Author: Ted Harbin

March 10, 2019 / Guthrie, Oklahoma – Seventeen days before the opening round of the CINCH Timed Event Championship, Justin Thigpen took a call from the Lazy E Arena inviting him to be a replacement for the injured JoJo LeMond.

Fifty hours after he roped his first steer, the Waycross, Georgia, cowboy became just the 15^th man to win the “Ironman of ProRodeo” in the event’s 35^th year. What’s even bigger is that he became the third rookie in that time to claim the title and the top prize: Leo Camarillo won it in the first year in 1985, and Mike Beers was the next newcomer to do it a year later.

“I’ve wanted to come here for years,” said Thigpen, a 19-time International Professional Rodeo Association champion who has won titles in the all-around, tie-down roping, heading and steer roping. “I’ve dedicated my life to roping. I’m’ so glad I got to prove to myself that I can do it and that I belong here.”

Yes, he does, and he proved it to the well-educated Lazy E crowd from the opening kickoff. He was strong and steady and placed in the first three rounds – second in the first two performances and first on Saturday afternoon. He also packed a heavy dose of prizes and money, $107,000.

It’s the richest weekend of competition he’s ever earned.

“By far,” he said. “Wow. What a great event. I’m honored that they had me. The crowd is just amazing; they respect the horsemanship it takes and the cowboys. There’s not another event that’s dedicated to the roping and bulldogging like this event.”

Twenty of the best all-around, timed-event cowboys in the game test their skills in this unique challenge, where each man must compete in heading, heeling, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and steer roping in order to complete a round.

The biggest paydays come in the 25-run aggregate. Thigpen finished in 341.9 seconds to collect the top prize of $100,000, then added his money in the rounds to get his total. K.C. Jones, a five-time CTEC champion from Burlington, Wyo., finished second in 412.0, which was worth $25,000.

“Justin’s rodeoed for a long time,” said Jones, who has pocketed $493,500 in CTEC cash in his career. “He’s got a good arena, and he gets to rope a lot in the wintertime. I come out of Wyoming, and I go to south Georgia to get out of the weather. Once he got invited to come here, we got together and practiced.

“There are a ton of good rodeos down there, but they’re just in a different association. He’s competed, but he’s lived in the wrong part of the country for a lot of people to notice.”

They’re noticing now. In fact, Thigpen had secured his championship after the 24^th run of his weekend. He held a 63.8-second advantage after the 23^rd event, then added to it in steer wrestling, one of his signature disciplines. The worst a cowboy could get in the CTEC is a 60-second run, the equivalency of a no-time.

Therefore, the big check had his name etched on it before he made his final run of the weekend.

“When I came to bulldogging, my buddy that helped me all weekend, Matt McGee, told me, ‘Hey, don’t back off now. You’ve got a job to do,’ ” he said. “That’s the mentality we take. That’s the dedication in the practice pen. Let it show off in the arena.”

It was definitely a learning situation for Thigpen, who had never attempted a steer roping run before he accepted the invitation. That that he understands he will be back in this arena as the defending champion, Thigpen plans to work more on that event and heeling – they are the two he doesn’t do often at rodeos.

For his first time inside the massive arena, he took all the challenges the CTEC offers and handled them in dominating fashion. It can be a grueling test of each athlete’s physical and mental endurance.

“I run a lot of cattle and compete at the rodeos, so I felt like it was to my advantage physically just running them back to back to back,” Thigpen said. “I know a lot of guys here who just run at one event most of the time. It was nothing for me at that end of it.

“As far as the mental side of it, I told myself so many times this week, “Stay smooth, stay in the game; don’t get ahead of the game if you draw a cow that is stronger. Still do your job, get a time and go on to the next one.’ ”

It worked, and he has the right mental game to handle this event for years to come. He knows just what to consider as he trains and plans for next March and the 2020 CINCH Timed Event Championship.

“Don’t get over-confident, and don’t take it for granted,” he said. “Live for this moment, but you better practice and you better be ready for next year. It’s an event like not other, and it ain’t for the faint of heart.

“You’ve got to go at them. The pen is big, the cattle are strong. You’ve got to bear down and do your job every time you nod your head.  There’s not a layup in this thing.”

That’s what helps make it the most unique event in Western sports.

 

First round: 1. Jordan Ketscher, 60.7 seconds, $3,000; 2. Justin Thigpen, 72.1, $2,000; 3. Brent Lewis, 73.9, $1,000.

Second round: 1. Marcus Theriot, 73.6 seconds, $3,000; 2 Justin Thigpen, 75.7, $2,000; 3. Clayton Hass, 78.3, $1,000.

