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SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 9, 2020)—It was Sunday fun day at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo for one contestant in particular.

Barrel racer Ryann Pedone from Sunset, Texas, qualified to compete at San Antonio for the first time in 2020. She did that in part because of a seven-year-old stallion named Feel the Sting “Stinger.”

Stinger is owned by High Point Performance Horses of Pilot Point, Texas. Pedone has been riding him as well as Dash Ta Jones “Jonesy” during the 2019 season with one goal in mind – win enough to qualify for the big winter rodeos. They finished 40th in the WPRA World Standings last year and this year, they are competing at rodeos they have never been to before.

While they have never competed at the rodeo here before, both Pedone and Stinger are veterans and handled the crowd and atmosphere in the AT&T Center like they had been competing there all of their lives. They won the first round of Bracket 2 Saturday evening with a 14.22-second run. Sunday’s matinee saw a tick come off of their time and they won again with 14.21. Sunday evening’s performance was their best run to date stopping the clock in a quick 13.98 seconds. They had a clean sweep of the bracket and are headed back to Sunset knowing they have a spot in the Semifinals secured with $7,500 in earnings.

And, because contestants advance through the divisions here based on money won, Pedone is in great shape to qualify for the Championship Finals on Feb. 22. They will have two more opportunities to add to their earnings during the Semifinals. Prior to San Antonio’s rodeo, Pedone was 22nd in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world standings. She will need to stay there through September to qualify for her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo where world champions are crowned. With over $1.2 million in prize money, San Antonio’s rodeo is an important stepping stone for many contestants who accomplish that goal.

Taylor Langdon of Aubrey, Texas, kicked things off in San Antonio in Bracket 1 competition winning the first round in a time of 14.03 seconds. The rounds would only get faster with Tillar Murray of Fort Worth, Texas, winning the second round in 13.91 seconds but it was 2019 Wrangler NFR qualifier and registered dental hygienist Emily Miller aboard Chongo that turned in the fastest time in the third round with a 13.90-second run. When all the earnings were tabulated it was Murray leading the way in bracket 1 with $5,000, followed by Miller and Langdon with $4,500 each and Hallie Hanssen with $2,000.

Bracket 3 will begin on Monday night at 7 p.m. in the AT&T Center.

Stay tuned to www.wpra.com and our Facebook page for updates from San Antonio and other major rodeo events.

For more information on the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, visit www.sarodeo.com.

Susan Kanode contributed to this article

Results as of Feb. 9, 2020

Bracket 1: First round: 1. Taylor Langdon, Aubrey, Texas, 14.03 seconds, $2,500; 2. Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla., 14.15, $2,000; 3. Tillar Murray, Fort Worth, Texas, 14.16, $1,250; 4. Destri Devenport, Escondido, Calif., 14.24, $750. Second round: 1. Tillar Murray, Fort Worth, Texas, 13.91 seconds, $2,500; 2. Hallie Hanssen, Hermosa, S.D., 14.15, $2,000; 3. Lisa Thornton, Plum, Texas, 14.20, $1,250; 4. Destri Devenport, Escondido, Calif., $750. Third round: 1. Emily Miller, Weatherford, Texas, 13.90 seconds, $2,500; 2. Taylor Langdon, Aubrey, Texas, 14.03, $2,000; 3. Tillar Murray, Fort Worth, Texas, 14.06, $1,250; 4. Lisa Thornton, Plum, Texas, 14.37, $750.

Bracket 2: First round: 1. Ryann Pedone, Sunset, Texas, 14.22 seconds, $2,500; 2. Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, 14.25, $2,000; 3. (tie) Maggie Poloncic, Gillette, Wyo., and Jessie Telford, Caldwell, Idaho, 14.30, $1,000 each. Second round: 1. Ryann Pedone, Sunset, Texas, 14.21 seconds, $2,500; 2. Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, 14.34, $2,000; 3. Jessie Telford, Caldwell, Idaho, 14.35, $1,200; 4. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 14.36, $750. Third round: 1. Ryann Pedone, Sunset, Texas, 13.98, $2,500; 2. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., 14.10, $2,000; 3. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 14.19, $1,200; 4. Teri Bangart, Olympia, Wash., 14.25, $750.

Advancing to Semifinals:

Tillar Murray, Fort Worth, Texas, $5,000 – Bracket 1

Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla., $4,500 – Bracket 1

Taylor Langdon, Aubrey, Texas, $4,500 – Bracket 1

Hallie Hanssen, Hermosa, S.D., $2,000 – Bracket 1

Ryann Pedone, Sunset, Texas, $7,500 – Bracket 2

Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas, $4,000 – Bracket 2

Jessie Telford, Caldwell, Idaho, $2,250 – Bracket 2

Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D., $2,000 – Bracket 2

Read the complete article on the WPRA Website