ProRodeo Sports News - September 1, 2023

KENNEWICK, WASH.

HORSE HEAVEN ROUNDUP

Red Hot Summer

Damian Brennan continues strong season in Kennewick BY JOLEE JORDAN, Special to ProRodeo Sports News T here are plenty of adjectives to describe the past two months for saddle bronc rider Damian Brennan. Successful. Incredible. Very profitable. Brennan himself has just one word. “Crazy,” he laughed. “Before I went to the Calgary Stampede, I had just under $37,000 won.” “Now, I’m at $114,000, so the last two to three months I’ve won $70,000,” Brennan, 24, said. “It’s been good.” The most recent $4,848 to be added to the pile came from a victory at the Horse Heaven Roundup, a Playoff Series rodeo held in Kennewick, Wash., Aug. 22-26. Brennan earned 172.5 points on a pair of bucking horses, capped by a new arena record of 90.5 in the final round aboard the “it” horse of the summer, Xplosive Skies of the Calgary Stampede. “I’ve seen that horse around quite a bit, but I’ve always drawn around it,” Brennan said. Coming into the short go ranked eighth after scoring 82 points on Bridwell Rodeo’s Angel Warrior in the long round, the native of Injune, Australia, was hoping for a chance to jump up the leaderboard for a bigger check. “When I saw X-9, Xplosive Skies, next to my name in the draw for the short go . . . it gives a bit of hope of being able to move up.” Even casual ProRodeo fans are bound to recognize the name of Calgary’s outstanding bucking horse after the past two months. The 13-year-old mare carried Dawson Hay to the win at the Calgary Stampede, took Ben Andersen to a season-tying high score of 94 in Pollockville and brought Statler Wright the W two weeks ago in Hermiston, Ore. None of that includes the 95.5-point world record that Logan Hay set aboard the electric horse, the 2019 Pendleton Whisky Let ‘er Buck Bareback Horse of the Year, last summer. “She felt good,” Brennan agreed. “She got kind of a funny start but then she started cracking two feet over my head. She is everything you want in a bucking horse and lets you do your job properly.” It’s no rocking horse ride, however, as Brennan was quick to point out. “Every jump, I wasn’t sure if I was going to get bucked off or still be in the middle. I was glad to hear the whistle.” Brennan edged out Q Taylor by half a point with two more cowboys within just 2.5 points in a super tough bronc riding. The money and points moved Brennan to 11th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings and fourth in the Playoff Series. “That deal in Sioux Falls,” Brennan referenced the $1 million Cinch Playoffs with contestants competing for the Governor’s Cup to be held the final weekend of the regular season Sept. 28-30. “Holy cow. That’s going to be a game changer.”

TOP SCORES

TOP MONEY EARNER Tyler Waguespack ($11,681, steer wrestling) BAREBACK RIDING

Waguespack

1. R. Champion ............. 167.5 pts. on 2 2. Keenan Hayes ............................. 167 3. Andy Gingerich ........................ 166.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Tyler Waguespack ....... 12.3 sec. on 3 (Tie) Kodie Jang ........................ 12.3 3. Kyle Irwin .................................. 13.8 TEAM ROPING 1. Graham/Graham ......... 17.3 sec. on 3 2. W. Bray/J. Patton ....................... 17.7 3. C. Duty/S. Sporer ....................... 18.3 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Damian Brennan ....... 172.5 pts. on 2 2. Q Taylor ...................................... 172 3. Dawson Hay ............................ 171.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Riley Webb ................. 24.7 sec. on 3 2. Haven Meged ............................. 25.7 3. John Douch ............................... 26.1 BARREL RACING 1. Jordon Briggs ........... 33.87 sec. on 2 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi .............. 33.95 3. Summer Kosel ......................... 34.24 BULL RIDING 1. TJ Gray .................................. 87 pts. 2. Cullen Telfer .................................. 84 3. Trey Holston ................................. 83

Roseanna Sales photo Saddle bronc rider Damian Brennan delivered an arena-record 90.5-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s standout horse Xplosive Skies to win the Horse Heaven Roundup Rodeo, Aug. 26.

Complete results/Page 130

ProRodeo Sports News 9/1/2023

ProRodeo Sports News 9/1/2023

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

42

43