COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Before Clay White and John Chaves could become the surprise team roping champions of the May 13-15 Redding (Calif.) Rodeo, there first had to be a fine bit of teamwork involving Melanie White and Marcey Chaves.
The ropers’ wives are long-time friends who went to university together at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo and had waged what John Chaves estimated was a six-month campaign “of bugging us” to team up for the spring rodeos in California.
Marcey Chaves ultimately put the partnership in play by buying her husband’s PRCA card in mid-March – without letting him know.
The guys started roping together at Red Bluff, Calif., and it took eight rodeos before they earned their first checks together a week ago with a second-place finish at Woodlake, Calif.
At the Redding Rodeo Grounds they had what was, for both men, a career-best win, claiming the two-head average in the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour rodeo, presented by Justin Boots, and earning $4,296 each.
A surprise? The Redding team roping field had four world champions and 31 competitors who have qualified at least once for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
“Those guys rope well, and they do it for a living,” Clay White said. “It’s neat to beat them, but they definitely had shots at knocking us off. After slack in the morning, there were four-to-six teams in position to win it, but nobody could put it together.
“We didn’t know we’d won until we called (two-time World Champion Steer Wrestler and Chaves’ lifelong friend) Luke (Branquinho) on the cell phone,” Clay White said.
“Yeah, and Luke picked up my checks for me,” Chaves said.
White and Chaves finished second in round one with a time of 5.7 seconds, fourth in round two with a steady run of 6.4 on a troublesome steer that kicked, and it held up for the win. Their two-head time of 12.1 was 1.2 seconds better than the runner-up team of 2007 World Champion Chad Masters and two-time Wrangler NFR qualifier Jade Corkill.
There was some irony in this outcome for Masters, who sold White the heading horse, Magic, that ended up beating him.
This unforeseen success is not tempting White and Chaves to expand their schedule. They will compete at the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour events at Reno, Nev., and Salinas, Calif., as originally planned, and will otherwise stick to California Circuit rodeos.
White has a barley farm in Shandon, Calif., where he also raises cattle. Chaves has a ranch in Los Alamos, Calif. – about a mile from Branquinho’s place – where he works cattle and shoes horses.
They have jobs, families and responsibilities, but the main difficulty in getting the partnership started was mostly rooted in Chaves’ reluctance to travel. “I just can’t stand being in the truck,” he said. “All that travel, it just isn’t for me.”
But Marcey Chaves, the 2005 National College Finals Rodeo all-around champion, knew her husband well enough to understand how much he loves the sport, the competition and the camaraderie. When Clay White said something about needing a partner, Marcey bought her husband’s card.
“John said later that he might not have come out and roped if she hadn’t done that,” Clay White said.
It was the biggest check either man had earned in a PRCA rodeo, although Chaves won the Mike Cervi Jr. Memorial Pro Team Roping Classic in Tucson, Ariz., a few years ago with Pat Boyle, and that paid more.
Their goals each season are to qualify for the Dodge California Circuit Finals Rodeo in Norco, which this win in Redding would seem to assure. Chaves, 28, has made it once since joining the PRCA in June 2006, and White, 37, has qualified four times, most recently in 2004.
Apart from picking up Chaves’ checks, Branquinho was at the cashier’s window plenty himself by placing in both rounds and winning the steer wrestling average with a total time of 8.9 seconds, good for $4,494.
“That (second-round steer) tends to step to the left on his runs,” Branquinho told the Redding Record-Searchlight, “so I gave him some room and let my hazer steer him to me. I knew once I got him, he would be a good one to throw down.”
Branquinho was one of two past world champions to win titles at Redding, joining 2007 World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Taos Muncy of Corona, N.M. Muncy was awarded 85 points for his ride on Big Stone Rodeo Company’s Hombre to earn $4,104. Shaun Stroh was four points back in second place.
The other Redding Rodeo champions were bareback rider Steven Dent (84 points), tie-down roper Stetson Vest (17.3 seconds on two runs), barrel racer Benette Barrington (35.16 seconds on two runs) and bull rider Cole Echols (92 points).
Redding, Calif.: Redding Rodeo, May 13-15 *SILVER TOUR*
All-around cowboy: Russell Cardoza, $4,237, steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping.
Bareback riding: 1. Steven Dent, 84 points on Growney Brothers’ Moulin Rouge, $5,045; 2. (tie) Micky Downare and Will Lowe, 83, $3,363 each; 4. (tie) Jessy Davis and Kaycee Feild, 81, $1,513 each; 6. (tie) Cody DeMers and Wes Stevenson, 80, $757 each; 8. (tie) Jerad Schlegel, Jason Havens, D.V. Fennell, Logan Hodson and Matt Bright, 79, $101 each.
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Curtis Cassidy, 4.0 seconds, $2,020; 2. Charles Harris, 4.1, $1,672; 3. Luke Branquinho, 4.4, $1,324; 4. Travis Carnine, 4.5, $975; 5. (tie) Blake Knowles and Jason Miller, 4.7, $488 each. Second round: 1. Stan Branco, 4.0 seconds, $2,020; 2. Clint Robinson, 4.1, $1,672; 3. (tie) Ryan Jarrett and Luke Branquinho, 4.5, $1,150 each; 5. Billy Bugenig, 4.6, $627; 6. Shawn Greenfield, 4.7, $348. Average: 1. Luke Branquinho, 8.9 seconds on two head, $2,020; 2. Blake Knowles, 9.6, $1,672; 3. (tie) Kelsey Anderson and Curtis Cassidy, 10.3, $1,150 each; 5. Billy Bugenig, 10.9, $627; 6. Trevor Knowles, 11.1, $348.
