Egusquiza, Summers Find the Winning Formula at Estes Park’s Rooftop Rodeo
Team ropers Clint Summers, left, and Dustin Egusquiza look over the arena after winning the Rooftop Rodeo title Monday night. (LYNETTE HARBIN PHOTO)
ESTES PARK, Colo. – Dustin Egusquiza and Clint Summers needed a bit of a break after a stretch of back luck on the rodeo trail.
They got it in this picturesque town in the Colorado Rockies, taking a few days away from the arena to enjoy the cool weather and activities around this community of about 6,000 people who host 4 million visitors every year.
They capitalized on it Monday night by winning the team roping title at Rooftop Rodeo, stopping the clock in 4.1 seconds to claim the championship and $4,204 each.
“It’s a great win,” said Summers of Lake City, Fla. “We were kind of in a slump the last week to so. To come here on Monday and start the week off like this means a bunch.”
Not bad for a couple of Florida cowboys that just started roping together in the last couple of months.
“I’ve always wanted to rope with him,” said Egusquiza of Mariana, Fla. “When I started heading full time, he started heading also. He switched back to heeling, and I needed a partner, so I took the opportunity.”
Both young cowboys see the partnership as a grand opportunity. Both are young: Summers is 24, and Egusquiza is 20. Now they’re trying to take the next steps in their rodeo careers together.
Dustin Egusquiza shows off his championship spurs.
“This guy heads great,” Summers said of his partner. “He has always headed great. He’s a little younger than me. The heading didn’t go so great for me, so I went back to heeling. He had a partner; they split up, so I jumped on when I had the opportunity.”
The competitive tandem has made the most of their time in the resort town by enjoying daily battles of miniature golf. They hope to spend a few more days in Estes Park before heading to their next rodeo.
“It’s my first year coming here,” Egusquiza said. “I’ve loved it ever since we got here two days ago. It’s an awesome place.
“I know there’s a bunch of people here (at the arena), and it looks like they love the rodeo. It’s definitely one of the favorite rodeo’s I’ve ever been to.”
There are a number of reasons, and a packed house every night is a good reason. But there’s much more to Estes Park’s rodeo than is on the surface. From the good prize money to the championship trophy spurs, there are plenty of incentives for rodeo’s greatest stars.
“Every time I’ve ever been here, I’ve come a few days ahead,” Summers said. “The stands are packed. The people are here and love the rodeo and support it. They cheer 100 percent. I think that makes for a fun rodeo.”
Clint Summers has competed at Rooftop Rodeo for several years and finally won the spurs.
Rooftop Rodeo
Estes Park, Colo.
July 6-11, 2016
Bareback riding: 1. Brian Bain, 84.5 points on Cervi Rodeo’s Sugar Daddy, $6,253; 2. Joel Schlegel, 83.5, $4,794; 3. (tie) Richmond Champion and Shane O’Connell, 83, $2,918 each; 5. Blaine Kauffman, 82, $1,459; 6. (tie) Bill Tutor and Wyatt Denny, 80.5, $938 each; 8. Kody Lamb, 80, $625
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Wade Sumpter, 3.8 seconds, $1,597; 2. K.C. Jones, 4.4, $1,321; 3. Cody Cabral, 4.6, $1,046; 4. (tie) Dakota Eldridge, Billy Bugenig and Josh Peek, 4.87, $514. Second round: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 3.9 seconds, $1,597; 2. Cole Fulton, 4.0, $1,321; 3. (tie) Jarret New and Brian Snell, 4.1, $908 each; 5. (tie) Josh Peek and John Franzen, 4.2, $385 each. Average: 1. Josh Peek, 9.0 seconds on two runs, $2,395; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 9.1, $1,982; 3. Rowdy Parrott, $1,569; 4. Jarret New, 10.3, $1,156; 5. Cole Dorenkamp, 10.5, $743; 6. Jacob Shofner, 10.7, $413.
Team roping: 1. Dustin Egusquizaq/Clint Summers, 4.1 seconds, $4,204; 2. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 4.4, $3,761; 3. (tie) Cody Snow/Dugan Kelly and Colby Lovell/Travis Graves, 4.5, $3,098 each; 5. Adam Rose/Walt Woodard, 4.6, $2,434; 6. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 4.8, $1,991; 7. Aaron Tsinigine/Kinney Harrell, 4.9, $1,549; 8. Aaron Macy/Bret Tonozzi, 5.1, $1,106; 8. (tie) Kolton Schmidt/Shay Carroll and Billy Bob Brown/Garrett Jess, 5.3, $443 each.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Hardy Braden, 84 points on Cervi Rodeo’s Hell’s Fire Hostage, $5,499; 2. CoBurn Bradshaw, 82, $4,216; 3. (tie) Jesse Bail and Blaze Cress, 81, $2,566 each; 5. Jacobs Crawley, 80.5, $1,283; 6. (tie) Landon Mecham and Cole Elshere, 80, $825; 8. Tyler Corrington, 79.5, $550.
Tie-down roping: 1. 2. Ike Fontenot, 8.3 seconds, $2,733; 2. (tie) Seth Hall and Ross Tucker, 8.6, $2,301 each; 4. Cory Solomon, 8.7, $1,870; 5. Joseph Parsons, 8.8, $1,582; 6. (tie) Josh Peek and Joe Colletti, 8.9, $1,151 each; 8. Rhen Richard, 9.0 $719; 9. Marshall Leonard, 9.1, $431; 10. (tie) Cody Quaney and Clint Nyegaard, 9.3, $72 each.
Barrel racing: 1. Katie Carroll, 17.51 seconds, $4,042; 2. Sherry Cervi, 17.69, $3,234; 3. Trula Churchill, 17.78, $2,627; 4. Heather Ratterree, 17.81, $2,021; 5. McKinley Goodger, 17.85, $1,617; 6. Kathy Grimes, 17.87, $1,213; 7. Kelly Kennedy-Joseph, 17.89, $1,011; 8. Brenda McMahan, 17.91, $909; 9. Lorie Manning, 17.94, $808; 10. (tie) Sabra O’Quinn and Stevi Hillman, 17.95, $657; 12. Taylor Langdon, 17.99, $505; 13. Kayla Jones, 18.00, $404; 14. Tori Morris, 18.03, $303; 15. (tie) Katelyn McLeod and Ari-Anna Flynn, 18.06, $101.
Bull riding: 1. Kurtis Turner, 84.5 on Cervi Rodeos Rank Frank, $4,672; 2. Josh Frost, 83.5, $3,582; 3. Garrett Smith, 82, $2,647; 4. Tyler Smith, 80, $1,713; 5. (tie) Derek Kolbaba and Jeremy Richard Hanson, 79, $934 each; 7. Dustin Muncy, 78, $623; 4. Ardie Maier, 75.5, $467.
Courtesy of twisTEDrodeo.com