Breaking a Record
Young steer wrestler sets new record at St. Paul Rodeo; world champ moves into the average lead
Tyler Pearson, 2017 world champion steer wrestler, leads the steer wrestling at the St. Paul Rodeo after the third performance, July 4. The rodeo continues through July 7. Photo by Hoot Creek.
St. Paul, Ore. (July 5, 2018) – A reigning world champion has taken the lead in the steer wrestling after three performances of the St. Paul Rodeo.
Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss., had a time of 4.0 seconds in the steer wrestling to be the fastest time in the second round on July 4.
The 33-year old man capitalized on his opportunity during the July 4 matinee. “I knew I had a good steer, I just had to score sharp.” His new horse was also cause for the win. “I had Bobby, my horse, up here, and he gave me a good chance. It felt good.”
Bobby, Pearson’s twelve-year-old bay gelding, is a second horse to his famous mount, Scooter. Scooter, whose registered name is Canted Plan, is the 2017 American Quarter Horse Association Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year and is owned by Pearson and fellow steer wrestler Kyle Irwin. Pearson bought Bobby earlier this year, to give Scooter a break, and Bobby has stepped into his new job well. “He’s sure fit the role real good,” he said. “We’ve won a lot of money on him, and I think he’s going to be real good.”
Bobby also carried Rowdy Parrott to a new record in the steer wrestling on Wednesday night in St. Paul.
Aboard Bobby, the 24-year-old cowboy turfed his steer in 3.4 seconds, breaking the old record of 3.5 seconds set by three different cowboys: Mike Fuller in 1986, Luke Branquinho in 2002, and Shawn Greenfield in 2016.
In the steer wrestling, cowboys often share horses. Bobby is ridden by not only Pearson and Parrott, but by Pearson’s traveling partners Irwin, Ty Erickson, 2016 World Champion Tyler Waguespack, and Cole Edge. The five men are traveling together over the July Fourth holiday, and St. Paul is their last rodeo after a busy Cowboy Christmas season. Pearson is grateful their schedule will slow down for a bit. “We’re glad. It’s been a lot of driving all night.” They have two days off before they start back up. “We go to (the) Calgary (Stampede) now, and we’ll go up there and relax, get to bulldog, and chill out.”
The Calgary Stampede starts on July 6, and the men plan on being in Calgary by noon on July 5. “We’ll be there by lunch, let our horses rest, and we can rest a little bit.”
Pearson won second place at the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede on July 3, which was about the only place he’s won money over Cowboy Christmas. “It’s been a little slow,” he said, of his winnings. “I won second at Greeley last night, and that was good to save the Fourth.”
After winning his first world title last year, Pearson has been able to relax. Winning a gold buckle “takes the pressure off me, because (being a world champion) is your ultimate goal, and when you have that done, you can just go relax and steer wrestle.”
Other high scores and fast times from last night’s competition at the St. Paul Rodeo are bareback rider Tim O’Connell, the 2017 St. Paul Rodeo champion and the reigning world champion (85.5 points); bull rider Tyler Bingham, (86.5 points); tie-down roper Stetson Vest (9.7 seconds); saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright (85.5); team ropers Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira, (4.5 seconds); and barrel racer Tanya Jones (17.68 seconds).
The rodeo continues July 5-7, with performances beginning nightly at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available online at StPaulRodeo.com and at the ticket office at the rodeo grounds. For more information, visit the rodeo’s website or call the rodeo office at 800-237-5920.
Results from the matinee and evening performance, St. Paul Rodeo, July 4, 2018
Bareback Riding
Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa 85.5 on Bridwell Pro Rodeos Ted; 2. Wyatt Denny, Minden, Nev. 85; 3. Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D. 83.5; 4. Jamie Howlett, Weatherford, Texas 83.
Steer Wrestling
1st round leaders:
1. Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss. 4.0 seconds; 2. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. 5.0; 3. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. 5.5; 4. Tristan Martin, Sulphur, La. 5.6.
2nd round leaders;
1. Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, La. 3.4 seconds; 2. Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Miss. 4.1; 3. (tie) Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. and Jake Trujillo, Los Alamos, N.M. 4.2 each.
Average leaders (on two head)
1. Tyler Pearson, 8.1 seconds on 2 head; 2. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. 9.2; 3. Blake Knowles, Heppner, Ore. 9.6; 4. Mike McGinn, Haines, Ore. 10.5.
Bull Riding
1. Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah 86.5 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Smokin Hummer; 2. Lex Oakley, Dekalb, Texas 83; 3. Levi Gray, Dairy, Ore. 78.5; 4.Aaron Williams, Pisno Beach, Calif. 77.
Tie-Down Roping
1st round
1. Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas 9.7 seconds; 2. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. 10.0; 3. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas 11.6; 4. Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas 12.6.
2nd round
1. Seth Hall, Albuquerque, N.M. 10.7 seconds; 2. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas 11.1; 3. Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas 14.4; 4. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. 16.2.
Average leaders on two head
1. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas 20.9 on 2 head; 2. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas 22.7; 3. Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas 24.1; 4. Ricky Canton, Navasota, Fla. 24.4.
Saddle Bronc Riding
1. Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah 85.5 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Goliath; 2. (tie) Call Marr, Twin Butte, Alb. and Dawson Hay, Wildwood, Alb. 81 each; 4. Quincy Crum, McArthur, Calif. 80.
Team Roping
1st round
1. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla. 4.4 seconds; 2. Dustin Egusquiza, Mariana, Fla./Kory Koontz, Stephenville, Texas 4.8; 3. Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Ty Arnold, Midway, Texas 5.3; 4. Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas/Forrest Fisher, Navasota, Fla. 6.6.
2nd round
1. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga./Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prude, Brazil 4.5 seconds; 2. Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn./Joseph Harrison, Overbrook, Okla. 4.7; 3. Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas/Forrestt Fisher, Navasota, Texas 6.0; 4. Shay Carroll, Hico, Texas/Jason Duby, Klamath Falls, Ore. 9.6.
Average leaders on two head
1. Tanner Green, Cotulla, Texas/Forrest Fisher, Navasota, Fla. 12.6 seconds on 2 head; 2. Jordan Weaver, Powell Butte, Ore./Joe Beers,Ontario, Ore. 13.3; 3. Corey Fitze, Fortuna, Calif./Adam Fitze, Fortuna, Calif. 14.1; 4. Dillon Holyfield, Lewiston, Idaho/B.J. Roberts, Hermiston, Ore. 14.9.
Barrel racing
1.Tanya Jones, Culver, Ore. 17.68 seconds; 2. Amanda Lewis Waller, Elgin, Ore. 17.75; 3. Bailey Cline, Roseberg, Ore. 17.85 seconds; 4. Colleen Kingsbury, Powell Butte, Ore. 18.01.