Clay Smith and Paul Eaves are going to have to work hard to top 2015. For Smith, it meant his first WNFR qualification, second consecutive Wildfire Open to the World win and an engagement to long-time sweetheart Taylor Richey. For Eaves, 2015 was the year he married his wife, Amanda, and made his fourth WNFR appearance, winning major rodeos like Deadwood S.D., and Preston, Idaho, along the way.
But if their performance at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver is any indication, these two are well on their way to their best year yet. Smith and Eaves roped three steers in 16.7 seconds to win the average and take $7,254 a man from the Mile High City back to Broken Bow, Okla., and Millsap, Texas, respectively.
For…