Contestants plan to return to National Western Stock Show Rodeo
DENVER, Colo. – With three performances completed at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo, three contestants in each of the events are already planning their trip back to Denver next week to compete in the Semi-Finals.
Friday’s action in the Denver Coliseum saw the completion of Bracket 1 and the beginning of Bracket 2. Contestants are divided into brackets that consist of two rounds. Their scores and times are added together and the three that have the highest total score on two rides or the fastest total time on two runs advance from the brackets to the Semi-Finals.
When they get to the Semi-Finals the playing field is even and if they are among the top three in their performance they will advance to the Finals. That’s good news for world champion bareback rider Keenan Hayes who finished his bracket in second place.
Hayes is a native of Colorado who makes his home at Hayden. He was the most successful bareback rider in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2023 and won his first gold buckle in Las Vegas at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas last December.
He would like nothing better than to continue his success with a big win in Denver. While rodeo’s championships were in December, the 2024 regular season began in October. Hayes is currently fourth in the world standings and anything he wins here will help him move up.
Bracket 2 had their first round of competition Friday night. There were some high-marked rides and fast times, but the crowd got the loudest during the bull riding when Caleb Myers McCaslin scored 88 points in the bull riding. McCaslin, from Jones, Okla., rode a bull from Big Rafter Rodeo that goes by 07. He knew he made a good ride and did a celebratory heel kick when he got off the black and white spotted bull.
McCaslin will ride again in the Saturday morning rodeo which begins at 11 a.m. and completes Bracket 2. Then Bracket 3 will have round one at 3:30 p.m. and round 2 at 8 p.m.