Gunnison’s Coleman Shallbetter rides United Pro Rodeo’s Sky Fall for 84 points to share the saddle bronc riding lead at his hometown rodeo, Cattlemen’s Days.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)

 

GUNNISON, Colo. – Coleman Shallbetter’s stay at home was short but sweet.

He left the Calgary Stampede on Wednesday afternoon and drove about 20 hours to return to the Gunnison Valley, where he competed during Thursday’s opening performance of the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo. It was a success; he matched moves with United Pro Rodeo’s Sky Fall for 84 points to share the saddle bronc riding lead at his hometown event.

“My June wasn’t bad, but my Fourth of July was super slow,” said Shallbetter, 21, the top-ranked rookie bronc rider in the PRCA. “I won like $300 over the Fourth and got to go there to Calgary and make up for it a little bit and have some fun there.”

He more than made up for it, pocketing $12,500 over three days in Alberta. He won the first round of his set Monday, then finished second Tuesday. That was a nice little payday and opens the opportunity for more. He will compete again during Calgary’s Sunday championship, where the winners of each event pocket $50,000.

“Yep, I’m home for one day, and now we’re rolling on to Casper (Wyoming) for (Friday), then the Casper short round Saturday and then back to Calgary for the nine-man,” said Shallbetter, who last year won more than $120,000 to lead the permit-holder standings; had he made 2025 his rookie season, he would have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo.

So far this season, he has pocketed $55,480 and sits 21st in the world standings. Only the top 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the NFR, so he’s hoping the momentum just continues to build. Doing well in Gunnison will go a long way toward that for prosperity and his mental state.

“Last year I got folded up pretty hard, but things progressed a little better this year,” he said with a sly grin.

Shallbetter is tied for the Cattlemen’s Day lead with Skinny Parsons, who was 84 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Flashcard Champ. Shallbetter has a $5,000 lead in the rookie race over Waitley Sharon of Ordway, Colorado.

“He’s a great kid, and I hope we ride it out at the (NFR) this year,” Shallbetter said. “I want that to decide who’s going to be the rookie of the year.”

The hometown kid was just one of the highlights of Thursday’s performance. Danielle Lowman, a three-time National Finals Breakaway Roping qualifier from Gilbert, Arizona, set an arena record with a 1.6-second run. It’s not the only place where she owns an arena record, and almost every one of those was on her horse, Mijo.

“I don’t own him; my cousin owns him,” she said. “I usually just have him for the winters, but this year we have him all year. Our timing’s good, and I’m just thankful to have this opportunity to be able to ride him.”

Cattlemen’s Days
Gunnison, Colo.
July 9-11
Bareback riding: 1. Cole Franks, 86.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeos’ Tons Of Fun; 2. Keenan Hayes, 84.5; 3. Colt Eck, 83.5; 4. Bryce Eck, 83; 5. (tie) Owen Brouillette and Darien Johnson, 81.

Steer wrestling: 1. Clay Tom Hurt, 4.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Jesse Brown and Cimarron Thompson, 5.0; 4. Sam Gallagher, 5.3; 5. Walker Polhamus, 5.6; 6. Marc Joiner, 5.8.

Team roping: 1. Wawa Ben Jr./Brandon Ben, 5.1 seconds; 2. Brayden Fillmore/Cody Lansing, 5.2; 3. (tie) Cameron Capshaw/Clancey Kreutzer and Jay Tittel/T.J. Watts, 5.4 each; 5. Casey Adams/Riley Pedro, 5.8; 6. Payton Norell/Derek Pake Younger, 5.9.

Breakaway roping: 1. Danielle Lowman, 1.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Martha Angelone, Kennedy Buckner and Amber Hutto, 2.2; 5. Zoie Bedke, 2.3; 6. Haliegh Grant, 2.4.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Skinny Parsons, on Smith Pro Rodeos’ Flashcard Champ, and Coleman Shallbetter, on United Pro Rodeo’s Sky Fall, 84 points; 3. Brady Irvine, 83; 4. Bailey Small, 80.5; 5. Cauy Masters, 79; 6. Michael Johnston, 78.5.

Tie-down roping: 1. Ean Ellis, 8.0 seconds; 2. Cole Clemons, 8.8; 3. Dylan Hancock, 9.7; 4. Cutter Pareo, 10.1; 5. Byars Brown, 10.5; 6. Kevin Mathis, 12.2.

Barrel racing: 1. Makenna Shook, 17.68 seconds; 2. Alex Odle, 17.97; 3. Emma Parr, 17.99; 4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 18.02; 5. Maggie Wright, 18.05; 6. Brittany Fellows, 18.24.

Bull riding: No qualified rides.