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 OMAHA,
Neb. - The ol' saying goes, "If ifs and buts were
candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas."
Carlee Pierce might be saying the same thing about her
first qualification to the Justin Boots Championships
during the River City Rodeo at the CenturyLink Center.
You see, Pierce and her great horse, Rare Dillion, put
together a scorching 13.86-second run to win Friday's
second go-round.
But …
Pierce, who is headed to her first Wrangler National
Finals Rodeo qualification, didn't fare nearly as well
in Thursday's first round. Dillon bumped a barrel, incurred
a five-second penalty and fell out of contention for
Saturday's final-four go-round.
If …
Subtracting that five seconds moves a 19.25 into a 14.25;
Britany Fleck won on opening night with a 14.29.
"Yesterday we went deep into the first," said
Pierce, of Woodward, Okla., who purchased Dillion from
Anessa Self in April. "He was a little lost and
so was I. Tonight I was ready. (I) rode him just a little
bit more than I usually do. It felt super fast. It felt
really, really good. I needed that."
The candy and nuts came in the fashion of the first-place
check worth $4,575. Although Pierce is done for the
weekend, she saw the positives in the situation.
"Last night we would have won the round, but we
hit the barrel, of course," she said. "Then
tonight I get a buckle, and that is really exciting.
And I've hit over the $80,000 mark, that's even better."
Sue Smith, Angie Meadors, three-time world champion
Sherry Cervi and Fleck will return Saturday night to
face off for the title. Lindsay Sears, who has won the
River City Rodeo the last four years, finished second
in the second round but like Pierce it was too little
too late for the Finals.
Justin Boots Championships
Sept. 22-24 Omaha, Neb.
First round: 1. Britany Fleck, Mandan,
N.D., 14.29 seconds, $4,575; 2. (tie) Sue Smith, Blackfoot,
Idaho, and Angie Meadors, Blanchard, Okla., 14.33, $1,975
each; 4. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 14.54, $850; 5.
Jill Moody, Letcher, S.D., 14.59; 6. Tammy Fischer,
Ledbetter, Texas, 14.63; 7. Kim Schulze, Elbert, Colo.,
14.71; 8. (tie) Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M.,
and Cassie Moseley, Cedar Lane, Texas, 14.88 each; 10.
Carlee Pierce, Woodward, Okla., 19.25; 11. Lindsay Sears,
Nanton, Alberta, 19.27; 12. Robyn Herring, Huntington,
Texas, 19.78.
Second round: 1. Carlee Pierce, Woodward, Okla., 13.86
seconds, $4,575; 2. Lindsay Sears, Nanton, Alberta,
13.97, $2,350; 3. Sue Smith, Blackfoot, Idaho, 14.04,
$1,600; 4. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 14.11, $850;
5. Angie Meadors, Blanchard, Okla., 14.25; 6. Cassie
Moseley, Cedar Lane, Texas, 14.29; 7. (tie) Jill Moody,
Letcher, S.D., and Tammy Fischer, Ledbetter, Texas,
14.31 each; 9. Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., 14.43;
10. Kim Schulze, Elbert, Colo., 14.50; 11. Britany Fleck,
Mandan, N.D., 14.52; 12. Robyn Herring, Huntington,
Texas, 19.92.
Average: 1. Sue Smith, Blackfoot, Idaho, 28.37 seconds
on two runs, $2,105; 2. Angie Meadors, Blanchard, Okla.,
28.58, $1,025; 3. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 28.65,
$750; 4. Britany Fleck, Mandan, N.D., 28.81, $500; 5.
Jill Moody, Letcher, S.D., 28.90; 6. Tammy Fischer,
Ledbetter, Texas, 28.94; 7. Cassie Moseley, Cedar Lane,
Texas, 29.17; 8. Kim Schulze, Elbert, Colo., 29.21;
9. Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., 29.31; 10. Carlee
Pierce, Woodward, Okla., 33.11; 11. Lindsay Sears, Nanton,
Alberta, 33.24; 12. Robyn Herring, Huntington, Texas,
39.70.
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