SPRINGDALE -- Mason Clements made a good first impression at the 74th annual Rodeo of the Ozarks on Wednesday night
The 25-year-old from Springville, Utah, making his inaugural appearance in Springdale, enjoyed the top score of 86.5 in the bareback riding event Wednesday at Parsons Stadium, edging out friend Tilden Hooper by a point even though his score called out was identical.
74th Rodeo of the Ozarks
At Parsons Stadium, Springdale
Wednesday’s Results
BAREBACK RIDING
Name^Score
Mason Clements^86.5.
Tilden Hooper^85.5.
Kaycee Feild^84.5.
Leighton Berry^83.5.
Blade Elliott^83.0.
Taylor Broussard^82.5.
STEER WRESTING
Heath Thompson^5.8
Austin Wake^6.9
Hunter Washburn^7.5
Cord Spradley^13.3
Sam Dixon^16.2
TEAM ROPING
Tee Lutterell/Andrew Hill^5.3
Adam Rose/Justin Fox^10.2
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Jake Finlay^85.
Joe Lufkin^82
Roper Keisner^79.5
Reyson Antonick^79
Dean Wadsworth^76
Parker Kempfer^74
Leon Foutain^74
Jade Blackwell^74
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Blake Ash^9.0.
Travis Reimer^20.5
Myles Neighbors^24.7
BARREL RACING
Molly Childers^17.16.
Alishea Broussard^17.23
Mickayla Brown^17.54
Kara Large^17.66
Emily Miller^17.88
Bailee Snow^17.92
Lacinda Rose^18.18
Ashley Jones^18.23
Dee Ratliff^18.85
Kynder Starr^23.09
BULL RIDING
Joseph McConnel^86
Trey Benton III^85
Kby Radley^84
Fulton Rutland^83
Boudreaux Campbell^81
…..
At A Glance
74rd Rodeo of the Ozarks
WHEN Today through Saturday
WHERE Parsons Stadium, Springdale
ADMISSION $15 to $25 for adults and $7 to $15 for children, depending on days and sections. Buckle Club seating is available for $38.
INFO www.rodeoftheozarks… or call 756-0464
"It's hot and muggy, a little different than Utah," said Clements, referring to Northwest Arkansas weather. "But good for me."
It wasn't a bad day for his friends, Tilden, Kaycee Feild, a four-time world champion, and Leighton Berry, either, as they went 1-2-3-4 in the event Wednesday, the first night of the four-night rodeo.
Clements credits Feild and the others for helping him grow into bareback bronc riding.
"I started riding bucking horses when I was 20 or 21," Clements said. "I knew Kaycee from being in Utah. Kinda learned my way up through the ranks learning from him. That's a heck of a traveling crew. They helped coach me.
"We have the same goals and dreams. We have a lot in common and it makes it nice to travel with. And then we go and do 1-2-3-4 tonight and it's pretty good --a good feeling. I'm very happy. It's a solid start to my cowboy Christmas."
Clements clipped his buddy Hooper, even though he's been doing well recently and currently ranks in the top 10 in the world. The 30-year-old Hooper from Carthage, Texas, was pleased with his ride. He's had good luck at this rodeo, winning a few times since 2007.
"I've had one of my best seasons yet," said Hooper, who won a college national championship in bareback. "I've sure been blessed this year. Staying healthy is the biggest blessing. That's a horse everybody wants to draw and it felt real good tonight."
The Rodeo of the Ozarks is Hooper's first event since early in June at Gladewater, Texas. He was trying to rest a sore neck, an injury that's plagued him throughout his career.
He will have plenty of chances to get even as Springdale starts a string of seven straight days of events all over the country. They will compete in Pecos, Texas, today followed by Prescott, Ariz., Greeley, Colo., and Cody, Wyo., this week.
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Clements has competed in several different rodeo events but didn't grow up in the sport. Instead, he was riding motor cross when he was younger. But he finally chose rodeo.
"I was kinda doing motor cross and bull riding scene trying to figure out which one I wanted to do," Clements said. "Motor cross just wasn't working for me. So I tried bull-riding and that was hit and miss. I didn't want to leave rode at the time."
He tried steer wrestling and made it to the high school finals in team roping, but credits his time at College of Southern Idaho for spring-boarding his bareback career.
"The amount of horses I got on in that time when I was 20, 21 and 22, has really shaped the career that I have now."
Australian Jake Finlay had to best score of 85 in saddle bronc riding, followed by 82 from Joe Lufkin of Sallisaw, Okla. Heath Thompson nipped Austin Wake in a battle of two Arkansans in the steer wrestling. Thompson had a time of 5.8, compared to Wake's 6.9.
Blake Ash of Aurora, Mo., had the top time in tie-down roping, while Tee Luttrell and Andrew Hill had the best time in the team roping.
Sports on 06/28/2018