The First Semifinal of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo started with a bang Thursday night with a three-way tie between Tilden Hooper, Jacob Lees, and Sam Petersen in the bareback riding. All of them were 87 points to bank another $3,000 apiece and lock up spots in Saturday’s winner-take-all Short Round.

“That’s a really outstanding animal athlete of Sankey Pro Rodeo’s, and every time that horse goes out, it tries its hardest. It bails way up in the air and gives the judges plenty to look at,” Petersen said.

Lees added that it fired him up to see other big scores in the round, as both he and Petersen tried to make it through their interview with The Cowboy Channel’s Katy Lucas without laughing at the faces Hooper was making at them.

Wacey Schalla, who made $4,700 in Bracket 3, took the last spot in the Finals with an 83-point ride.

In steer wrestling, times of 3.8 and 3.9 seconds won Justin Shaffer and Garrett Oates $4,000 and $3,000, respectively, while Trisyn Kalawaia and Mason Couch filed in with 5.4 and 5.5 behind them.

In team roping, Tyler Tryan/Levi Lord set the tone with a 4.5-second run, and no one else came even close to touching it, as the next fastest time was a 7.1 by Corben Cullen/Trent Vaught.

“The last two times I have been here, I’ve been first out and won the round, so maybe it’s good luck,” Tryan said.

Three of Tryan/Lord’s five qualified times since Jan. 8 have been 4.5 or faster.

Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham and Brady Tryan/Paden Bray rounded out those moving on.

Stetson Wright delivered again in the bronc riding and has now made $9,000 in Fort Worth after topping an excellent Go-Round Thursday night with an 89.5-point ride on J Bar J’s In the Lu.

“That horse is pretty overlooked. That’s why she bucked me off last time, I didn’t think she was as hard as she was,” Wright said. “She can hit, brake, goes left, and she shook me loose last time. It went way better this time.”

Damian Brennan and Darcy Radel were both 89, and Ryder Wright was 88.5. All seven qualified rides were 86 points or better.

Blane Cox advanced out of the Wildcard in the tie-down roping on Wednesday night and took full advantage of his Semifinal opportunity on Thursday.

He was 8.6 to split the round with Haven Meged and bank $3,500, as well as a trip to the Finals.

Those two will be joined by Beau Cooper and Zack Jongbloed for a chance to win it all on Saturday.

Acey Pinkston played the same note as Cox on Thursday night. After advancing out of Wednesday’s Wildcard second with a 16.34, she turned in a 16.30 to win the First Semifinal and make the Finals in her debut in Fort Worth.

Tayla Moeykens and Makenna Shook finished second and third, while Kassie Mowry and Tricia Aldridge, who finished No. 1 and No. 2 in the World in 2026, tied for fourth.

In bull riding, Hayden Welsh made the only qualified ride, going for 90.5 on Cowtown Rodeo’s Door Dash. He made $10,000.

The rookie standout is now 3-for-3 with three rides of 89.5 points or better in Fort Worth. He is 15-for-19 overall in the 2026 season.

It took a 2.8 or better to advance in the breakaway roping, with Shelby Boisjoli-Meged topping the leaderboard at 2.2 seconds. Rylee George, who won the Wildcard with a 1.8, was second with a 2.3, and Martha Angelone and Shalee King rounded out those who punched their tickets to the Finals.

Semifinal 2 is Friday night at 7:30 PM CT on The Cowboy Channel.