Third round: 1. Justin Thigpen, 52.6 seconds, $3,000; 2. Clayton Hass, 60.4, $2,000; 3. Rhen Richard, 61.1, $1,000.
Fourth round: 1. Rhen Richard, 49.1 seconds, $3,000; 2. Cash Myers, 57.1, $2,000; 3. Cody Doescher, 58.0, $1,000.
Fifth round: 1. Trevor Brazile, 45.8 seconds, $3,000; 2 Clay Smith, 47.7, $2,000; 3. Brent Lewis, 53.2, $1,000.
Average: 1. Justin Thigpen, 341.9 seconds, $100,000; 2. K.C. Jones, 412.0, $25,000; 3. Erich Rogers, 420.6, $15,000; 4. Shank Edwards, 444.7, $10,000; 5. Clay Smith, 450.0, $7,500; 6. Paul David Tierney, 452.3, $5,000; 7. Jess Tierney, 453.9, $4,500; 8. Rhen Richard, 466.3, $3,000.

March 10, 2019 / Guthrie, Oklahoma – One man’s misfortune can turn the tide quickly at an event like the Jr. Ironman Championship.

When leader Trevor Meier of Garden City, Kansas, failed to secure a catch during his heeling run Sunday morning, that opened the door for Tyler West to walk through. The Mertzon, Texas, cowboy did just that, parlaying the fastest round of the weekend into the 12-run aggregate championship.

“The first day, I took a 60 in heeling,” West said, referring to the 60-second run, the equivalency of a no-time at the Jr. Ironman and the CINCH Timed Event Championship. “The momentum went my way yesterday, and I kept going with it today.”

Yes, it did. He started off with a 6.5-second run in heading, then closed out the championship by being strong in his final three runs of the three-day event. He set two more arena records in the process, a 6.3 in heeling and the round time of 32.2 seconds. In all, he pocketed $11,000 – all earned Sunday.

With the victory, he earned an invitation to compete in the World Champion Rodeo Alliance semifinals, which takes place in May at the Lazy E Arena.

“That’s awesome,” he said. “That’s a lot of money to win. It’s just an honor to be able to go.”

It’s also an honor to win the title at the third Jr. Ironman.

“It’s a dream for a young cowboy that wants to rodeo professionally one day,” said West, a 19-year-old cowboy who attends Southwest Texas Junior College on a rodeo scholarship. “Words can’t describe what this means to me for my future.”

Though he watched his lead slip away with a tough run in his 11^th event of the season, Meier was still content with finishing second. He won Friday’s first round and the runner-up, pocketing $6,000 when all was done.

“The big thing is staying consistent every run,” said Meier, 19, a freshman at Garden City Community College who plans to transfer to Oklahoma Panhandle State University when the time comes. “Just one steer will get you, so you can’t let one run affect your next one.”

It was a busy weekend for all the contestants, but none more than Meier. After competing in Saturday’s second round, he traveled to Fort Scott, Kansas, to compete at the college rodeo. He and his partner placed fifth in the first round in the southeast Kansas community but skipped today’s championship round in order to compete at the Lazy E.

“This is a good platform to go to the next level, a good stepping stone to learn how to have a good mental game.”

A strong mental approach helped West come through the final round unscathed. He loves the opportunity to compete in multiple events and hopes to show that in ProRodeo for years to come.

“I look up to Trevor Brazile,” West said of the winningest cowboy in the game, a seven-time CTEC titlist who owns the record for most Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world championships. “He has 24 gold buckles, and he has great character. I look up to him.”

It’s a good place to start.

 

Jr. Ironman first round: 1. Trevor Meier, 49.8, $1,000.

Jr. Ironman second round: 1. Hiyo Yazzi, 39.0 seconds, $1,000.
Jr. Ironman third round: 1. Tyler West, 32.2 seconds, $1,000.

Jr. Ironman average: 1. Tyler West, 179.6 seconds, $10,000; 2. Trevor Meier, 199.3, $5,000; 3. Dillon Jones, 213.7, $2,000.

March 9, 2019 / Guthrie, Oklahoma – The lessons that Justin Thigpen has gained over the first two days of his first CINCH Timed Event Championship will hopefully be carried over for years to come.

He has held the lead at this year’s “Ironman of ProRodeo” since Friday night’s second round, and he just built onto it Saturday. He has roped, tied and wrestled 20 animals in 261.8 seconds. That’s impressive for anyone, but especially a CTEC rookie.

What’s more impressive is that Thigpen has a nice cushion: A 76.8-second lead over the No. 2 cowboy, five-time titlist K.C. Jones of Burlington, Wyo.

“This is great,” said Thigpen, 35, of Waycross, Georgia. “There are a lot of tough competitors, a lot of world champions here. It’s a learning curve for me. I know some things I should have done better, but you can’t beat yourself up. It’s a 10-round fight, and you’ve just got to go for it every time.”

