CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Tyson Durfey may be a former tie-down roping world champion that’s won over $2 million in his rodeo career, but a Cheyenne Frontier Days title has always eluded him.
The 38-year-old Texan’s time at the “Daddy of ’em All” has been full of so much misfortune, in fact, that Durfey entered this year’s event having never even made the short-go in Cheyenne across his 20-year career. So when he recorded a 10.7-second time to pace the field in the semifinal round of his event Saturday, he was particularly pleased.
Having one of the few unchecked boxes of his possible career achievements within sight will do that.
“To win [this] would be a dream come true,” Durfey, who will be in the field competing for a championship during Sunday’s final round, said. “It’s one of the rodeos I’ve always wanted to win, and I’ve won almost every single one in the U.S. and Canada, but not this one. So it’d mean a lot.”
Durfey, who won the 2016 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world title in his signature event, was one of many cowboys and cowgirls vying to secure their Championship Sunday spots in the second of two straight days of semifinal rounds Saturday.
The rodeo will close out nine consecutive days of competition beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday at Frontier Park Arena, with numerous former and defending world champions like Durfey aiming to secure glory on one of the biggest stages in all of rodeo.
There will also be some in-state flair in the hunt during the final day, such as with saddle bronc rider and current Casper College cowboy Q Taylor. The 20-year-old Thunderbird — who calls Nanton, Alberta, Canada home and goes by the one-letter nickname rather than his given name, Quinten — won the Saturday semifinal by scoring an 86.0 on Dry Creek, beating defending Frontier Days all-around champion and multiple-time world champion Stetson Wright in the process.
Taylor tied for the third-best score of the round in the event as a whole, with fellow Canadian Zeke Thurston (89.5), Iowan Riggin Smith (86.5) and Texan Sterling Crawley (86.0) all eclipsing or tying the T-Bird with their Friday semifinal tallies.
“It felt really good. That’s a really good horse,” Taylor said of his ride. “I’d been on him in a bronc match in South Dakota a couple of years ago and he put me down pretty hard that day. So it was good to get some redemption. … [I’m] full of confidence, ready for anything they throw at me.”
Selected results from Saturday’s semifinal are listed below:
CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS RODEO DAY 8 RESULTS:
Bareback Riding:
- (Tied first) Dean Thompson – 85.5
- (Tied first) Jacek Frost – 85.5
- (Tied first) Caleb Bennett – 85.5
- (Tied fourth) Tim O’Connell – 85.0
- (Tied fourth) Evan Betony – 85.0
Steer Wrestling:
- Jesse Brown – 6.9
- Will Lummus – 7.2
- Bridger Chambers – 7.6
- Mason Couch – 7.9
Team Roping:
- Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden – 8.7
- Chad Masters/Paul Eaves – 9.1
- Turner Harris/Matt Kasner – 9.3
- Brayden Parker/Dustin Searcy – 11.0
Saddle Bronc:
- Q Taylor – 86.0
- Kade Bruno – 84.0
- Stetson Wright – 83.5
- Ross Griffin – 83.0
Rookie Broncs:
- Caden Grisdale – 69.0
- Talon Ross Elshere – 68.0
- (Tied third) Liam Pauley – 67.0
- (Tied third) Clancy Glenn – 67.0
Tie-Down Roping:
- Tyson Durfey – 10.7
- Hudson Wallace – 11.0
- Blake Ash – 11.5
- Kase Bacque – 12.2
Barrel Racing:
- Leslie Smalygo – 17.16
- Taycie Matthews – 17.28
- Jessica Routier – 17.36
- Rachelle Riggers – 17.47
Breakaway Roping:
- Alli Masters – 4.2
- Bradi Good – 4.4
- Macy Young – 4.8
- Jennifer Canik – 5.2
Bull Riding:
- Garrett Smith – 89.5
- Shad Winn – 86.0
- Dawson Gleaves – 83.0
- Jeff Askey – 82.0
