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Lewis Lands $4,500 at Odessa

ODESSA, Texas – Steer wrestler Tom Lewis’ new perspective on rodeo and life paid off in full at the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, Texas, Jan. 13. Combining good friends, skilled horses and a positive attitude added up to a $4,590 payday for the 40-year-old bulldogger.

“It’s always a sigh of relief,” Lewis said. “I hope it’s a sign for the rest of the year.”

Lewis’ 17th year of ProRodeo competition is different from past years as he recently learned that his mother, Peggy, is battling cancer.

“My priorities changed and now it’s to embrace the moment,” Lewis said. “Life is fragile, so we’re going to have fun and appreciate everything since you never know when you might lose it and it might be gone. So we will go and have fun and give it all we got.

“We’re learning to appreciate the opportunities to compete and meet people. I appreciate the opportunity to do what I’m good at and what I enjoy.”

Lewis won the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo in August, as well as seven other rodeos that placed him 27th in the 2017 world standings.

In Odessa, Lewis used the same formula that worked in Dodge City – combining two of his own personally trained horses with his friend Levi Rudd as the hazer. Having Rudd on Momma and Lewis on Maverick was a smart bet for Lewis, since Maverick was at the 2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER with Tanner Milan, Scott Guenthner, Baylor Roche and Ryle Smith.

“He’s made it fun to steer wrestle and he enjoys his job,” Lewis said.

Maverick, a 12-year-old American Quarter Horse, was originally used for team roping, until Lewis started training him on bulldogging four years ago.

“He’s a blessing,” Lewis said. “It’s all about the horsepower and riding someone who loves to do his job and loves to win. It’s exciting at this time of the year to win a PRCA rodeo – and it’s always a blessing.”

Competition was fierce in the first round at Odessa. Lewis nailed his first run in 4.3 seconds, but that was only good for a tie for sixth. Lewis cranked up the volume for the second round, tying for second in 3.8 – more than enough to place him at the top of the average with 8.1 seconds on two head.

“If you win at the beginning, it makes the winter a lot better,” Lewis said. “We will try to go all year long and this is a great start.”

Just like his horse, Lewis is no stranger to the big stage. He won Round 9 of the 2012 WNFR – and now he’s hungry for another round.

“I learned it’s a marathon and will go to every rodeo I can and see what happens at the end of it,” Lewis said. “This year, we will worry about one rodeo at a time. If we win a big rodeo or a little rodeo, it doesn’t matter – we appreciate all the rodeos. My goal is to enjoy each one and enjoy each moment and not get caught up in the end of it.”

Up next, Lewis, Rudd and their friends/hazers Kody Dollery and Blaine Jones are heading to the Mid Winter Fair & Rodeo in Lafayette, La., where Rudd already won the first round while riding Maverick. From there, it’s on to Denver and then Fort Worth, Texas.

“If he wins, we all win and we’re all excited,” Lewis said.

Other winners at the $231,955 rodeo were all-around cowboy Clay Smith ($5,471, team roping and steer roping); bareback rider Evan Jayne (84 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Movie Madness); team ropers Jake Cooper/Logan Medlin (8.5 seconds on two head); saddle bronc riders Brody Cress (86 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Painted Flower) and Heith DeMoss (86 points on JK Rodeo’s Stepper); tie-down roper Marcos Costa (8.5 seconds); barrel racer Taylor Langdon (14.95 seconds); steer roper Trevor Brazile (30.7 seconds on three head); and bull rider J.W. Harris (88.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Pill Pusher).

For more coverage of the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo, check out the Jan. 19 edition of ProRodeo Sports News.

Courtesy of PRCA

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