Brothers clinch Denver team roping title

By Courtesy PRCA
Posted Tuesday, January 29, 2008

DENVER – Brady Minor had to look no farther than his own brother to find success in the tough world of professional team roping.

Minor, 23, waited about one year to ask his 19-year-old brother, Riley, to be his ProRodeo partner, and what a duo they have turned out to be.

The Minor brothers from Ellensburg, Wash., won the three-head team roping title in 16.3 seconds at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo that began Jan. 12 and concluded with the final round on Jan. 27 at the Denver Coliseum.

While they have been paired up professionally for less than a year, they grew up roping together, so the chemistry is there.

In fact, the Minor brothers are 3-for-3 in the 2008 season. They finished first in the average at the SandHills Stock Show & Rodeo held in Odessa, Texas, earlier this month and won the NILE Pro Rodeo in Billings, Mont., last October in a rodeo that counted toward the 2008 season.

“It’s really unbelievable,” said Riley, who does the heading. “I’m really in shock right now.”
The Minors, who won $6,515 apiece, finished first in a field that included eight-time World Champion Speed Williams paired with four-time World Champion Allen Bach and reigning World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor Brazile teamed up with 2005 World Champion Patrick Smith, just to name a few.

A cowboy who hopes to win a lot this year is 2004 World Champion Steer Wrestler Luke Branquinho. The Los Alamos, Calif., cowboy got off to a good start by posting three sub 4-second runs, including winning the first round and the finals, to finish first in the average in 10.6 seconds on three head and pocket $15,787.

Reigning World Champion Barrel Racer Brittany Pozzi-Pharr repeated as champion at the National Western and collected $10,480. Pozzi-Pharr, of Victoria, Texas, finished first in the finals in 15.51 seconds en route to claiming the average title in 46.69 seconds on three runs to kick off another strong season.

Bareback rider Cleve Schmidt of Belle Fourche, S.D., also defended his Denver title, finishing with 254 points on three head to claim the average title and collecting $14,719.

Bull rider Spud Jones of Tohatchi, N.M., finished third in the finals, but the 78-point ride aboard Calgary Stampede’s Locomotion was just enough to clinch the average. Jones (238 points on three head) edged Tyler Johnston (237 points) by one point for the average title and collected $9,551.

Canadians frequently demonstrate their athleticism in PRCA rodeos, and Samuel Kelts of Millarville, Alberta, shined by claiming the saddle bronc riding average. Kelts had the lead heading into the finals with 175 points on two head and sealed the victory by winning the final round with an 89-point ride on Brookman Rodeo’s Good Times to pocket a total of $16,397.

Tyler Garten of Kingman, Kan., locked up the tie-down roping average by winning the final round in 8.2 seconds. He finished with a time of 26.0 seconds on three head and collected $12,127.