By Ben Clements
Special To Ropers Sports News

Arizona is a prime spot for roping in the winter, and such was the case for the Valley of the Sun Championships. The event took place February 1-3, 2013 in Casa Grande, Ariz. at the Casa Grande Rodeo Grounds. The roping was produced by Zamora Roping Productions. 

Hometown header Brock Hanson teamed up with Jordan Olson from Surprise, Ariz. to win first place in the Open Division. The pair was 38.89 seconds on five steers and won $2,396 plus ten points for the Priefert US Open Tour. Second place was Travis Bard and Tom Johnson with a time of 42.63 seconds on five steers. Third place went to Jake Barnes and Anthony Calmelat. The incentive winners were Rob Webb and Dale Benevides from Idaho and California.

Heeler Cole Sherwood from San Tan Valley, Ariz. was the star of the #15 Division. He finished first and second place in the average with headers Brandon Gonzales and his father Steve Sherwood. Gonzales and Sherwood were 29.78 seconds on four steers and won $3,498, trophy Gist buckles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings.  Third place was T.J. Teague and Tyler Whitlow.

Max Kuttler from American Falls, Idaho and Chance Haviland from Casa Grande, Ariz. came from the second call back position to win first place in the average of the #13 Division.  The pair roped four steers in 29.65 seconds and won $4,384, trophy Gist buckles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings.  Second place was TJ Teague and Dale Benevides, and third place went to Phil Stratton and Boshane Antonio.

The final roping of the first day was the #12 Division. Bruce Garcia from Tucson, Ariz. and George Aros from Picacho, Ariz. were the champions. They were 31.58 seconds on four steers and took home $3,566, trophy Gist buckles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. Second place in the average was T.J. Teague and Cole Robinson with a time of 32.04 seconds.  Third place went to Levi Gallego and Mike Anaya. Chancy Brown and Clay Parsons were the incentive winners.

Walt Eddy from Gallup, New Mexico and Paul Freed from Morgan, Utah were the winners of the Century Bonus in the #12 Gold Plus Division. They also qualified to the short round in the high team back position.  They roped their final steers in 10.55 seconds and finished second place in the average. Neil Bartelson from Parshall, North Dakota and Antonio Savedra from Shawnee, Kan. won the average with a time of 33.87 seconds on four steers. They earned $2,002, trophy Gist buckles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. Third place was Michelle and Joey Rezzonico.  Lee Laskosky and Brent Woolsey won the incentive average. 

Peter Morales and Greg Green teamed up to win first place in the average of the #11 Division with a time of 35.51 seconds on four steers. They earned $6,084, trophy Martin saddles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. Second place was Rachel Mendoza and Bob Ferguson and third place went to Dillon Foster and Bobby Flores. Lee Laskosky and Glenn Carlson won the incentive average.

Brandon Johnson and Lino Rubal were the winners of the #10 Division. They were 36.12 seconds on four steers and won $5,536, trophy Martin saddles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. Second place was Greg Roshay and Jess Mann with a time of 40.71 seconds.  Third place went to Mike Meracle and Jacob Lopez. Dawson Lackey and Monty James won the incentive average.

The final day of team roping competition began with the #10 Gold Plus. Tracey Fritchey from Ashland, Mo. and Fred Coffinger from San Tan Valley, Arizona teamed up to win first place in the average with a time of 37.86 seconds on four steers.  They won $1,986, trophy Gist buckles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings.  Second place was Joe McClinton and Roger Hollingsworth. They also won the incentive average. Third place in the roping went to Corky McIntyre and Ted Walker.

Bill Campbell from Buffalo, Alberta and Neil Main from Casa Grande, Ariz. came from the sixth call back position to win first place in the average of the #9 Division.  They were 42.72 seconds on four and won $5,086, trophy Martin saddles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. Second place was Skip Shamp and Tyke Bennett, while third place went to Kurt Lorensen and Tyke Bennett.

The final roping of the weekend was the #8 Pick/Draw.  Alan and Justin Trujillo teamed up to win first place. The pair caught three steers in 38.83 seconds and won $2,692, trophy Martin saddles and $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. Second place was Steve Lydon and Paul Stears and third place went to Len LeBlanc and J.D. Williams.

