SALT LAKE CITY — The best of the best laid it all out on the line for a chance at glory during the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo on Monday.
The Days of ’47 Pro Rodeo was instrumental in the success of several lucky cowboys and one lucky cowgirl. Most rodeos are set up so the top 10-15 rides or runs throughout the week go on to the short round to compete for the big money. This rodeo was set up much differently to better accommodate the fans and competitors.
Each night the top two rides or runs qualified to compete in the short round on Monday. Each night competitors get the chance to win around $3,000. During the round on Monday, eight competitors in each event competed to win the $50,000 and earn an Olympic style medal: gold, silver and bronze.
Pressure was building on Monday for the competitors. The $50,000 payout all but guarantees the winners a spot at the World National Finals Rodeo in December. The WNFR is what most cowboys and cowgirls work towards all year long. Only the top 15 in the world get to compete at the finals for a chance to win a world championship in their event.
“The Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo is excited to bring a fresh look to professional rodeo and provide additional opportunities, especially to the cowboys’ and cowgirls’ bank accounts,” Tommy Joe Lucia, the Days of ’47 general manager, said. “We must continue to raise the expectations of the competitors, committees and the fans in order for our sport to continue to grow. We feel this game-changing rodeo will make the road to (the WNFR) even hotter with fifty thousand being awarded to the champion in each event, along with a one-of-a-kind gold medal.”
Here are quick Q&A's with the night's big winners.
GOLD-MEDAL WINNERS
Bareback riding: Wyatt Denny, 21-year-old, Minden, Nevada
Q: What are you going to do with the $50,000?
A: “Rodeo. I know that’s the obvious answer. I’ve always really wanted a jet ski.”
Q: What is a key factor contributing to your success?
A: “Definitely my parents. They give me every opportunity in the world. I was never handed anything, they made me work for everything I had. Bareback riding was what I really loved to do, and they encouraged me all the way.”
Q: What is your favorite part of the Days of ’47 rodeo besides the $50,000?
A: This arena is awesome. The arena makes you feel like a gladiator. The stands, the crowd and just everything is pretty electric.”
Steer wrestling: Ryle Smith, 30-year-old, Oakdale, California
Q: What are you going to do with the $50,000?
A: “On Wednesday when the money comes into my account I might just stare at it for a little while.”
Q: What is a key factor contributing to your success?
A: “Experience. This is my seventh year pro rodeoing. I have a lot of good help, and I have good horsepower. Experience is the biggest factor. I made the WNFR last year, and that gave me some more confidence.”
Q: What is your favorite part of the Days of ’47 rodeo besides the $50,000?
A: “The venue is cool, and the committee has done an awesome job. I hope each year it keeps getting bigger and better.”
Team roping header: Jr. Dees, 19-year-old, Aurora, South Dakota
Q: What are you going to do with the $50,000?
A: “I’m going to use it to rodeo and try to make the finals and see what happens.”
Q: What is your favorite part of the Days of ’47 rodeo besides the $50,000?
A: “It’s just a cool rodeo. It’s a big arena, a lot of people, good steers and you only have to beat eight teams.”
Team roping heeler: Tyler Mcknight, 28-year-old, Wells, Texas
Q: What is a key factor contributing to your success?
A: “Just not giving up. I haven’t had the best year. There have been times I have wanted to go home, and my family said, 'No, you have to stay out there.’ They push me to keep going. Just support from my friends and family, mainly.”
Q: What is your favorite part of the Days of ’47 rodeo besides the $50,000?
A: “There’s not that many times you get to rope for that much money. In one rodeo you can catch two steers and win $50,000. It is just unbelievable.”
Saddle Bronc: Cody Demoss, 36-year-old, Heflin, Louisiana
Q: What is a key factor contributing to your success?
A: “God blessed me with a rhythm, and I thank him every time I’m in time with it.”
Q: What is your favorite part of the Days of ’47 rodeo besides the $50,000?
A: “The gold medal. The atmosphere is made for rodeo and I’ll be excited to come back next year.”
Tie-down roping: Tuf Cooper, 27-year-old, Weatherford, Texas
Q: What are you going to do with the $50,000?
A: “The money is great, but it comes and goes. This medal is going to be around for a while.”
Q: What is a key factor contributing to your success?
A: “Following who I’ve been created to be. God gave me all this opportunity and just showed me who I’m supposed to be inside and outside of the arena.”
Q: What is your favorite part of the Days of ’47 rodeo besides the $50,000?
A: “I love this rodeo. I’ve been coming since 2008. I love the new facility, it’s amazing. It’s a first-class rodeo and what [the committee] is doing is going to make a difference in our industry. Not just this rodeo today, but all the other rodeos.”
Barrel racing: Hailey Kinsel, 22-year-old, Cotulla, Texas
Q: What are you going to do with the $50,000?
A: “I’m going to save it. I haven’t really thought about it. Get back to me in a couple months.”
Q: What is a key factor contributing to your success?
A: “I have an incredible horse. She’s young, she’s got a lot of fire to her and she is so gritty. She slipped tonight twice and tried so hard to stand up and take off again. You can’t replace effort and her heart is what makes her so good.”
Q: What is your favorite part of the Days of ’47 rodeo besides the $50,000?
A: “The medal is really cool. Everybody has been so nice. I know it is the first year in the new facility, but everyone here asks what can we do to make it better? I love hearing that from committees. Taking care of the contestants has been awesome and that means a lot to us.”
Bull riding: Sage Kimzey, 22-year-old, Strong City, Oklahoma
Q: What are you going to do with the $50,000?
A: “There’s a lot of stuff it could go towards. I’m going to take a few days and think it over, and really think about where it is going.”
Q: What is a key factor contributing to your success?
A: “Dedication and determination from a very young age. I knew from a very young age that this is what I wanted to do. Ever since I was 4 years old I spent every day trying to get better at it. I gave up a lot of stuff growing up to hone my craft and to get to the point to where I’m at in my career, but it was all worth it. It has been everything I’ve ever dreamed of.”
Q: What is your favorite part of the Days of ’47 rodeo besides the $50,000?
A: “The atmosphere is great. The new venue they built is pretty special. The rodeo fans in Utah are second to none. They all come out, they all get loud and they get into it. We really didn’t know what to expect, but I was pretty impressed.”