Walkups Go 2-0 at Fort Worth Rodeo Bull Riding
The Sunday performance of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo ended with a bull riding round that two young cowboys will never forget.
Both Shane Proctor and Ky Hamilton were out in Round 2 of Bracket 6 with arm or shoulder injuries. As a result, Jax Mills, the 19-year-old from Montgomery, Texas, and Wacey Schalla, the 18-year-old from Arapaho, Okla., got the opportunity to be the walk-ups to fill the eight cowboy roster for the round at the Fort Worth Rodeo.
Mills would be in the spot for Proctor. Riding Grey Goose of United Pro Rodeo, Mills was able to register one of only three qualified rides in the round. Mills and Grey Goose combined for a score of 76. Grey Goose had an 89% buck-off rate in 2023. The 19-year-old would hang on and make a statement on a Sunday afternoon in Cowtown.
In Ky Hamilton's position, riding last would be his friend Wacey Schalla. Schalla was in North Carolina on Saturday at noon. To his delight, 24 hours later, he would be a walk-up at a rodeo that is known to make legends. Schalla would face off against Happy Days. Happy Days is another United Pro Rodeo bucking bull that had an almost 89% buck-off rate in 2023. This would be Happy Days' first ride of the 2024 season. Schalla would have a "happy day" as he rode for a round-winning score of 85.5.
Round 2 of Bracket 6 would not only make dreams come true for a couple of young bull riders but also be the launching point for several cowgirls and cowboys to the semifinals of the "legendary" Fort Worth Stockshow and Rodeo.
In the Bareback Riding, World Champion Keenan Hayes, who had an 86-point ride, will advance to the semifinals with Ty Pope, who scored 85.5 on Sunday. Cooper Cooke of Victor, Idaho, will move on to the Wildcard Round.
Gavin Soileau, with a 3.6-second run, and Western Sports Media-sponsored Don Payne, who had a 4.3-second run, will move to the semifinals in Steer Wrestling. Brandon Harrison will hope to advance out of the Wildcard Round and join them in the finals.
With a 2.2-second run, Jill Tanner will advance to the semifinals with Jordan Jo Hollabaugh in Breakaway Roping. Bailey Patterson won the round with a 2-second run to qualify for the Wildcard spot.
Ryder Wright, a familiar name in Saddle Bronc Riding, won both rounds of Bracket 6. He will advance with Wyatt Casper of Miami, Texas, to the semifinals. Talon Elshere, who scored 84 on Sunday, will move to the Wildcard Round.
A three-way tie in the Tie-Down Roping resulted in King Pickett of Peaster, Texas, and the legendary Marty Yates of Stephenville, Texas, advancing to the semifinals. Pickett won the round with a fast time of 7.7 seconds. Shane Hanchey, a world-renowned horseman and tie-down roper, will get a chance in the Wildcard Round.
Another three-way tie in the money happened in the Team Roping. Summers and Long won the round with a time of 5.0 seconds. They, along with Smith and Payne, will head to the semifinals. Tsinigine and Motes qualified for the Wildcard.
Leslie Smalygo won the round in Barrel Racing with a time of 16.65 seconds. She and Rainey Skelton of Llano, Texas, would qualify for the semifinals. Stephanie Fryar, riding her new horse, Melania, will make an attempt to come out of the Wildcard and make the finals.
Fort Worth is far from over. Monday starts the seventh and final round before the Wildcard and Semifinals. Stay tuned for more results and stories that legends are made of.
