RodeoHouston is a rare rodeo where even reaching the Semifinals still feels like there is a long way to go.

There are two Semifinals, followed by two Wild Card rounds for those who don’t advance. It doesn’t end there, the Top 10 in the Championship Round are then narrowed to four on Saturday afternoon for the winner-take-all Shootout, where $65,000 goes to the best ride or run.

That said, it’s much easier to reach Championship Saturday on the first attempt. Here are the athletes who did just that in Semifinal 1.

In bareback riding, it was Kade Berry claiming the top and the $3,000 payday with 86.5 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Guardian Angel. It continues to be the RodeoHouston showing of his career as he will follow up his first Semifinal berth with his first Championship Round appearance.

Bradlee Miller, who won his Super Series with $6,000, took second with 85.5 points and World No. 1 Wacey Schalla was third. RC Landingham, who also won his Super Series, was the final bareback rider to move on.

Denell Henderson brought his earnings in Houston to $7,000 by winning Semifinal 1 with a 4.2-second run on a night there were four runs of 4.6 seconds or faster. It was the fastest run of Henderson’s career inside NRG Stadium.

Filing in behind him were Trisyn Kalawaia and Mike McGinn, who were both 4.5 and Tristan Martin at 4.6.

Dustin Egusquiza/JC Flake made the fastest run of the entire rodeo in the team roping to win the First Semifinal with a 4.1. They have won just two checks, but they have both been round wins. They were also made a clutch 4.5-second run with their backs against the wall in Super Series 1, Round 3.

Jake Smith/Douglas Rich finished No. 2, but were a full second off the pace. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira brought their Housto earnings to $10,000 before the Championship Round with a third-place finish for a 5.2-second run and Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman won $750 for fourth and also advanced.

Superman Stetson Wright won the saddle bronc riding on Tuesday after barely advancing out of Super Series. All four of his rides in Houston this year have been at least 81 points and this one was the best of the bunch, 86.5 on Cervi Championship’s Vintage Villain.

In a tight race behind Stetson, Weston Patterson was second with an 85.5-point ride, Kole Ashbacher was third with 85, and Layton Green was fourth with 84.

Michael Otero kept up the theme of those advancing fourth in their Super Series moving on. With $3,250, he grabbed the final spot in Super Series 1 and took advantage of his opportunity with an 8.9 to win the round and nearly double his RodeoHouston earnings.

Brushton Minton, Shane Hanchey, and Seth Hall were the other three Semifinal qualifiers.

In barrel racing, it was Hailey Kinsel and Sister got it done with a 14.48, which was faster than the 14.52 that got Kinsel second place here a year ago. In 2026, all four of her runs have been 14.62 or faster.

Fresh off of her Super Series V win, Latricia Duke turned right around and took second behind Kinsel, $4 million barrel racer Lisa Lockhart was third, and Summer Kosel, who was also a part of Super Series V, took fourth.

There were only two qualified rides in the bull riding on Tuesday and they came courtesy of an 83.5 from Jake Gardner and 73 from T Parker. Gardner became the first bull rider to reach a perfect 4-for-4. They were the only two to move on.

Things were tight in the breakaway roping with all four advancing breakaway ropers turning in runs between 2.5 and 2.8 seconds.

Joey Williams was first with 2.5, Maddy Jacobs was 2.6, and Rylee George and Hali Williams were 2.8.

The Second Semifinal is Wednesday night at 6:45 PM ET on Cowboy+.