Results are as follows:

FEB. 1, 2013

OPEN ROPING:

Fast Time: 1st. Rob Webb and Dale Benevides, 5.59, $360.

Average: 1st. Brock Hanson and Jordan Olson, 38.89, $2,396. 2nd. Travis Bard and Tom Johnson, 42.63, $1,438. 3rd. Jake Barnes and Anthony Calmelat, 43.08, $958.

Incentive: 1st. Rob Webb and Dale Benevides, 41.29, $1,232.

#15 HDCP: 

Fast Time: 1st. Brandon Gonzales and Cole Sherwood, 6.24, $460.

Average: 1st. Brandon Gonzales and Cole Sherwood, 29.78, $3,498. 2nd. Steve Sherwood and Cole Sherwood, 33.47, $2,624. 3rd. T.J. Teague and Tyler Whitlow, 34.4, $1,748. 4th. Miguel Martinez and Anthony Calmelat, 34.67, $874.

#13 HDCP:

Fast Time: 1st. T.J. Teague and Clint Brower, 6.68, $576.

Average: 1st. Max Kuttler and Hance Haviland, 29.65, $4,384. 2nd. T.J. Teauge and Dale Benevides, 29.75, $3,288. 3rd. Phill Stratton and Boshane Antonio, 34.69, $2,192. 4th. Jason Hershberger and Jace Nielsen, 35.25, $109.

#12 ROPING: 

Fast Time: 1st. Austin Wods and Rene Arbizo, 6.69, $490.

Average: 1st. Bryce Garcia and George Aros, 31.58, $3,566. 2nd. T.J. Teague and Cole Robinson, 32.04, $2,674. 3rd. Levi Gallego and Mike Anaya, 34.52, $1,784. 4th. Dennis Nowlin and Rob Webb, 36.04, $892.

Incentive: 1st. Chancy Brown and Clay Parsons, 29.29, $400.

#12 GOLD PLUS: 

Fast Time: 1st. Doug Guthrie and Jake Howe, 6.41, $364.

Average: 1st. Nail Bertelson and Antonio Savedra, 33.87, $2,002. 2nd. Walt Eddy and Paul Freed, 36.38, $1,502. 3rd. Michelle Rezzonico and Joey Rezzonico, 37.89, $1,000..

Incentive: 1st. Lee Laskosky and Brent Woolsey, 27.35, $1,140.

CENTURY BONUS: 

Average: 1st. Walt Eddy and Paul Freed, 25.83, $960. 2nd. Neil Main and George Aros, 27.31, $640.

#11 ROPING: 

Fast Time: 1st. Dawson Lackey and David Lackey, 6.47, $666.

Average: 1st. Peter Morales and Greg Green, 35.51, $6,084. 2nd. Rachel Mendoza and Bob Ferguson, 37.63, $4,056. 3rd. Dillon Foster and Bobby Flores, 38.74, $3,212. 4th. Spencer Dickens and Chance Haviland, 39.62, $2,366. 5th. Andres Silva and Paca Calixtro, 39.91, $1,184.

Incentive: 1st. Lee Laskosky and Glenn Carlson, 28.28, $800. 2nd. Logan Colbert and Rod McFadden, 28.46, $600.

#10 ROPING:

Fast Time: 1st. Cole Sherwood and Clint Clendon, 6.67, $618.

Average: 1st. Brandon Johnson and Lino Rubal, 36.12, $5,536. 2nd. Greg Roshay and Jess Mann, 40.71, $3,692. 3rd. Mike Meracle and Jacob Lopez, 40.96, $2,922. 4th. Bob Scott and Joseph Kimball, 41.83, $2,154. 5th. Dawson Lackey and Greg Green, 44.11, $1,076.

Incentive: 1st. Dawson Lackey and Monty James, 31.22, $800. 2nd. Bill Campbell and Kevin Lang, 32.36, $600.

#10 GOLD PLUS: 

Fast Time: 1st. Brandon Johnson and Mike Roberts, 7.93, $374.

