Wednesday marked the second day of doubleheaders at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas as Round 2 of the INFR wrapped up. Beginning Thursday, the format shifts to one performance per day, with the bottom half of each event competing in Round 3 on Thursday night and the top half on Friday. The Top 12 roughstock contestants and Top 16 timed event contestants will advance to Saturday’s Short Round.

Once again it was Cauy Betony leading the way in the bareback riding as he split Round 2 with Connor Heinert. Both cowboys were 77 points, but it was a bigger 77 for Betony, who now leads the Aggregate by three points over his brother Evan through two rounds.

In steer wrestling, Wacey Real Bird was able to handle a runner almost halfway down the pen to stop the clock at 4.92 seconds and get the Round 2 win. Tyler John Byrne is the aggregate leader after runs of 4.67 in Round 1 and 5.93 in Round 2. He and Blevyns Jumper are the only two bulldoggers to get a check both days.

The breakaway roping picked up speed in Round 2, with four cowgirls, Kassidy Dennison (2.26), Justine Doka (2.39), Autumn Sells (2.52), and Ashley Yazzie (2.61), all posting faster times than Ahnie Jumper’s Round 1-winning 2.62. Combining her 2.26 with a 2.68 for second in Round 1, Dennison now holds the lead in the Average race.

For the second straight year, Jackson Ford won Round 2 of the INFR with an 82-point ride, this time aboard Carolina Blue. He sits second in the Average behind Round 1 winner Creighton Curley, who finished second in Round 2 with 81 points. With 166 points total, Curley now holds an eight-point lead over Ford in the Aggregate.

Dalton Porch won his second straight round in the tie-down roping, improving on his Round 1 time by almost a full second by going from 9.71 to 8.82. The Tarleton State cowboy now leads the Aggregate by almost 3.5 seconds.

After missing in Round 1, reigning INFR team roping champions Erich Rogers/Aaron Tsinigine could not be held down for long. In Performance 4, they made the fastest run of the rodeo, a 4.86, to win the round. As for the Aggregate race, Round 1 winners Ty Vaile/Wyatt Gibson made a second straight 5.16-second run bring their two-head total to 10.32. Dwight Sells/Chance Hunter are second at 12.17.

In barrel racing, Baylee O’Leary set a new fastest time of the rodeo with a 15.298-second run. She was one of three cowgirls in Performance 4 to top Erin Jones’ Performance 3 time, though Jones still holds a narrow lead in the Aggregate.

Finally, the bull riders put on a show to close the down Round 2. In the evening performance, Tahj Wells, Wynn Lawrence and Cole Brewer all rode for 82 or more points with Wells taking the round with 87 points. There have been 15 qualified rides total through two rounds and Wells, Brewer and Caden Bunch are all 2-for-2.

Bareback Riding

1/2. Cauy Betony – Tonalea, AZ – 77 points – $2,473
1/2. Conner Heinert – Rapid City, SD – 77 points – $2,473
3. Evan Betony – Tonalea, AZ – 75 points – $1,773
4. Jacoby Johns – Okeechobee, FL – 73 points – $1,307
5. Kashton Ford – Sturgis, SD – 72 points – $840
6. Curly Twigg – Lethbridge, AB – 71 points – $467

Steer Wrestling

1. Wacey Real Bird – Garryowen, MT – 4.92 sec – $2,338
2. Matt Jodie – Churchrock, NM – 5.42 sec – $2,033
3. Blevyns Jumper – Clewistown, FL – 5.65 sec – $1,728
4. JJ Hunt – Ridgeview, SD – 5.68 sec – $1,423
5. Joe Wilson – Martin, SD – 5.89 sec – $1,118
6. Tyler John Byrne – Martin, SD – 5.93 sec – $813
7. Rooster Yazzie – Brimhall, NM – 6.14 sec – $508
8. Joshua Felicia – Wyola, MT – 6.24 sec – $203

