Speed Reigns Supreme: Super Series III Unleashes Rodeo's Fastest Times

With the fastest times of the entire rodeo in two events, Super Series III was one to watch as contestants made their way one step closer to the treasured $50,000 prize.

RODEOHOUSTON

After nine performances, 12 contestants in each event have qualified for the semifinals at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The competitors dream of being on the stage on the final day and holding up that big check for $50,000.

In order to be champions, they first have to make their way out of their Super Series and be among the top four money earners. Here's a look at how Super Series III turned out.

Clint Laye / RODEOHOUSTON

In the bareback riding, Canadian cowboy Clint Laye dominated the field by winning the first and second rounds. Calgary Stampede's Blasting Sand danced with Laye in round one for 85 points and the win. Round two brought another Calgary horse, named Chokecherry, where Laye scored 84 points. 

Jess Pope came alive in round three with Cervi Championship Rodeo's Banger Main. Pope rode the horse for 85 points and the win, which was just what he needed to do to ensure his spot in the semifinals. 

In total, Laye earned $8,000 to put himself far ahead of his competitors and take the No. 1 seed out of Super Series III.

The steer wrestling rounds were each won by different cowboys, but the story here is that both the No. 1 and 2 ranked cowboys in the World Standings advanced from this Super Series.  

Dalton Massey, who is ranked No. 2, stayed strong by winning $5,250 over the three rounds and advancing. Massey is coming back as the 2023 RODEOHOUSTON champion and looks to defend that title. 

Will Lummus, the current World Standings leader, is keeping the heat on and the gas mashed on earnings. The big man from Byhalia, Miss., won $2,250, which was enough to advance to the fourth-place position.

Kendal Pierson / RODEOHOUSTON

In the breakaway, everyone was pleased to see Hali Williams back in the box and nodded her head. Williams has been out since the finish of the National Finals Breakaway Finals due to a freak accident with a horse backing out of a trailer. Williams finished 2023 in pain and then had surgery and has been out since.

Williams roped outstanding in the first two rounds where she was 3.1 each time but, suffered a broken barrier in round one. The 3.1 second run in round two was good enough to split the round and give her $3,000 in total earnings to advance her.

Canadian Kendal Pierson roped like she was on a mission. She was 3.1 each in the first two rounds and then followed those with a 4.0 in round three. She was a lady on top when the Super Series ended with her $5,750 earnings.

Round three was ladies night with both ladies events earning the title of fastest times! In the barrel race, it was Ilyssa Riley giving a fist bump leaving the arena, and it was well deserved. Her 14.56 second run was the fastest run seen in NRG Stadium thus far.

Martha Angelone won the third and final round with a 2.9-second run, which is also the fastest run seen so far at 2024 RODEOHOUSTON.

Super Series III Full Results

Bareback riding: First round: 1. Clint Laye, 85 points on Calgary Stampede’s Blasting Sand, $3,000; 2. Jacob Lees, 84, $2,000; 3. Leighton Berry, 82.5, $1,000; 4. Luke Thrash, 81.5, $750; 5. Jesse Pope, 81, $500; 6. Jayco Roper and Waylon Bourgeois, 77, $125 each. Second round: 1. Clint Laye, 84 points on Calgary Stampede’s Chokecherry, $3,000; 2. Jacob Lees, 83.5, $2,000; 3. Leighton Berry, 83, $1,000; 4. Jesse Pope, 79.5, $750; 5. Bill Tutor, 79, $500; 6. Waylon Bourgeois, 76, $250. 1. Jesse Pope, 85 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Banger Main, $3,000; 2. Clint Laye, 83.5, $2,000; 3. Jacob Lees, 82, $1,000; 4. Luke Thrash, 81, $750; 5. Leighton Berry, 80.5, $500; 6. Waylon Bourgeois, 79, $250.
Semifinal qualifiers: 1. Clint Laye, $8,000; 2. Jacob Lees, $5,000; 3. Jesse Pope, $4,250; 4. Leighton Berry, $2,500.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tristan Martin, 5.4 seconds, $3,000; 2. Walt Arnold, 6.5, $2,000; 3. Dirk Tavenner, 8.4, $1,000; 4. Dalton Massey, 8.9, $750; 5. Will Lummus, 15.2, $500; 6. Trisyn Kalawaia, 17.7, $250. Second round: 1. Dalton Massey, 4.1 seconds, $3,000; 2. Walt Arnold, 5.3, $2,000; 3. Will Lummus, 5.9, $1,000; 4. Tristan Martin, 6.2, $750; 5. Trisyn Kalawaia, 10.2, $500; 6. Stockton Graves, 14.5, $250. Third round: 1. Walt Arnold, 5.1 seconds, $3,000; 2. (tie) Dalton Massey and Stan Branco, 5.3, $1,500 each; 4. Will Lummus, 5.4, $750; 5. Trisyn Kalawaia, 5.6, $500; 6. Tristan Martin, 6.7, $250.
Semifinal qualifiers: 1. Walt Arnold, $7,000; 2. Dalton Massey, $5,250; 3. Tristan Martin, $4,000; 4. Will Lummus, $2,250.

