Tryan, Long Take San Angelo Title

SAN ANGELO, Texas – The one thing the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo did for team ropers Clay Tryan and Jake Long was give them a sense of normalcy.

They earned the victory, but they were sparked by the chance to rope and a chance to show their talents before packed houses in Foster Communications Coliseum. They placed in two go-rounds – including a share of the championship-round win Friday night – and had the fastest cumulative time with 12.8 seconds on three runs. Each man earned $10,862.

“I think that coliseum is awesome,” said Tryan, a three-time world champion from Billings, Montana. “I think it’s one of the best rodeos of the year anywhere in the United States. It feels like a big-time rodeo, even if it’s in a smaller building.

“I’ve always liked coming to San Angelo. Of course, any time you can win that much money at one rodeo, it helps.”

Yes, it does. Tryan, the header, and Long, his heeler, sat 27th in the world standings heading into this week of rodeo. They nearly tripled their season earnings with their payout in this west Texas community.

“With how everything’s been, it’s special to get back to feeling normal,” said Long, a 10-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Coffeyville, Kansas. “They draw a big crowd there, and the people are really into the rodeo. It felt good to feel the energy in the crowd again. It’s fun to rope in front of a crowd like that. To feel them get excited when you do a good job, it gives you goose bumps.”

This marks the first San Angelo victory for Long, but it’s the second for Tryan. Both men are established in the game – besides his gold buckles, Tryan is an 18-time NFR qualifier. The tandem began competing in ProRodeo together prior to the 2019 NFR, and they’ve pieced together a solid run since then.

They placed in four rounds this past December in the sport’s grand finale and pocketed just shy of $83,000 apiece.

“I really think our styles match up good,” Long said. “We get along good, so that’s always important. I like to be really aggressive, and Clay’s really good at setting the run up. He gives me a chance to throw my rope a lot, and it allows me to take more chances on my shot.”

The chemistry between them also fits.

“I think it’s a pretty good partnership,” Tryan said. “I just try to pull (the steers) in his loop. I think what works as a team is how fast I am and how he’s a catcher. It makes for a good combination.”

Through the 2020 season and parts of the 2021 campaign, ProRodeo has been affected in numerous ways by COVID 19. With events canceling, that has left fewer opportunities for the contestants to make a living in the game they love.

But there seems to be a brightening on the horizon, and San Angelo was a fitting place for many of the sport’s best to put their talents on display. Of the eight winners, only steer wrestler Cade Staton has not competed at the NFR.

Other winners include bareback rider Caleb Bennett, saddle bronc rider Chet Johnson, tie-down roper Tuf Cooper, barrel racer Wenda Johnson and bull rider Trey Benton III.

“I’ve had chances to win this rodeo in the past, but I’ve never been able to do it,” Long said. “I’ve placed in the rounds quite a bit. At any rodeo that has history to it like this one, it’s pretty neat to get your name in the books there.”