Team Roping

Headers

1. Erich Rogers – 4.86 sec – $2,338
2. Collin Johnson – 5.03 sec – $2,033
3. Ty Vaile – 5.16 sec – $1,728
4. Nehemiah Begay – 5.33 sec – $1,423
5. Reno Stoebner – 5.67 sec – $1,118
6. Cameron Billy – 6.10 sec – $813
7. Westley Benally – 6.26 sec – $508
8. Dwight Sells – 6.78 sec – $203

Heelers

1. Aaron Tsinigine – 4.86 sec – $2,338
2. Dakota Louis – 5.03 sec – $2,033
3. Wyatt Gibson – 5.16 sec – $1,728
4. Blevyns Jumper – 5.33 sec – $1,423
5. Casey Cummins – 5.67 sec – $1,118
6. Jimmy Racine – 6.10 sec – $813
7. Hank Benally – 6.26 sec – $508
8. Chance Hunter – 6.78 sec – $203

Tie-Down Roping

1. Dalton Porch – Kadoka, SD – 8.86 sec – $2,338
2. Quinton Inman – Ketchum, OK – 9.46 sec – $2,033
3. Luke Mavity – Dickinson, ND – 10.01 sec – $1,728
4. Dontre’ Goff – Henryetta, OK – 10.47 sec – $1,423
5. Malachi Pablo – Bloomfield, NM – 10.82 sec – $1,118
6. JW Boyd – Casa Grande, AZ – 11.60 sec – $813
7. Michael Williams – Lukachukai, AZ – 11.74 sec – $508
8. Lowrey Bruce – Caney, KS – 12.26 sec – $203

Breakaway Roping

1. Kassidy Dennison – Tohatchi, NM – 2.26 sec – $2,338
2. Justine Doka – Fountain Hills, AZ – 2.39 sec – $2,033
3. Autumn Sells – Chinle, AZ – 2.52 sec – $1,728
4. Ashley Yazzie – Brimhall, NM – 2.61 sec – $1,423
5. Katelin Conway – Cut Bank, MT – 2.82 sec – $1,118
6. Kylee Jo Washakie – Fort Washakie, WY – 2.96 sec – $813
7. Bailey Bates – Tohatchi, NM – 3.20 sec – $508
8. Lillian Lupe – Whiteriver, AZ – 3.21 sec – $203

Saddle Bronc Riding

1. Jackson Ford – Sturgis, SD – 82 points – $2,731
2. Creighton Curley – Ganado, AZ – 81 points – $2,260
3. Kaden Deal – Eagle Butte, SD – 77 points – $1,789
4. Alan Kole Gobert – Browning, MT – 75 points – $1,318
5. Cash Wilson – Wall, SD – 74 points – $848
6. Jake Henry – Bassano, AB – 73 points – $471

Barrel Racing

1. Baylee O’Leary – Colcord, OK – 15.298 sec – $2,338
2. Tiffany Teehee – Claremore, OK – 15.359 sec – $2,033
3. Quinley Inman – Vinita, OK – 15.453 sec – $1,728
4. Erin Jones – Chinle, AZ – 15.483 sec – $1,423
5. Yvette Vega – Charlo, MT – 15.505 sec – $1,118
6. Kelsey Howard – Sallisaw, OK – 15.514 sec – $813
7. Tara Seaton – Winslow, AZ – 15.540 sec – $508
8. Katrina Williams – Mount Currie, BC – 15.547 sec – $203

Bull Riding

1. Tahj Wells – Browning, MT – 87 points – $2,755
2. Wynn Lawrence – White Horse, SD – 84 points – $2,280
3. Cole Brewer – Eagle Butte, SD – 82 points – $1,805
4. O’Dey Tom – Lupton, AZ – 81 points – $1,330
5. Brad Moreno – Kayenta, AZ – 77 points – $855
6. Bo Tyler Vocu – Ashland, MT – 76 points – $475