Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2024 i The Team Roping Journal

Tyler Tryan remained undefeated in the 2024 Resistol Rookie Header of the Year Race with $79,694.85 in season earnings. Tryan, 18, won the coveted title by $39,097.67, giving him the richest rookie season of the last decade and landing him 25th in the PRCA heading world standings to qualify him to the major winter rodeos in 2025. “It feels good to win it,” Tryan said. “I’m glad I won it, but I’m also glad I got into Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth. It could have went better and it should have, but it all worked out.” The eldest son of three-time World Champion Clay Tryan kicked off his year winning the first ProRodeo he entered on his permit. Tryan got the ball rolling at the Home of the Navajo…

Ropers at home with | Jake Barnes | Clay O | military salute | USTRC Q: How and why did you start fighting bulls in the first place? A: I was feeding bulls for a guy, and he needed a bullfighter. I tried it one day at the Tracy (California) Junior Rodeo. I loved getting that paycheck, and it was fun for me. I thought it was easy. Q: How many years did you fight bulls, and what do you miss most about it? A: I started fighting bulls when I was 15, and quit when I was 45. When I was ready to walk out of the arena that last day, 30 years later, I was done. I’d achieved what I wanted to achieve, and I didn’t need anything…

At the conclusion of the 2024 PAFRA World Championship Rodeo in Clovis, New Mexico, Sept. 21, Adam Pollard and Tarrant Stewart—who have each supported the Professional Armed Forces Rodeo Association in varying capacities for many years—got to take home World Champion buckles after splitting the win in the team roping. Throughout his life, 53-year-old USMC veteran Adam Pollard has won plenty of awards from his time in the arena—enough to earn him a 2021 induction into the Military Rodeo Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City’s National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum—but the PAFRA World Champion Header buckle he won in September was a first for the Midland, Texas, native who served as PAFRA’s president in 2013. “I was on a heel horse,” Pollard said, explaining that he’s been focused on…

Competitive Edge 5 flat | next level | freeze frame | inner strength | horsepower Jake Cooper and I started Kingpin Genetics this year, with the goal of building a team of mares we can compete and win on, then eventually offer their embryos to the public. Blowin In Time, by One Fabulous Time out of Blowing Withthe Wind by Fury Of The Wind, is the prime example of what we want. Here’s why. 1 Fort Worth was that mare’s second time away from home, but she handled it like a veteran. We had a very strong steer on the first one, and she gave me everything she had without even being asked for it. We took our first steer to the 3/4 mark in that arena, so coming back…

| Competitive Edge | inner strength Luke Brown and I have both been around the block when it comes to doing this for a living, so we try to put the pressure on ourselves when we practice. I try to put myself in that situation and not change anything other than just reacting to what’s going on. I don’t make high-pressure situations any bigger of a deal than I do in the practice pen, because I still have to do my job. I still have to ride a good corner, haze the steer and catch two feet. That’s really what it boils down to. Even when I was a kid, my dad would always put me in pretend scenarios in the practice pen. He’d say, “Okay, this is high callback…

PRO FUTURITY The Riata Championships kicked off with its $200,000-added Riata Open, with Cash Duty riding Metallic Katrina and Dylin Alhstrom riding DD Denvers Badger to the title, worth $72,600 for their time of 38.22 on five head. They also placed third in the overall fast-time from the qualifying rounds with a 6.37, worth $2,500. Metallic Katrina—by Metallic Gray out of Aristocrat Goldseeker by Herman Goldseeker—is a 2019 gray mare that 21-year-old Weimer, Texas header Duty hadn’t run a steer on before getting to Guthrie and roping at first-out in the Riata. “I’ve got to see the horse go practicing a few times, but I’ve never gotten to ride her until today,” Duty, This is the first time team one. It’s a little scary, but that just goes to show…

10.5 RIATA CHAMPIONSHIP Tauna Alcorn and SJR Diamond Metalica had a historic two days inside the Lazy E at the 2024 Riata winning $140,800 between the #12.5 and #10.5. Alcorn and the 7-year-old mare by CD Diamond out of SJR Missin Metallica won first and fourth in the #12.5 Thursday, Sept. 26, and followed it up with the #10.5 win for $109,600 with Taylor Pettigrew on Call Me Mr Jonez Sept. 27. “There are no words,” New Mexico’s Alcorn said. “All I can say is it’s on everybody’s time and when it’s your day, it’s your day and hopefully mine just continues to go.” SJR Diamond Metalica is the first CD Diamond baby Alcorn has had in her herd, and they purchased her off of Facebook as a 2-year-old on…