Right now, he is throwing haymakers at the field. He has placed in three of four rounds – he finished second in Rounds 1 and 2 and won Saturday afternoon’s third round. Heading into Sunday’s final round, he has already pocketed $7,000.

He has a strong background. He is a 19-time world champion in the International Professional Rodeo Association, having earned titles in the all-around, heading, tie-down roping and steer wrestling – those are just three of the five event that make up the CTEC format.

“One thing I’d do different to prepare for this is more steer tripping,” he said of single steer roping. “We practice pretty hard all the time, minus the steer tripping. For me, it’s just to stay after it, trip some more steers and maybe be a contender next year.”

He’s proven to be a contender this year and has been strong in the events in which he competes regular and has managed his way through steer roping and heeling.

“We ride a bunch of horses and train colts around the house, so I get my share of heeling,” he said. “The key here is just to compete on your head of stock. You’re not roping against those other guys. You’re competing on that cow you have in the chute.”

That mentality is paying off quite well for Thigpen. He finished fourth in the fourth round, but only the top three times in each round earn pay. Rhen Richard of Roosevelt, Utah, won Saturday night’s performance, posting a 49.1, the fastest round of the competition.

“This is the best all-around round I’ve ever put together,” said Richard, who has earned $4,000 so far. “I had a good round started three or four times, and I finally finished a round.

“Hopefully we can put a good round together again tomorrow.”

It could make a difference in his final income from this weekend’s championship. He utilized his fast round to move into sixth place in the average. If he were to hold that spot, it would be worth $5,000. Of course, the goal is to come away with the title and the $100,000 top prize.

Right now, though, Thigpen has a pretty sold avenue to earning that.

“This is awesome,” Richard said. “There aren’t many guys that can say they’ve even entered the Timed Event, so it’s a blessing to be here.”

The story in the Jr. Ironman continues to be Kansas cowboy Trevor Meier, who has a cumulative time of 107.3 seconds after eight runs. He has four more runs to make during the final round Sunday morning.

Saturday’s second round was controlled by Hilo Yazzie, who set a Jr. Ironman record with a 39.0-second round. For that, the New Mexico cowboy pocketed $1,000. He also moved to No. 3 in the average with a cumulative time of 131.2 seconds. Should he remain in that spot when the event concludes, he would add $2,000; the winner will earn $10,000, with $5,000 going to the runner-up.

 

Third round: 1. Justin Thigpen, 52.6 seconds, $3,000; 2. Clayton Hass, 60.4, $2,000; 3. Rhen Richard, 61.1, $1,000.
Fourth round: 1. Rhen Richard, 49.1 seconds, $3,000; 2. Cash Myers, 57.1, $2,000; 3. Cody Doescher, 58.0, $1,000
Average leaders: 1. Justin Thigpen, 261.8 seconds; 2. K.C. Jones, 338.6; 3. Cody Doescher, 345.1; 4. Jess Tierney, 348.8; 5. Cash Myers, 359.1; 6. Rhen Richard, 360.0; 7. Erich Rogers, 370.2; 8. Paul David Tierney, 387.7.
Jr. Ironman second round: 1. Hiyo Yazzi, 39.0 seconds, $1,000; 2. Tyler West, 49.3; 3. Trevor
Meier, 57.5.

Jr. Ironman average leaders: 1. Trevor Meier, 107.3 seconds; 2. Dillon ones, 118.3; 3. Hiyo Yazzi, 131.2.

March 8, 2019 / Guthrie, Oklahoma – Justin Thigpen didn’t look much like a replacement on Friday, the opening day of the CINCH Timed Event Championship.

He roped, tied and wrestled 10 animals in 147.8 seconds and owns the average lead after two go-rounds of the “Ironman of ProRodeo.” That’s not too shabby for a man that just learned he was competing two and a half weeks ago.

“This is just what I thought it would be,” said Thigpen, a 19-time International Professional Rodeo Association champion from Waycross, Georgia. “You’ve got to stay focused, stay determined and just do your job. It’s what we grew up wanting to do.

“We rope every day in the practice pens. I compete in three events at just about every rodeo I go to. As far as going one right after the other, I’m just used to it.”

He proved it by being solid over the first two rounds. What’s more, he already has earned money at this year’s CTEC: He put together a 75.7-second round Friday night to finished as the runner-up in the go-round; that was worth $2,000. He was 2.1 seconds being the second-round winner, Marcus Theriot of Poplarville, Mississippi.

“Winning a round is always great,” said Theriot, who is second in the average, 2.4 seconds behind Thigpen. “You get your fees back, but my goals are a lot higher this year. I like being on top. Now it’s time to stick to the plan, be steady and try to make no big mistakes. You just can’t panic, no matter what happens.

“Me and Thigpen are two of the major all-around guys in the Southeast. It’s pretty cool seeing him do good as a rookie.”

