CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Bobby Mote took the lead in the bareback riding after an 87-point ride on Wednesday and a 78 on Thursday at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo.
Mote now leads the overall standings with a total of 165 points. The reigning world champion tied for the Cheyenne Frontier Days championship in 2004 with Cimmaron Gerke, from Brighton, Colo. Mote, from Culver, Ore., is currently ranked fourth in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Crusher Rentals World Standings. He is likely to get a good check in the first round of competition and would like nothing more than to win a title here and move closer to world No. 1 Steven Dent. Dent, from Mullen, Neb., has his first competition at the CFD on Friday.
Veteran roper Roy Cooper, from Decatur, Texas, took command of the steer roping with a 16.4-second run during the sixth performance. Cooper has a total of 33 seconds on two runs and is more than three seconds ahead Cody Scheck, from Alva, Okla. Cooper's youngest son Tuf Cooper just got his PRCA permit and is competing in tie-down roping. Tuf Cooper is winning the second round with just 20 more ropers to go. Roy Cooper also competed in tie-down roping on Thursday and had a successful run. Roy Cooper is ranked 12th in the overall standings. However, with the ropers left to compete, it is unlikely that he will advance to Sunday's finals.
Ricky Canton knows all about winning the tie-down roping title at this rodeo, accomplishing the feat twice. The last time was in 2005 and the first was in 1987. Canton took the overall lead in that event with a total time of 28.9 seconds.
There is a new leader in saddle bronc riding and it looks like the final round will be a definite family affair. Heith DeMoss, from Crowville, La., took the overall lead with 169 points on two heads after his 83-point ride on Thursday. His older brother Cody DeMoss had the lead with 157 points. Cody is now part of a three-way tie for fifth place.
Friday's competition will feature the first round of competition in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, and bull riding. The tie-down roping, steer roping, women's barrel race and team roping will all be in the second round. The rodeo starts at 1 p.m.