Team roping: First round: 1. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 5.4 seconds, $3,000; 2. Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, 7.3, $2,000; 3. Brenten Hall/Tyler Worley, 9.1, $1,000; 4. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 10.8, $750; 5. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 12.4, $500; no other qualified runs. Second round: 1. (tie) Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry and Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 4.5 seconds, $2,500 each; 3. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 5.5, $1,000; 4. (tie) Brenten Hall/Tyler Worley and J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II, 5.9, $625 each; no other qualified runs. Third round: 1. J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.5 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, 4.7, $2,000; 3. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.9, $1,000; 4. (tie) Cody Snow/Hunter Koch and Brenten Hall/Tyler Worley, 5.8, $625 each; 6. Pedro Egurrola/J.C. Flake, 10.4, $250.
Semifinal qualifiers: 1. Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, $6,500 each; 2. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch,

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Damian Brennan, 80.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Sippin on Fire, $3,000; 2. Lucas Macza, 78, $2,000; 3. Ross Griffin, 77, $1,000; 4. Zac Dallas, 71, $750; 5. Cash Wilson, 69, $500; 6. Logan Hay, 68, $250. Second round: 1. Damian Brennan, on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Liza Jane and Zeke Thurston, on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Blackberry Brandy, 86 points, $2,500 each; 3. Logan Hay, 85, $1,000; 4. Cash Wilson, 82.5, $750; 5. Zac Dallas, 75, $500; 6. Lucas Macza, 73, $250. Third round: 1. Logan Hay, 86 points on Calgary Stampede’s Zoria Hills, $3,000; 2. Lucas Macza, 83.5, $2,000; 3. Cash Wilson, 82, $1,000; 4. Zeke Thurston, 81.5, $750; 5. Damian Brennan; 79, $500; 6. Stuart Wright, 67, $250.
Semifinal qualifiers: 1. Damian Brennan, $6,000; 2. (tie) Logan Medlin and Lucas Macza, $4,250 each; 4. Zeke Thurston, $3,250.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Macon Murphy, 8.9 seconds, $3,000; 2. Marty Yates, 9.5, $2,000; 3. Chris McCuistion, 9.9, $1,000; 4. Joel Harris, 10.2, $750; 5. Michael Otero, 10.6, $500; 6. Cory Solomon, 10.7, $250. Second round: 1. Chance Thiessen, 8.7 seconds, $3,000; 2. Joel Harris, 9.5, $2,000; 3. Chris McCuistion, 11.0, $1,000; 4. Macon Murphy, 11.1, $750; 5. Marty Yates, 18.3, $500; no other qualified runs. Third round: 1. Joel Harris, 9.3 seconds, $3,000; 2. Marty Yates, 10.0, $2,000; 3. Macon Murphy, 10.9, $1,000; 4. Cory Solomon, 11.4, $750; 5. Chris McCuistion, 13.0, $500; 6. Chance Thiessen, 17.6, $250.
Semifinal qualifiers: 1. Joel Harris, $5,750; 2. Macon Murphy, $4,750; 3. Marty Yates, $4,500; 4. Chance Thiessen, $3,250.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Kassie Mowry, 14.64 seconds, $3,000; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 14.82, $2,000; 3. Sara Winkelman, 15.15, $1,000; 4. Lakken Bice, 15.27, $750; 5. Ilyssa Riley, 15.35, $500; 6. Kelly Allen, 15.41, $250. Second round: 1. Ilyssa Riley, 14.63 seconds, $3,000; 2. Abby Phillips, 14.74, $2,000; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 14.84, $1,000; 4. Sara Winkelman, 15.04, $750; 5. Lakken Bice, 15.14, $500; 6. Kelly Allen, 15.36, $250. Third round: 1. Ilyssa Riley, 14.56 seconds, $3,000; 2. Sara Winkelman, 14.81, $2,000; 3. Kassie Mowry, 14.83, $1,000; 4. Hailey Kinsel, 14.88, $750; 5. Carlee Otero, 14.91, $500; 6. Kelly Allen, 14.97, $250.
Semifinal qualifiers: 1. Ilyssa Riley, $6,500; 2. Kassie Mowry, $4,000; 3. (tie) Sara Winkelman and Hailey Kinsel, $3,750 each.

Bull riding: First round: *1. Stran Smith, 85.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Smokin Hot, $4,250; 2. Creek Young, 85, $3,250; no other qualified rides. Second round: *1. Trevor Reiste, 88.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Hostile, $3,188; 2. T.J. Gray, 85, $2,188; 3. Stran Smith, 84.5, $1,188; 4. Clayton Sellars, 82.5, $938; no other qualified rides. Third round: *1. T.J. Gray, 84.5 points on Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Bad Memory, $3,500; 2. Stran Smith, 82.5, $2,500; 3. Clayton Sellars, 81, $1,500; no other qualified rides. 
Semifinal qualifiers: 1. Stran Smith, $7,938; 2. T.J. Gray, $5,688; 3. Trevor Reiste, $3,188; 4. Creek Young, $3,250.

Breakaway roping: First round: 1. Kendal Pierson, 3.1 seconds, $3,000; 2. Cheyanne McCartney, 4.3, $2,000; 3. Shayla Hall, 12.5, $1,000; 4. Martha Angelone, 13.0, $750; 5. Hali Williams, 13.1, $750; 6. Samantha Fulton, 13.8, $250. Second round: 1. (tie) Hali Williams and Kendal Pierson, 3.1 seconds, $2,500 each; 3. Martha Angelone, 3.8, $1,000; 4. Taylor Munsell, 3.9, $750; 5. Josey Murphy, 4.0, $500; no other qualified runs. Third round: 1. Martha Angelone, 2.9 seconds, $3,000; 2. Taylor Munsell, 3.0, $2,000; 3. Samantha Fulton, 3.2, $1,000; 4. (tie) Josey Murphy and Cheyanne McCartney, 3.3, $625 each; 6. Kendal Pierson, 4.0, $250. 
Semifinal qualifiers: 1. Kendal Pierson, $5,750; 2. Martha Angelone, $4,750; 3. Hali Williams, $3,000; 4. Taylor Munsell, $2,750.

*(all totals include ground money).