Utah man wins steer wrestling, Texas man is tops in tie-down roping
Phillipsburg, Kans. (August 5, 2017) – For Tom Lewis, winning has taken on a new meaning.
The Lehi, Utah cowboy won the steer wrestling at Kansas Biggest Rodeo in Phillipsburg, with a time of 3.6 seconds.
It was aboard his eleven-year-old gelding named Maverick. Maverick, owned by Lewis and his parents Stan and Peggy Lewis, was trained by Tom and is in his first full year of pro rodeo. “We went pretty hard (with Maverick) last year, but this year, we’ve taken him everywhere and he just gets stronger and stronger. He’s so willing. He enjoys it.”
His win in Phillipsburg, with a check for $2,969, is another step closer to his goal this year: qualify for his second Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR). He’s ranked twenty-ninth in pro rodeo’s world standings, about $10,000 out of the top fifteen, who advance to the WNFR. Earning $10,000 isn’t out of reach, Lewis said. With two months left in the rodeo season (it ends on Sept. 30), “there are plenty of rodeos left. We have to drive, and we’re a little tired and we’re pushing it.”
Lewis has another reason to make the WNFR. His mother was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks ago, and doctors have given her a year to live. His parents have been supportive, and still are. “She said she’ll be alive if I go to Vegas (the home of the WNFR in December), and she wants me to go and rodeo.” The diagnosis has brought the family, including Tom’s brother and three sisters, closer. “I try to talk to her every day,” he said. “It’s life, and we appreciate what we have, and we keep going. You can either get down or move on.”
In the tie-down roping, a Texas man was tops.
Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas, turned in a time of 8.2 seconds to win Phillipsburg’s unique three-piece buckle.
It was on a horse that his dad, Carl Cox, trained. Bull, a nine-year old sorrel, “can be a handful sometimes but he does his job,” Cox said.
The 24-year-old is ranked twentieth in pro rodeo’s world standings, and is gunning for his second WNFR qualification. He estimates he’s about $7,000 out of the top fifteen in the world, who go to the WNFR, but seven thousand dollars can be made between now and the end of the rodeo year. “You just have to keep going, keep running, and give yourself the opportunity,” Cox said.
He’s also working to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo, Nov. 8-12 in Edmonton, Alberta. He’s ranked fifth in the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, and has to compete at fifteen rodeos in Canada to qualify. So far he has ten down, so there are five more Canadian rodeos he’ll be at.
Cox, the son of Carl and Lisa Cox, travels with Randall Carlisle, who tied for second place in Phillipsburg with a time of 8.4 seconds. Carlisle is from Athens, Louisana.
Other 2017 champions include bareback rider Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. (86.5 points), team ropers Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas and Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla. (4.2 seconds), saddle bronc rider Chet Johnson, Douglas, Wyo. (85.5 points), barrel racer Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo. (17.05 seconds) and bull rider Wyatt Edwards, Sulphur, Okla. (81 points).
The big checks for Tough Enough to Wear Pink were awarded tonight. Including matches from sponsors, approximately $10,200 was donated to local cancer patients through the Hope for the Heartland fund. Sponsors include the Phillipsburg Rodeo Association, Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy, McClain Seed Sales, Rodgers and Associates, Kansas Crop Care/Nebraskaland Aviation and Farmers State Bank.
The 2018 Phillipsburg Rodeo Queen was crowned on August 3. Jenna Lager, of Superior, Neb., won the title. She is the daughter of Larry and Jody Langer and is a sophomore at Cloud County Community College, where she is studying agriculture education.
The 2018 rodeo will be held August 3-4-5. For more information, visit KansasBiggestRodeo.com. For complete rodeo results, visit ProRodeo.com.
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Final results, Kansas Biggest Rodeo, Phillipsburg, Kansas – August 3-5, 2017
All-around champion: Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas; tie-down roping and team roping.