The Georgia cowboy definitely isn’t playing the game like a newcomer. In addition to his success in the arena – he’s won IPRA titles in heading, tie-down roping and steer wrestling – he also is a stock contractor that produces IPRA events in the Southeast. This is his first foray into single steer roping.

“I think having the success I’ve had helps,” Thigpen said. “The tripping is the newest thing, but I’m a student of the game. As soon as I found out I was coming, I went to studying and practicing. I want to get more experienced at it.

“Doing all these events day in and day out, you know how to pace yourself and what to look forward to so you don’t have to scramble. Before I left home, Daddy said, ‘You’ve got to bear down and get a time on every run if you want to be successful at the end.’ ”

Through his first 10 runs at his first CINCH Timed Event Championship, Thigpen has accomplished that mission.

 

First round: 1. Jordan Ketscher, 60.7 seconds, $3,000; 2. Justin Thigpen, 72.1, $2,000; 3. Brent Lewis, 73.9, $1,000.

Second round: 1. Marcus Theriot, 73.6 seconds, $3,000; 2 Justin Thigpen, 75.7, $2,000; 3. Clayton Hass, 78.3, $1,000.
Average leaders: 1. Justin Thigpen, 147.8 seconds; 2. Marcus Theriot, 150.2; 3. Cody Doescher, 157.9; 4. Clayton Hass, 168.8; 5. Clay Smith, 170.7; 6. Jordan Ketscher, 181.6; 7. Jess Tierney, 182.2; 8. Erich Rogers, 187.1.
Jr. Ironman first round: 1. Trevor Meier, 49.8, $1,000; 2. Dillon Jones, 54.1; 3. Cole Walker, 55.5.

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Sometimes it pays to know the competition. That’s why championship teams scout their opponents, and it’s why rodeo cowboys pay attention to the animals they’ve drawn.

Will Lummus knew the steer on which he competed Friday night at Rooftop Rodeo was good. Sam Williams won the first round with a 3.6-second run, and another cowboy was fast that same steer on Thursday night.

But nobody’s been faster this week in Estes Park than Lummus, who grappled the animal to the ground in 3.2 seconds to take the second-round and aggregate leads at Rooftop Rodeo. He even tied an arena record, matching the same time set by John Lowry in 1976 and Chad Hagan in 2002.

“That was the fastest steer I’ve ever thrown,” said Lummus of West Point, Miss. “I was 3.3 in Jackson, Miss., last year, so this was cool. Last year here, I was 4.5 on both steers and didn’t win anything. I like Estes Park. It’s an awesome place to be. They have always had good steers, and just the environment …

“I’m from Mississippi, and we don’t have mountains. Everywhere you go around here, the scenery is beautiful. There’s great cattle, a great committee; this is a great place to have a rodeo with great fans. It’s a wonderful place to be.”

He also got some big-time assistance from his traveling partner, K.C. Jones, a nine-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Decatur, Texas. Jones served as the hazer, while Lummus rode Jones’ horse, Tebow.

“That horse is 21 years old and doesn’t look like it,” Lummus said. “That’s actually the first steer I’ve run on him this y ear. We felt like this setup fit Tebow better, and it worked out great.

“Great horse, great hazer and a great hazing horse, Ava. It all came together well.

It also came together for bareback rider Jake Brown, a three-time NFR qualifier from Cleveland, Texas. The reigning Rooftop Rodeo champion, has earned more than $67,500 so far this season and sits fourth in the world standings. He’s ever so close to clinching his fourth straight trip to Las Vegas in December, home of ProRodeo’s grand finale.

“This rodeo’s huge,” Brown said after his 85-point ride on Cervi Rodeo’s Fire’s Easy, which moved him into the lead. “I got the win last year, and I was blessed. I won over $6,000. That’s a big chuck over what it takes to get to the NFR. If I get the win here this year, I think I’d be pretty comfortable and think I’d almost made the NFR before the end of July.”

Only the top 15 advance to the season grand championship, the sport’s richest rodeo. It’s a big deal to be playing for the biggest money when December arrives. Having success in Estes Park has been a big part of why he’s played on rodeo’s biggest stages.

“It’s just awesome here,” he said of Estes Park, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains in every direction. “It’s great added money, great horses and beautiful weather. The hospitality is awesome.

“This has been a good rodeo to me, and that’s why I keep coming back here from year to year.”

