Louisiana header Cyle Denison jumped into the the top 15 with two days remaining in ProRodeo’s regular season after he and partner Tanner Braden smoked their Round 2 steer at the Sioux Falls, South Dakota Cinch Governor’s Cup in 3.9 seconds to win $11,000 a man.

Round 1 Results and Recap

Denison entered the Sept. 27 go-round 20th in the world with $94,200.88 won on the year, but the Governor’s Cup payday will move him to $105,200.88. That’s unofficially 13th, ahead of Derrick Begay with $105,068.55. It bumps out Nelson Wyatt, who took a no-time in Round 2 and won’t advance to the semifinals on Saturday.

The round win helped solidify Braden’s first NFR berth. Braden, from Dewey, Oklahoma, jumped from No. 11 to No. 8 with $121,3477.76.

Here’s our Team Roping Journal play-by-play of Sioux Falls’ Governor’s Cup Team Round Round 2:

Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin drew a good one to be 4.3 at first out.

Denison and Braden needed to make it through to the semifinals to keep their NFR dreams alive, and Denison stole the start to be 3.9 and put the pressure on early.

Luke Brown and Travis Graves drew a steer that didn’t take it as well, and Graves scoops him up and finishes fast to be 4.4.

Wyatt and Paden Bray take the first no-time of the rodeo with a miss on the heel side to significantly diminish their NFR chances, as both were outside the top 15 going into Round 2 at 22nd and 23rd, respectively.

Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord make a solid run and go 4.2.

Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp take an extra split second to get the finish and stop the clock in 4.3.

Brenten Hall and Kaden Profili miss on the heel side.

Nelson Wyatt and Jonathan Torres get the first head-side miss of the rodeo to put Wyatt’s NFR hopes in question.

Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira draw a bigger, stronger red and white paint steer and are plus five to be 9.5.

Clint Summers and Jake Long get a leg to be 9.2.

Jake Smith and Douglas Rich have a hickey on the horn to take a no-time.

Andrew Ward and Kollin VonAhn needed to squeak into the top 8, and their 9.4 with a leg got them in splitting last hole in the average. With that, VonAhn keeps his hopes alive at another shot at the Finals with a chance big check Saturday. VonAhn is currently 21st in the world with $95,382.46. Ward is inside the top 15 at 12th with $106,581.02.

FINAL-DAY PAYOUT 

After the first two full rounds, the top eight teams on two head will advance to Saturday’s round. In Saturday’s clean-slate round, fifth-eighth place will pay $3,611 each, and the top four fastest times will advance to a four-man short round. 

The four-man shootout round will pay the following amounts:

1. $30,000
2. $22,500
3. $15,000
4. $7,500

Sioux Falls Governor’s Cup Round 2 Winners

Sioux Falls Governor’s Cup Aggregate Leaders