The Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo in Rapid City, S.D., marked the first stop on the PRCA’s Wrangler Million Dollar Tour. The Tour is divided into two categories: Gold for rodeos adding over $20,000 in each event and Silver for rodeos adding between $10,000 and $19,999. Rapid City was a Silver-tier rodeo, adding over $200,000 total in seven events.

In the team roping, Blaine Linaweaver and Richard Durham stopped the clock in 9.1 seconds on two head to win the rodeo. They tied with two other teams for the first round win with a 4.6 and tied for fifth in the second round with a 4.5. In sum, they each won $5,852.

Other winners in Rapid City included 2007 World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Taos Muncy, who rode Burch Rodeo’s Current Rate for 83 to win $4,617. Muncy missed last year’s NFR after breaking his leg in Red Bluff, Calif. Weeks after his Rapid City win, Muncy broke his ankle helping fellow saddle bronc rider Mike Outhier start colts on his Utopia, Texas, ranch.

Reigning World Champion Steer Wrestler Luke Branquinho won by throwing two steers in 8.3 seconds, while 23-time NFR tie-down roper Mike Johnson won after tying two calves in 18.2 seconds. Cameron Castleberry won the bull riding with an 87, Kaycee Feild and Tom McFarland split the bareback riding title with 86-point rides and Jessica Routier and Sammie Bessert tied for the barrel racing win with 25.27 seconds on two runs.

In addition to San Antonio, the seven other Gold-level rodeos are: Austin, Reno, Nev.; St. Paul, Ore.; Cody, Wyo.; Salinas, Calif. and Ellensburg, Wash. In addition to Rapid City, the Silver rodeos include: Redding, Calif.; Prescott, Ariz.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Dodge City, Kan.; Sikeston, Mo.; Lovington, N.M.; Hermiston, Ore. and Bremerton, Wash.

Of those 17, cowboys can count their best 15 rodeos toward the Tour standings.
The tour will wrap up with playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., and Omaha, Neb.; together adding over $500,000 in prize money.