 

Rooftop Rodeo
Estes Park, Colo.
July 5-10, 2018
Leaders through second performance
Bareback riding: 1. Jake Brown, 85 points on Cervi Rodeo’s Fire’s Easy; 2. Lane McGehee, 83; 3. Kelly Timberman, 78.5; 4. (tie) Tilmon Moore and Levi Nicholson, 75; 6. Zach Hibler, 74; 7. Bryton John Byert, 71; no other qualified rides.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Sam Williams, 3.6 seconds, $1,363; 2. Will Lummus, 3.8, $1,128; 3. Laine Herl, 4.2, $893; 4. (tie) Tom Littell and Cody Devers, 4.3, $541 each; 6. (tie) Trever Nelson and Gary Gilbert, 4.4, $118 each. Second round: 1. Will Lummus, 3.2 seconds; 2. Cole McNamee, 4.0 seconds; 3. Laine Herl, 4.6; 4. Heath Thompson, 4.9; 5. Joe Buffington, 6.1; 6. Tom Littell, 6.3. Average: 1. Will Lummus, 7.0 seconds on two runs; 2. Laine Herl, 8.8; 3. Sam Williams, 10.0; 4. Tom Littell, 10.6; 5. Logan McDonald, 15.3; 6. Darrel Petry, 26.0.

Team roping: 1. Jake Barnes/Rich Skelton, 4.6 seconds; 2. Paul Beckett/Chad Wahlert, 4.7; 3. Rhett Anderson/Coleby Payne, 5.7; 4. Stratton Lopez/Krece Harris, 5.8; 5. Cole Cooper/J.C. Flake, 5.9; 6. Cyle Denison/Lane Siggins.

Saddle bronc riding 1. Hardy Braden, 83 points on Cervi Brothers’ Silence of the Lambs; 2. Colt Gordon, 81.5; 3. Tanner Lockhart, 77.5; 4. Spencer Wright, 77; 5. Dawson Hay, 71; 6. Toby Collins, 70; 7. Ryder Wright, 69; 8. (tie) Parker Kempfer and Shanse Darling, 67.

Tie-down roping: 1. Reno Gonzales, 8.4 seconds; 2. Jesse Clark, 9.4; 3. Scott Kormos, 10.2; 4. Anthony Jordan, 10.6; 5. Joey Dickens, 10.78; 6. Caleb Smidt, 10.9; 7. Cimarron Boardman, 11.4; 8. Bryson Sechrist, 11.6.

Barrel racing: 1. Heidi Tillard, 17.47 seconds; 2. Jaime Merrill, 17.53; 3. Andrea Busby, 17.77; 4. Rachel Pozzi, 17.82; 5. Amanda Devencenty, 18.05; 6. (tie) Callie Colten and Paige Wiseman, 18.15; 8. Amy Smith, 18.19; 9. Lauren Guntle, 18.56; 10. Lindy James, 18.63.

Bull riding: 1. Kyle Gardner, 85 points on Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Birthday Suit; 2. Reid Barker, 84.5; 3. Jimy Marten, 82.5; 4. Moody McCoy, 77; 5. Colten Fritzian, 75.5; 6. Toby Collins, 72; no other qualified rides.

 

-30-

 

March 4, 2018 / Guthrie, Oklahoma – Jordan Ketscher is the 14^th man in the 34-year history of the CINCH Timed Event Championship to claim the prestigious title.

With it, he became the first Californian in five years to win the “Ironman of ProRodeo.”

“I’ve always watched this event, and just to be here and be part of the greats – Trevor (Brazile), Cash (Myers) and Kyle (Lockett) – is a dream come true,” said Ketscher, 28, of Squaw Valley, Calif.

He roped, wrestled and tied 25 animals in a cumulative time of 324.3 seconds to win the title, finishing 19.1 seconds faster than the runner-up, Clayton Hass of Stephenville, Texas; the three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier in steer wrestling had his best run at the Timed Event after many years competing at the Lazy E Arena the opening weekend of March.

“This meant a lot, because I didn’t get to come here last year because of a conflict with a Champions Challenge event,” Hass said, referring to a PRCA event in which he was contractually obligated to compete. “I got a chance to come back and prove that I’m supposed to be here.

“This is a bit of redemption I’ve placed here a few times, and to stay solid through all 25 head means a lot.”

Ketscher entered Sunday’s fifth and final round as the No. 1 man, but he had just a 7.1-second lead on Myers, who moved to third after the first discipline of the day, heading. Brazile, the Timed Event’s only seven-time winner, posted a 6.7-second run to move into the runner-up position.

Myers then fell all the way to sixth after suffering a 60-second penalty in tie-down roping when his calf got up from the tie before the required 6 seconds – a 60 is equivalent to a no-time at a traditional rodeo. An event later, Brazile joined him after losing his dally in heeling.

The standings shuffle continued through the final performance of the five-round affair. When the competition ended, the top two men took the biggest prizes.

“It always helps to have $25,000,” Hass said, referring to his substantial second-place earnings. “The winter has been pretty good, but it could always be better. Now I’m just trying to move on throughout the year and make the NFR.”

