Diné contestants stay hot through Round 2 at INFR

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Two rounds into the Indian National Finals Rodeo, Navajo contestants have made their presence felt inside the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center, stacking up wins and top finishes across nearly every major event.

In bareback riding, the Betony brothers from Tonalea, Arizona, have been the story of the week so far. Cauy Betony opened Round 1 with an 82-point ride to take first and he followed that with a 77-point effort in Round 2 to stay atop the leaderboard.

His brother Evan Betony, just one point behind in the opener, scored 75 in Round 2 to keep himself second overall. Through two rounds, Cauy leads the aggregate with 159 points, while Evan sits three points behind at 156, giving the brothers a strong 1–2 standing as they head into Round 3.

The steer wrestling event saw a shake-up after Round 1 leader Tydon Tsosie of Crownpoint missed his mark in the second go. Matt Jodie of Church Rock, New Mexico, capitalized with a 5.42-second run to finish second in Round 2, while Hiyo Yazzie of Brimhall, New Mexico, posted a 7.39 that kept him in the average race.

Ladies breakaway roping continues to be dominated by Navajo talent. Kassidy Dennison of Tohatchi, placed second in Round 1 before firing back to win Round 2 in 2.26 seconds. Behind her, Autumn Sells finished third at 2.52, Ashley Yazzie took fourth at 2.61, and Kaden Jodie and Bailey Bates also remain within striking distance in the overall standings.

In saddle bronc riding, Creighton Curley of Ganado has been nearly flawless. After topping Round 1 with 85 points, he added an 81 in Round 2 to maintain the aggregate lead with a combined 166 points. Lorenzo Benally of Tsaile, Arizona is still in the mix after scoring 77 on opening night.

Tie-down roping has seen the return of familiar names. Gavaro Harrison of Chinle opened with a 9.75-second run to sit second in Round 1, while Dean Holyan of Coyote Canyon, New Mexico, posted a 10.00 for third. Round 2 brought Malachi Pablo into the picture with a 10.82-second finish, finally breaking through after going scoreless earlier in the week.

Team roping has been among the fastest events through two rounds. Wyatt Gibson and Ty Vaile have shown unmatched consistency, finishing third with a 5.16 run, giving them an aggregate lead of 10.32 seconds. Erich Rogers and Aaron Tsinigine claimed Round 2 honors with a 4.86, while Nehemiah Begay and Blevyns Jumper took fourth after posting a 5.33.

In ladies barrel racing, Erin Jones of Chinle continues to lead after two steady runs — 15.34 in Round 1 and 15.48 in Round 2 — for a total aggregate time of 30.82 seconds.

The bull riding event saw Chance Thomas of Window Rock post the only qualified ride in Round 1 with 76 points, while Round 2 brought in new names, including Odey Tom of Lupton, Arizona, with an 81 for fourth and Brad Moreno with a 77 for fifth.

As the competition heads into the latter half of the week, the Junior and Senior divisions take the stage Thursday at 12:30 p.m., featuring Junior Barrel Racing, Senior Breakaway Roping, Senior Team Roping, Junior Breakaway, and Junior Bull Riding. The first half of Round 3 in the main events follows later that afternoon.

Friday’s action continues at 12:30 p.m. with the second round of the Junior and Senior divisions and concludes with the second half of Round 3 at 7 p.m. — a key stretch that will determine who advances to Saturday night’s championship finale.

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