CHAMPS IN ABILENE

Legendary bull rider wins Abilene, team ropers repeat as champs

 Abilene, Kans. August 5, 2023 – The winningest man in bull riding history came to Abilene and won himself a check.

J.B. Mauney, of Stephenville, Texas, scored 90 points on the Andrews Rodeo Co. bull named The Kracken to walk away with the 2023 Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo title.

It was a bull that Mauney had seen at the Window Rock, Ariz. rodeo, that Cody Jesus won first place on, and he knew it was a good bull, although a small one.

“It was a little bit smaller of a bull than I like,” he said. “I have longer legs so it’s harder for me to get ahold of” small bulls. But the bull performed like Mauney expected. “He did exactly what I thought he’d do. He bucked hard.”

The 36 year old cowboy is a two-time PBR champion (2013, 2015) and has lately turned to PRCA rodeos. He sat out much of last year due to groin injuries, resulting in surgery to put a plate on the pelvis after the muscles were ripped off the bone. After rehab, Mauney returned to bull riding, but after seven bulls, he ripped the groin muscle in half again and he was out the rest of the year.

Scores of fans stood in line, waiting for the autograph of the man who is considered the best bull rider ever. Mauney complied, visiting with every fan who was in line.

In the team roping, two teams tied for the title, and one of those teams is a repeat from last year.

Header Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, and his heeler Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla., along with header Braden Pirrung, Hartford, S.D. and his heeler Jade Nelson, Midland, S.D. both turned in times of 4.4 seconds each.

For Tierney and Braden, it was the second consecutive year to win the Abilene rodeo.

Tierney didn’t throw a very good loop, “but it ended up falling on,” he said. “I just turned my horse and let Tanner do what he does. He had to make a hand, and he did.”

Abilene is a tough rodeo to win, Braden said. The steers were evenly matched, which gave every team a good chance. And the best of the best come to Abilene. “You have the best fifty guys around, so you know you have to make a good run, and not beat yourself.”

The duo went to college together at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, where they roped together. They’ve roped together the last several years, missing making the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last year by a couple thousand dollars.

Tierney’s older brother, Jess, won the steer roping held at the rodeo on Monday, and Paul David won the all-around title, the most money won at a rodeo in two or more events. He competed in the tie-down roping as well.

Other 2023 champions include bareback rider Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas (84); steer wrestler Gus Franzen, Kearney, Neb. (84 points); breakaway roper Danielle Lowman, Gilbert, Ariz. (1.9 seconds); saddle bronc rider Ryder Sanford, Sulphur, La. (90.5 points); tie-down roper Riley Webb, Denton, Texas (7.8 seconds); and Jordon Briggs, Tolar, Texas (17.05 seconds).

Next year’s Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo is tentatively set for July 30-August 2, 2024.

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Jordon Briggs rounded the barrels in 17.05 seconds to win the Abilene rodeo championship. Photo by Fly Thomas.

Results, Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo – Abilene, Kansas August 1-5, 2023

All-Around champion: Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City – team roping and tie-down roping

Bareback riding champion: Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas

1. Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas 84 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Cash and Carry; 2. Bill Tutor, Huntsville, Texas 83.5; 3. Gauge McBride, Kearney, Neb. 82; 4. Trent Tuten, Okeechobee, Fla. 80; 5. Quintonn Lunsford, McCune, Kan. 77; 6. Colt Eck, Redfield, Kan. 75.

Steer wrestling champion – Gus Franzen, Kearney, Neb.

1. Gus Franzen, Kearney, Neb. 3.9 seconds; 2. Tyler Pearson, Atoka, Okla. 4.6; 3. Olin Hannum, Malad, Idaho 4.7; 4. (tie) Chad Van Campen, McCook, Neb., Hoyt Kraeger, Weeping Water, Neb., and Mitch Hutto, D’Hanis, Texas 4.8 each; 7. (tie) Tevin Cowan, Harrold, S.D. and Travis Munro, Townsville, Australia 4.9 each.

Breakaway roping champion – Danielle Lowman, Gilbert, Ariz.

1. Danielle Lowman, Gilbert, Ariz. 1.6 seconds; 2. Ashley Goforth, Azle, Texas 1.8; 3. (tie) Kelsey Domer, Dublin, Texas and Tacy Webb, Midway, Texas 1.9 each; 5. Hope Thompson, Abilene, Texas 2.0; 6. (tie) Nicole Baggarley, Las Cruces, N.M., Jordi Edens, Gatesville, Texas and Alli Masters, Leon, Iowa 2.1 each; 9. (tie) Kamie Landolfi, Ada, Okla., Morgan Kessler, Callaway, Neb., Rheagan Cotton, Fairfield, Texas and Alex Loiselle, Decatur, Texas 2.2 each.