So, what brought the Texan the most pride in his performance over the weekend?

“The fact that I used my head, and I feel like I stayed focused,” he said. “Even when I had hiccups, I didn’t back off. I just roped my game.”

Ketscher has never been to the NFR, but he performed at an optimum level through the three days of competition, where cowboys battle the mental and physical challenges that come with the “Ironman.”

“This is just so awesome,” he said of the event. “Everybody specializes in different events, so you’ve got to come here and do something you’re not comfortable with. It’s just a marathon.”

He held the lead through much of the three-day championship and showed just why consistency is important in this game. And on the final day, when the thoughts of that big check came into his mind, he had to push them away and focus on the task at hand.

“I was trying not to overthink things, and I was just wanting to make every run like I had done the four previous rounds,” Ketscher said. “I wanted to trust myself and trust my horses to make it happen.”

He will return a year from now as the reigning champion.

“I’m going to go home and work on a few things,” he said. “It’s going to be just as tough next year. There’s no need to slack off.

“Things happen here, and that’s what the Timed Event is all about. Anytime, as a cowboy, that you get a chance at $100,000, you have to love the opportunity.”

Myers did pick up a nice prize. His horse, Diesel, was named the AQHA CINCH Timed Event Championship Top Horse.

The 2018 CINCH Timed Event Championship partners include CINCH – Jeans and Shirts, Priefert – Farm, Ranch & Rodeo, YETI Coolers, Montana Silversmiths, ABI Equine, RAM, RIDE TV, Carroll Original Wear, Big Tex Trailers, P&K Equipment, Cavender’s, Nutrena, The Team Roping Journal,  MacroAir, Bio S.I., National Saddlery, Cross Bar Gallery, John Vance Auto Group, Pendleton Whisky, CSI Saddle Pads, Formula 1 Noni, Guthrie CVB, Made In Oklahoma Coalition, J.W. Brooks Hat Co., Hilton Garden Inn – Edmond, America’s Best Value Inn – Guthrie,  Sherwin-Williams, Anderson Bean Boot Co., Chris Neal’s Future Stars and Rising Stars Calf Ropings, and the National Little Britches Rodeo Association.

The 2018 CINCH Timed Event Championship is a Lazy E Production. For more information on the CINCH Timed Event Championship or other Lazy E events, contact the Lazy E Arena, 9600 Lazy E Drive, Guthrie, OK  73044, (405) 282-RIDE, (800) 595-RIDE or visit www.lazye.com.

 

RESULTS

First round: 1. Cash Myers, 51.8 seconds, $3,000; 2. Trevor Brazile, 65.1, $2,000; 3. Russell Cardoza, 67.7, $1,000.

Second round: 1. Erich Rogers, 55.0 seconds, $3,000; 2. JoJo LeMond, 59, $2,000; 3. Jordan Ketscher, $1,000.
Third round: 1. Jordan Ketscher, 56.0 seconds, $3,000; 2. Trevor Brazile, 57.6, $2,000; 3. Clayton Hass, 57.9, $1,000.

Fourth round: 1. Cash Myers, 51.0 seconds, $3,000; 2. Marcus Theriot, 51.3, $2,000; 3. Clayton Hass, 55.0, $1,000.
Fifth round: 1. Russell Cardoza, 53.3 seconds, $3,000; 2. Shank Edwards, $2,000; 3. Lane Karney, 60.1, $1,000.
Average leaders: 1. Jordan Ketscher, 324.3 seconds on 25 runs, $100,000; 2. Clayton Hass, 343.4, $25,000; 3. Marcus Theriot, 379.9, $15,000; 4. Lane Karney, 386.1, $10,000; 5. JoJo LeMond, 398.9, $7,500; 6. Kyle Lockett, 403.4, $5,000; 7. Cash Myers, 406.9, $4,500; 8. Trevor Brazile, 408.3, $3,000.

Neighbors takes the title

Arkansas cowboy earns $11,000 while claiming the Jr. Ironman Championship

 

March 4, 2018 / Guthrie, Oklahoma – The biggest attribute for cowboys competing in multiple events is being consistent through the contest.

Myles Neighbors was the most consistent through his three days at the Jr. Ironman Championship, which led to his title and the first-place check worth $10,000. He roped, wrestled and tied 12 animals in 167.8 seconds to claim the title.

“This is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Neighbors, 19, of Benton, Ark., repeating the adage passed on by longtime contestants of the CINCH Timed Event Championship. “You’ve got to keep knocking them down. Even if you break a barrier, you just don’t take a 60. If you don’t take a 60, you’ll be the champ.”

In this unique competition – where the 10 cowboys compete in heading, heeling, tie-down roping and steer wrestling in each round – a 60-second run is equivalent to a no-time at a traditional rodeo. The Arkansas cowboy was the only man in the field who didn’t suffer that penalty. In fact, his longest run came Sunday morning’s final round, when he stopped the clock in 31.1 seconds in heeling.

