Champions crowned at Caldwell Night Rodeo

The 100th anniversary of the Caldwell Night Rodeo wrapped up Saturday night as winners were crowned after the Championship round.

Jess Pope got things going by getting a boost at making his fifth straight National Finals Rodeo by winning the CNR title in bareback riding, the same event he won a world title in in 2022. Pope scored an 86 on Saturday night to get a two-head score of 170.5.

The Waverly, Kansas cowboy entered the week ranked 19th in the world standings, with six weeks to go in the season. The top 15 in each event move on to the NFR in Las Veas.

Milan, Minnesota cowboy J.D. Struxness strengthened his case for a NFR spot by winning steer wrestling. Struxness, who entered the weekend ranked No. 7, took down his calf in four-seconds flat to finish with a three-head score of 13.4 seconds.

The team roping finals saw four cowboys come away with the team roping title as the teams of Tee McLeod and Sid Sporer and Brenten Hall and Kaden Profili both had three-heads scores of 18.1 to be co-champions.

Hall and Profili entered the final round 0.1 seconds ahead of McLeod and Sporer. McLeod and Sporer had a time of 6.1 seconds on Saturday, while Hall and Profili got 6.2 seconds.

Breakaway

Josie Conner, who came into the week ranked 5th in breakaway roping, took home the CNR title with a time of 3.1 seconds to finish with a three-head time of 7.9 seconds.

Rigby native Kade Bruno split a private jet rental with four other cowboys just to make the final round of the Caldwell Night Rodeo Saturday after starting the day in Baker, Montana.

Bruno made the trip worth it, getting a score of 90.5 to win the saddle bronc riding with a two-head score of 178.

Bruno is currently ranked No. 1 in the world in saddle bronc, having earned more than $192,000 on the season entering this week.

Iowa, Louisiana native Zack Jongbloed won the tie down roping, getting his calf tied down Saturday in 8.4 seconds to finish with a three-head time of 25.1 seconds.

Michelle Alley won barrel racing, taking a time of 16.83 seconds on Saturday for a three-head time of 51.13 seconds.

There were no qualifying rides in bull riding Saturday night, so Wacey Schalla first-round score of 89 stood for the Caldwell Night Rodeo title, despite him not being in the arena Saturday night.