Saddle bronc riding champion – Ryder Sanford, Sulphur, La. 90.5 points

1. Ryder Sanford, Sulphur, La. 90.5 points on Andrews Rodeo Co.’s Cracker Jack;

Ean Price, Goodwell, Okla. 88.5;  3. Denton Ward, Goodwell, Okla. 85.5; 4. (tie) Riggin Smith, Winterset, Iowa and Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa 85 each; 6. (tie) Jake Finlay, Goondiwindi, Australia and Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D. 83 each; 8. Will Pollock, Utopia, Texas 82.5.

Tie-down roping champion – Riley Webb, Denton, Texas

1. Riley Webb, Denton, Texas 7.8 seconds; 2. Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, Okla. 8.4; 3. (tie) Kadin Boardman, Jackson, Mo. and Jax Clegg, Coweta, Okla. 9.1 each; 5. Roan Hudson, Arcadia, Fla. 9.4; 6. Nolan Richie, Bristol, S.D. and Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 9.5 each; 8. Pax Vogel, Mattfield Green, Kan. 9.8; 9. Logan Wiseman, Paola, Kan. 9.9; 10. (tie) Dallen McIntire, Thayer, Iowa, Colton Greene, Rock Springs, Texas, and Tom Crouse, Osage City, Kan. 10.1 each.

Team roping co-champions: Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, Okla./Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla. and Braden Pirrung, Hartford, S.D./Jade Nelson, Midland, S.D.

1. (tie) Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, Okla./Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla. and Braden Pirrung, Hartford, S.D./Jade Nelson, Midland, S.D. 4.4 seconds each; 3. (tie) Brye Crites, Welch, Okla./Rance Doyal, Hartshorne, Okla. and Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo. 4.5 each; 5. (tie) Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla./Coleby Payne, Stephenville, Texas and Blake Hughes, Sulphur, Okla./Casey McCleskey, Hedley, Texas and Brent Mibb, Pryor, Okla./Austin Rogers, Crescent, Okla. 4.7 each;8. (tie) Mason Appleton, Chelsea, Okla./Cooper Freeman, Carthage, Mo. and  Zack Woods, Walters, Okla./Gavin Foster, Elmore City, Okla. 4.8 each; 10. Wheston Jones, Okla./Lane Reeves, Wann, Okla. 4.9.

Barrel racing champion – Jordon Briggs, Tolar, Texas

1. Jordon Briggs, Tolar, Texas 17.05 seconds; 2. Rainey Skelton, Llano, Texas 17.12; 3. Hico, Texas 17.22; 4. Sara Winkelman, Big Lake, Minn. 17.27; 5. Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. 17.33; 6. Quincy Sullivan, Peralta, N.M. 17.46; 7. (tie) Sadie Wolaver, Weatherford, Okla., Timber Allenbrand, Paola, Kan. and Katie Sowada 17.48 each; 10. Cayla Small, Afton, Okla. 17.53; 11. Michelle Darling, Medford, Okla. 17.56; 12. (tie) (tie) Sissy Warren, Glenwood, Iowa and Nikki Singler, Ashland, Wis. and LaTricia Duke, Three Rivers, Texas and Jamie Olsen 17.59 each.

Bull riding champion – JB Mauney, Stephenville, Texas 90

1. JB Mauney, Stephenville, Texas 90 points on Andrews Rodeo Co.’s The Kracken 2. Braden Richardson, Jasper, Texas 88.5; 3. Hudson Williams, Midlothian, Texas 86; 4. Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas 84.5.

Steer roping champion – Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D.

First round: 1. Brian Garr, 11.9 seconds; 2. Cody Lee 12.0; 3. (tie) Trenton Johnson and Trey Wallace, 12.7 each; 5. Brodie Poppino, 13.2; 6. Jess Tierney 13.3

Second round: 1. Jess Tierney 9.6; 2. (tie) Brodie Poppino and Slade Wood, 10.6; 4. Tanner Stec 11.1; 5. Billy Good 11.2; 6. Coleman Proctor, 11.3.

Third round: 1. Scott Snedecor 9.1; 2. Cole Patterson 9.4; 3. Rocky Patterson 10.1; 4. Kyle Cauthorn 10.2; 5. Matt Phipps 10.8; 6. J. Tom Fisher 10.9.

Average: 1. Jess Tierney 30.0 seconds on three head; 2. Brodie Poppino 35.1; 3. Cody Lee 36.9; 4. Martin Poindexter 43.4; 5. Brian Garr 53.1; 6. Cole Patterson 21.2 on two head.

** All results are unofficial.  For more information, visit WildBillHickokRodeo.com.