“I think the key was my horsepower and consistency,” he said. “You’ve got to have horsepower here. You’ve got the score them, you’ve got to run them down, and you’ve got to be consistent. You’ve got to catch everything.”

He also needed things to go his way. Heading into the final event of the weekend, Neighbors was in second lace and trailed leader Wyatt Hansen of Oakdale, Calif., by 30.4 seconds. But Hansen struggled in steer wrestling and suffered his first 60 of the weekend.

That pushed Neighbors to the top spot when it counted most. Hansen fell to second place, while the reigning champion, Bo Yaussi of Udall, Kan., finished third.

A year ago, Neighbors won the opening round but fell off the pace through the end. He took the lessons gained 12 months ago into account while chasing the championship.

“I found out I needed to start reading my cattle a lot better, knowing what my cattle are supposed to do,” said Neighbors, who is attending Northeast Texas Community College on a rodeo scholarship. “This is easily the biggest thing I’ve ever won. This is an opportunity we don’t have very often. This is a one-of-a-kind deal for us. We don’t get to run at $10,000 every day.”

In all, he pocketed $11,000, adding the $1,000 prize for winning Saturday’s second round. Yaussi won the first round, while Ryder Ladner of Kiln, Miss., posted the fastest round of the weekend, 36.6 seconds, to win Sunday.

For the second straight year, Chance, the steer wrestling horse owned by J.D. Draper of Oakley, Kan., earned the AQHA Jr. Ironman Top Horse Award.

The 2018 CINCH Timed Event Championship partners include CINCH – Jeans and Shirts, Priefert – Farm, Ranch & Rodeo, YETI Coolers, Montana Silversmiths, ABI Equine, RAM, RIDE TV, Carroll Original Wear, Big Tex Trailers, P&K Equipment, Cavender’s, Nutrena, The Team Roping Journal,  MacroAir, Bio S.I., National Saddlery, Cross Bar Gallery, John Vance Auto Group, Pendleton Whisky, CSI Saddle Pads, Formula 1 Noni, Guthrie CVB, Made In Oklahoma Coalition, J.W. Brooks Hat Co., Hilton Garden Inn – Edmond, America’s Best Value Inn – Guthrie,  Sherwin-Williams, Anderson Bean Boot Co., Chris Neal’s Future Stars and Rising Stars Calf Ropings, and the National Little Britches Rodeo Association.

The 2018 CINCH Timed Event Championship is a Lazy E Production. For more information on the CINCH Timed Event Championship or other Lazy E events, contact the Lazy E Arena, 9600 Lazy E Drive, Guthrie, OK  73044, (405) 282-RIDE, (800) 595-RIDE or visit www.lazye.com.

 

RESULTS
Jr. Ironman first round: 1. Bo Yaussi, 42.3 seconds, $1,000.

Jr. Ironman second round: 1. Myles Neighbors, 42.3 seconds, $1,000.

Jr. Ironman third round: 1. Ryder Ladner, 36.6 seconds, $1,000

Jr. Ironman average leaders: 1. Myles Neighbors, 167.8 seconds, $10,000; 2. Wyatt Hansen, 193.2, $5,000; 3. Bo Yaussi, 197.1, $2,000.

 

Rooftop Rodeo July 5-10, 2017

ESTES PARK, Colo. – Ace Slone has a lot more reasons to be at Rooftop Rodeo than just roping calves.

“We always try to enter Estes Park for the end so we have a few days to hang out here,” said Slone, 28, of Cuero, Texas. “This is our favorite place to hang out every summer. We try to be here every Monday night.”

He was originally scheduled to compete in both go-rounds Saturday morning, but a scheduling conflict forced him to trade with another tie-down roper. After having trouble with his first-round calf, Slone made the most of his second round Monday with a 7.8-second run.

That was good enough to finish in a tie for second place with Westyn Hughes, and each cowboy pocketed $1,178. Hughes, by the way, placed in both rounds and won overall title with a two-run cumulative time of 15.8 seconds. Hughes earned $4,384 at Rooftop Rodeo.

“A little consolation in the second round goes a long way,” Slone said. “Plus, we don’t mind being here on Monday and having a couple of days off in Estes. The way they treated us here with the hospitality is amazing. There are very few rodeos that are as hospitable.

“They make it a lot of fun with the full RV hookups and meals, and, of course, we enjoy it for all the reasons all the tourists come to Estes. I love to fish, and we go to Rocky Mountain National Park every year. It’s just an awesome place to hang out.”

Of course, there also was some unfinished business to tend to once he arrived.

