Lawsuit alleges million-dollar rodeo competition was rigged

A lawsuit filed by a production company in Tarrant County claims three rodeo competitors purposely rigged the final event to get a big cash payout.

The lawsuit alleges some threw the competition to allow one person to win so they could all get a share in the million-dollar prize.

It was billed as the 'world's richest one day rodeo,’ and a lawsuit alleges three of the best rodeo riders rigged the final Tie-Down Roping Competition to make sure they got a bigger chunk of the prize money.

The competition was aired on RFD-TV, which is suing the riders.

The lawsuit alleges that Tuf Cooper, three-time world champion from Decatur, Timber Moore of Pilot Point, and Jeremy Reece Riemer from Stinnett, Texas, concocted a scheme that would include Oklahoma roper Cole Bailey.

It alleges Cooper and Moore intentionally performed poorly and throw the Tie-down Roping Competition and would guarantee that either Riemer or Bailey would be awarded, not only the $100,000 purse and additional prizes valued at nearly $50,000, but also the entirety or a share of the $1,000,000 side pot bonus.

The lawsuit alleges that Cooper and Moore were not eligible for the side-pot bonus since they were invited to the competition. Only underdogs who had to qualify to make the competition, like Riemer and Bailey, were eligible.

The lawsuit alleges the money would be split between the four. But RFD's attorney, Gregory Shamoun, said by phone that Cole Bailey refused to participate in the scheme and later brought it to the attention of RFD-TV.

Once RFD-TV learned of the alleged scheme to rig the rodeo, it put a stop payment on the $517,000 check to 1st place finisher, Riemer.

FOX 4 reached out to all four riders named in the lawsuit and their attorneys, but they did not return our phone calls.

Gregory Shamoun says the lawsuit is meant to return the money to the rightful winners of the competition.

Reece Riemer is listed in the lawsuit, but isn't listed as a defendant because he already has a federal lawsuit pending against RFD TV for that half a million dollar check they put a stop on.