CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The first rodeo performance of Cheyenne Frontier Days was action-packed and full of thrills as the Quarter Final action began.

One of the biggest moments of the afternoon came when local favorite Brody Cress from Hillsdale, Wyo., rode in the saddle bronc riding. Cress, who attended high school in Cheyenne, won the championship here three consecutive years starting in 2017. Only Earl Thode, who competed here in the 1920s and 1930s, has won the bronc riding title at the “Daddy of ’em All” four times and Cress would love to match that feat.

Cress, who is currently ranked eighth in the world championship standings, scored 88 points to win the saddle bronc riding on Saturday and qualified for the Semi Finals which are held Friday and Saturday, July 26 and 27. A solid ride then would send him to Championship Sunday and a possible fourth championship.

Another highlight came when Cheyenne Rumble and his rider Bristan McCarley of Happy, Texas, started the barrel racing with a time of 17.00 seconds. McCarley calls her palomino Louie and the duo finished 46th among the more than 200 competitors in the qualifying round on Wednesday with a time of 17.98. They improved their time by almost a full second (an eternity in barrel racing where hundredths of a second decide winners) and posted the fastest time of the rodeo so far. 

The closest any of the other 11 cowgirls could get to McCarley’s time was a 17.01 by four-time world champion Hailey Kinsel. McCarley earned $2,487 for her Quarter Final win which doubled her 2025 season earnings in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and she and the horse Louie advanced to the Semi Finals.

Jayco Roper experienced the full range of the downs and ups of rodeo Saturday. The former National Finals Rodeo bareback rider from Oktaha, Okla., was part of a highly anticipated matchup with Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ horse Sozo. Roper started a great ride, but was thought to have disqualified himself before the full 8 seconds elapsed.

When a correction was announced a few minutes later, the disappointment of not capitalizing on a match-up with a six-time NFR bucking horse turned to the thrill of learning he had actually scored 88 points to win the Quarter Finals and advance to next week’s Semi Finals.

Roper, a third-generation rodeo competitor, is ranked 13^th in the standings and continued success in Cheyenne could help him return to Las Vegas for his second NFR.

Quarter Finals 2 begins on Sunday at 12:45 p.m. where new contestants in every event but bull riding will be vying for their spots in the Semi Finals. The ladies ranch bronc riding will again be a special attraction. 

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The following are unofficial results from the Quarter Finals (first performance) at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Saturday, July 19. Payoff subject to change. 

Bareback Riding: 1, Jayco Roper, Oktaha, Okla., 88 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom

Genetics’ Sozo, $2,722. 2, Dean Thompson, Altamont, Utah, 87.5, $2,042. 3, Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas, 85.5, $1,361, 4, Jacob Lees, Caldwell, Idaho, 84.5, $681.

Breakaway Roping: 1, Rylie Smith, Whitsett, Texas, 4.4 seconds, $3,157. 2, Kelsie Domer, Dublin, Texas, 4.6, $2,367. 3, Taylor Munsell, Alva, Okla., 4.7, $1,578. 4, Maddy Dearman, Hope, N.M., 4.9, $789.

Tie Down Roping: 1, John Douch, Huntsville, Texas, 12.6 seconds, $2,000. 2, Pecos Tatum, La Plata, N.M., 14.4, $1,500. 3, (tie) Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, and Riley Webb, Denton, Texas, 14.7, $750 each.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Brody Cress, Hillsdale, Colo., 85 points on United Pro Rodeo’s High Flyer, $2,64.3. 2, Waitley Sharon, Ordway, Colo. 82.5, $1,982. 3, Ian McGivney, Kaycee, Wyo., 80, $1,321. 4, Jake Barnes, Stephenville, Texas, 77, $661.

Team Roping: 1, Wyatt Murray, Neola, Utah and Rhett Nebeker, Roosevelt, Utah, 9.0 seconds, $2,000 each. 2, Billy Bob Brown, Carbon, Texas, and Blaine Vick, Breckenridge, Texas, 10.6, $1,500 each. 3, Kolby Krieger, Fredericktown, Mo., and Michael Fortenberry, Beaumont, Texas, 10.7, $1,000 each. 4, Gunner Plenty, Garryowen, Mont., and Mason Trollinger, Lodge Grass, Wyo., 11.9, $500 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Trisyn Kalawaia, Hilo, Hawaii, 7.0 seconds, $2,000. 2, Joe Nelson, Watford, N.D., 7.5, $1,500. 3, Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La., 8.3, $1,000. 4, Jacob Elder, Alva, Okla., 8.5, $500.

Barrel Racing: 1, Bristan McCarley, Happy, Texas, 17.00 seconds, $2,487. 2, Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, 17.01, $1,865. 3, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Lampasas, Texas, 17.53, $1,244. 4, Ashley Day, Volberg, Mont., 17.56, $622.

Bull Riding:  1, Mason Spain, Forney, Texas, 84.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo Co.’s Home Boy, $2,662. 2, Ernie Courson, Okeechobee, Fla., 83, $1,997. 3, Gavin Mitchell, Graford, Texas, 81.5, $1,331. 4, Cutter Kaylor, Jasper, Texas, 77, $666.

Rookie Saddle Bronc Riding (first round leaders): 1, Logan Nunn, Lovell, Wyo., 79.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s 419. 2, Josue Molina, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, 79. 3, Regan Lyons, Snyder, Texas, 77.5. 4, Tag Moses, Keenesburg, Colo., 77.

Wild Horse Race: 1, Team Allen, $600. 2, Kicked in the Belly, $450. 3, Wild & Vintage, $300. 4, Team Skomkic, $150.