Colletti looking for another win at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo By Susan Kanode and Julie Mankin For Cheyenne Frontier Days CHEYENNE, Wyo. --- July 20, 2013 --- Ask Casey Colletti what is favorite rodeo is and he’s likely to say Cheyenne. The Pueblo, Colo., resident won the bareback riding championship Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in 2011, came back in 2012 and finished fourth. His win here in 2011 put him on track for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification. Colletti, who was ranked 14th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) World Standings prior to competing here took the early lead in the first round of bareback riding on Saturday. He had an outstanding effort on a horse named Borrowed Angel from the Burns Rodeo Company at Laramie, Wyo. Borrowed Angel is young and Colletti didn’t know much about her. A little research gave him hopes that she would be good for him. Borrowed Angel made her first appearance here as a five year old in last year’s rookie bronc riding futurity. She caught the eye of Blaze Hamaker from Centennial who purchased her to add to Burns Rodeo’s bucking horse string. Saturday at Cheyenne was her fourth PRCA performance and perhaps her best. She bucked off Jake Brown at the Elizabeth (Colo.) Stampede. Then she took Jared Smith to an 84 at the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede and Morgan Heaton to an 82 at Laramie (Wyo.) Jubilee Days. Knowing that, Colletti was hopeful but not too optimistic because there is always the unknown with a young horse. Borrowed Angel was good in the bucking chute waiting for Colletti to set down and nod his head. When the gate opened, she was all business Colletti is now atop the leaderboard in the first round of competition with an 87-point ride. “Honestly, I didn’t know anything about that horse before I got here (to Cheyenne),” Colletti said. “I can tell you if she keeps doing what she did today and has been doing, she’ll be at the NFR. I wish that I could get on one like that every day. Guys grow up dreaming about competing here, then you set a goal of winning. It would be amazing to win here again.” There is a tie at the top of the leaderboard in saddle bronc riding. Tyrell Smith from Cascade, Wyo., who made his first appearance at the NFR last December and former College National Finals Rodeo qualifier RayTom Meiers from Mills, Wyo., each had 83 point scores. Smith was on Andrews Rodeo Company’s Wide Open and Meiers rode Smith Pro Rodeo’s Painted Feathers. All of these contestants will have their second round of competition at Sunday’s rodeo. The grand entry kicks off the competition starting at 12:15 p.m.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 21:10:01 +0000
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