North Platte, Neb. (June 14, 2018) – Tie-down roper Randall Carlisle made his first trip to the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte on Thursday, and he hopes he’s making a fresh start.
The Athens, Louisiana cowboy made an 8.4 second run to take the lead in the second round.
The two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) qualifier has had some bad luck lately, not drawing well and not winning any money. The calves tie down ropers compete on are drawn randomly by their ear tag number, and lately Carlisle’s haven’t been the best pick of the herd. “I’ve had too many kickers or something always happens,” he said. His run in North Platte “finally broke the ice. I am pretty happy. I’m thankful to have a good calf.”
Carlisle and his traveling partner Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, met in North Platte at the rodeo; they’ll travel together for the next several months, during the busy rodeo season. After competing in slack on Thursday morning, they headed to Reno, Nev. to compete at the rodeo there on Saturday morning. After that, they turn the rig north for rodeos in Wainwright and Sundre, Alberta. Then they will fly to Greeley, Colo. for the Greeley Stampede June 22 through July 4. Their rig and three of their horses will head towards rodeos in Prescott, Ariz. and Pecos, Texas, while they compete on another horse that was driven to Greeley from North Platte in a second rig. Then it’s up to Cody, Wyo. Carlisle estimated they will make nineteen competition runs in six days over the busy July Fourth holiday. Solomon has a driver who helps; Carlisle’s girlfriend helps drive as well. He loves the competition, but not the driving. “Other than that, it’s good,” he said. Rodeo is “better than having a day job. You get to see a lot of country.”
Carlisle is ranked thirty-third in the PRCA world standings; his traveling partner Solomon is ranked eleventh.
Other leaders from Thursday’s slack and performance are bareback rider Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D. (80 points); steer wrestler Justice Johnson, Bismarck, N.D. (4.0 seconds), and team ropers Brian Dunning, McClave, Colo., and Tad Sheets, Goodland, Kan. (6.3 seconds). Saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., had the high score for the night; his 80 points sits second overall. Barrel racer Taci Bettis, Round Top, Texas had a time of 17.50 seconds to be the fast time for the night. Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla. scored 82 points to be the high score for the performance.
Night number three of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo takes place on Friday, June 15 at the Wild West Arena in North Platte. Tickets are available online at www.NebraskaLandDays.com, at the NLD office or at the gate.
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High scores and fast times from the second performance, June 14, 2018
North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo
Bareback riding
1. Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D. 80 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.’s Sure Motion; 2. Blake Smith, Zap, N.D. 79; no other qualified rides.
Steer wrestling
2nd go-round
1. Justice Johnson, Bismarck, N.D. 4.0 seconds; 2. Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah 5.4; 3. Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho 6.4; 4. Jason Thomas, Benton, Ark. 7.0.
Tie-down roping
2nd go-round
1. Randall Carlisle, Athens, La. 8.4 seconds; 2. Joey Dickens, Loveland, Colo. 8.5; 3. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. 8.6; 4. Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 12.0.
Saddle bronc riding
1. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb. 80 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.’s Jack Knife; 2. Preston Burr, Stratford, Texas 77; 3. Roper Kiesner, Ripley, Okla. 72; 4. Rhett Fanning, Martin, S.D. 66.
Team roping
1. Brian Dunning, McClave, Colo./Tad Sheets, Goodland, Kan. 6.3 seconds; no other qualified runs.
Barrel racing
1. Taci Bettis, Round Top, Texas 17.50 seconds; 2. (tie) Jennifer Hiler, Greeley, Colo. and Ali Armstrong, Lexington, Okla. 17.77 each; 4. Tammy Fischer, Ledbetter, Texas 17.84.
Bull riding
1. Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla. 82 points on No. 124; 2. Colten Beaty, Seymour, Texas 65; no other qualified rides.
** All results are unofficial.