San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo
April 9-23
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Cole Franks, 88 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Hot Flash, $5,892; 2. (tie) Tilden Hooper and Zach Hibler, 87, $3,862 each; 4. Caleb Bennett, 86.5, $2,124; 5. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Shane O’Connell, 86, $1,158 each; 7. (tie) Chad Rutherford and Wyatt Denny, 85.5, $676 each. Final round: 1. Garrett Shadbolt, 90 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Flight, $1,650; 2. Caleb Bennett, 89, $1,250; 3. Shane O’Connell, 88.5, $900; 4. Chad Rutherford, 87, $600; 5. Tilden Hooper, 86.5, $350; 6. Cole Franks, 86, $250. Average: 1. Caleb Bennett, 175.5 points on two rides, $5,792; 2. Garrett Shadbolt, 175, $4,441; 3. Shane O’Connell, 174.5, $3,282; 4. Cole Franks, $174, $2,124; 5. Tilden Hooper, 173.5, $1,342; 6. Chad Rutherford, 172.5, $965; 7. Wyatt Denny, 170.5, $772; 8. (tie) Kaycee Field and Tim O’Connell, 168.5, $290 each.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.4 seconds, $4,529; 2. (tie) Brandon Harrison, Jacob Edler and Jacob Talley, 3.5, $3,348 each; 5. (tie) Dakota Eldridge, Gavin Soileau and Kalane Anders, 3.6, $1,575 each; 8. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Cody Devers, 3.7, $197 each. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Tyler Pearson, Kyle Irwin and Trell Etbauer, 3.6 seconds, $3,939 each; 4. T.J. Hall, 3.7, $2,757; 5. (tie) Jay Williamson, Cody Moore, Gavin Soileau, Termaine Debose and Cody Harmon, 3.8, $1,024 each. Final round: 1. (tie) Trell Etbauer, Taz Olson and Cade Staton, 3.8 seconds, $1,410 each; 4. Nick Guy, 4.0, $987; 5. Jesse Brown, 4.1, $776; 6. Jacob Talley, 4.5, $564; 7. Jacob Edler, 4.6, $353; 8. Ryan Nettle, 5.3, $141. Average: 1. Cade Staton, 11.8 seconds on three runs, $6,784; 2. Taz Olson, 11.9, $5,908; 3. Trell Etbauer, 12.0, $5,022; 4. (tie) Nick Guy and Jesse Brown, 12.1, $3,692 each; 6. Jacob Talley, 12.3, $2,363; 7. Jacob Edler, 12.6, $1,477; 9. Ryan Nettle, 13.5, $591.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Jake Orman/Brye Crites and John Gaona/Trevor Nowlin, 3.9 seconds, $4,174 each; 3. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 4.0, $3,300; 4. (tie) Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp and Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 4.2, $2,427 each; 6. (tie) Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, Cooper White/Tucker White and Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.3, $971 each. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Dustin Eguisquiza/Travis Graves and Cyle Denison/Brady Norman, 3.5, $4,174 each; 3. (tie) Clay Tryan/Jake Long and Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 3.6, $3,009 each; 5. Jr. Dees/Rich Skelton, 3.7, $2,135; 6. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 3.8, $1,553; 7. Clint Summers/Rosh Ashford, 3.9, $971; 8. (tie) Kal Fuller/Coleby Payne and Wyatt Muggli/Casey McCleskey, 4.0, $194 each. Final round: 1. (tie) Jaguar Terrill/Sid Sorer, Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett and Clay Tryan/Jake Long, 4.4 seconds, $1,156 each; 5. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 5.2, $484; 6. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 10.0, $269. Average: 1. Clay Tryan/Jake Long, 12.8 seconds on three runs, $6,697; 2. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 13.3, $5,824; 3. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 13.8, $4,950; 4. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 15.2, $4,077; 5. Jaguar Terrill/Sid Sporer, 15.4, $3,203; 6. Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich, 18.5, $2,330; 7. Cory Clark/Wyatt Cox, 21.0, $1,456; 8. Jake Orman/Brye Crites, 8.2 seconds on two rides, $582.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Chet Johnson, 87 points on Lancaster & Jones Pro Rodeo’s Vertical Horizon, $5,637; 2. Kolby Wanchuck, 86, $4,322; 3. Dawson Hay, 84.5, $3,194; 4. Jacobs Crawley, 84, $2,067; 5. (tie) Cort Scheer, Isaac Diaz, Jarrod Hammons and Lefty Holman, 83.5, $893 each. Final round: 1. Sage Newman, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Money Talks, $1,650; 2. Lefty Holman, 86, $1,250; 3. (tie) Isaac Diaz and Dawson Hay, 85.5, $750 each; 5. Chase Brooks, 84.5, $350; 6. Chet Johnson, 84, $250. Average: 1. Chet Johnson, 171 points on two rides, $5,637; 2. (tie) Sage Newman and Dawson Hay, 170, $3,758; 4. Lefty Holman, 169.5, $2,067; 5. Isaac Diaz, 169, $1,315; 6. Chase Brooks, 167.5, $940; 7. Cort Scheer, 165.5, $752; 8. Jarrod Hammons, 164.5, $564.

