RFD-TV’S THE AMERICAN Pays Out $1.1 Million to Bareback Rider Richmond Champion

Cowboys and cowgirls from across the world gathered at AT&T Stadium for their chance at the $2 million dollar payout. Underdogs, legends and world champions competed in seven events on Texas Independence Day. As promised by President and CEO Randy Bernard, $2 million, in total prize money was paid out. Each RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN event champion received a $100,000 paycheck along with a prize package totaling more than $27,000 (a Polaris RANGER, a custom Cactus trophy saddle, a Bohlin Buckle and a Browning Gun.)

“THE AMERICAN was created to provide an opportunity for qualifiers to compete against the best in the world.  It truly was a historic day for western sport athletes. I would like to thank the sponsors, contestants and fans for supporting and making this vision a reality,” stated Randy Bernard, President and CEO of Rural Media Group.   

History was made when The Woodlands, Texan, Richmond Champion was the only qualifier to win his event.  The 21-year-old Bareback Rider was one of 46 qualifiers and 9 exemptions eligible for the million dollar side pot.  

Champion said, “I felt really good coming out of the Mesquite Semifinals. It was a huge confidence boost.  When you come to an event like THE AMERICAN you have to set goals.  After my second ride it started to hit me that I would have a chance at the million dollars.”

THE AMERICAN RESULTS

THE AMERICAN $1 Million Dollar Cowboy

·         Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, TX,

Total winnings – $1.1 million

 

THE AMERICAN All-Around Champion

·         Trevor Brazile, Decatur, TX

 

Bareback – THE AMERICAN Champion

·         Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, TX

 

Shoot Out Results

·         1st – Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, TX, 90 – $100,000

·         2nd – Steven Peebles, Redmond, OR, 87 – $25,000 (Tie-breaker)

·         3rd – Kaycee Field, Payson, UT, 87

·         4th – Caleb Bennett, Morgan, UT, NS

 

First Round Results

Steven Peebles, Redmond, OR, 87.50; Caleb Bennett, Morgan, UT, 85.25; Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, TX, 84; Kaycee Field, Payson, UT, 84; Bobby Mote, Redmond, OR, 83.75;  RC Landingham, Pendleton, TX, 82.5; Ryan Gray, Petersburg, TX, 81.25; Caine Riddle, Vernon, TX, 81; Jessy Davis, Power MT, 80.5; Clint Cannon, Waller, TX, 79.75; Casey Breuer Mandan, SD, 79.25; Will Lowe (Canyon, TX), 78.75; J.R. Vezain, Cowley, WY, 77.75

No Score: Casey Colletti, Pueblo, CO; Tyler Nelson, Victor, ID,

 

Steer Wrestling – THE AMERICAN Champion

·         Hunter Cure, Holiday, TX

 

Shoot Out Results

·         1st – Hunter Cure, Holiday, TX, 3.75 – $100,000

·         2nd – Dean Gorsuch, Gering, NE, 4.28  – $25,000

·         3rd – Dru Melvin, Hebron, NE, 9.09

·         4th – Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, ID, 16.93

 

First Round Results

Dean Gorsuch, Gering, NE, 3.74; Dru Melvin, Hebron, NE, 3.87; Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, ID, 3.95; Hunter Cure, Holiday, TX, 4.14; Jule Hazen, Ashland, KS, 4.33;  Dakota Eldridge, Elko, NV, 4.43; Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, 4.60; Tyler Pearson, Louisville, MS, 4.63; Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, LA, 5.56;  Bray Ames, Ponder, TX, 5.70; Stan Branco, Pilot Point, TX, 6.62; Scott “Ote” Berry, Checota, OK, 6.74

No time: Nick Guy, Sparta, WI; Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, TX; Casey Martin, Sulphur, LA; Trevor Knowles,  Mt. Vernon, OR

 

Team Roping – THE AMERICAN Champion

·         Kaleb Driggers (HD), Albany, GA / Patrick Smith (HL), Midland, TX

 

Shoot Out Results

·         1st – Kaleb Driggers (HD), Albany, GA / Patrick Smith (HL), Midland, TX, 4.38 – $100,000 per man

·         2nd – Erich Rogers (HD), Round Rock, AZ, / Cory Petska (HL), Lexington, OK, 4.49 – $25,000 per man

·         3rd – Jake Barnes (HR), Huntsville, TX, / Junior Nogueira (HL), Brazil, 4.61

·         4th – Nick Sartain (HD), Yukon, OK, / Rich Skelton (HL), Llano, TX, NT

 

First Round Results

Erich Rogers (HD), Round Rock, AZ / Cory Petska, Lexington, OK, 4.27

Nick Sartain (HD), Yukon, OK / Rich Skelton (HL), Llano, TX, 4.35

Jake Barnes (HR), Huntsville, TX / Junior Nogueira (HL), Brazil, 4.40

Kaleb Driggers (HD), Albany, GA / Patrick Smith (HL), Midland, TX, 4.47

Cale Markham (HR), Vinita, OK / Buddy Hawkins (HL), Columbus, KS, 4.69

Clay Tryan (HD), Billings, MT / Jade Corkill (HL), Fallon, NV, 4.88

Charly Crawford (HD), Albany, GA / Ryan Motes (HL), Weatherford, TX, 9.12

Riley Minor (HD), Ellensburg, WA / Brady Minor (HL), Ellensburg, WA, 13.95

Logan Olson (HR), Flandreau, SD / Jordan Olson (HL), Flandreau, SD, 14.48

 

