Brazile and Smith dominate team roping field at Justin Boots Championships

Posted Saturday, September 26, 2009

OMAHA, Neb. -- Team roping is the only one of Trevor Brazile's events in which he has not won a gold buckle as world champion. He took one small step toward rectifying that Thursday night in the opening round of the Justin Boots Championship at the Qwest Center.

Brazile and heeler Patrick Smith, who owns the gold buckle dated 2005, had the night's fastest time of 4.1 seconds, and with earnings of $5,808, Brazile moved into third place in the PRCA World Heading Standings and to within about $4,000 of second-place header Kelsey Parchman, who did not qualify to compete in Omaha.

"Everything went awesome today – we drew a good steer, and made a good run on him," Brazile said. "We roped aggressively, and that helped everything come together.”

For tie-down roper Blair Burk of Durant, Okla., the evening's business was all about securing a spot at the $5.75 million 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and his win in the first round moved him off the bubble, from 15th all the way to 10th in the tightly-bunched field.

Burk, 36, who is a 13-time qualifier for the Wrangler NFR, had a time of 7.1 seconds to edge five-time World Champion Tie-Down Roper Cody Ohl by a tenth of a second.

"Tonight I was riding for Las Vegas, and I had to come through," Burk said. "It was tough not to make it last year. It's a bad feeling, I can tell you that. I had a really good calf tonight, and when you get those good opportunities you need to take advantage."

Reigning World Champion Bull Rider J.W. Harris continued his dominating season with a 90-point ride on Beutler & Son's Aches and Pains, moving his season earnings to just shy of $200,000.

Harris has won 19 rodeos outright and shared in two other wins as he bids to become the first bull rider to win back-to-back world championships since Blue Stone in 2001-02.

"That was a good bull. I’ve had him twice – I got a 90 on him the first time and drew him again at the Finals," Harris said. "I was excited to draw him again tonight."

Three-time World Champion Bareback Rider Will Lowe overcame perhaps the strongest top-to-bottom field at the Qwest Center, winning the first round with an 84-point ride on Mosbrucker Rodeo's Moon Blast. Lowe edged reigning World Champion Justin McDaniel and Ryan Gray by a point.

All 12 competitors in the field are in the Top 15 of the world standings with four world champions – Lowe, McDaniel, Kelly Timberman and Bobby Mote – plus current standings leader Clint Cannon.

"That horse was a handful. I knew I had to hurry and keep my eye on the ball," Lowe said. "This is sure one of my favorite rodeos – this is as good as the action gets."

Cody DeMoss, of Heflin, La., thought his ride could have been better, "but the judges liked the ride" enough to award him 86 points and first place in the saddle bronc riding. His $5,808 check moved him into third place in the PRCA World Standings, moving ahead of his younger brother, Heith, for the first time all year.

"I’ve won here twice and hope to be able to do it again," Cody DeMoss said.
The steer wrestling round went to 2005 World Champion Lee Graves of Calgary, Alberta, with a time of 3.3 seconds. Reigning World Champion Luke Branquinho was second in 3.6 seconds.

Lindsay Sears of Nanton, Alberta, won the first round of the barrel racing in 13.87 seconds, finishing nine-tenths ahead of runner-up P.J. Burger, of Pauls Valley, Okla.

Justin Boots Championships
Qwest Center, Omaha, Neb.
Sept. 24, 2009
Bareback riding: First round: 1. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 84 points on Mosbrucker Rodeo's Moon Blast, $5,808; 2. (tie) Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash., and Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 83, $3,784 each; 4. Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo., 82, $2,112; 5. Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 81, $1,232; 6. D.V. Fennell, Neosho, Mo., 79, $880; 7. Kaycee Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah, 78; 8. (tie) Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., and Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., 77; 10. (tie) Heath Ford, Greeley, Colo., and Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 76; 12. Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 72

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, 3.3 seconds, $5,808; 2. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 3.6, $4,400; 3. Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas, 4.0, $3,168; 4. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 4.2, $2,112; 5. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 4.3, $1,232; 6. Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., 4.4, $880; 7. Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore., 4.6; 8. Matt Reeves, Pampa, Texas, 6.1; 9. Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D., 7.5; 10. Joey Bell Jr, Athens, Texas, 13.5; 11. Darrell Petry, Beaumont, Texas, 14.2; 12. Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La., NT

Team roping: First round: 1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas, 4.1 seconds, $5,808 each; 2. Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C./Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 4.9, $4,400; 3. Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont./Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas, 5.0, $3,168; 4. Jay Adams, Logandale, Nev./Richard Durham, Morgan Mill, Texas, 5.4, $2,112; 5. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla., 5.5, $1,232; 6. Blaine Linaweaver, Leavenworth, Kan./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 5.6, $880; 7. Steve Purcella, Hereford, Texas/Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 6.2;

8. Shane Philipp, Washington, Texas/Justin Davis, Cottonwood, Calif., 6.7; 9. David Key, Caldwell, Texas/Brad Culpepper, Ashburn, Ga., 9.6; 10-12. Nick Sartain, Yukon, Okla./Kollin VonAhn, Durant, Okla.; Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev.; and JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas/Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev., NT

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 86 points on Beutler & Son's Black Gold, $5,808; 2. (tie) Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla., and J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 84, $3,784 each; 4. (tie) Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., and Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., 81, $1,672 each; 6. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 79, $880; 7. Isaac Diaz, Stephenville, Texas, 78; 8. Dusty Hausauer, Dickinson, N.D., 77; 9. Cody Wright, Millford, Utah, 76; 10. (tie) Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., Shaun Stroh, Dickinson, N.D.; and Chet Johnson, Gillette, Wyo., 73

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., 7.1 seconds, $5,808; 2. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 7.2, $4,400; 3. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 7.5, $3,168; 4. Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, 7.6, $2,112; 5. Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas, 7.7, $1,232; 6. Kody Curry, Buna, Texas, 7.9, $880; 7. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, 8.4; 8. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 8.8; 9. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, 9.0; 10. Jake Hannum, Ogden, Utah, 10.3; 11-12. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, and Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, NT

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Lindsay Sears, 13.87 seconds, $5,808; 2. P.J. Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla., 13.96, $4,400 3. (tie) Jordon Peterson, Chilton, Texas, and Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, 13.97, $2,640 each; 5. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 14.04, $1,232 6. Danyelle Campbell, Beaumont, Calif., 14.15, $880; 7. (tie) Kelli Tolbert, Hinckley, Utah, and Sabra O'Quinn, Ocala, Fla., 14.18; 9. Tiffany Fox, Fox, Okla., 14.19; 10. Rachael Ross, Murrieta, Calif., 14.38; 11. Mattie Little, Ardmore, Okla., 14.64; 12. Sue Smith, Blackfoot, Idaho, 19.13

Bull riding: First round: 1. J.W. Harris, May, Texas, 90 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.'s Aches and Pains, $5,808; 2. Corey Navarre, Weatherford, Okla., 85, $4,400; 3. (tie) Brad Pierce, Baird, Texas, and Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., 82, $2,640; 5. (tie) Jake Wade, Alamo, Nev.; Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla.; Shawn Hogg, Odessa, Texas; Colin McTaggart, Las Vegas, Nev.; Zack Oakes, Elk, Wash.; Howdy Cloud, Kountze, Texas; Wesley Silcox, Santaquin, Utah; and B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis., NS