A College National Finals Rodeo champion has taken the lead in the steer wrestling at the Inter-State Rodeo.
Denver Berry, Checotah, Okla., turfed his steer in 4.9 seconds to be on top of his event after the second of four performances in Coffeyville, Kansas.
It was a run he was ready for. “I knew it would be a quicker start,” he said. “This rodeo always gets tough every year. So I just made sure I got out of the barrier and took a quick start. Mason Carter (the hazer), did a good job of bringing that steer to me. The steer slowed up a little bit in the catch, but that was just right for me to bring him around and lay him down.”
Berry, the son of four-time pro rodeo world champion steer wrestler Ote Berry, didn’t start his rodeo career till his sophomore year in college. Football was his sport, and he played high school ball and a semester of college ball at Central Oklahoma College in Oklahoma City.
But college football was not the same as high school. “When you’re in high school, you’re a big fish in a small pond. It’s the opposite in college. Guys are bigger, stronger and faster.”
Then his dad gave him the opportunity to rodeo with young guys his age, competitive guys, including world champion Tyler Waguespack, with Ote traveling with them and hazing for them.
Denver couldn’t pass it up. Being around the level of competitiveness it offered, along with the mentorship and help from his dad, was what he wanted. “It was too good of a deal to pass up, to rodeo with guys my age, competitive, and my dad.”
While he rodeoed with his dad and Waguespack, he began college rodeo at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Okla., where he steer wrestled for two and a half years for the school, and finished his senior year in June winning the college national championship steer wrestling title at the 2017 College National Finals Rodeo.
Denver also graduated from Southeastern in May with a degree in occupational safety, but he’s hoping he doesn’t have to use it. “We’re going to rodeo till we have to work,” he said. “As long as the rodeo’s working, we can stay away from work.”
This is the first time the 22 year old has competed at the Inter-State Rodeo; he will make his second run in Coffeyville on Friday morning in slack, then compete in Topeka and Eureka, Kansas this weekend.
Other fast times and high scores from the second night of the Inter-State Rodeo include bareback rider Anthony Thomas, Kimberly, Australia (78 points); tie-down roper L.D. Meier, Texhoma, Okla. (10.9 seconds); saddle bronc rider Kobyn Williams, De Berry, Texas (70 points); team ropers Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla. and Justin Fox, Huntsville, Ark. (4.7 seconds); steer roper Shorty Garten, Pawhuska, Okla. (11.3 seconds); barrel racer Cayla Small, Burneyville, Okla. (18.02 seconds), and bull rider Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla. (86 points).
Beef dominate the show ring for tomorrow’s livestock shows. The bucket calf show begins at 8 am, followed by the beef breeding, market steers, and showmanship shows. Tomorrow night’s rodeo begins at 7:30 pm. Tickets range in price from $15 to $30 and are available online at FairandRodeo.com or at the gate .For more information and a complete schedule, visit the website.
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Cutline: Steer wrestler Denver Berry, Checotah, Okla., leads the Inter-State Rodeo with a time of 4.9 seconds. The 22 year old is the 2017 College National Finals Rodeo steer wrestling champion. Photo by Ruth Nicolaus.
Results – 2nd performance, Inter-State Rodeo, Coffeyville, Kan. August 17, 2017.
Bareback Riding
1. Anthony Thomas, Palestine, Texas 78 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Stardust; 2. Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb. 75; 3. Justin Pollmiller, Weatherford, Okla. 74; 4. Mike Fred, St. Mary’s, Kan. 71.
Steer Wrestling
1. Denver Berry, Checotah, Okla. 4.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan. and Cody Devers, Alva, Okla. 5.7; 4. Jule Hazen, Ashland, Kan. 10.7.
Tie Down Roping
1. L.D. Meier, Texhoma, Okla. 10.9; 2. Jessie Hinkle, Powersville, Mo. 14.7; no other qualified runs.
Saddle Bronc Riding
1. Kobyn Williams, De Berry, Texas 70 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Fortune Hunter; no other qualified rides.
Steer Roping
1. Shorty Garten, Pawhuska, Okla. 11.3 seconds; 2. Trenton Johnson, Blue Mound, Kan. 12.7; 3. Brad Mohon, Claremore, Okla. 13.9; no other qualified runs.
Team Roping
1. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Justin Fox, Huntsville, Ala. 4.7 seconds; 2. Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla./Reagan Ward, Edmond, Okla. 6.5; 3. Butch Levell, Glenwood, Iowa/Chad Mathes, Lawson, Mo. 8.8; no other qualified runs.