“Fortunately, I drew a good calf and was able to put a good run together,” he said. “This round was really fast, so there was no holding back.”

 

Rooftop Rodeo Estes Park, Colo. July 5-10, 2017 Bareback riding: 1. Jake Brown, 84.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Rose Puff, $6,260; 2. Steven Dent, 83, $4,800; 3. Buck Lunak, 82.5, $3,548; 4. (tie) Dantan Bertsch, Seth Hardwick and Zach Hibler, 81, $1,600 each; 7. (tie) Orin Larsen and Austin Foss, 80.5, $730.

3. (tie) Buck Lunak and Orin Larsen, 81.5; 5. (tie) Dantan Bertsch, Seth Hardwick and Zach Hibler, 81.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Billy Bugenig, 3.8 seconds, $1,573; 2. Cody Doescher, 3.9, $1,302; 3. Wade Sumpter, 4.0, $1,031; 4. Blaine Jones, 4.1, $760; 5. (tie) Justice Johnson and Errol Frain, 4.4, $380 each. Second round: 1. Blaine Jones, 3.5 seconds, $1,573; 2. Blare Romsa, 3.7, $1,302; 3. Cody Cabral, 3.9, $1,031; 4. (tie) Cody Pratt, Cameron Morman and Billy Bugenig, 4.0, $506 each. Average: 1. Blaine Jones, 7.6 seconds on two runs, $2,360; 2. Billy Bugenig, 7.8, $1,953; 3. Cody Cabral, 8.6, $1,546; 4. (tie) Cody Pratt and Hunter Cure, 8.7. $936 each; 6. Baylor Roche, 8.8, $407.

Team roping: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.7 seconds, $4,121; 2. Levi Simpson/Jeremy Buhler, 5.0, $3,688; 3. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins, 5.1, $3,254; 5. (tie)Matt Sherwood/Walt Woodard and Cory Kidd/Cole Davison, 5.2, $2,603 each; 6. Ty Blasingame/Tanner Luttrell, 5.3, $1,952; 7. (tie) Marcus Theriot/Cody Doescher and Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 5.4, $1,301 each; 9. (tie) Casey Adams/Riley Pedro and Kolton Schmidt/Dugan Kelly, 5.9, $434 each.

Saddle bronc riding 1. Layton Green, 84.5 points on Cervi Rodeo’s Payback, $5,330; 2. Hardy Braden, 84, $4,086; 3. (tie) Tanner Lockhart and Brody Cress, 83.5, $2,487 each; 5. (tie) Cort Scheer and Heith DeMoss, 82.5, $1,066 each; 8. (tie) Colt Gordon and Roper Kiesner, 82, $622 each.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Cooper Martin, 7.8 seconds, $1,589; 2. Westyn Hughes, 8.0, $1,314; 3. (tie) Tim Pharr, Jake Pratt and Tuf Cooper, 8.1, $767 each; 6. (tie) Tyler Prcin and Lane Livingston, 8.2, $137 each. Second round 1. Taylor Santos, 7.5 seconds, $1,589; 2. (tie) Ace Slone and Westyn Hughes, 7.8, $1,178 each; 4. (tie) Justin Smith, Scott Kormos, Cimarron Boardman and Caleb Smidt, 7.9, $384 each. Average: 1. Westyn Hughes, 15.8 seconds on two runs, $2,383; 2. Caleb Smidt, 16.5, $1,972; 3. Jake Pratt, 16.8, $1,561; 4. Sterling Smith, 17.6, $1,151; 5. Robert Mathis, 17.9; 6. Monty Lewis, 18.4, $411.

Barrel racing: 1. Taci Bettis, 17.36 seconds, $3,978; 2. Tillar Murray, 17.42, $3,182; 3. Kelley Schnaufer, 17.48, $2,586; 4. Christine Laughlin, 17.51, $1,989; 5. Tammy Fischer, 17.56, $1,591; 6. Sidney Forrest, 17.58, $1,193; 7. (tie) Sydni Blanchard and Ashley Shafer, 17.59, $945 each; 9. Michele McLeod, 17.62, $796; 10. (tie) Shelby Janssen and Kaylee Burnett, 17.66, $646 each; 12. Ari-Anna Flynn, 17.68, $497; 13. (tie) Bonnie Wheatley and Erin Parsons, 17.71, $348 each; 15. (tie) Ericka Nelson and Kynzie McNeill, 17.73, $99 each. Bull riding: 1. Scottie Knapp, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Po-Boy, $3,948; 2. Cole Meloncon, 85.5, $3,027; 3. Trey Benton II, 85, $2,237; 4. Remi Wildeman, 83, $1,448; 5. (tie) Tyler Ray Viers and Hawk Whitt, 81, $789 each; 7. Trevor Reiste, 79, $526; 6. Garrett Uptain, 77, $395.