Average: 1st. Tracey Fritchey and Fred Coffinger, 37.86, $1,986. 2nd. Joe McClinton and Roger Hollingsworth, 44.13, $1,490. 3rd. Corky Mclntyre and Ted Walker, 49.07, $994. 4th. Cliff Stephens and Roger Hollingsworth, 52.5, $496.

Incentive: 1st. Joe McClinton and Roger Hollingsworth, 33.05, $1,064. 2nd. John Robinson and Tom Pifer, 34.87, $638.

#9 ROPING:

Fast Time: 1st. Randy Maxwell and Cheyenne Sherwood, 6.18, $528.

Average: 1st. Bill Campbell and Neil Main, 42.72, $5,086. 2nd. Skip Shamp and Tyke Bennett, 45.95, $3,390. 3rd. Kurt Lorensen and Tyke Bennett, 47.41, $2,684. 4th. Dean Schuster and Clint Clendon, 53.12, $1,978. 5th. Clifford Williams and Mike Felix, 62.63, $990.

Incentive: 1st. David Hess and Mike Roberts, 34.66, $800. 2nd. Zant Zamora and Jacob Auza, 34.7, $600.

#8 PICK & DRAW:

Fast Time: 1st. Mel Potter and Kyle Kindelay, 7.56, $354.

Average: 1st. Alan Trujillo and Justin Trujillo, 38.83, $2,692. 2nd. Steve Lydon and Paul Stears, 47.28, $2,020. 3rd. Len LeBlanc and J.D. Williams, 47.45, $1,346. 4th. Larry Solverson and Eloy Zamora, 23.66, $672.

#11 Roping winners Peter Morales and Greg Green, with Kenny Zamora presenting.

#10 Roping winners were Brandon Johnson and Lino Rubal. Roping producer Kenny Zamora presenting.

#9 winners Neil Main and Bill Campbell, with Kenny Zamora.

#8 winners Justin Trujillo and Alan Trujillo, with Kenny Zamora.

By Julie Mankin
Special To Ropers Sports News

 It’s been a few months, but that doesn’t make the champions of the “Junior World” this year any less special. 

Fifteen-year-old Brady Norman of Springer, Okla., claimed both first and second in the five-steer Junior World Team Roping Championship over Thanksgiving. He topped 200 teams with partner Cole Wheeler for the win, and placed second with Trevor Kirchenschlager for a great haul on the weekend. Norman’s success made him the high-point roper in addition to the Junior World Champion Heeler. Rules dictate he could only win one saddle, and he chose the champion wood.

Those are nice bragging rights for a teenager who’s already won a staggering pile of loot in his short career. Norman won the national junior high school all-around championship in 2010 and has been sponsored by Ariat ever since. Even before 2012, he’d earned nearly $175,000 cash, two trucks, trailers and saddles – including winning the USTRC #15 Shoot-Out at Oklahoma City at just 13 years old. Norman learned to rope with a breakaway off a Shetland pony trailing a Mexican steer. He lists his mentor as Allen Bach, and he likes to play the drums in his spare time. 

The fastest time in the roping was 4.3 seconds turned in by Dylan Gordon and Brent Ivy, while the youngest team competing was Kreece Thompson and Jaxson Tucker. The fastest team under 14 years old was Junior Dees and Junior Zambrano. The high-point 14-and-under roper award came down to a rope-off among Colby Payne, Tyson Thompson, and Caleb Butler. Payne won the rope-off and thus, the saddle.

The top finishers in the 14-and-under Jackpot, which had 375 teams, were Tyson Thompson and Junior Zambrano, while our Open roping champions were Clay Smith and Chris Young. Finally, the MVP – so to speak – of the entire Junior World Championships all week was Trevor Kirchenschlager, the reserve world champion.