Women’s Barrel Racing
1. Cayla Small, Burneyville, Okla. 18.02 seconds; 2. Ericka Nelson, Century, Fla. 18.04; 3. Tracy Nowlin, Nowata, Okla. 18.22; 4. Shelby Janssen, Coleman, Okla. 18.32.
Bull Riding
1. Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla. 86 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s 246 Frankenstein; 2. Jeff Askey, Martin, Tenn. 59; no other qualified rides.
Current Standings
Through the first and second performances and Thursday morning slack
Bareback Riding
1. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. 79 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Sure Motion;
2. Anthony Thomas, Palestine, Texas 78;
3. Trey Moore, III, Anniston, Ala. 76;
4. Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb. 75.
Steer Wrestling
1st round
1. Denver Berry, Checotah, Okla. 4.9 seconds;
2. Kyle Eike, Glenarm, Ill. 5.1;
3. (tie) Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan. and Cody Devers, Alva, Okla. 5.7 each.
Tie Down Roping
1st round
1. L.D. Meier, Texhoma, Okla. 9.9 seconds;
2. Jeff Miller, Blue Mound, Kan. 10.9;
3. Kadin Boardman, Jackson, Mo. 11.6;
4. Jessie Hinkle, Powersville, Mo. 14.7.
Saddle Bronc Riding
1. Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla. 82 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Crossfire
2. Tyrel Larsen, Inglis, Man. 80
3. Jake Finlay, Goondiwindi, Australia 75
4. Dean Wadsworth, Ozona, Texas 74
Steer Roping
1st round (complete after slack today)
1. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas 11.8 seconds; 2. Kelly Casebolt, Lenapah, Okla. 12.5; 3. (tie) Mike Chase, McAlester, Okla. and Trenton Johnson, Blue Mound, Kan. 12.7 each.
2nd round leaders
1. Shorty Garten, Pawhuska, Okla. 11.3 seconds;
2. Trenton Johnson, Blue Mound, Kan. 12.7;
3. Brad Mohon, Claremore, Okla. 13.9;
4. Brad Swan, Pawhuska, Okla. 17.1
Average leaders (fastest time on 2 head)
1. Brad Mohon, Claremore, Okla. 27.7 on 2;
2. Trenton Johnson, Blue Mound, Kan. 25.4.
Team Roping
1st round (complete after slack today)
1. Ryan Von Ahn, Palmyra, Mo./Derrick Peterson, Louisburg, Kan. 5.1 seconds; 2. Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla./Reagan Ward, Edmond, Okla. 5.4; 3. Cale Markham, Vinita, Okla./Nick Simmons, Colcord, Okla. 5.9; 4. (tie) Dustin Morgan, Idabel, Okla./Jake Smith, Broken Bowl, Okl.a and Brit Ellerman, Ft. Lupton, Colo./Richard Durham, Henrietta, Texas 6.3 each; 6. Adam Rose, Willard, Mo./J.W. Beck, Moville, Iowa 6.4.
2nd round leaders
1. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Justin Fox, Huntsville, Ala. 4.7 seconds;
2. Quisto Lopez, Beeville, Texas/Justin Pruitt, Mt. Vernon, Texas 5.9 seconds
3. Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla./Reagan Ward, Edmond, Okla. 6.5;
4. Butch Levell, Glenwood, Iowa/Chad Mathes, Lawson, Mo. 8.8.
Average leaders (fastest time on 2 head)
1. Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla./Reagan Ward, Edmond, Okla. 11.9 seconds on 2 head;
2. Quisto Lopez, Beeville, Texas/Justin Pruitt, Mt. Vernon, Texas 12.6;
3. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Justin Fox, Huntsville, Ala. 12.9;
4. Ryan Von Ahn, Palmyra, Mo./Derrick Peterson, Louisburg, Kan. 5.1 on 1 head.
Women’s Barrel Racing
1. Cayla Small, Burneyville, Okla. 18.02 seconds;
2. Ericka Nelson, Century, Fla. 18.04;
3. Tracy Nowlin, Nowata, Okla. 18.22;
4. Shelby Janssen, Coleman, Okla. 18.32.
Bull Riding
1. Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla. 86 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s 246 Frankenstein;
2. Brett Custer, Elk City, Okla. 75;
3. Cody Ballard, Goodwell, Okla. 69;
4. Jeff Askey, Martin, Tenn. 59; no other qualified rides.
** All results are unofficial.
