BIG SPRING, Texas – When the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo comes to West Texas, cowboys reunite in a big way.
That’s why Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers like Jared Smith, Luke Brown and Martin Lucero found their way to the winner’s circle. That’s why a world champions like Justin McDaniel and Guy Allen were happy to earn a paycheck.
There was plenty going on June 17-19 in Big Spring, whether it was Fort Worth, Texas, cowboy Monty Eakin sharing the steer wrestling title while placing in tie-down roping, or Nebraskan Cort Scheer winning the saddle bronc riding.
Smith is 22 years old from Cross Plains, Texas, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Big Spring. He earned his first qualification to ProRodeo’s season finale this past December, joining traveling partners Steven Peebles, D.V. Fennell and McDaniel in Las Vegas. On Thursday night, Smith matched moves with the Carr Pro Rodeo horse Patron for 82 points to win the bareback riding and nearly $1,000, while McDaniel finished in a tie for second with Cody Angland.
Scheer is a two-time qualifier to the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo who won the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo in 2008. Over the weekend, he and the Carr horse Deuces Wild put on a show worth 85 points to win the saddle bronc riding and $1,187. NFR qualifier Heith DeMoss finished second after an 80 on the back of True Lies.
Brad Pierce is a bull rider and bronc rider from Australia, and in Big Spring, he marked the highest scoring ride of the weekend with an 86 atop the Carr bull Lease K&K Rodeo. Pierce finished the season 22nd in the all-around world standings a season ago and 35th in bull riding. He hopes the $1,113 will help him find that elusive spot among the top 15 at season’s end, meaning his first qualification to the NFR.
Eakin shared the steer wrestling title with James Lockhart of Georgetown, Texas. They both grappled their steers to the ground in 4.4 seconds, worth $1,108 each. The Stephenville, Texas, tandem of Brown and Lucero posted the fastest team roping run, 5.6 second, which helped them earn $981 each. Randall Carlisle of Lipan, Texas, had an 8.2-second run to win tie-down roping and $1,667, and Tana Renick of Kingston, Okla., rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 16.65 seconds to win barrel racing and $1,086.
Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo
June 17-19, 2010
Big Spring, Texas
Final results
Bareback riding
1. Jared Smith, Cross Plains, Texas, 82 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Patron, $988; 2. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 76 points on Easy Does It, and Cody Angland, Cisco, Texas, 76 points on Short Fuse, $618 each; 4. Dave Worsfold, Queensland, Australia, 74 points on River Wild, and Zane Grey Caddell, 74 points on Black Jack, $124 each.
Steer wrestling
1. Monty Eakin, Fort Worth, Texas, and James Lockhart, Georgetown, Texas, 4.4 seconds, $1,108 each; 3. Denard Butler, Morris, Okla., 4.5, $794; 4. Beau Clark, Athens, Texas, 4.6, $585; 5. Reagon Walker, Ennis, Texas, 4.9, $376; 6. Cimarron Thompson, Hobbs, N.M., 5.0, $209.
Team roping
1. Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Martin Lucero, Stephenville, 5.6 seconds, $981; 2. Nick Rawling, Stephenville/Jake Cobb, Decatur, Texas, Kyle Roberts, Andrews, Texas/Kenneth Beaty, Andrews, and Jake Brown, Stephenville/Blaine Vick, Breckenridge, Texas, 6.7, $643 each; 5. Brad Hamilton, Pollok, Texas/Josh Sowell, Shelbyville, Texas, 7.4, $305; 6. Guy Allen, Santa Anna, Texas/Paul Peterson, Southland, Texas, 7.6, $169.
Saddle bronc riding
1. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Wild, $1,187; 2. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 80 points on True Lies, $884; 3. Ryan Montroy, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 79 points on Black Smoke, and Jace Garrett, Alliance, Neb., 79 points on Blue Smoke, $442.
Tie-down roping
1. Randall Carlisle, Lipan, Texas, 8.2 seconds, $1,667; 2. Trevor Thiel, Greeley, Colo., 8.2, $1,379; 3. Jud Nowotny, LaVernia, Texas, 8.4, $1,092; 4. Monty Eakin, Fort Worth, Texas, and Clayton Shaw, Alvord, Texas, 8.6, $661; 6. Skyler Moore, Mt. Vernon, Mo., 8.7, $287.
Barrel racing
1. Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 16.65 seconds, $1,086; 2. Tammy Fischer, Ledbetter, Texas, 16.85, $931; 3. Cassie Moseley, Farwell, Texas, 16.88, $776; 4. Ashley Rice, Stephenville, Texas, 16.90, $672; 5. Callie Chamberlain, Colorado City, Texas, and Lisa Anderson, Moore, Texas, 16.94, $466; 7. Sabrina Ketcham, Yeso, N.M., 17.03, $310; 8. Savanah Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas, 17.07, $206; 9. Susan Liggitt, New Caney, Texas, 17.10, $155; 10. Caren Lamb, Fort Sumner, N.M., 17.17, $103.
Bull riding1. Brad Pierce, Snyder, Texas, 86 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Lease K&K Rodeo, $1,113; 2. Loagan Helton, Pampa, Texas, 82 points on Lease K&K Rodeo, $843; 3. Gary Brown, Arcadia, Fla., 79 points on Wolf Pup, $607; 4. Jake Gregory, Edna, Texas, 75 points on MJ, $405.
