Cory Kidd V and Carson Johnson will rope the most important steer of their season a second time.
The draw for Sunday’s Governor’s Cup semifinals put Kidd and Johnson back on steer No. 5, the one they no-timed in Friday’s first round. Andrew Ward and Jake Long also drew back their own steer, No. 52, which they no-timed Saturday night.
Six of the eight semifinal steers have a no-time on them from earlier this week. A no-time doesn’t show whether the steer or the roper caused the miss. Only two teams drew a steer that has been caught in Sioux Falls:
- Lightning Aguilera and Ross Ashford drew No. 60, the steer Kidd and Johnson were 4.4 on Saturday for second in the round.
- Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira drew No. 16, which Ward and Long caught in 4.8 Friday.
The stakes are highest for Kidd and Johnson. Counting the $4,500 every semifinalist is guaranteed, Kidd is No. 15 in the heading standings at $114,108.70, $3,892.71 ahead of Nelson Wyatt, who leads San Bernardino, Calif. Johnson needs to finish in the top three of the final to pass Wyatt Cox for the last heeling spot.
The top four teams advance to a clean-slate final that pays $34,000 a man to win. The semifinals start at 2 p.m. Central.
Semifinal draw
| Order | Header | Heeler | Steer | Earlier this week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Ward | Jake Long | 52 | Ward/Long, no time |
| 2 | Cory Kidd V | Carson Johnson | 5 | Kidd/Johnson, no time |
| 3 | Dawson Graham | Dillon Graham | 10 | Aguilera/Ashford, no time |
| 4 | Lightning Aguilera | Ross Ashford | 60 | Kidd/Johnson, 4.4 |
| 5 | Jake Smith | Douglas Rich | 6 | Tomlinson/Payne, no time |
| 6 | Tyler Tryan | Nicky Northcott | 98 | Grahams, no time |
| 7 | Kaleb Driggers | Junior Nogueira | 16 | Ward/Long, 4.8 |
| 8 | James Arviso | Levi Lord | 3 | Tonozzi/Yates, no time |
Extra steers: No. 54 (Smith/Rich, 5.2) and No. 50 (Driggers/Nogueira, 5.8).