We’d like to thank all of the Open ropers who come back year after year to rope with the kids, and give a shout-out to our production crew – the Marty Kueckelhan Cattle Company; flaggers Rowdy Wilson and Jason Thomas; announcers Pam Clayton and Tammy Macek; secretaries Jonnie Alford and Vickie Wilson; the Ardmore Hardy Murphy Coliseum Crew; Twister Saddles; Young Pros and the Ardmore Quality Inn. And we’re grateful to our 2012 sponsors – Wrangler, Red Bluff Buckles, Equibrand, Professional’s Choice, Classic Ropes, Fast Back Ropes, Cactus Ropes, Dally Wraps, and Addison Photography.

Results are as follows:

Junior World Champions:  Cole Wheeler and Brady Norman.

Junior World Reserve Champions:  Trevor Kirchenschlager and Brady Norman.

Open Roping Champions:  Clay Smith and Chris Young.

14 And Under Champions:  Tyson Thompson and Junior Zambrano.

High Point 14 And Under:  Colby Payne.

High Point Overall:  Trevor Kirchenschlager.

High point overall, Trevor Kirchenschlager. Tessa Cain presenting.

The fastest time in the roping was 4.3 seconds, turned in by Dylan Gordon and Brent Ivy. Tessa Cain presenting.

Colby Payne, 14 & Under high point winner. Tessa Cain presenting.

Courtesy of ProRodeo

Taylor Toves, all of nine weeks into his career as a PRCA card holder, didn’t think he was going to make it into the bull riding field for the Jan. 3-5 Ram Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo, but he handled the surprise pretty well.

He won the thing.

The 19-year-old Toves, from Stephenville, won the second round at the Extraco Events Center with an 87-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Ugly Duck and had 170 points on two head to win the average title over Brant Atwood by five points and earn $4,719.

“No question, this was the biggest win of my life,” Toves said. “I couldn’t be happier. It really came down to the two of us going into the final round, and when he bucked off just ahead of me I knew I had it won. I still wanted to ride that last bull, but that wasn’t to be.”

Toves had Texas Circuit earnings of $7,577 to finish 14th in the regular-season standings while competing on his permit. He filed his entry form “just in case something opened up” and he got the word he was in the field just two weeks before the rodeo.

Showing no evidence of nerves in his first circuit finals appearance, Toves had an 83-point ride in the first round to finish a point behind Atwood in second place and then had that 87-pointer in round two to get the win. It was just two points off his career-best score.

It was a win calculated to infuse momentum, confidence and needed cash to a rookie season that he hopes will take him far on the national stage.

There was certainly plenty of inspiration on display at Extraco, where Toves subdued a field that included reigning World Champion Cody Teel and the last two PRCA Bull Riding Rookies of the Year – Chandler Bownds and Trey Benton III – along with a couple of past Wrangler NFR qualifiers.

Toves and Teel competed against each other in the Texas State High School Finals Rodeo and the high school nationals a couple of years and have become good friends.

“Seeing what he has done the last couple of years does nothing but motivate you,” Toves said. “I’m planning to go as hard as I can for as long as I can this year … the checks I won here? They will certainly help me get down the road.”

The other champions at this $140,059 rodeo were bareback rider Clint Cannon (246 points on three head), steer wrestler Todd Suhn (14.5 seconds on three head), team ropers Arky Rogers and Joel Bach (17.8 seconds on three head), saddle bronc rider Sterling Crawley (246 points on three head), tie-down roper Scott Kormos (26.3 seconds on three head) and barrel racer Carlee Pierce (48.24 seconds on three runs).

All of the RTCFR winners qualify for April’s Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City along with the Texas Circuit year-end champions – bareback rider Wes Stevenson, steer wrestler Suhn (the second-place finisher in the standings will advance since Suhn won the average, too), team ropers Luke Brown and Martin Lucero, saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley (Sterling’s elder brother), tie-down roper Adam Gray, bull rider Benton and barrel racer Pierce.

Tony Reina, who won the three-head average in Waco with a time of 36.9 seconds, and Vin Fisher Jr., who was the year-end champion for the third consecutive year, will both compete in the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping this spring.

Waco, Tx, Jan. 3-5

All-around cowboy: Caleb Smidt, $726, team roping and tie-down roping.

