ERA Albuquerque Premier Tour makes rodeo history with Instant Replay

Branquinho, Graves and Scheer win first ever challenges 

Saturday night at the Elite Rodeo Athletes (ERAs) Albuquerque Premier Tour event, saw instant replay video being used for the first time ever at a rodeo to review a judges call; and the athletes came out the winners.

Steer wrestler Stockton Graves (Alva, Oklahoma) began to celebrate a 3.35-second run, only to hear the judges announce that he had broken the barrier, resulting in a five-second penalty. Without hesitation, Graves threw the blue flag and challenged the call, claiming the neck rope on the steer failed. Upon further review of the instant replay video, the judges determined that Graves was correct and he was able to keep his original 3.35-second time. Luke Branquinho (Los Alamos, California), the last bull-dogger of the evening was the second cowboy to use the instant replay challenge. The judges determined that Branquinho’s take-down was illegal and disqualified him. Branquinho challenged the call, asking for an instant replay review. Seconds later he was rewarded with not only a reversal, but determination that he had produced the fastest time ever in the ERA of 3.05 seconds.

 “I think that instant replay needs to go everywhere,” said Branquinho. “You know we make or break ourselves out here and if we have a chance to get it reviewed and a have call overturned, that’s what happens. I think it’s the best deal in rodeo right now.”...press release