Team roping: First round: 1. Seth Gurney/J.C. Allen Niesen, 5.6 seconds, $1,733 each; 2. Clay White/John Chaves, 5.7, $1,507; 3. (tie) Jake Cooper/Jim Ross Cooper and Quincy Kueckelhan/Dustin Davis, 6.1, $1,168 each; 5. Jake Stanley/Justin Wade Davis, 6.2, $829; 6. Blaine Linaweaver/Wade Hooker, 6.3, $603; 7. Brock Hanson/Travis Woodard, 6.4, $377; 8. Steve Brandt/Britt Bockius, 6.8, $151. Second round: 1. Charly Crawford/Russell Cardoza, 5.7 seconds, $1,733 each; 2. Eric Cozzitorto/Chris Wooten, 5.9, $1,507; 3. Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 6.0, $1,281; 4. Clay White/John Chaves, 6-4, $1,055; 5. Brock Hanson/Travis Woodard, 7.1, $829; 6. Jake Stanley/Justin Wade Davis, 9.7, $603; 7. Matt Sherwood/Allen Bach, 9.9, $377; 8. (tie) Daniel Green/Todd Hampton and Waylon McCurley/Evan Arnold, 10.0, $75 each. Average: 1. Clay White/John Chaves, 12.1 seconds on two head, $1,733 each; 2. Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 13.3, $1,507; 3. Brock Hanson/Travis Woodard, 13.5, $1,281; 4. Jake Stanley/Justin Wade Davis, 15.9, $1,055; 5. Paul Mullins/Rhett Kennedy, 19.7, $829; 6. (tie) Daniel Green/Todd Hampton and Justin Young/Joseph Shawnego, 20.8, $490 each; 8. Jake Cooper/Jim Ross Cooper, 22.0, $151.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Taos Muncy, 85 points on Big Stone Rodeo Company’s Hombre, $4,104; 2. Shaun Stroh, 81, $3,146; 3. (tie) Jesse Kruse, Scott Miller and Rod Hay, 80, $1,596 each; 6. (tie) Justin Arnold and Sam Spreadborough, 79, $616 each; 8. (tie) Chet Johnson, Heith DeMoss, Mike Outhier and Cody Taton, 77, $103 each.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Matt Shiozawa, 8.2 seconds, $1,693; 2. Russell Cardoza, 8.4, $1,473; 3. Stetson Vest, 8.5, $1,252; 4. Ryan Jarrett, 8.9, $1,031; 5. (tie) Joseph Parsons and Seth Hopper, 9.3, $699 each; 7. Ryle Smith, 9.6, $368; 8. Landon McClaugherty, 9.7, $147. Second round: 1. Logan Hofer, 7.5 seconds, $1,693; 2. (tie) Clint Robinson and Trent Creager, 7.8, $1,362 each; 4. Nate Baldwin, 7.9, $1,031; 5. Jake Pratt, 8.2, $810; 6. Jesse Sheffield, 8.4, $589; 7. Landon McClaugherty, 8.5, $368; 8. Stetson Vest, 8.8, $147. Average: 1. Stetson Vest, 17.3 seconds on two head, $1,693; 2. Landon McClaugherty, 18.2, $1,473; 3. Joseph Parsons, 19.3, $1,252; 4. Russell Cardoza, 19.5, $1,031; 5. Curtis Cassidy, 19.6, $810; 6. Chant DeForest, 20.1, $589; 7. (tie) Clint Arave and Jason Vohs, 20.4, $258 each.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Benette Barrington, 17.41 seconds, $1,433; 2. (tie) Lacy Wilson and Kelli Tolbert, 17.68, $1,126 each; 4. Christina Richman, 17.71, $887; 5. Danyelle Campbell, 17.79, $682; 6. Sherry Cervi, 17.80, $546; 7. Linda Vick, 17.84, $409; 8. (tie) Nellie Williams and Jill Moody, 17.85, $239 each; 10. Rachael Myllymaki, 17.89, $136. Second round: 1. Lita Scott, 17.51 seconds, $1,433; 2. Brenda Mays, 17.56, $1,228; 3. Kelli Tolbert, 17.57, $1,024; 4. Christina Richman, 17.62, $887; 5. Sheena Robins, 17.72, $682; 6. Sydni Blanchard, 17.73, $546; 7. (tie) Benette Barrington and Sherry Cervi, 17.75, $341 each; 9. (tie) Kelsi Elkins and Jessee Blanchard, 17.80, $171 each. Average: 1. Benette Barrington, 35.16 seconds on two runs, $1,433; 2. Kelli Tolbert, 35.25, $1,228; 3. Christina Richman, 35.33, $1,024; 4. Lita Scott, 35.52, $887; 5. Sherry Cervi, 35.55, $682; 6. Lacy Wilson, 35.56, $546; 7. Brenda Mays, 35.64, $409; 8. Nellie Williams, 35.69, $273; 9. Rachael Myllymaki, 35.71, $205; 10. Linda Vick, 35.73, $136.
Bull riding: 1. Cole Echols, 92 points on Growney Brothers’ Touch of Class, $4,532; 2. (tie) Shawn Hogg and Howdy Cloud, 90, $3,021 each; 4. Travis Prejean, 89, $1,662; 5. (tie) Ardie Maier and Myron Duarte, 88, $906 each; 7. Chad Denton, 87, $604; 8. Sam Wyatt, 86, $453.
Total payoff: $160,150. Stock contractors: Growney Brothers, Big Stone Rodeo Company and Four Star Rodeo Company. Rodeo secretary: Haley Schneeberger. Officials: Harry Rose, George Gibbs and Terry Carlon. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson and Diana Alexander. Announcer: Wayne Brooks. Specialty act: Daredevil Darlings. Clowns/bullfighters: Eric Layton and Kelly Jennings. Barrelman: Ash Cooper. Pickup men: Bob Marriott and Matt Twitchell.
