Tryan Takes Care of Business
LOVINGTON, N.M. – Travis Tryan was in a hurry.
Minutes after making his second team roping run of the day on Friday, Tryan stopped for a few moments, then made his way to his trailer; there, he unsaddled a big bay, got the horse ready to load and ventured north to Colorado Springs.
“My head horse that I had for 10 years gets inducted tomorrow morning at 10,” he said, referring to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductions. “I have to drive 540 miles by myself, but I’m jacked, I’m ready.”
Before the eight-hour-plus drive, the Billings, Mont., cowboy tended to business at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. He and partner Jett Hillman of Purcell, Okla., posted a 5.2-second run in the afternoon to take the first-round lead. They followed with a 6.1-second run during the performance and sit third overall with a two-run cumulative time of 11.3 seconds.
“It’s one of the (Wrangler Million Dollar) Tour rodeos,” said Tryan, an 11-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “Anytime there’s a tour rodeo, they add equal money in team roping, and it always pays good. It’s that time of year that you need to turn it on.”
In the world standings, e is 25th in heading and Hillman is 31st in heeling. Only the top 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the NFR.
“We’re a little behind, so any amount of money we can win is good, so it feels good to do well in Lovington,” Tryan said.
This is the first year the tandem has roped together, and it’s gone pretty well.
“It’s been a good partnership,” he said. “We’ve been doing it on the fly, because we don’t get to practice much. We’ve maybe practiced once together, but it seems like everything’s coming together.”
For now, though, Tryan is focused honoring his longtime equine partner. Precious Spec, a bay gelding known as Walt, was named AQHA/PRCA Team Roping Heading Horse of the Year four times. He also was among the top three horses two other times.
Walt died in 2010 at the age of 20.
“This is like a family member going into the Hall of Fame,” Tryan told the PRCA in the spring. “When you have a horse for 10 years and he’s a huge part of your career, to see him go into the hall is one of the coolest things that can happen.
“He was so good that all I had to do was go out and rope, and he took care of the best.”
When the inductions are over, Tryan and Hillman will return to the busy schedule that is the rodeo trail. They have less than two months left in the regular season and a lot of ground to make up if they want to play for the biggest pay in the game at the NFR in Las Vegas.
Big checks in Lovington are a welcome sight.
Lea County Fair and Rodeo
Lovington, N.M.
Aug. 5-8
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Jake Brown, 87 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Sadie’s Gal; 2. Kaycee Feild, 86; 3. (tie) Ryan Gray and Clint Laye, 83; 5. (tie) Tyler Scales and Caleb Bennett, 82; 7. (tie) Anthony Thomas, Ty Taypotat and Joel Schlegel, 77.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. 2. Dean Gorsuch, 3.6 seconds; 2. Stockton Graves, 3.7; 3. (tie) Wade Sumpter, Cooper Shofner and Christian Pettigrew, 3.9; 6. Monty Eakin, 4.0; 7. Seth Brockman, 4.1; 8. (tie) Trevor Knowles and Tyler McCormick, 4.2. Second round leaders: 1. Jacob Shofner, 3.5 seconds; 2. Cole Edge, 3.6; 3. (tie) Tyke Kipp and Cooper Shofner, 3.7; 5. Dakota Eldridge, 4.0; 6. Stan Branco, 4.1; 7. Trell Etbauer, 4.2; 8. (tie) Billy Bugenig and Tim Robinson, 4.3. Average leaders: 1. Cooper Shofner, 7.6 seconds on two runs; 2. Dean Gorsuch, 8.3; 3. (tie) Seth Brockman and Trevor Knowles, 8.6; 5. Dakota Eldridge, 8.7; 6. (tie) Billy Bugenig, Jacob Shofner and Stockton Graves, 8.8.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 7.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Riley Pruitt and Ryan Jarrett, 8.2; 4. Sterling Smith, 8.6; 5. Tuf Cooper, 8.9; 6. J.D. Kibbe, 9.1; 7. Tyler Thiel, 9.3; 8. Tyler Prcin, 9.5. Second round leaders: 1. Blaine Cox, 8.6 seconds; 2. Ace Slone, 8.7; 3. Tuf Cooper, 8.8; 4. Jesse Clarak, 9.2; 5. Jordan Ketscher, 9.3; 6. Kooper Saiz, 9.4; 7. (tie) Timber Moore and Bradley Bynum, 9.6. Average leaders: 1. Tuf Cooper, 17.7 seconds; 2. (tie) Blaine Cox and Sterling Smith, 19.0; 4. Bradley Bynum, 19.2; 5. Adam Gray, 20.0; 6. Riley Pruitt, 20.3; 7. Ryle Smith, 20.8; Cody McCartney, 22.1.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. 2. Cort Scheer, 86 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Showgirl; 2. Sam Spreadborough, 84; 3. Isaac Diaz, 83; 4. (tie) Allen Boore and Jesse James Kirby, 82; 6. Tyrel Larsen, 81; 7. (tie) Taygen Schuelke and Joe Lufkin, 80.
Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Shay Good, 10.1 seconds; 2. Chet Herren, 12.1; 3. JoJo LeMond, 12.5; 4. (tie) Neal Wood and Guy Allen, 12.6; 6. Corey Ross, 13.5. Average leaders: 1. Cody Lee, 41.5 seconds on three runs; 2. Brodie Poppino, 41.7; 3. Guy Allen, 42.0; 4. Troy Tillard, 43.1; 5. Chet Herren, 44.3; 6. Corey Ross, 57.3.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Travis Tryan/Jett Hillman, 5.2 seconds; 2. Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 5.4; 3. Nate Singletary/Tom Bill Johnson, 5.8; 4. JoJo LeMond/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 5.9; 5.Nathan McWhorter/Wesley Thorp, 6.0; 6. Justin Davis/Trey Johnson, 6.3; 7. (tie) Edward Hawley Jr./Ty Romo and Matt Sherwood/Quinn Kesler, 6.8. Second round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.7 seconds; 2. (tie) JoJo LeMond/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Chad Masters/Travis Graves, Joel Bach/Jim Ross Cooper and Aaron Macy/Chad Williams, 4.8; 6. Cale Markham/Buddy Hawkins Jr. 5.0; 7. Edward Hawley Jr./Ty Romo, 5.0; 8. Luke Brown/Kollin VonAhn, 5.1. Average leaders: 1. Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 10.2 seconds on two runs; 2. JoJo LeMond/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 10.7; 3. Travis Tryan/Jett Hillman,11.3; 4. Edward Hawley Jr./Ty Romo, 11.8; 5. Justin Davis/Trey Johnson, 13.1; 6. Ethan Shelley/Corban Livingston, 14.0; 7. (tie) Luke Brown/Kollin VonAhn and Joel Bach/Jim Ross Cooper, 15.9.
Barrel racing leaders: 1. Carley Richardson, 17.70 seconds; 2. Jessica Frost, 17.74; 3. (tie) Janet Staton and Hailey Kinsel, 17.83; 5. Michelle Lummus, 17.87; 6. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 17.89; 7. Paige Conrado, 17.91; 8. Meghan Johnson, 17.92; 9. Kenna Squires, 17.95; 10. Dawn Lewis, 17.97; 11. Christine Laughlin, 18.0; 12. Jackie Ganter, 18.04; 13. Ivy Conrado, 18.12; 14. Alexa Lake, 18.17; 15. Taylor Langdon, 18.19.
Bull riding leaders: 1. Sage Kimzey, 84 points on Salt River Rodeo’s Fireball; 2. (tie) Bayle Worden and Casey Huckabee, 82; 4. Corey Granger, 78; 5. Tanner Learmont, 75; 6. Dallee Mason, 73; 7. McKennon Wimberly, 69; no other qualified rides.