Rodeo Zeal
By: Ruth Nicolaus
Franklin Rodeo Returns with Full Crowds, Champion Contestants
Steer wrestling champion Kyle Irwin stands with his steer wrestling horse (on the left) and his hazing horse at the Franklin Rodeo. The Robertsdale, Alabama man is ranked nineteenth in the world standings. Courtesy photo.
Franklin, Tenn. – When the Franklin Rodeo returned after a two-year break due to the pandemic, the fans responded with three sellout crowds May 19-21 at the Williamson Co. Ag Expo Park.
And they were not disappointed with the rodeo action.
An Alabama cowboy won the steer wrestling on the final night of the rodeo.
Kyle Irwin, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, turfed his steer in 4.2 seconds to win his event.
The Robertsdale, Ala. man fed off the crowd’s enthusiasm for his winning run.
“There’s lots of energy in this building and this is a real fun rodeo here in Franklin,” he said.
It was the first pro rodeo for his horse, a twelve-year-old mare named Sassy who he purchased from Troy Musser in Pennsylvania in March. Irwin has been riding her at amateur rodeos and jackpots.
The mare’s nerves get to her, but Irwin is working with her. “When I can get her nerves calmed down, she’ll stand (in the box) and she gives me a good go. This is our first pro rodeo together, and we won it.”
The rodeo was a family affair for Irwin. His cousin, Quinn Campbell, hazed for him, and the haze horse is owned by Irwin’s mother-in-law, Dallas Dewees, who is a six-time Southeastern Circuit Finals Rodeo barrel racing champion.
Fuel prices will change how contestants rodeo this summer, Irwin believes. He will “rodeo more strategically,” he said. “It’s expensive to have two (horse trailers) on the road, but if you could get one parked here and one parked there, you could jump into a rental car with your (fellow contestants). Instead of pay $7 (a gallon) diesel, you pay $5 fuel, which is still high.”
Steer wrestlers often share horses, with the horse’s owner earning 25 percent if the cowboy riding the borrowed horse wins. It’s called “mounting out”, and Irwin thinks there will be more mounting out -sharing horses – at rodeos. “That’s the nature of our business, helping each other, and making money.”
Irwin is ranked nineteenth in the world standings.
In the bareback riding, a Kansas man took the 2022 Franklin title.
Ty Pope, Garnett, Kansas, scored 87.5 points on the J Bar J Rodeo horse Melrose.
A student at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., he is also competing collegiately in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) and is ranked second in the Ozark Region for the NIRA. He will compete at the College National Finals Rodeo in June.
Other champions from the Franklin Rodeo are tie-down roper Randall Carlisle, Athens, La. (8.9 seconds); saddle bronc rider Kody Rinehart, Rienzi, Miss. (84 points); team ropers Tyler Jackson, Salem, Ark./Josh Hamby, Viola, Ark. and Nelson Wyatt, Stephenville, Texas/Cole Curry, Liberty, Miss. (5.6 seconds for each team); barrel racer Margo Crowther, Ft. Myers, Fla. (17.46 seconds); and bull rider Cody McElroy, Gravel Switch, Kent. (79.5 points).
Next year’s rodeo will be held May 18-20, 2023. The rodeo is a service project for the Franklin Noon Rotary Club. Since it began, it has raised over $5 million for local and international charities.
Results, Franklin Rodeo, May 19-21, 2022
All-Around champion: Justin Thigpen, Waycross, Georgia: steer wrestling and tie-down roping
Bareback riding
1. Ty Pope, Marshall, Mo. 87.5 points on J Bar J Rodeo’s Melrose; 2. Hunter Ramsey, El Dorado, Ark. 86.5; 3. (tie) Josh Cragar, Columbia, Tenn. and Waylon Bourgeois, Church Point, La. 82; 5. Anthony Thomas, Houston, Texas 80; 6. (tie) Andy Gingerich, Leola, S.D. and Mark Kreder, Collinsville, Okla. 79 each.
Steer wrestling
1. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. 4.2 seconds; 2. Justin Thigpen, Waycross, Ga. 5.5; 3. Chance Carlson, Alden, Minn. 7.2; 4. Clay Clayman, Highlandville, Mo. 7.9; 5. Joshua Hefner, Knoxville, Tenn. 9.6; 6. Bryce Hoggard, Mayflower, Ark. 14.8.
Team roping
1. (tie) Tyler Jackson, Salem, Ark./Josh Hamby, Viola, Ark. and Nelson Wyatt, Stephenville, Texas/Cole Curry, Liberty, Miss. 5.6 seconds each; 3. Cory Kidd V, Statesville, N.C./Lane Mitchell, Stephenville, Texas 5.7; 4. Zeb Chapman, LaFayette, Ga./Ross Lowry, Summerville, Ga. 6.1; 5. Trace Porter, Leesville, La./Chase Graves, Poplarville, Miss. 6.3; 6. Adam Rose, Willard, Mo./Trent Vaught, Mena, Ark. 6.9; 7. Travis Dorman, Dade City, Fla./Bubba Ireland, Ft Myers, Fla. 7.5; 8. Dalton Turner, Sidney, Ark./Blaine Turner, Batesville, Ark. 11.5.
Saddle bronc riding
1. Kody Rinehart, Rienzi, Miss. 84 points on J Bar J Rodeo’s Dairy Day; 2. Kirk Nelson, Branson, Mo. 81; 3. Isaac Richard, Eunice, La. 79; 4. (tie) Cody Ballard, Tumut, Australia and Dylan Hancock, Golconda, Ill. 78 each; 6. Blaise Freeman, 77.5
Tie-down roping
1. Randall Carlisle, Athens, La. 8.9 seconds; 2. Justin Thigpen, Waycross, Ala. 9.4; 3. Nolan Richie, Bristol, S.D. 10.1; 4. Riley Istre, Vinton, La. 10.6; 5. Zeb Chapman, LaFayette, Ga. 10.8; 6. (tie) Zak Danison, Canal Winchester, Ohio and Kale Comeaux, Livingston, La. 10.9 each.
Barrel racing
1. Margo Crowther, Ft Myers, Fla. 17.46 seconds; 2. Presley Smith, Danham Springs, La. 17.47; 3. Taycie Matthews, Wynne, Ark. 17.51; 4. Jamie Lenzner, Wausau, Wis. 17.68; 5. Erin Wetzel, Plant City, Fla. 17.75; 6. Sally Young, Micanopy, Fla. 17.77; 7. Jennifer Dunn, Lebanon, Tenn. 17.83; 8. Lacinda Rose, Willard, Mo. 17.87; 9. (tie) Madison McFall, Columbia, Tenn. and Kindyl Scruggs, Southaven, Miss. 17.94 each.
Bull riding
1. Cody McElroy, Gravel Switch, Kentucky on J Bar J Rodeo’s Chaos & Disaster 79.5 points; 2. David Richardson, Snyder, Texas 76.5; 3. Jimy Marten, Donahue, Iowa 51; no other qualified rides.