As RodeoHouston nears its grand finale, the stakes couldn’t be higher, $65,000 awaits the champions. The First Semifinal was a battle for survival, narrowing the field to four athletes per event for the ultimate showdown on Championship Sunday.

Bareback riding was won by Mason Clements, who sits at No. 5 in the World Standings and has advanced to all three Texas Swing Finals so far this season. He finished seventh in San Antonio and second in Fort Worth. Clements scored 86.5 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Tarzan, securing a decisive win. While there was no drama for the top spot, the battle for the fourth and final qualifying position was intense. Bradlee Miller, the last cowboy out, rode for 84.5 points – one of three bareback riders to post that score. He and Orin Larsen advanced, while Jayco Roper found himself just outside the cut. Cole Reiner placed second in the round with 85 points.

In steer wrestling, Stephen Culling and Ty Erickson split the win with identical 4.6-second runs. A run of five seconds flat or faster was required to advance, and both Cash Robb and Ryan Shuckburgh hit that mark to claim the final two spots from Semifinal 1.

Team roping belonged to Tanner Tomlinson and Travis Graves, who had already set the fastest time of the rodeo back in Round 3 of Super Series 1 with a 4.3. Nearly two weeks later, they clocked a 5.5 in Semifinal 1 to take the top spot. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, and Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp also punched their tickets to the next round.

Statler Wright, the Fort Worth runner-up, delivered an 88.5-point ride on Yesterday’s Delivery to win Semifinal 1 in saddle bronc riding. His brother and fellow Top 5 bronc rider, Ryder Wright, also advanced with an 85-point ride, finishing third. Kolby Wanchuck placed second, while Chase Brooks secured the final qualifying position in fourth.

Shelby Boisjoli-Meged kept her momentum going in breakaway roping. After needing a Round 3 win in Super Series 5 just to stay alive on Tuesday night, she stayed hot with a blazing 3.1-second run on Wednesday to claim victory in Semifinal 1. The competition was tight, with the three other qualifiers – Rickie Fanning, Bradi Good, and Taylor Munsell – posting times of either 3.2 or 3.3 seconds.

In tie-down roping, Riley Webb and Zack Jongbloed tied for the top spot with twin 8.8-second runs. Both are familiar with the bright lights of Houston: Webb won the rodeo in 2023, while Jongbloed finished fourth in 2022. NFR veterans John Douch and Marty Yates also advanced.

Defending champion Leslie Smalygo kept rolling in barrel racing, claiming her third go-round win in four runs. Her 14.61-second semifinal time was her best yet this year, though she posted a blistering 14.35 to win the event last season. Jordon Briggs, Summer Kosel, and Jamie Olsen all clocked 14.77 or faster to move on.

Bull riding wrapped up the first semifinal performance in textbook fashion, as exactly four cowboys made the whistle to fill the available spots. Wacey Schalla led the way with 85 points, followed by Stetson Wright at 84.5, TJ Gray at 84, and Jordan Spears with 81.

QUICK DRAW

With his victory Wednesday night, Statler Wright has now won a round in all three Texas Swing rodeos this season.

The Top 3 to advance in the bull riding – Wacey Schalla, Stetson Wright, and TJ Gray – are also the Top 3 in the PRCA World Standings in that order.

Leslie Smalygo now has 10 straight runs of 14.85 or faster in RodeoHouston and dating back to last year, she has won five of the last six rounds she has competed in inside NRG Stadium. She was second in the one she did not win.

Leighton Berry, who is looking to be the second bareback rider to ever threepeat in Houston, will have to do it through the Wild Card after 82.5 points in Semifinal 1.

RESULTS

BAREBACK RIDING

Semifinal 1: 1. Mason Clements, 86.5 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Tarzan, $3,000; 2. Cole Reiner, 85, $2,000; 3. (tie) Orin Larsen, Bradlee Miller and Jayco Roper, 84.5, $583 each; 6. Weston Timberman, 83; 7. Leighton Berry, 82.5; 8. (tie) Chad Rutherford and Waylon Bourgeois, 81.5 each; 10. Tanner Aus, 79.

STEER WRESTLING

Semifinal 1: 1. (tie) Stephen Culling and Ty Erickson, 4.6 seconds, $2,500 each; 3. (tie) Cash Robb and Ryan Shuckburgh, 5.0, $875 each; 5. Tucker Allen, 8.9; 6. Chance Howard, 12.1; 7. (tie) Kyle Irwin and Gavin Soileau, 14.0; 9. J.D. Struxness, 14.1; 10. Travis Munro, NT.

TEAM ROPING

Semifinal 1: 1. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 5.5 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 6.0, $2,000; 3. (tie) Jake Smith/Douglas Rich and Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 6.4, $875 each; 5. Tyler Tryan/Denton Dunning, 10.9; 6. Coy Brittain/Colton Brittain, 11.0; 7. Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, 11.3; 8. (tie) Lightning Aguilera/Patrick Smith, Marcus Theriot/Wyatt Cox and Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, NT.

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Semifinal 1: 1. Statler Wright, 88.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Yesterday’s Delivery, $3,000; 2. Kolby Wanchuk, 86.5, $2,000; 3. Ryder Wright, 85, $1,000; 4. Chase Brooks, 84.5, $750; 5. (tie) Logan Cook and Zeke Thurston, 83.5 each; 7. Brody Wells, 83; 8. Kade Bruno, 79.5; 9. Jesse Kruse, 77; 10. Riggin Smith, NS.

BREAKAWAY ROPING

Semifinal 1: 1. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 3.1 seconds, $3,000; 2. Rickie Fanning, 3.2, $2,000; 3. (tie) Bradi Good and Taylor Munsell, 3.3, $875 each.

TIE-DOWN ROPING

Semifinal 1: 1. (tie) Zack Jongbloed and Riley Mason Webb, 8.8 seconds, $2,500 each; 3. John Douch, 9.2, $1,000; 4. Marty Yates, 9.9, $750; 5. Cole Clemons, 10.9; 6. Seth Hall, 12.6; 7. Shad Mayfield, 14.8; 8. Cash Hooper, 10.2; 9. (tie) Tyler Calhoun and Logan Bird, NT.

BARREL RACING

Semifinal 1: 1. Leslie Smalygo, 14.61 seconds, $3,000; 2. Jordon Briggs, 14.65, $2,000; 3. Summer Kosel, 14.76, $1,000; 4. Jamie Olsen, 14.77, $750; 5. Megan Sprague-Meged, 14.83; 6. Abby Phillips, 15.02; 7. Andrea Busby, 15.24; 8. Lisa Lockhart, 15.25; 9. Sadie Troyer, 20.62; 10. Sissy Winn, 21.34.

BULL RIDING

Semifinal 1: 1. Wacey Schalla, 85 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Milkshake, $3,000; 2. Stetson Dell Wright, 84.5, $2,000; 3. T.J. Gray, 84, $1,000; 4. Jordan Spears, 81, $750; 5. (tie) Trey Benton, Scottie Knapp, Hawk Whitt and Fulton Rutland, NS.