SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The unique format of the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo is paying big dividends for five contestants through the first two performances.

Thanks to their success on Friday night, five contestants have their semifinals qualifications secured no matter what happens in the third round. Reigning world champion bareback rider Tim O'Connell was the first to take consecutive victory laps around the arena.

O'Connell from Zwingle, Iowa, got on Beutler and Son Rodeo's Nutrena's Rage for an 87-point marking. That added $2,281 to the $2,281 that he won on Thursday for a total of $4,562.

I'll never get tired of taking a victory lap here," O'Connell said. "When you are riding that horse around the arena, you can see the fans and feel the energy. It's similar to taking a victory lap at the NFR (Wrangler National Finals Rodeo), there's just so much excitement.

The rodeo features seven events: bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. The 50 top contestants in those events qualify to compete at San Antonio's AT&T Center. They each have three opportunities in five brackets. The top four money earners in each event from the five brackets will advance to the semifinals.

Local contestant and the 2016 world champion saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley has also made the trip around the arena twice and added $4,562 to his checking account. He scored 81 points on another horse from Beutlers, Four Aces.

"It's nice to know that I get to come back and play again," Crawley said. "Winning last night was a big help for my confidence and momentum. It meant I didn't have to worry about winning money to get to come back here, I could just go out and have fun. There's still pressure. I always want to do good but especially here in front of hometown fans,"

Crawley and his wife, Lauren, live about an hour away at Boerne. Every contestant has rodeos that they dream about winning. After he won the Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming, last July, he still has two to mark off his list: San Antonio and the Pendleton Round-Up in Oregon.

"I've always wanted to win this one," he added. "The way it's set up, anyone can win on any given day. That makes it exciting to watch and fun for us."

Kory Koontz, a veteran team roping heeler from Stephenville, Texas, joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1991 and has yet to earn a title here. He and his partner, Dustin Eguisquiza from Marianna, Florida, came closer with their second win. As did Taylor Langdon from Aubrey, Texas, who has two wins in the barrel racing. They each have earned $4,562 so far.

These contestants have the chance to win more in the third round on Saturday at the matinee performance at 1 PM, when semifinals qualifiers will be determined. Bracket 2 will see its first round of competition on Saturday night beginning at 7:30.

By Susan Kanode

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