Bareback Riding
1.Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. 86.5 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Little Jet; 2. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas 84; 3. Tanner Phipps, Dalton, Ga. 80; 4. Justin McDaniel, Parkfield, Calif. 79; 5. Jake Brown, Cleveland, Texas 78.5; 6. Taylor Broussard, Estherwood, La. 78; 7. Tyler Berghuis, Stephenville, Texas 71; 8. Caine Riddle, Vernon, Texas 70.
Steer Wrestling
- Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah 3.6 seconds; 2. Clay Mindemann, Salina, Okla. 3.8; 3. Stockton Graves, Alva, Okla. 3.9; 4. (tie) Sean Mulligan, Coleman, Okla. and Rowdy Thames, Buda, Texas 4.0 each; 6. Richard Coats, Hastings, Neb. 4.2; 7. (tie) Riley Duvall, Checotah, Okla. and Cody Devers, Alva, Okla. 4.3 each; 9. Ryan Swayze, Freedom, Okla. and Mitchell Gardner, Dover, Okla. 4.4 each.
Team Roping
- Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas/Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla. 4.2; 2. (tie) Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev. and Cale Markham, Vinita, Okla./Austin Rogers, Crescent, Okla. 4.5; 4. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas and Dustin Egusquiza, Mariana, Fla./Kory Koontz, Stephenville, Texas 4.7 each; 6. Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D./Levi Tyan, Wallace, Neb. 5.0; 7. Adam Rose, Willard, Mo./J.W. Beck, Moville, Iowa 5.1; 8. (tie) Brandon Webb, Carrizo Springs, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla. and Shay Carroll, Prineville, Ore./Nano Garza, Las Cruces, N.M. 5.2 each; 10. Lightning Aguilera, Athens, Texas/Brady Norman, Springer, Okla. 5.3.
Saddle Bronc Riding
- Chet Johnson, Douglas, Wyo. 85.5 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Little Angel; 2. Wyatt Casper, Pampa, Texas 84; 3. Audy Reed, Spearman, Texas 83.5; 4. Tyrel Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba 80.5; 5. Wade Sundell, Coleman, Okla. 80; 6. Leon Fountain, Socorro, N.M. 79; 7. Preston Burr, Stratford, Texas 78; 8. Bradley Harter, Loranger, La. 77.
Tie Down Roping
- Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas 8.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Shank Edwards, Tatum, N.M. and Randall Carlisle, Athens, La. 8.4 each; 4. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas 8.6; 5. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas 8.8; 6. Trell Etbauer, Decatur, Texas 9.0; 7. Ty Baker, Van Horn, Texas 9.2; 8. Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas 9.3; 9. Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas 9.7;
- Tuf Cooper, Weatherford, Texas 10.6.
Barrel Racing
- Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo. 17.05 seconds; 2. Korrina Hughes, Glenwood, Iowa 17.32; 3. Kelly Brunner, Millsap, Texas 17.37; 4. (tie) Jane Melby, Burneyville, Okla., Kortney Kizer, Pep, N.M. and Hollie Etbauer, Edmond, Okla. 17.39 each; 7. Laura Kennedy Quitman, Ark. 17.43; 8. Holly Wright, Gruver, Texas 17.45; 9. Shelby Janssen, Coleman, Okla. 17.49; 10. Tracy Nowlin, Nowata, Okla. 17.52; 11. Morgan Breaux, Tomball, Texas 17.54; 12. (tie) Jackie Ganter, Abilene, Texas and Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla. 17.55 each; 14. Monica McClung, May, Okla. 17.56; 15. Jean Winters, Texline, Texas 17.58.
Bull Riding
- Wyatt Edwards, Sulphur, Okla. 81 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s No. 124; 2. Fulton Rutland, Stilwell, Okla. 75; 3. Guthrie Murray, Miami, Okla. 71.5; 4. (tie) Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla. and Ednei Caminhas, Denton, Texas 70.5.
** All results are unofficial. For complete results, visit www.prorodeo.com. For more information, visit www.KansasBiggestRodeo.com.