Wild Card Wednesday has been one of the most highly anticipated events on the roster of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR) and it didn’t disappoint.

Eight contestants in each of the events had one last opportunity to advance to the FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament Semifinals with a chance to win a legendary and prestigious rodeo championship. Competition started with seven brackets. The top two money earners in each bracket advanced directly to the semifinals.

All the third place finishers met in the Wild Card where just two advance to compete again in Dickies Arena. FWSSR is celebrating 125 years of history, and just two of them have included the tournament style of rodeo. At each level, contestants start with a clean slate.

The Wild Card Wednesday Rounds

That clean slate meant contestants gave it their all, hoping to compete here again. With a star-studded field in every event, the pressure was on.

Bareback Riding:

It didn’t affect 2019 world champion bareback rider Clayton Biglow from Clements, California.

Biglow got on the horse named Pistol Princess owned by Championship Pro Rodeo on Wednesday. When the judges added up their totals, he had an 88 by his name. The high-marked ride of the night earned him $1,000 for the eight-second ride. The money helps, but the most important thing is advancing to the semifinals. Right behind Biglow was Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier Bill Tutor from Huntsville, Texas, with 87.

Steer Wrestling:

In the steer wrestling, two-time NFR qualifier Rowdy Parrott from Mamou, Louisiana and the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo coach Stockton Graves advanced.

Breakaway Roping:

Tacy Webb from Midway, Texas is a registered ICU nurse who loves horses and breakaway roping. Webb won her event with a 2.2-second run. Kelsie Domer from Dublin, Texas, finished second at 2.3.

Saddle Bronc Riding:

Stetson Wright’s fans have watched him struggle here this year. The three-time world champion all-around cowboy competed in the bull riding and saddle bronc riding. He is also the reigning world champion saddle bronc rider and squeaked into the Wild Card in that event. Wright got on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Beaver Bend and scored 88.5 points. The Milford, Utah, resident is now in contention for a Fort Worth championship. Also advancing in the saddle bronc riding is Sterling Crawley, the 2019 champion here who grew up an hour away at Stephenville.

Tie-Down Roping:

The battle for the final semifinal spots in tie-down roping came down to the last calf. Cory Solomon of Prairie View had a 7.6 and had to watch three ropers try to best him, two of whom are world champions. Reigning world champion Caleb Smidt of Bellville had a 10-second penalty. Then finally, it was the 2020 world champ Shad Mayfield’s turn. The Clovis, New Mexico, resident stopped the clock in 7.8 seconds and secured the other spot.

Team Roping:

Fan-favorite Coleman Proctor along with Logan Medlin got the “w” in the team roping. Proctor of Pryor, Oklahoma did the heading while Tatum, New Mexico’s Medlin caught the heels. They are advancing thanks to a 3.8-second run. Montana’s Clay Tryan and Kansan Jake Long finished second with a 4.5.

Barrel Racing:

It was fitting to see Dona Kay Rule at the top of the barrel racing on National Girls & Women in Sports Day. Rule, of Minco, Oklahoma has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo three times and did it after raising a family and having a career in the saddle making business. Now her focus is her passion, barrel racing. She and her great horse, High Valor, had the fastest time on Wednesday at 16.26 seconds. Stephanie Fryar from Waco, Texas, finished second with 16.35.

Bull Riding:

Ultimately, Trey Benton III from Richards, Texas, had the highest marked bull ride of the rodeo so far at 92.5 points. Benton rode Rafter G Rodeo’s bull Goin Brandin and will now have a chance at his first Fort Worth buckle. Additionally, also advancing is Ruger Piva from Challis, Idaho who had an 85.5-point ride.

Semi-Final Rounds

The first of two semifinals will start at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night in Dickies Arena with eight competitors in each event. The top four will be back on Saturday, along with the top four from Friday’s semifinals, going for big money and championship prize packages that include trophy buckles that become family heirlooms.

The following are, however, unofficial results from the FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament’s Wild Card Round at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Sunday, January 30, 2022. (Qualifiers are based on tie-breaker rules.)

Wild Card Wednesday Round Results

Bareback Riding:

1, Clayton Biglow, Clements, Calif., 88 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Pistol Princess, $1,000. 2, Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas, 87, $600. 3, Kody Lamb, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, 86, $400.

Semifinals Qualifiers: Biglow and Tutor

Steer Wrestling:

1, Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La., 5.0 seconds, $1,000. 2, (tie) Stockton Graves, Alva, Okla., and Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 5.2, $500 each.

Semifinals Qualifiers: Parrott and Graves

Breakaway Roping:

1, Tacy Webb, Midway, Texas, 2.2 seconds, $1,000. 2, Kelsie Domer, Dublin, Texas, 2.3, $600. 3, Jordi Edens, Gatesville, Texas, 2.7, $400.

Semifinals Qualifiers: Webb and Domer

Saddle Bronc Riding:

1, Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, 88.5 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Beaver Bend. 2, (tie) Lefty Marvel Holman, Visalia, Calif., and Sterling Crawley, Huntsville, Texas, 84.5, $500 each.

Tie-Down Roping:

1, Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, 7.6 seconds, $1,000. 2, Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M., 7.8, $600. 3, Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 8.4, $400.

Semifinals Qualifiers: Solomon and Mayfield

Team Roping:

1, Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla., and Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M., 3.8 seconds, $1,000 each. 2, Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 4.5, $600 each. 3, Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas, and Trey Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 14.2, $400 each.

Semifinals Qualifiers: Proctor and Medin; and Tryan and Long

Barrel Racing:

1, Dona Kay Rule, Minco, Okla., 16.26 seconds, $1,000. 2, Stephanie Fryar, Waco, Texas, 16.26, $600. 3, Ivy Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 16.52, $400.

Semifinals Qualifiers: Rule and Fryar

Bull Riding:

1, Trey Benton III, Richards, Texas, 92.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Goin Brandin, $1,000. 2, Ruger Piva, Challis, Idaho, 85.5, $600. 3, Trey Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 72, $400.

Semifinals Qualifiers: Benton and Piva