No Time: Brandon Beers (HD), Powell Butte, OR / Jim Ross Cooper (HL), Monument, NM; Turtle Powell (HD), Stephenville, TX /Dugan Kelly (HL), Paso Robles, CA; Justin Davis (HD),Madisonville, TX / BJ Dugger (HL), Center Point, TX; Trevor Brazile (HD), Decatur, TX / Travis Graves (HL), Jay, OK; Colby Schneeman (HR), San Angelo, TX / Seth Smithson (HL), Ackerly, TX; Luke Brown (HD), Rock Hill, SC / Kollin VonAhn (HL), Blanchard, OK; Joel Bach (HD), San Augustine, TX / Tommy Zuniga (HL), Centerville, TX;  Speed Williams (HR), Jackson, FL / Shay Carroll (HL), Lajunta, CO;  Chad Masters (HR), Cedar Hill, TN / Clay O'Brien Cooper (HL), Ray, AZ

 

Saddle Bronc – THE AMERICAN Champion

·         Wade Sundell, Boxholm, IA

 

Shoot Out Results

·         1st – Wade Sundell, Boxholm, IA, 92.5 – $100,000

·         2nd – Cort Scheer, Elsmere, NE, 89  –  $25,000

·         3rd – Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, SD, 83.75

·         4th – Tyler Corrington, Hastings, NM, NS

 

First Round Results

Wade Sundell, Boxholm, IA, 90; Cort Scheer, Elsmere, NE, 88.25; Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, SD, 85.75; Jake Wright, Milford, UT, 84.5; Tyler Corrington, Hastings, NM, 84.5; Cody Wright, Milford, UT, 83.25; Taos Muncy, Corona, NM, 82.5;  Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, TX, 82.25; Tyrel Larsen, Inglis, MB, 73.75, Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, MT, 75.75

No Score: Jesse Wright, Milford, UT; Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, TX; Cody DeMoss, Heflin, LA; Rusty Wright, Milford, UT; Erik Wolford, Three Corners; Dan Mortensen, Billings, MT

 

Tie-Down Roping – THE AMERICAN Event Champion

·         Tyson Durfey, Weatherford TX

 

Shoot Out Results

·         1st – Tyson Durfey, Weatherford TX, 6.95 – $100,000

·         2nd – Trevor Brazile, Decatur, TX, 7.24  – $25,000

·         3rd – Cody Ohl, Hico, TX, 7.39

·         4th – Marcus Allen Costa, San Paulo, Brazil, NT

 

First Round Results

Trevor Brazile, Decatur, TX, 7.09; Cody Ohl, Hico, TX, 7.26; Marcus Allen Costa, San Paulo, Brazil, 7.36; Tyson Durfey, Weatherford TX, 7.51; Caleb Smidt, Bellville, TX, 7.52; Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, LA, 7.97; Justin Maass, Giddings, TX, 8.02; Clif Cooper, Decatur, TX, 8.95; Joe Beaver, Huntsville, TX, 9.60; Scott Kormos, Teague,TX, 9.89; Cory Solomon, Prairie View, TX, 10.36, Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, OK, 10.69; Tuf Cooper, Decatur, TX, 18.73; Blane Cox, Cameron, TX, 19.03

No Time: Timber Moore, Aubrey, TX; Randall Carlisle, Bryan, TX; Fred Whitfield, Hockley, TX

 

Barrel Racing – THE AMERICAN Champion

·         Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD

 

Shoot Out Results

·         1st – Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 14.035 – $100,000

·         2nd – Robyn Herring, Huntington, TX, 18.991 – $25,000

·         3rd – Jane Melby, Burneyville, OK, 19.203

·         4th – Shelly Anzick, Livingston, MT, 19.505

 

First Round Results

Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 13.983; Robyn Herring, Huntington, TX, 14.145; Jane Melby, Burneyville, OK, 14.167; Shelly Anzick, Livingston, MT, 14.127; Gretchen Benbenek, Missoula, MT, 14.25; June Holeman, Arcadia, NE 14.29; Clint Sherlin, Athens, TN, 14.300; Taylor Jacob, Carmine, TX, 14.34; Sherry Cervi, Marana, AZ, 14.36; Mary Walker, Ennis, TX, 14.37; Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, TX, 14.42; Tami Semas, Prineville, OR, 14.46; Shada Brazile, Decatur, TX, 14.52; Kay Blandford, Sutherland Springs, TX, 14.57; Katelyn McLeod, Whitesboro, TX, 14.660;  Sabrina Ketcham, Fraser, CO, 14.69; Erin Ricotti, Escalon, CA, 15.71; Charmayne James, Boerne, TX, 19.1; Kenna Squires, Fredonia, TX, 19.14; Christy Loflin, Franktown, CO, 19.26; Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, FL, 19.32

 

Bull Riding – THE AMERICAN Champion

·         J.B. Mauney, Moorseville, NC

 

Shoot Out Results

·         1st – J.B. Mauney, Mooresville, NC, 90.5  –  $100,000

·         2nd – Guilherme Marchi, Ferris, TX, NS  – $25,000 (based off of first round score)

·         3rd – Joao Ricardo Vieira, Decatur, TX, NS

·         4th – Mike Lee, Decatur, TX, NS

 

First Round Results

Guilherme Marchi, Ferris, TX, 89.75; Mike Lee, Decatur, TX, 89.25; Joao Ricardo Vieira, Decatur, TX, 88.75; J.B. Mauney, Mooresville, NC, 87.5; L.J. Jenkins, Porum, OK, 86.25; Eduardo Aparecido Silva, Decatur, TX, 84

No Score: Marco Eguchi, Decatur, TX; Tanner Byrne, Prince Albert, SK; Cody Nance, Paris, TN, Stormy Wing, Dalhart, TX; Matt Triplett, Columbia Falls, MT; Jory Markiss, Missoula, MT;Silvano Alves, Decatur, TX; Skeeter Kingsolver, McLouth, KS; Justin McBride, Marquette, NE