Thomas Razes Demons with Top Run

By: Ted Harbin

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Like any sport, rodeo has its share of frustrations.

Take Heath Thomas, for example. Things hadn’t gone his way through the first 10 months of the ProRodeo season. He is outside the top 50 in the world standings, and he just wants to earn money wrestling steers.

He stands a good chance after Wednesday’s first performance of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo. Thomas dropped his steer in 3.7 seconds to take the second-round lead; combined with his first-round run of 5.4 seconds, he also has the aggregate lead with three performances remaining.

“I had a good steer this morning, laid him down and made a good run,” said Thomas, 30, of Hemphill, Texas. “I drew a decent chance this (evening) and made it work.”

It was like a weight was lifted off the cowboy’s shoulders. Riding the horse FedEx, owned by his hazer Cade Staton, Thomas took advantage of everything that came his way. He realized that the luck of the draw was on his side, but he had to make sure he did his part. It’s something he’s been doing most of his life.

“I started rodeoing when I was knee high to a grasshopper; I was little bitty,” he said. “I didn’t start bulldogging until I was big enough to throw one down, and I haven’t stopped.”

There’s passion in the game, and it’s what helps during those all-night drives between rodeos. Cowboys might compete Wednesday night in Lovington then drive through the darkest hours to be at the next stop in time to run steers at 8 a.m.

“It’s been a rough year, but it’s been turning around good lately,” Thomas said. “I just hope to keep the ball rolling. Hopefully (his time) gets me a little out of (the second round) and a little out of the average.”

Contestants earn paychecks in each of the two rounds, and the top times will collect money in the two-run aggregate. That gives them three chances at the big payday available in Lea County.

“Everybody you can name, I promise you they’ll be running at it the next three days just like I did,” he said. “We’ve already run our two, so now it’s their turn to try to beat it. That’s the plus side about being the first ones out. You set your time; now they’ve got to come try to beat it.”

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Lea County Fair and Rodeo
Lovington, N.M.
Aug. 9-12

Bareback riding leaders: 1. Richmond Champion, 88.5 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Uncapped; 2. Tim O’Connell, 85.5; 3. Sam Petersen, 84; 4. Chad Rutherford, 83.5; 5. Kade Sonnier, 82.5; 6. Cole Franks, 80; 7. Yance Day, 78; 8. Andy Gingerich, 71.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Riley Westhaver, 3.7 seconds; 2. Heath Thomas, 5.4; 3. Billy Boldon, 5.9; 4. Tucker Allen, 6.5; 5. Bridger Anderson, 7.0; no other qualified times. Second round leaders: 1. Heath Thomas, 3.7 seconds; 2. Bridger Anderson, 4.6; 3. Cade Staton, 4.7; 4. Justin Shaffer, 4.8; 5. Cameron Morman, 4.9; 6. Tucker Allen, 5.3; 7. Billy Boldon, 15.2; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Heath Thomas, 9.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Bridger Anderson, 11.6; 3. Tucker Allen, 11.8; 4. Cade Staton, 4.7 seconds on one run; 5. Justin Shaffer, 4.8; 6. Cameron Morman, 4.9; 7. Billy Boldon, 15.2; no other qualified runs.

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.7 seconds; 2. Jake Pratt, 8.8; 3. Shane Hanchey, 9.5; 4. Garrett Jacobs, 9.6; 5. Dylan Hancock, 10.2; 6. (tie) David Trahan and Kincade Henry, 10.5; 8. Hunter Herrin, 11.0; Second round leaders: 1. Quade Hiatt, 8.0 seconds; 2. Dylan Hancock, 8.1; 3. Trevor Hale, 9.5; 4. David Trahan, 11.5; 5. Hunter Herrin, 11.8; 6. Jake Pratt, 15.4; 7. Garrett Jacobs, 22.6; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Trevor Hale, 18.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Dylan Hancock, 18.3; 3. Qude Hiatt, 21.0; 4. David Trahan, 22.0; 5. Hunter Herrin, 22.8; 6. Jake Pratt, 24.2; 7. Garrett Jacobs, 32.2; 8. Shane Hanchey, 9.5 seconds on one run.

Breakaway roping: 1. Taylor Munsell, 2.5 seconds; 2. Madison Outhier, 3.3; 3. Taylor Hanchey, 3.5; no other qualified times.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Tanner Butner, 87 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Egyptian; 2. Sage Newman, 85; 3. (tie) Ryder Wright and Stu Wright, 84; 5. Stetson Wright, 83.5; 6. Kolby Wanchuk, 83; 7 Clint Franks, 81.5; 8. Dean Wadsworth, 79.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Kreece Thompson/Landen Glenn, 4.9 seconds; 2. Tanner Baldwin/Tanner Luttrell, 5.2; 3. Chris Francis/Cade Passig, 5.5; 4. (tie) Rawley Ben Jr./Hiyo Yazzi and Wyatt Imus/Caleb Anderson, 5.9; 6. (tie) Wyatt Bray/Josh Patton and James Arviso/Caston Weidenbener, 6.2; 8. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 9.6. Second round leaders: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.0 seconds; 2. Tanner Baldwin/Tanner Luttrell, 5.8; 3. Chris Francis/Cade Passig, 6.1; 4. Kreece Thompson/Landen Glenn, 9.5; 5. James Arviso, 10.0; 6. Wyatt Bray/Josh Patton, 15.5; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Tanner Baldwin/Tanner Luttrell, 10.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Chris Francis/Cade Passig, 11.6; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 13.6; 4. 4. Kreece Thompson/Landen Glenn, 14.4; 5. James Arviso/Caston Weidenbener, 16.2; 6. Wyatt Bray/Josh Patton, 21.7; 7. (tie) Rawley Ben Jr./Hiyo Yazzi and Wyatt Imus/Caleb Anderson, 5.9 seconds on one run.

Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Cole Patterson and Rocky Patterson, 12.6 seconds; 3. Mark Milner, 14.2; 4. Paul Patton, 17.4; 5. Trevor Hale, 17.9; 6. Roger Branch, 20.2; 7. J.D. Barnes, 21.6; no other qualified times. Second round leaders: 1. Will Eddleman, 16.6; 2. Cole Patterson, 19.1; 3. Don Ed Eddleman, 21.0; no other qualified times. Third round leaders: 1. Roger Branch, 13.3 seconds; 2. Jarrett Holliday, 15.1; 3. Don Ed Eddleman, 15.6; 4. Rocky Patterson, 15.8; 5. Mark Milner, 16.2; 6. Cole Patterson, 16.3; no other qualified times. Average leaders: 1. Cole Patterson, 48.0 seconds on three runs; 2. Rocky Patterson, 28.4 seconds on two runs; 3. Mark Milner, 30.4; 4. Roger Branch, 34.5; 5. Don Ed Eddleman, 36.6; 6. Jarrett Holliday, 15.1 seconds on one run; 7. Will Eddleman, 16.6; 8. Paul Patten, 17.4.

Barrel racing leaders: 1. Rainey Skelton, 17.66 seconds; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 17.77; 3. Halyn Lide, 17.85; 4. (tie) Nicole Driggers and Lisa Anderson, 17.97; 5. Jana Bean, 18.08; 6. Carly Longo, 18.13; 7. Erica Heckman, 18.15; 8. Tarryn Lee, 18.25; 9. Taylor Baize, 19.19; 10. Natasha Sanchez, 19.30.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Trevor Reist, 88.5 points on Rafter H Rodeo’s Wicked Sensation; 2. Deklan Garland, 87.5; 3. T Parker, 86.5; no other qualified rides.

Courtesy of twisTEDrodeo.com