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Tuf Cooper, 7.3 seconds, $6,353; 2. Bradley Bynum, 7.5, $5,525; 3. Tanner Green, 7.6, $4,696; 4. Shad Mayfield, 7.7, $3,867; 5. Reid Zapalac, 7.9, $3,039; 6. Riley Pruitt, 8.0, $2,910; 7. (tie) Kincade Henry, Beau Cooper, Seth Cooke and J.D. McCuistion, 8.1, $483 each. Second round leaders: 1. Haven Meged, 7.2 seconds, $6,353; 2. Sy Felton, 7.4, $5,525; 3. Clint Robinson, 7.8, $4,696; 4. Cooper Martin, 8.0, $3,867; 5. (tie) Tuf Cooper and Caleb Smidt, 8.1, $2,624 each; 7. Trent Creager, 8.2, $1,381; 8. Colten Wallis, 8.3, $552. Final round: 1. Jake Booze, 8.8 seconds, $1,967; 2. Tuf Cooper, 9.9, $1,710; 3. (tie) Beau Cooper and Cooper Martin, 10.0, $1,325; 5. Seth Cooke, 11.2, $941; 6. John Clark, 13.4, $684; 7. Sy Felton, 14.6, $428; no other qualified times. Average: 1. Tuf Cooper, 25.3 seconds on three runs, $9,530; 2. Cooper Martin 26.6, $8,287; 3. Jake Booze, 16.8, $7,044; 4. Beau Cooper, 28.0, $5,801; 5. Seth Cooke, 28.3, $4,558’ 6. John Clark, 31.7, $3,315; 7. Sy Felton, 32.9, $2,072; 8. Shad Mayfield, 17.3 seconds on two runs, $829.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.80 seconds, $5,595; 2. Wenda Johnson, 15.81, $4,796; 3. Kylee Scribner, 15.85, $3,996; 4. Carly Taylor, 15.87, $3,464; 5. Cheyenne Wimberley, 15.88, $2,664; 6. Emily Miller-Beisel, 15.90, $2,131; 7. Dona Kay Rule, 15.91, $1,599; 8. (tie) Stevi Hillman and Kelly Bruner, 15.92, $932 each; 10. Randee Prindle, 15.93, $533. Second round: 1. Wenda Johnson, 14.11 seconds, $5,595; 2. Dona Kay Rule, 14.17, $4,795; 3. (tie) Michelle Alley and Lacinda Rose, 14.22, $3,730 each; 5. Jordon Briggs, 14.24, $2,664; 6. Cheyenne Wimberley, 14.27, $2,131; 7. (tie) Megan Champion and Stephanie Fryar, 14.28, $1,332 each; 9. (tie) Bristan Kennedy and Kassie Mowry, 14.32, $666 each; 8. Alex Lang, 14.35. Final round: 1. (tie) Carly Taylor and Dona Kay Rule, 14.07 seconds, $3,626 each; 3. Wenda Johnson, 14.09, $2,072; 4. Shelley Morgan, 14.20, $1,036. Average: 1. Wenda Johnson, 44.01 seconds on three runs, $8,393; 2. Dona Kay Rule, 44.15, $7,194; 3. Carly Taylor, 44.29, $5,995; 4. Cheyenne Wimberley, 44.48, $5,195; 5. Shelley Morgan, 44.64, $3,996; 6. Michelle Alley, 44.81, $3,197; 7. Bristan Kennedy, 44.84, $2,398; 8. Jordon Briggs, 45.16, $1,599; 9. Stephanie Fryar, 49.61, $1,199; 10. Kelly Bruner, 49.71, $799.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Boudreaux Campbell, 92.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Oyster Bayou, $5,835; 2. Laramie Mosley, 89, $4,473; 3. (tie) Trey Benton III and Sage Kimzey, 88, $2,723 each; 5. Jace Trosclair, 87, $1,361; 6. Wyatt Gregg, 86.5, $972; 7. Maverick Potter, 86, $778; 8. Shawn Bennett Jr., 85.5, $583. Final round: 1. Trey Benton, 83 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Gold, $2,700; 2. Sage Kimzey, 80, $2,300; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Trey Benton, 171 points on two rides, $6,135; 2. Sage Kimzey, 168, $4,703; 3. Laramie Mosley, 89 points on one ride, $3,476; 4. Jace Trosclair, 87, $2,249; 5. Wyatt Gregg, 86.5, $1,431; 6. Maverick Potter, 86, $1,022; 7. Shawn Bennett Jr., 85.5, $819; 8. (tie) Tyler Bingham, Chris Bechthold and Josh Frost, 84.5, $204.

Courtesy of twisTEDrodeo.com