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TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2022
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A11
FARM-CITY PRO RODEO
WRIGHT ENDS DROUGHT AT FCPR
Utah cowboy
wins saddle
bronc title with
a 90-point ride
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
H
ERMISTON —
Ryder Wright had
made six previous
trips to the Farm-
City Pro Rodeo,
but never won the
saddle bronc title.
Saturday, Aug. 13, was
Lucky No. 7 for the Utah
cowboy, who turned in a
sterling 90-point ride on
Zaria Hills for the title.
“This rodeo is just
awesome,” Wright said.
“They pack the stands here
and have great horses. To
have a dog fi ght like this on
the last day is awesome. This
is the third time I have been
on her, and it’s by far my best
ride.”
Wright, 24, has made six
trips to the National Finals
Rodeo, and has two world
titles in the saddle bronc.
He’s sitting fi fth in the world
standing with six weeks left
in the regular season. The
FCPR paycheck of $7,191
will help keep him among
the top in the event.
“I’ve never even come
close to winning here,” he
said. “It’s a pretty good day. I
hope to keep the ball rolling
until the end of the season.”
It was a good night for the
Wright family, as Ryder’s
younger brother Stetson
won the all-around title after
earning money in the saddle
bronc and the bull riding.
It was the fi rst FCPR title
for Stetson, who competed
Thursday night.
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack brings down his steer in 4.3
seconds to win the go-round on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, at
the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston.
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Ryder Wright of Milford, Utah, rides Zoaria Hills for a 90-point saddle bronc ride to win the
go-round and the title on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston.
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Bull rider Justin Houston of Sandy, Oregon, clings to Black Jack
long enough to win the go-round and earn 87 points on Satur-
day, Aug. 13, 2022, at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston.
“They are a lot diff erent
than back home,” he said.
“The calves are stronger
here.”
The nice payday should
vault Pereira into the top 10
of the rookie tie-down stand-
ings.
King Pickett won the
tie-down title with a time of
17.1 seconds on two head.
Bareback riding
World leader Jess Pope
was among the who’s who
Saturday night, and the
2021 NFR champion did
not disappoint, winning the
FCPR title with a 90-point
ride on Yippee Kibitz.
“When you are in the top
15 and draw a good horse,
you have to take advantage
of it,” said Pope, who earned
$6,662 for his eff ort. “That’s
what I did tonight. When
the crowd is really into it,
we have to step up. We are
entertainers.”
In the midst of some of
the top bareback riders in
the sport was Pendleton’s
Payton Wright.
Wright drew the 2021
bareback horse of the year
Xplosive Skies, and turned
in an impressive score of
86.5 points and picked up
a check for $2,443 with his
fourth-place fi nish.
“They don’t get much
better than that,” Wright
said. “He’s the one you want
to ride. It’s the best score I’ve
ever had. I was pretty happy
when I drew him, but you are
more nervous with a really
good one.”
Team roping
When the reigning world
champs and current world
standings leaders roll into
town, good things are bound
to happen.
Kaleb Driggers and
Junior Nogueira had the
hot run of the night at 4.3
seconds to fi nish second in
the second go-round and
second in the average with a
time of 9.3 on two head.
“I have a great partner
Steer wrestling
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Barrel racer Katie Pascoe of Morro Bay, California, turns in a 17.19-second run to win the go-
round on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston.
and we have great horses,”
Nogueira said. “This has
been a blessing.”
Dustin Egusquiza and
Travis Graves won the team
roping title and pocketed
$4,077 each.
Earlier this season, Drig-
gers and Nogueira broke
the single-season earnings
record in team roping with
$150,512, and still have six
weeks left in the regular
season. They each earned
$3,545 at the FCPR.
“We want to win the
world title again, but we just
come out and do the best
we can,” Nogueira said. “It
has been an amazing year.
Everything is clicking.”
Bull riding
On a night where only
three men completed an
8-second ride, Justin Hous-
ton was on top with an 87 on
the back of Black Jack. The
score put him second overall
and put a $5,330 check in his
pocket.
“I was really excited to
get on him,” Houston said
of his bull. “I’ve had a tough
week and this really helps.
When not many guys ride,
it leaves more money on the
table.”
Braden Richardson won
the title and $6,952 with a
score of 88.5 on Thursday
night.
Tie-down roping
Rookie John Pereira
arrived in the United States
from Brazil in March. Since
then, he has been learn-
ing and making a name for
himself.
Saturday night, he had
the top run of the night at
8.2 seconds, which put him
third overall in the second
go-round and earned him a
check worth $2,283.
“There is no way to
explain how I am feeling,”
Pereira said with a big smile.
“I’ve dreamed of this since I
was a little kid. I am thank-
ful to my family and God.
I’m living my dream.”
It has taken Pereira a
while to adjust to the calves
in the United States.
Tyler Waguespack leads
the world standings, and he
had the best run of the night
at 4.3 seconds to excite the
FCPR crowd.
“When they come here
and cheer us on, we love it,”
Waguespack said. “We have
some momentum going right
now and we want to keep it.”
Waguespack fi nished tied
for eighth in the average with
a time of 8.4 seconds on two.
Tristan Martin won the
FCPR title with a time of 7
seconds on two head for a
payday of $4,285.
Barrel racing
Katie Pascoe is about
$15,000 out of the top 15
in the world standings, but
a good showing Saturday
earned the California cowgirl
$3,814.
Pascoe had the hot run of
the night at 17.19 seconds to
fi nish fourth overall.
“This is my third time
here, but the fi rst time I’ve
had any luck here,” Pascoe
said. “My horse (Naughty) is
just awesome. He gives 110%
every time. He is a blast to
run.”
Paige Jones’ time of 16.97
seconds on Wednesday night
held up for the win and a
payday of $7,629.
Breakaway roping
The star-studded lineup
fell fl at Saturday as ropers
missed calves and broke
barriers. Of the 10 ladies up,
only three posted times, with
Samantha Fulton posting the
top run of 3.1 seconds.
The event is new to the
FCPR this year, and Danielle
Lowman set the arena record
with a time of 1.9 seconds.
She also won the title with
a time of 4.4 seconds on two
head to earn $3,511.