Bareback riding: First round: 1. Evan Jayne, 82 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Island Girl, $1,452; 2. (tie) Rich Champion and Wes Stevenson, 81, $908 each; 4. (tie) Heath Ford and Chris Harris, 79, $182 each. Second round: 1. Clint Cannon, 87 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Termite, $1,452; 2. Chad Rutherford, 82, $1,089; 3. Steven Anding, 81, $726; 4. Chris Harris, 78, $363. Third round: 1. (tie) Steven Anding, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, and Chris Harris, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Collins Pride, 87 points, $1,271 each; 3. Chad Rutherford, 84, $726; 4. (tie) Clint Cannon, Wes Stevenson and Rich Champion, 83, $121 each. Average: 1. Clint Cannon, 246 points on three head, $2,178; 2. (tie) Steven Anding and Chris Harris, 244, $1,361 each; 4. Chad Rutherford, 238, $545.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Justin Blaine Davis, 4.3 seconds, $1,452; 2. Chance Campbell, 5.1, $1,089; 3. (tie) Clayton Hass and Todd Suhn, 5.3, $545 each. Second round: 1. Zack Cobb, 4.5 seconds, $1,452; 2. Todd Suhn, 4.8, $1,089; 3. Austin Courmier, 5.0, $726; 4. Chance Campbell, 5.1, $363. Third round: 1. K.C. Jones, 4.2 seconds, $1,452; 2. Ben Shofner, 4.3, $1,089; 3. Todd Suhn, 4.4, $726; 4. Justin Blaine Davis, 5.3. Average: 1. Todd Suhn, 14.5 seconds on three head, $2,178; 2. Zack Cobb, 15.8, $1,634; 3. Justin Blaine Davis, 16.1, $1,089; 4. Clayton Hass, 16.2, $545.

Team roping: First round: 1. Tyler Wade/Kinney Harrell, 4.5 seconds, $1,452 each; 2. Arky Rogers/Joel Bach, 5.0, $1,089; 3. Caleb Smidt/Ryan Motes, 5.4, $726; 4. Quisto Lopez/Jarrett Guitterez, 5.8, $363. Second round: 1. Quincy Kueckelhan/Twister Cain, 4.3 seconds, $1,452 each; 2. Luke Brown/Martin Lucero, 4.5, $1,089; 3. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 4.9, $726; 4. Tate Kirchenschlager/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 5.2, $363. Third round: 1. Quisto Lopez/Jarrett Gutierrez, 4.3 seconds, $1,452 each; 2. Arky Rogers/Joel Bach, 6.2, $1,089; 3. Quincy Kueckelhan/Twister Cain, 6.6, $726; 4. Shane Philipp/John Philipp, 8.5, $363. Average: 1. Arky Rogers/Joel Bach, 17.8 seconds on three head, $2,178 each; 2. Shane Philipp/John Philipp, 20.5, $1,634; 3. Quincy Kueckelhan/Twister Cain, 22.6, $1,089; 4. Luke Brown/Martin Lucero, 26.4, $545.

