PAUL TIERNEY, Oral, S.D.

Which statistic do you want first?

Is it Paul Tierney’s tie-down roping world championship, which he won in 1979? Is it his all-around gold buckle, which he earned in 1980, ending the six-year reign atop the rodeo world by Oklahoman Tom Ferguson? Is it his induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, which occurred in 2008?

Is it his first Timed Event Championship title, which he earned in 1987? Or was it the three others, which came in 1991, 1997 and 2000?

Any of the above is pretty phenomenal, but so is Paul Tierney. He’s been part of this field every year since the Timed Event Championship began in 1985 and is one of the most celebrated cowboys to have ever roped, tied and bulldogged inside the Lazy E Arena.

Tierney has set a number of Timed Event standards, now in his fourth decade competing in this prestigious event. Now he’s doing so at the age of 60, the oldest contestant in this field, which includes Tierney’s two sons, Jess and Paul David. It’s just one more statistic in the pedigree that is Paul Tierney.