Bronc rider, barrel racer repeat wins
The only thing better than winning RodeoHouston is doing it again.
Saddle bronc rider Sage Newman and barrel racer Jordon Briggs both accomplished that feat, defending their Houston championships and collecting their second $50,000 Shootout checks Sunday at NRG Stadium.
“I had some really great horses underneath me, they had good days, and it all worked out in my favor,” Newman said. “I love this rodeo, I love coming back every year, my plan was to repeat, and I was able to get it done.”
Championship Sunday at RodeoHouston featured five reigning world champs and four defending Houston champs, including bareback rider Jesse Pope, who claimed both titles last year, and breakaway roper Erin Johnson, who earned the right to defend her 2022 Houston championship by winning her wild-card round.
Unfortunately, Pope was the first defending champ ousted in the long rounds. Reigning breakaway champ Erin Johnson also fell in the long round.
Newman, on the other hand, had no trouble either time out.
He won the 10-man set with 90 points on Hitman, then registered a second 90-point score on Womanizer in the Shootout, giving him $56,750.
“You can’t beat it,” Newman said. “This is one of the best rodeos to go to all year long.”
Briggs and her horse, Rollo, agree wholeheartedly.
The Texas native claimed her second consecutive Houston title and $58,000 in earnings with a time of 14.73 seconds in the Shootout.
“It’s awesome to do it back-to-back,” Briggs said.
“I’m grateful for the money, but also it takes so much stress off the whole year trying to get to the (National Finals Rodeo).”
Briggs also went 14.73 in the long round, consistency she credited to Rollo.
“We might not always run the fastest time, but he’s always super consistent, and with this kind of setup, you have to keep making good runs to keep moving forward,” she said. “That’s the goal and that’s why he does well in these situations.”
Ky John Hamilton claimed a well-earned bull riding championship.
The Australian was the only rider to last 8 seconds in the 10-man round, making him the only fiveround winner.
No one made the whistle in the Shootout, forcing a ride-off, and again Hamilton was the only man to finish.
He left with a rodeo-best $62,000 in winnings.
“You’ve always got to show up thinking you’re the best,” Hamilton said. “You don’t have to tell anybody, but you definitely have to think it.”
Hali Williams ($53,750) won the second breakaway title in Houston history.
The 19-year-old advanced to the Shootout on a tiebreaker, and then posted a 3.6 on the round’s first run.
“It’s amazing,” she said. “This is a winter rodeo that we all dream of winning. It’s surreal to be honest.”
Leighton Berry posted the biggest win of his career his third time here.
The Texan took advantage of a rematch with Yippee Kibitz to score 90 points in the Shootout and collect $57,375.
“I won the Ponoka Stampede in Alberta on that horse last year, so I knew I had a good chance,” he said. “And they’ve been winning all the rodeos on her this year. So to come out on top on another great bucking horse is amazing.”
Riley Mason Webb ($55,625) and his new horse, Boots, secured the Houston team-roping championship in 8.9 seconds in his first appearance here.
“Everybody dreams of winning RodeoHouston, so to be able to do it, I’m still shocked,” he said. “I was the first roper out in the final four, and I had a calf that ran, so I ran him halfway across the arena, and if you’ve ever been to NRG Stadium, you know that’s a long way.
“But it all worked out for me.”
Everything worked out for steer wrestler Dalton Massey, and team ropers Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler. Massey secured $54,250 with a 4.5 on the last run of his Shootout, and Richard and Buhler split $111,500 with a 5.5.
“When I hooked the nose and threw that steer, I looked back at the clock as the steer was hitting the ground, and when I saw 4.5 emotions overran me,” Massey said.
“That was pretty awesome.”