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World Champion Team Ropers Swap Partners

World champion team ropers have swapped partners.

Clay Smith, who won the PRCA Team Roping Header World Championships in 2018 and 2019, is now roping with heeler Jake Long, an 11-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier.

Meanwhile, Clay Tryan, a three-time PRCA Team Roping Header World Champion in 2005, 2013-14, is reuniting with Jade Corkill. Corkill was Tryan’s partner in 2013-15, and 2017, and Corkill was the PRCA Team Roping Heeler World Champion in 2013 and 2014.

Tryan roped with Long in 2020-21 and they both qualified for the NFR each season.

Smith and Corkill roped together for most of 2019 through May of the 2022 season. Smith did rope some with Long in 2019 before teaming up with Corkill.

“Jake and I decided to rope together recently, and we know each other,” Smith said. “The plan is for Jake and I to win world championships. I’m roping with Jake starting in Reno.”

The Reno Rodeo began June 17 and concludes June 25.

Smith is 10th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings and Long is second.

Tryan is second in the world standings and Corkill is 11th. Tryan has qualified for the NFR 19 times.

“Things happen in this business and me and Jade are back,” Tryan said. “The first goal is to get the NFR made. You have to have a good summer and give yourself a chance toward the end. We are making it back Saturday in Reno. Hopefully we can do good there. It is a huge rodeo, one our biggest of the year.”

Tryan and Corkill started roping again at the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo in Weatherford, Texas, June 8-11.

Courtesy of PRCA

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