Cory Solomon will be busy Saturday after qualifying for finals in two cities.
Right before tie-down roper Cory Solomon made the penultimate run in his wild-card set Friday, eighttime world champion Fred Whitfield told him he’d make the final if he finished in 8.5 seconds.
When Whitfield speaks, Solomon listens.
The Waller graduate posted an 8.5 to secure the second qualifying spot, then watched as the final contestant, two-time Houston champion Scott Kormos, struggled to a 14.1 on a tough draw at NRG Stadium.
“I didn’t get a very good go from the horse, and the calf was a little big, but he was really good and let me catch up,” Solomon said.
“You can plan it all you want — I’m just thankful it worked out.”
Whitfield, 49, is friend, mentor and fierce competitor to Solomon, 26, who lives 12 miles away in Prairie View.
He grew up roping with — and against — the legendary cowboy.
“What he’s been through, what he’s accomplished, is one of the reasons I never stopped pushing to make it where I am today,” Solomon said.
He’ll be in two places Saturday.
Solomon won the Austin rodeo’s tie-down semifinal Thursday, so he’ll compete for two championships.
Houston starts at 3:45 p.m. — Austin at 7 p.m.
“(Saturday) could be a big day for me,” Solomon said.
“If I make the final four (here), I’ll have to have a private plane (to Austin). If not, I can make it close, driving it.”
Two-time San Antonio champion Hunter Herrin won the wild card, where only two of 12 joined the finalists, in 7.8 seconds — the fastest time through 18 go-rounds. The Houston record is 7.4 seconds.
Clay Elliott can defend his Houston saddle bronc title Saturday.
The Canadian qualified for the 10-man final through the wild-card round for the second straight year.
He won the set on the final ride with 85 points on Urgent Delivery.
“It’s a little more pressure, so I love it,” Elliott said. “I thrive off of it. I knew I had an outstanding horse (Friday), and I knew I had a really good chance to be in the top two, and it all worked out like I planned.”
Cody DeMoss, the 2003 champ, also advanced.
Another Canadian, Orin Larsen, won in bareback riding with an 87 on Soap Bubbles — also on the last go.
He knew it was a championship-qualifying ride as soon as it ended.
“If Muhammad Ali and Floyd Mayweather ever fought, that’s what it would be like,” Larsen said. “It was a boxing match the whole way out there.
“I’d hit him and he’d hit me three times as hard, so I was glad to come out on top.”
Larsen is into the 10man final for the third time but still looking for his first trip to the $50,000 Shootout, which takes only the top four from the long round, so he’s hoping the third time is charmed.
“That’s what I’m banking on,” he said.
Clayton Biglow, who posted a rodeo-best 89 in Super Series IV, grabbed the second qualifying spot with an 84.
Tyler Pearson (4.1) and Ty Erickson (4.7) advanced in steer wrestling, Jana Bean (14.06) and Kathy Grimes survived in barrel racing, Ty Wallace (79) and Scottie Knapp emerged in bull riding, and Dustin Bird and Russell Cardoza, and Adam Rose and Bryon Wilkerson moved on in team roping.