozz’s 46.14-seconds on three runs. Rodeo-RFP-103122-17
Byers, Colo., tie down roper Zaine Mikita was awarded the Overall Rookie of the Year buckle after the conclusion of the 2022 Mountain States Circuit Finals rodeo that took place at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo., over the weekend of Oct. 21-22. Rodeo-RFP-103122-18