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Bradley Harter, 83 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Couch Jumper, $1,452; 2. Isaac Diaz, 81, $1,089; 3. Sam Spreadborough, 80, $726; 4. Jacobs Crawley, 79, $363. Second round: 1. Travis Edwards, 82 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Sweet Emotion, $1,452; 2. (tie) Sterling Crawley and Ty Atchison, 81, $908 each; 4. Dean Wadsworth, 79, $363. Third round: 1. Sterling Crawley, 87 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Firelane, $1,452; 2. Isaac Diaz, 85, $1,089; 3. Bradley Harter, 80, $726; 4. Jacobs Crawley, 79, $363. Average: 1. Sterling Crawley, 246 points on three head, $2,178; 2. (tie) Isaac Diaz, Jacobs Crawley and Ty Atchison, 234, $1,089 each.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Scott Kormos, 7.8 seconds, $1,452; 2. Adam Gray, 8.0, $1,089; 3. Houston Hutto, 9.4, $726; 4. Ryan Thibodeaux, 9.9, $363. Second round: 1. Ryan Thibodeaux, 8.5 seconds, $1,452; 2. (tie) Houston Hutto and Blake Huckabee, 8.8, $908 each; 4. Sterling Smith, 9.9, $363. Third round: 1. (tie) Justin Maass and Scott Kormos, 8.0 seconds, $1,271 each; 3. Houston Hutto, 8.3, $726; 4. Adam Gray, 8.7, $363. Average: 1. Scott Kormos, 26.3 seconds on three head, $2,178; 2. Houston Hutto, 26.5, $1,634; 3. (tie) Ryan Thibodeaux and Adam Gray, 28.5, $817 each.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Carlee Pierce, 15.95 seconds, $1,452; 2. Mary Walker, 16.24, $1,089; 3. Emily Efurd, 16.37, $726; 4. Karen Little, 16.55, $363. Second round: 1. Mary Walker, 16.09 seconds, $1,452; 2. Carlee Pierce, 16.40, $1,089; 3. Kenna Squires, 16.43, $726; 4. Brittany Pozzi, 16.45, $363. Third round: 1. Carlee Pierce, 15.89 seconds, $1,452; 2. Brittany Pozzi, 16.11, $1,089; 3. Mary Walker, 16.17, $726; 4. Kenna Squires, 16.21, $363. Average: 1. Carlee Pierce, 48.24 seconds on three runs, $2,178; 2. Mary Walker, 48.50, $1,634; 3. Brittany Pozzi, 49.55, $1,089; 4. Karen Little, 49.91, $545.

Steer roping: First round: 1. Kim Ziegelgruber, 10.3 seconds, $832; 2. Shane Suggs, 10.8, $624; 3. J. Tom Fisher, 12.1, $416; 4. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.7, $208. Second round: 1. J. Tom Fisher, 10.6 seconds, $832; 2. Landon McClaugherty, 11.1, $624; 3. Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.5, $416; 4. Tony Reina, 12.9, $208. Third round: 1. Tony Reina, 10.6 seconds, $832; 2. Trevor Brazile, 10.9, $624; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., 12.3, $416; 4. Walter Priestly, 12.4, $208. Average: 1. Tony Reina, 36.9 seconds on three head, $1,249; 2. Landon McClaugherty, 38.5, $937; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., 40.4, $624; 4. Kim Ziegelgruber, 41.9, $312.

Bull riding: First round: 1. Brant Atwood, 84 points on Do or Die Pro Rodeo’s Alligator Roll, $1,452; 2. Taylor Toves, 83, $1,089; 3. Dalton Votaw, 77, $726; 4. Cameron Bland, 71, $363. Second round: 1. Taylor Toves, 87 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Ugly Duck, $1,452; 2. Shane Semien, 83, $1,089; 3. Brant Atwood, 81, $726; 4. Cody Teel, 80, $383. Third round: 1. Chandler Bownds, 87 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Private Eyes, $1,452; 2. Cody Rostockyj, 85, $1,089; 3. Luke Haught, 84, $726; 4. Cooper Davis, 75, $363. Average: 1. Taylor Toves, 170 points on two head, $2,178; 2. Brant Atwood, 165, $1,634; 3. Cameron Bland, 133, $1,089; 4. Chandler Bownds, 87, $545.

Total payoff: $140,059. Stock contractors: Andrews Rodeo, Carr Pro Rodeo, Do or Die Pro Rodeo, Lancaster & Pickett, Pro Rodeos Inc., Rafter G Rodeo, Stace Smith Pro Rodeos and Wild Card. Rodeo secretary: Mikey Jo Duggan. Officials: Mike Todd, Travis Howe and Kenny Heman. Timers: Brenda Crowder and Sandy Gwatney. Announcers: Mike Mathis and T.C. Long. Bullfighters: Cody Webster and Kenny Bergeron. Clown/barrelman: Cody Sosebee. Flankman: Various. Chute boss: Jimmy Adams and Waco committee. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Jason Bottoms. Livestock superintendents: Jim Gay and Sammy Andrews. Photographer: James Phifer.

Arky Rogers and Joel Bach were 17.3 on three head and claimed the Texas Circuit team roping title. (Photo by PhiferRodeobum.com)