Canadian standouts Dawson and Dillon Graham made a 4.28-second run in the final round of the American Contender Tournament Central Regional Finals to win $10,000 a man and stay in the hunt for the $1 million bonus.
Qualifiers from American Rodeo Central Regional Finals
- Dawson Graham / Dillon Graham – 4.28 – $10,0002
- Kaleb Driggers /Junior Nogueria – 5.03 – $5,500
- Shay Carroll / Logan Moore – 5.15 – $2,500
- Coy Rahlmann / Billie Jack Saebens – 5.55 – $1,500
- Clay Smith / Nicky Northcott – 9.81 – $500
American Rodeo Team Roping Format
The American Contender Tournament Central Region Finals was the second of three Region Finals (West, Central, East). The South Point Equestrian Center in Las Vegas hosted the American Western Regional Finals earlier in January, where Pedro Egurrolo and Michael Calmelat got the first Contender win. The East Region Finals will round out the Contender Tournament Region Finals Jan. 25-27 in Lexington, Kentucky.
The top five contenders from all three regions will then compete in the Taylor Telecom Arena in Abilene Saturday, Feb. 10, for the chance to compete in The American Rodeo March 9.
What is the American Rodeo Contender Tournament?
The American Contender Tournament West, Central and East Regional Semi-Finals attract qualifiers from both coasts as well as the Central United States to compete in the re-imagined tournament style format in hopes of making it all the way to The Crown Jewel of Rodeo™ —The American Rodeo 2024.
In 2023, more than 2,500 rodeo athletes competed across the country to vie for a chance at the $1-million bonus on the line if they made it to The American Rodeo, earning impressive money along the way. Guaranteed prize money is upwards of $540,000 for the Regional Semi-Finals and Finals.
