FORT WORTH, Texas -- When the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo started on Jan. 20, there were 1,163 contestants hoping to leave with a legendary championship.

The field was narrowed down to the top 12 in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing and bull riding who competed in the Will Rogers Coliseum on Saturday night. Champions in each of the events were crowned based on their total times or scores. When it was over, both the bareback riding and saddle bronc riding champions earned consecutive championships.

The odds of winning a championship here are high. It might be easier to be struck by lightning than to win consecutive titles. Just ask Tim O'Connell, from Zwingle, Iowa, and Jake Wright, from Milford, Utah. O'Connell won the bareback riding last year and again this year. Wright did the same in the saddle bronc riding.

O'Connell used his win here last year to help him qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and win a world championship. He is planning on the same thing happening this year. His total score of 336 points on four horses won $11,966. 

After winning the world last year, I had to reevaluate my goals," he said. "Because that was such a big deal and a lifelong goal, I was questioning what I was going to do next. I talked to my mentors and my new goal is to win six world titles.

There are two men in the history of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association that have won five bareback riding world championships. O'Connell's goal is to become the first to win six. If he keeps riding like he did here, he is well on his way to number two.

"​I really enjoy this rodeo, even though it's not an easy one to win," he added. "It's full of tradition and you can't help thinking about the guys that rode here before you. I stand behind the chutes and watch the grand entry. It's cool to see the six flags of Texas out there and this is the only rodeo I go to that everyone recites the Pledge of Allegiance. I think that's awesome."

Wright won the saddle bronc riding with a total score of 255.5 points on three rides. He also used the money he won here last year to help him qualify for the 2016 NFR. He is hoping that rings true again this year. He added $13,998 to his checking account in Fort Worth.

Tuf Cooper, who lives just west of here at Weatherford, became the first member of the famous roping clan to earn a Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo title. He has had the fast time of the rodeo and finished second twice. His father, Roy Cooper, also had the same result. On Saturday night, Tuf came into the finals in the lead and then clocked the fast time of the night at 8.7 seconds. His total time of 27.2 seconds got him the championship and earned him $17,187. He was the biggest money winner of the rodeo.

Other winners in Fort Worth included Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, California, in steer wrestling; Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Arizona, and Cory Petska, Marana, Arizona, in team roping; Fallon Taylor, Collinsville, TX, in barrel racing; and Dave Mason, Burnet, TX, in bull riding.

By Susan Kanode

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