DENVER, (Jan. 22, 2017) --- There is nothing like the camaraderie among rodeo contestants and rodeo fans at the National Western Stock Show got to see that first hand at the U.S. Bank Pro Rodeo Finals.

The highest money winner of the contestants at this year’s rodeo was Clayton Hass, from Weatherford, Texas, who took the steer wrestling title. His traveling partners finished right behind him in a tie for second place in front of a sold-out crowd at the Denver Coliseum.

Hass brought three steers to the ground in 11.5 seconds to earn the trophy buckle and $13,105. He did that aboard the reigning AQHA/PRCA steer wrestling horse of the year, Landry’s Cadillac. Last year was the second time that the 18-year-old gelding won the award. He was also voted the best at his game in 2014.

Cadillac was busy at Denver’s rodeo. All three of the traveling partners rode him. Along with Hass, reigning world champion Tyler Waguespack, from Gonzales, La., and Ty Erickson from Helena, Mont., rode him. They traded hazing duties as well and helped each other through the competition. Waguespack and Erickson tied for second with total times of 13.0 seconds. When the rodeo came to a close, they had won $29,161 on Cadillac.

“Those two guys are like my brothers,” Hass said. “For us to start off our year like this is awesome. That horse is phenomenal. To get off to a start like this at a rodeo this big is so good for our crew.”

Tim O’Connell from Zwingle, Iowa, came off of winning his first world championship in the bareback riding to earn his first title at the National Western. He had a total score of 255.5 points on three horses to earn $9,252. Last year here, he rode Calgary Stampede’s Reckless Margie to win the final round and finish second overall behind Jake Brown from Hillsboro, Texas.

At this year’s finals, Brown rode Reckless Margie for 88 points to win the finals and move from 12th in the standings up to fifth. Reckless Margie is a four-legged athlete that has performed well in the Denver Coliseum.

There wasn’t a happier contestant here than barrel racer Kellie Collier from Hereford, Texas. Riding her nine-year-old mare LoLo, she won the final round with the fastest run of the rodeo at 15.20 seconds.

Collier, who qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo last year is taking a sabbatical from school and making a push for her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification. She helped her cause immensely here earning $11,693.

This year’s rodeo paid $479,645 Other winners were Dustin Egusquiza from Marianna, Fla., and Kory Koontz, from Stephenville, Texas, in the team roping; Audy Reed from Spearman, Texas, in saddle bronc riding; Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas, in the tie-down roping and Dustin Bowen, Waller, Texas, in the bull riding.

-Information Courtesy of Susan Kanode

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