RAPID CITY, S.D. – The only thing tighter than the bond between ProRodeo steer wrestlers is how tight the race is for a qualification to the 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
And the deciding factor in who makes the cut has boiled down to the final round of the Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale in Rapid City, S.D.
Steer wrestler Tanner Brunner has used the Tour Finale to climb the PRCA | RAM World Standings from 12th to eighth, but there’s only a $4,390 buffer between him and 15th.
RELATED: Updated World Standings
“It’s a great rodeo at the end of the year that can help a lot of cowboys out on the bubble,” said Brunner, 27. “Just to have rodeos is great, and I’m happy they gave us somewhere to go with a great rodeo.”
With the final round on the horizon, Brunner and the 10 steer wrestlers hot on his trail are separated by less than $10,000.
Fans can watch the semifinals and finals of the Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale live on The Cowboy Channel and the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app at 9:30 p.m. (ET), Sept. 26.
Brunner was part of a six-way tie for second place in the first round of the Tour Finale with a 3.9-second run and placed third in Round 2 with 3.6 seconds to win the average with 7.5 seconds on two head.
“It’s a great setup, a great set of steers and a great set of cowboys here,” Brunner said. “You always think you will do well but there are other factors that go into it.”
One of those factors was Brunner’s mount, Miss Kitty, whom he owns with Sean Mulligan.
“She did very well, and Shayde Etherton placed on her too, so we’ll have two guys on her in the short round,” Brunner said.
Brunner has already earned $3,897 at the Tour Finale, however, Saturday is when the big checks will be won.
“You can’t let up, have to keep the hammer down and keep winning as much as you can,” Brunner said.
Brunner’s ProRodeo career has gained momentum in recent years, winning more than $302,642 since his rookie year in 2013 largely thanks to making back-to-back NFR qualifications (2018-19). The Ramona, Kan., cowboy slipped into the 2019 Finals in the No. 15 hole and is on track to make it a three-peat.
“It’s been great, but I’ll be happy with whatever I can get in there with,” Brunner laughed. “We will let the horses rest for a couple weeks and have a couple of fall rodeos and the (Prairie) circuit finals. We get a bit of a break and then can freshen up before the Finals.”
Check ProRodeo.com for coverage of the final round of the Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale.
RELATED: Daysheets for Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale
Average winners are bareback rider Orin Larsen (175.5 points on two head); team ropers Riley Minor/Brady Minor (9.3 seconds on two head); saddle bronc rider Brody Cress (176.5 points on two head); tie-down roper Westyn Hughes (16.1 seconds on two head); barrel racer Dona Kay Rule (31.94 seconds on two); and bull rider Stetson Wright (87 points on one head).
Pro Tour Finale
Rapid City, S.D., Sept. 22-26
Bareback riding: First round: 1. Orin Larsen, 90.5 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail, $2,010; 2. Cole Reiner, 89.5, $1,541; 3. Caleb Bennett, 87.5, $1,139; 4. Nate McFadden, 87, $737; 5. Leighton Berry, 86, $469; 6. (tie) Chad Rutherford, Jesse Pope and Tim O’Connell, 85.5, $268 each. Second round: 1. Jesse Pope, 88 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Current Times, $2,010; 2. Tilden Hooper, 87, $1,541; 3. Richmond Champion, 86.5, $1,139; 4. (tie) Orin Larsen and Garrett Shadbolt, 85, $603 each; 6. Jayco Roper, 84.5, $335; 7. (tie) Kaycee Feild and Caleb Bennett, 83.5, $235 each. Average leaders: 1. Orin Larsen, 175.5 points on two head; 2. Jesse Pope, 173.5; 3. Cole Reiner, 172.5; 4. Richmond Champion, 171.5; 5. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Tilden Hooper, 171 each; no other qualified rides.
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 3.5 seconds, $2,010; 2. (tie) Tanner Brunner, Ty Erickson, Stetson Jorgensen, Dakota Eldridge, Clayton Hass and Jace Melvin, 3.9, $748 each; 8. Shayde Etherton, 4.0, $201. Second round: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.2 seconds, $2,010; 2. Curtis Cassidy, 3.5, $1,541; 3. Tanner Brunner, 3.6, $1,139; 4. Jacob Edler, 3.7, $737; 5. Will Lummus, 3.8, $469; 6. Shayde Etherton, 3.9, $335; 7. (tie) Cade Goodman, Blake Knowles, Ty Erickson and Dalton Massey, 4.1, $117 each. Average leaders: 1. Tanner Brunner, 7.5 seconds on two head; 2. (tie) Rowdy Parrott and Curtis Cassidy, 7.8 each; 4. Shayde Etherton, 7.9; 5. Ty Erickson, 8.0; 6. Jacob Talley, 8.4; no other qualified runs.
Team roping: First round: 1. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 4.3 seconds, $2,010 each; 2. (tie) Erich Rogers/Paden Bray and Matt Sherwood/Trey Yates, 4.5, $1,340 each; 4. Nick Sartain/Joseph Harrison, 4.8, $737; 5. (tie) Clay Smith/Jade Corkill and Kolton Schmidt/Hunter Koch, 5.1, $402 each; 7. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 5.2, $268; 8. Tate Kirchenschlager/Ross Ashford, 5.5, $201. Second round: 1. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 3.9 seconds, $2,010 each; 2. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes and Levi Simpson/Shay Dixon Carroll, 4.4, $1,340 each; 4. (tie) Jake Cooper/Nano Garza and Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 4.7, $603 each; 6. Charly Crawford/Logan Medlin, 4.9, $335; 7. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 5.0, $268; 8. Kolton Schmidt/Hunter Koch, 5.3, $201. Average leaders: 1. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 9.3 seconds on two head; 2. Kolton Schmidt/Hunter Koch, 10.4; 3. Matt Sherwood/Trey Yates, 10.8; 4. Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 11.2; 5. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 12.9; 6. Nick Sartain/Joseph Harrison, 14.0; no other qualified runs.
Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Brody Cress, 88 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Covergirl, $2,010; 2. (tie) Jake Finlay and Shorty Garrett, 86.5, $1,340 each; 4. (tie) Taos Muncy and Logan Hay, 86, $603 each; 6. (tie) Ben Andersen, Isaac Diaz and Logan Cook, 84.5, $268 each. Second round: 1. Brody Cress, 88.5 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Marquee, $2,010; 2. (tie) Taos Muncy and CoBurn Bradshaw, 86.5, $1,340 each; 4. Stetson Wright, 86, $737; 5. Allen Boore, 84.5, $469; 6. (tie) Jake Watson and Ben Andersen, 84, $302 each; 8. (tie) Kole Ashbacher and Chase Brooks, 83.5, $101 each. Average leaders: 1. Brody Cress, 176.5 points on two head; 2. Taos Muncy, 172.5; 3. Ben Andersen, 168.5; 4. Stetson Wright, 168; 5. (tie) Allen Boore and Jake Watson, 167.5 each; no other qualified rides.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Tyler Milligan, 7.6 seconds, $2,010; 2. Westyn Hughes, 8.0, $1,541; 3. Cody Huber, 8.2, $1,139; 4. Tyson Durfey, 8.3, $737; 5. Colton Farquer, 8.5, $469; 6. Cory Solomon, 8.6, $335; 7. (tie) Timber Moore and John Douch, 8.7, $235 each. Second round: 1. Caleb Smidt, 7.7 seconds, $2,010; 2. Westyn Hughes, 8.1, $1,541; 3. Timber Moore, 8.8, $1,139; 4. (tie) John Douch and Haven Meged, 9.2, $603 each; 6. Caddo Lewallen, 9.4, $335; 7. Tyson Durfey, 10.1, $268; 8. Tyler Milligan, 10.3, $201. Average leaders: 1. Westyn Hughes, 16.1 seconds on two head; 2. Caleb Smidt, 16.5; 3. Timber Moore, 17.5; 4. (tie) John Douch and Tyler Milligan, 17.9 each; 6. Caddo Lewallen, 18.3; no other qualified runs.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 15.94 seconds, $2,010; 2. Michelle Alley, 16.00, $1,541; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 16.03, $1,139; 4. (tie) Nellie Miller and Megan Champion, 16.06, $603 each; 6. Cindy Smith, 16.14, $335; 7. (tie) Shelley Morgan and Ryann Pedone, 16.21, $235 each. Second round: 1. Tiany Schuster, 15.97 seconds, $2,010; 2. Dona Kay Rule, 16.00, $1,541; 3. Brittney Barnett, 16.06, $1,139; 4. Hailey Kinsel, 16.07, $737; 5. Shali Lord, 16.14, $469; 6. Ashley Castleberry, 16.17, $335; 7. (tie) Nellie Miller and Lacinda Rose, 16.20, $235 each. Average leaders: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 31.94 seconds on two head; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 32.10; 3. Michelle Alley, 32.24; 4. Nellie Miller, 32.26; 5. Brittney Barnett, 32.42; 6. Shelley Morgan, 32.45; no other qualified runs.
Bull riding: First round: 1. Stetson Wright, 87 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Quid Pro Quo, $2,039; 2. Parker Breding, 86, $1,570; 3. Jeston Mead, 81.5, $1,168; 4. Jeff Askey, 80.5, $766; 5. Ty Wallace, 78, $498; 6. Josh Frost, 76, $364; 7. Colten Fritzlan, 74, $297; no other qualified rides. Second round: 1. Brady Portenier, 86.5 points on Harper & Morgan Rodeo Co’s Nikki Sixx, $2,328; 2. Brody Yeary, 85, $1,859; 3. Sage Kimzey, 80, $1,457; 4. Denton Fugate, 72, $1,055; no other qualified rides. Average leaders: 1. Stetson Wright, 87 points on one head; 2. Brady Portenier, 86.5; 3. Parker Breding, 86; 4. Brody Yeary, 85; 5. Jeston Mead, 81.5; 6. Jeff Askey, 80.5; no other qualified rides.
Total payoff: $300,800. Stock contractors: Championship Pro Rodeo, Dakota Rodeo, Brookman Rodeo, Summit Pro Rodeo, Bailey Pro Rodeo, Harper & Morgan Rodeo Co, Korkow Rodeos, Burch Rodeo, Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics, Sutton Rodeos, Three Hills Rodeo, Stace Smith Pro Rodeos and J Bar J. Rodeo secretary: Cathy Wieferich. Officials: Mike Todd, Butch Kirby, George Gibbs and Cliff Overstreet. Timers: Tonya Lovelace and Pat Parks. Announcer: Boyd Polhamus. Bullfighters: Dayton Spiel and Cade Parks. Clown/barrelman: Cody Sosebee. Flankmen: Red Lemmel, Sparky Dreesen, Bailey Burch and Ezra Coleman. Chute bosses: Andy Hilton and Scotty Lovelace. Pickup men: Kirk Schuelke, Tyler Robertson and Shayne Porch. Photographers: Alaina Stangle and Jackie Jensen. Music director: Joshua Hilton.
