Long Drives to Tucson Pay Big Dividends for Tuf Cooper
There are almost 900 miles of highway between San Antonio, Texas, and Tucson, Ariz. And veteran tie-down roper Tuf Cooper covered the route back-and-forth in less than a week – twice.
The open road gave the 15-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier a lot of opportunity to think between runs at the San Antonio Stock Show &Rodeo and the La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rodeo.
Or, in Cooper’s case, plenty of time to clear his mind.
“I tried to be mindless and just go make my run,” Cooper said after winning the championship in Tucson. “Everything was pretty simple. The calves and cattle in Tucson, honestly it was the best set-up I’ve seen in a very long time overall. Tucson is a long box and a long arena. Horsepower plays a big part into success on that. My gray horse (named Broski) worked phenomenal and made it really easy.”
After winning the first-go in 8.6 seconds earlier in the week, Cooper headed back to Texas, so he and his travel partners could compete in San Antonio. Late Saturday night, they began the 12-plus hour journey back to Tucson for the finals in Arizona.
Despite all the long hours staring out a windshield, Cooper finished in 8.9 seconds, giving him an aggregate time of 17.5 seconds to clinch the title.
The victory is the latest in a string of successes Cooper has to his credit dating back to the tail end of the 2023 regular season. Last year, the Decatur, Texas, cowboy needed a late push over the final few weeks of the season to earn enough money to qualify for NFR.
Since then, Cooper has been going strong, finishing fifth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings last year and starting 2024 off strong. Thus far, he’s picked up money at nearly every rodeo he’s competed at, including the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and San Antonio.
The win in Tucson was his first in 2024, helping Cooper stay among the top 10 in the world standings. He’s already cleared more than $20,000 in earnings for the season.
“It’s really been rolling since that last run in September of last year, everything has just continued to roll from there and it’s just been awesome,” Cooper said.
With RODEOHOUSTON coming up, Cooper is focused on continuing to build on his momentum. The goal – win early, win often, and avoid needing a late season sprint to get back to Las Vegas.
So far, that plan seems to be going pretty well.
“It’s about who can bounce back the fastest. This game doesn’t slow down for nothing,” Cooper said. “Most importantly though, it’s about just enjoying it, just being happy and enjoying every part of it. Enjoying the long road and enjoying the good, because that fuels the fire to go back to the practice pen and be better and enjoy the wins like Tucson.”
Other wins at the $386,006 rodeo were all-around cowboy Kyle Lucas ($6,562, tie-down roping and team roping); bareback rider Dean Thompson (173 points on two head); steer wrestler Tanner Brunner (10.2 seconds on two head); team ropers Cody Snow/Hunter Koch (10.3 seconds on two head); saddle bronc rider Statler Wright (169 points on two head); barrel racer Chelsea A Moore (34.49 seconds on two runs); and bull rider Chase Dougherty (176.5 points on two head).
Courtesy of PRCA