High scores reign at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Damian Brennan, the 2024 reserve world champion saddle bronc rider from Australia, took first place in Quarter Final 5 at Cheyenne Frontier Days on Wednesday. Brennan, who is currently third in the 2025 standings, scored 90 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s horse named Black Mesa. He edged Wyoming’s Brody Wells by 1.5 points. Both Brennan and Wells advance to the Semi Finals later this week, along with two other bronc riders.

His score matched the best of the rodeo so far, set in Quarter Final 2 by Coleman Shallbetter. Brennan was excited to get the win. Although he has had some success at the “Daddy of ’em All”, this was the first time he has won a round. His score matched the highest of this year’s CFD.

Rodeo is in Thayne Elshere’s DNA. The second-oldest son of National Finals Rodeo veteran saddle bronc rider JJ Elshere of Hereford, S.D., Thayne competes in that event, but like his cousin Cole Elshere (another NFR veteran), Thayne also competes in bull riding and that’s where he was successful on Wednesday.

Elshere scored 90.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s bull named Macho Man to win Quarter Final 5. That was the highest score so far this year at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. He was 1.5 points higher than Cheyenne’s Brenson Bartlett.

California bareback rider R.C. Landingham bested the field on Wednesday. His 89-point ride on Summit Pro Rodeo’s horse named Hillbilly matched the high bareback riding score of the week in Frontier Park set on Tuesday by Kade Sonnier. 

Landingham currently sits 13^th in the standings and aiming for his sixth NFR.

Not to be outdone by the rough stock riders, breakaway roper Sidney Peters of Hot Springs, S.D., caught her calf in 3.6 seconds, the fastest time of the Quarter Finals so far. She will return for the Semi Finals.

Taylor Baize of San Angelo, Texas, is hoping to carry on a family tradition with a win in Frontier Park. Her father Casey Baize was CFD champion bull rider in 2003. She rode her 18-year-old veteran horse MRT Easy on the Pepr (nicknamed Bo) for a time of 17.44 seconds to win the Quarter Final.

Thursday is Give Cancer the Boot Day at CFD. The last Quarter Final of the 2025 rodeo begins at 12:45 p.m. where a new group of rodeo athletes in every event but bull riding will make their bids to advance in the tournament-style format.

The following are unofficial results from the Quarter Finals (fifth performance) at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Wednesday, July 23. Payoff subject to change. 

Bareback Riding: 1, R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 89 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Hillbilly, $2,722. 2, (tie) Weston Timberman, Columbus, Mont., and Sam Petersen, Helena, Mont., $ 1,701 each. 4, (tie) Jess Pope, Waverly, Kan., and Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb., 86.5, $ each.

Breakaway Roping: 1, Sidney Peters, Hot Springs, S.D., 3.6 seconds, $3,157. 2, Jacee Currin. Heppner, Ore., 4.3, $2,367. 3, Hope Thompson, Abilene, Texas, 5.2, $1,578. 4, Sierra Spratt, San Tan Valley, Ariz., 5.2, $340 each.

Tie Down Roping: 1, Cole Clemons, Okeechobee, Fla., 12.0 seconds, $2,000. 2, Myles Kenzy, Iona, S.D., 12.9, $1,500. 3, Jarvis Demery, Beggs, Okla., 14.4, $1,000. 4, Cole Eiguren, Fruitland, Idaho, 15.9, $500.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Damian Brennan, Injune, Queensland, Australia, 90 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Black Mesa, $2,643. 2, Body Wells, Powell, Wyo., 88.5, $1,982. 3, Kade Bruno, Challis, Idaho, 86, $1,321. 4, Weston Patterson, Waverly, Kan., 86, $661.

Team Roping: 1, (tie) Blaine Turner, Batesville, Ark., and Ethan Cory, Hico, Texas; and Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla., and Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., 9.6, $1,750 each. 3, Mason Appleton, Chelsea, Okla., and Rance Doyal, Kenefic, Okla.,10.0, $1,000 each. 4, Rooster Yazzie, Coyote Canyon, N.M., and Shawn Murphy, Tohatchi, N.M., 10.7, $500 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1, (tie) Wyatt Schaack, Wall, S.D., and Kyler Dick, Oakley, Utah, 6.1 seconds, $1,750 each. 3, Jace Mayfield, Midwest, Wyo., 7.0, $1,000. 4, Rooster Yazzie, Coyote Canyon, N.M., 6.8, $500.

Barrel Racing: 1, Taylor Baize, San Angelo, Texas, 17. 44 seconds, $2,487. 2, Tayla Moeykens, Three Forks, Mont., 17.51, $1,865. 3, Avery Ledesma, Las Cruces, N.M., 17.60, $1,244. 4, McKinlee Paschal, Nome, Texas, 17.71 $622. 

Bull Riding: 1, Thayne Elshere, Hereford, S.D., 90.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Macho Man, $2,662. 2, Brenson Bartlett, Cheyenne, Wyo., 88.5, $1,785. 3, (tie) Cade Griego, Stanley, N.M.; Andy Guzman, Oakdale, Calif., and Tyce Willis, Alvord, Texas, 87.5, $595 each.

Rookie Saddle Bronc Riding (first round leaders): 1, Logan Nunn, Lovell, Wyo., 79.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s 419. 2, (tie) Rope Roghair, Isabel, S.D., and Josue Molina, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, 79. 4, Regan Lyons, Snyder, Texas, 77.5. 4, (second round leaders) 1, Molina, 80 points on Fettig Pro Rodeo’s 158. 2, Tag Moses, Keenesburg, Colo., 76.5. 3, Eastan West, New Underwood, S.D., 76. 4, Nunn, 74. 5, Lyons 73. (overall leaders) 1, Molina, 159. 2, (tie) Nunn and Moses, 143.5 each. 4, Lyons 140.5.

Wild Horse Race: Results not available.