Colorado’s 16-year-old Hogan Kelley struck big on his 8-year-old A Smooth Guy gelding Wicked Smooth Guy to win first and fast-time in the Riata Buckle #10.5 Junior, banking $19,600. The Golden, Colorado, native was 32.91 on four with his cousin, Klayt Staudt, who rode a proxy horse. Kelley also rode Bethesalilbitcat on the heel side to win fast time in the short round his dad, Luke, on the head side aboard Wicked Smooth Guy. In total the 16-year-old won $20,600 on two different horses. “We have another A Smooth Guy at home, he is a palomino we got from Jesse Jolly,” Kelley said. “Both horses are great, we really like them.” Roping is in the family for Kelley, who roped with his dad and cousin both in the #10.5. “Not…

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Logan Moore stayed hooked atop the 2024 Resistol Rookie Heeler of the Year standings to take home the coveted title with $66,026.39 won on the season. The 23-year-old from Pleasanton, Texas, took control of the standings in July and never looked back. When the tight race came to an end, Moore beat out Arizona’s Denton Dunning by $5,857.84. “It’s amazing—it’s a goal I’ve set for myself since I was a kid,” Moore said. “To know I can achieve it against some really tough rookies this year felt good. This means the world.” Moore first made waves on the rookie race after he returned to the ProRodeo road from his College National Finals Rodeo trip. Heeling for Resistol Rookie Header of the Year Tyler Tryan, Moore pocketed $10,191 over the Fourth…

SHOULDER CONTROL I don’t want to feel like my horses are leading with their shoulders. I use my right leg to drive the horse to the steer, getting the horse’s hip over to the left and underneath them. TIMING Then I use my left leg when I feel weight on their shoulders leaning against me, and I stand their shoulders up and help them come back with it. THE MOVE When you get the weight of the steer on the end of the rope, and you feel the horse’s shoulder leaning into you, put your left calf muscle behind the front cinch and squeeze. But you can’t do it until you get the weight of the steer on the end of the rope. If you use your left leg before…

What a difference a year—and a stout little blood bay heel horse with fast feet and a snip on his nose you can barely see—has made in the life and career of Texas cowboy Coleby Payne. After just missing the 2023 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Payne, of Stephenville, Texas, hurdled the Top 15 hump and qualified for his first Finals in 2024, where he’ll heel for two-time World Champion Header Clay Smith. Payne earned his first NFR back number on the back of Cut Off My Spots, who was just voted the reserve Nutrena Heel Horse of the Year presented by AQHA. He calls him Coon. “I rode the wheels off of Coon this year,” the 25-year-old cowboy said. “I’ll bet I rode him at 73 of the 80 rodeos…

14.5 RIATA CHAMPIONSHIP Reed Boos added his name to a growing list of ropers who’ve had success on the back of Yes Im Sassy, winning the 2024 Riata #14.5 with Cord Forzano on Smartlookncat. Boos and Forzano raked in $103,680 Sept. 25, in their first outing together after roping four steers in 29.39 seconds. “I’ve never won that much money,” Boos said. “I’ve never even had a chance to win that much money, but the owners and the breeders and everybody, we’re very grateful.” Raised by the Myers Ranch and by their stallion Mr Sassy Frenchman and out of their Paddys Irish Whiskey daughter Full A Irish Whiskey, Yes Im Sassy is owned by Neal and Jody Wanless. Since joining Dakota Kirchenschlager’s program her 3-year-old year, she’s shown her versatility,…

9.5 RIATA CHAMPIONSHIP Craig Moore and Bobby Simmons pocketed $106,000 between the 2024 Riata #9.5 win and the head and heel horse futurity incentives on You Rey and Sundae Rebel. The Texas team took the win Saturday, Sept. 28, after roping four steers in 36.88 seconds. Moore and You Rey also picked up second for $73,400. “This means everything,” Moore said. “The biggest thing for me is I’ve been around people my whole life and the passion that all of these guys have with this sport, I think they’d be here even if this kind of money wasn’t here. How family-oriented all of this is, for me, I just have a passion for it. The money’s wonderful, don’t get me wrong—we’re all all about it. But I’d be here if…

Kylie McLean and her 5-year-old gelding, DMC Rey N Playboy by Reynshine, topped the inaugural Cowgirl Steer Stopping at the 2024 Riata winning $10,326. The Canadian-cowgirl-turned-Arizona-resident was 10th callback aboard DMC Rey N Playboy and fourth callback on DT Doc Holly Day. McLean missed her fourth callback short round steer but cashed in on her 10th callback run to be 17.17 on three. McLean practiced stopping on DMC Rey N Playboy at home, but this was the first place they entered since she purchased him two months ago (and since this was the first place holding a timed, three-head steer stopping in recent memory on a major stage). “He’s a 5-year-old Reynshine that I bought two months ago,” McLean said. “I found him on Facebook, and he’s really good to…

Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord won the 2024 ProRodeo regular season with the second-highest earnings record in team roping history, earning $201,007.70 a man. Egusquiza and Lord fell just $26,870.30 short of breaking the regular-season earnings record of $227,878 set by World Champions Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira in 2022. Regardless, over the span of 80 rodeos, Egusquiza and Lord proved to be a formidable team on any setup as the season wrapped up on September 30. “I think once you get toward the finish line where you have a chance, you find out how tough it is,” Lord, of Sturgis, South Dakota, said. “Because it’s all season and only one team wins. Obviously, you’re roping against a lot of good guys, and it is very tough. So to come…

| Ropers | Clay O’Brien Cooper So many people struggle with their mental game. They work hard on improving their roping skills, but don’t stop to realize the importance of managing what’s going on in their minds. Adding a thought management strategy can be a very helpful tool for pros and beginners alike. Because what thoughts you allow into your conscious thought realm either hinder or help you in what you’re trying to achieve. If you’re at a prestigious roping, you’re naturally a little more nervous about it. That immediately works on your mind. You start to think about what it would be like to win it, the prestige of it and how you don’t want to let your partner down. But random thoughts like those have nothing to do…

The Riata Championships—with the goal of expanding the rope horse industry from bottom to top—paid out $3.6 million to team ropers and breakaway ropers of every level Sept. 25-29 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, highlighting the progeny of the industry’s best stallions and breeding programs. The incentive—fueled by stallion nominations and offspring enrollments—added the record breaking $1.5 million dollars to the event that has very quickly become a DO NOT MISS roping event. The 2024 edition became the third richest team roping in the world and once again the richest WSTR qualifier of the year! Riata hosted an Open, #14.5, #12.5, #10.5, #9.5 and #8.5, as well as a Cowgirl Steer Stopping, #10.5 Junior Championships and the Riata, Pink Buckle, Ruby Buckle Breakaway Bonanza. The 2024 edition…

12.5 RIATA CHAMPIONSHIP Tauna Alcorn double-dipped on her 7-year-old mare SJR Diamond Metalica to win first and fourth in the Riata #12.5, banking $172,000 between herself and partners Mike Bacon and Miles Baker from first and 30th callback Sept. 26 at the Lazy E in Guthrie, Oklahoma. New Mexico’s Alcorn was 33.65 on four with Oklahoma’s Bacon, who rode 5-year-old Play Like Boon to also win the futurity incentive for an extra $8,000. She was 36.68 on four from last call with Texas’s Baker, who rode the Kaleb Terlip/ Relentless Remuda/Solo Select-owned stallion Pride And Joyy. Before arriving at the Lazy E in Guthrie, New Mexico’s Alcorn and Oklahoma’s Bacon had never met. “I had never met Mike before yesterday,” Alcorn said. “He came up and introduced himself, but we’ve…

8.5 RIATA CHAMPIONSHIP Kolton Hunter and Aaron Stout Win the Riata #8.5 for $25K Aboard Show Me A Song Joes Horses Kolton Hunter and Aaron Stout topped the Riata #8.5 with a time of 44.16 on four head, winning $25,000 aboard two horses sired by Show Me A Song Joes. On the head side, Kolton Hunter was aboard Show Joe Duchess, an 8-year-old gelding by Show Me A Song Joes and out of Red Eyed Dutchess. On the heel side, Aaron Stout rode Quest Two Best, a 10-year-old stallion by Show Me A Song Joes and out of Miss Trippers Red. Although they are both from Utah, Hunter and Stout had never roped together prior to arriving at the Lazy E. “We had never met until yesterday,” Stout said. “We…

Total Payout: $250,000 Cheyanne McCartney and Braylee Shepherd won the 2024 Riata Breakaway Roping for $20,160 a piece with McCartney winning Tier 1 and Shepherd winning Tier 2 on Sept. 29. With a guaranteed purse of $250,000, the Buckle Breakaway Bonanza was one of, if not the, largest breakaway roping purses of the year. The Buckle Breakaway Bonanza used a split short round approach where every breakaway roper who caught two calves advanced to the two equally-separated short rounds. Both tiers crowned their own respective champions but had the same payout. McCartney took the Tier 1 win with an 8.23 on three calves aboard CR Tuff King, and Shepherd won Tier 2 on Sixeys Fancy Prince with an 11.50 on three. McCartney and CR Tuff King McCartney’s 5-year-old gelding by…

“That has not been my forte over the years, but the older I get, the more I’ve worked on that in the practice pen. It sounds stupid to be a high-level heeler and be nervous that you have to go be 9-flat, but I’m wired so aggressively that I really have had to work on that. And truthfully, it doesn’t bother me now. I kind of rib around a little bit. But I think the scariest part about it is you look like an idiot if you miss one when you have to be 9. If I have to be 4.2 and if I miss him, it’s like, ‘Well, he’s just trying to win.’” —Jake Long, 14-time NFR heeler on “The Score,” available anywhere you stream podcasts. Listen to “The…