More Tickets Punched for Gold Medal Saturday in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY (July 22, 2026) – The 2026 Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo presented by Zions Bank saw solid action from beginning to end on Wednesday night with more athletes punching their tickets to Gold Medal Saturday.

2022 World Champion Bareback Rider Jess Pope has a gold buckle but has yet to add a gold medal from Salt Lake City to his collection but maybe 2026 will be his year. He rode Andrews Rodeo’s Cash and Carry for 89 points to punch his ticket to Saturday’s Gold Medal Round. Joining him will be Kade Sonnier of Carencro, LA with an 88.5 on Championship Rodeo’s Midnight Special.

The Gold Standard in Rodeo features a total of nearly 400 competitors, who will take their shot at a share of over three-quarters of a million in prize money and a gold, silver or bronze medal that will be awarded on Saturday, July 25. There will be 40 competitors in all the events (Bareback riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Tie-Down Roping, Breakaway roping, Barrel Racing and Bull riding).

Maddy Jacobs put on a clinic in the breakaway roping stopping the clock in the first round in 2.1 seconds and 2.6 in round two to land atop the leaderboard with a 4.7. She will be joined by world champion and new mom Shelby Boisjoli-Meged with times of 3.2 and 2.4 to finish with a total time of 5.6 seconds. Similar to Pope in the bareback riding, Boisjoli-Meged has a gold buckle but looking for her first gold medal here in Salt Lake City.

The timed events, excluding barrel racing, are a two-go average with the top two advancing to the final round. The roughstock is a one go with the top two advancing to the gold medal round. The barrel racing is one go with a total of 40 barrel racers with the top two advancing each night to the gold medal round.

KariAnn Cross of Blackfoot, Idaho, bested the field in the WPRA barrel race on Wednesday night completing the cloverleaf pattern in 17.22 seconds to take one step closer to that gold medal. Joining her will be another Idaho cowgirl from Caldwell. Whitley Sharp finished with a 17.27 just edging Emily Beisel, who will not move on after a 17.29 landed her third on the night.

Scores/times will NOT carry forward to the Gold Medal Round (only to break ties). The eight (8) competitors in each event in the Gold Medal Round will compete in a sudden-death format with the winner collecting a Gold Medal.

TJ Gray of Dairy, Oregon, brought the night to a close with an 88.5 point ride on Championship Rodeo’s Guess Who to punch his ticket to the gold medal round. Clayton Sellars posted an 88 to earn his spot for a chance to stand atop the medal podium on Saturday night.

Action at the Utah Day of ’47 Rodeo continues July 23 at 8 p.m. MT.

For more information on the event visit www.utahdaysof47rodeo.