GUYMON, Okla. – To say that Richie Champion is having the best season of his young would be quite an understatement.

In just a few months, the 21-year-old cowboy from The Woodlands, Texas, has won more than $1.1 million riding bareback horses, almost all of that coming from a new concept rodeo called RFD-TV’s The American. But he also is the No. 4 cowboy in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, where he’s won more than $35,000 already this season.

On Sunday afternoon, Champion added another title to his growing list by matching moves with Fancy Free of the Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo string for 86 points to share the crown with another newcomer to the game, Tim O’Connell of Zwingle, Iowa, the reigning rookie of the year; O’Connell rode Carr’s Scarlet’s Web on Friday night to match the score. Each cowboy pocketed $2,900.

“When I got my call back last week,” Champion said, referring to the notice of which animal he was to be matched with via a random draw, “I was so excited. She’s been so great for so long. It’s just a blessing to be able to be on her.”

Fancy Free is a veteran bay mare that has been selected to perform at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo nine times. She also has been named the Texas Circuit Bareback Horse of the Year.

“She was a little more of a handful than I expected,” Champion said. “She had a lot of down, and it took me a minute to adjust. She kind of loosened me up at the end.

“For a horse like that to consistently be getting stronger on the ride … that’s why she’s so great and has been so great, because she doesn’t weaken.”

In addition to winning the bareback riding title at The American, Champion shared titles in both Montgomery, Ala., and Denver. He also had a good run at RodeoHouston, which, like The American, is not affiliated with the PRCA.

“I’m really having fun,” he said. “I’m really just enjoying it, and I have been all year. I had a great winter. Everything’s just been rolling.”

A student at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, Champion won the Southwest Region title this season and will compete for a college championship in mid-June. Now he hopes to remain in the position to qualify for the NFR in December.

“I have had a lot of luck at events that are not PRCA sanctioned,” he said. “My goal is to go to the NFR and be a contender for the world championship. I want a gold buckle.

“I don’t want to be that guy who had all that luck at a one-day or two-day rodeos. When I look at (world champions) Kaycee Feild, Bobby Mote and Will Lowe … those guys could take a whole year of hauling and have learned how to travel and win consistently all over the world on little sleep, no food and just really learn to rodeo and made a career out of it because they’re the best.”

Combined, Feild, Lowe and Mote own 10 gold buckles.

“They’re the guys I look up to,” Champion said. “I want to be that guy.”

Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo
April 28-May 4
Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Tim O’Connell, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarle’s Web, and Richie Champion, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Fancy Free, 86 points, $2,900 each; 3. Jared Smith, 85, $1,860; 4. Mason Clements, 84, $1,204; 5. Tilden Hooper, 83, $766; 6. (tie) Kyle Brennecke and Caleb Bennett, 82 $492; 8. Winn Ratliff, 81, $328.

Team roping: First round: 1. (tie) Cole Dorenkamp/Jesse Jolly and Trevor Brazile/Travis Graves, 6.5 seconds, $1,956 each; 3. Travis Warren/Justin Price, 6.9, $1,547; 4. Tyler Wade/Kinney Harrell, 7.0, $1,274; 5. Chad Masters/Paul Eaves, 7.1, $1,001; 6. Matt Sherwood/Dugan Kelly, 7.2, $728; 7. Tuf Cooper/Marty Yates, 7.5, $455; 8. Kory Bramwell/Cole Jackson, 7.7, $182.Second round: 1. Keven Daniel/York Gill, 5.8 seconds, $2,092 each; 2. Turtle Powell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 5.9, $1,819; 3. Casey Hicks/Jake Pianalto, 6.0, $1,547; 4. Coleman Proctor/Jake Long, 6.5, $1,274; 5. (tie) Calvin Brevik/Wade Masters and Charly Crawford/Ryan Motes, 6.6, $864 each; 7. (tie) Ty Blasingame/J.W. Borrego and Travis Bounds/Wade Kreutzer, 6.7, $318 each. Third round: 1. Keven Daniel/York Gill, 6.4 seconds, $2,092; 2. Paul David Tierney/Matt Kasner, 6.7, $1,819; 3. Luke Brown/Kollin vonAhn, 8.9, $1,547; 4. Chace Thompson/Twister Cain, 7.2, $1,274; 4.Turtle Powell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 7.5, $1,0012; 6. Trevor Brazile/Travis Graves, 7.6, $728; 7. Arky Rogers/Travis Woodard, 7.9, $455; 6. Drew Horner/Buddy Hawkins II, 8.2, $182. Average: 1. Turtle Powell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 23.6 seconds on three runs, $3,139; 2. Trevor Brazile/Travis Graves, 25.4, $2,729; 3. Brock Hansen/Cesar de la Cruz, 25.7, $2,320; 4. Chad Masters/Paul Eaves, 27.1, $1,910; 5. Arky Rogers/York Gill, 27.3, $1,501; 6. (tie) Drew Horner/Buddy Hawkins III and Mike Bacon/Joseph Harrison, 27.5, $887 each; 8. Chace Thompson/Twister Cain, 28.3, $273.

Steer roping: First round: 1. J. Tom Fisher, 11.7 seconds, $1,891; 2. Brent Lewis, 12.3, $1,565; 3. (tie) Neal Wood and J.B. Whatley, 12.5, $1,076 each; 5. Tyrel Taton, 12.6, $587; 6. Jay Sellers, 13.1, $326. Second round: 1. Shay Good, 10.2 seconds, $1,891; 2. Trevor Brazile, 10.3, $1,565; 3. Tom Smith, 11.0, $1,239; 4. (tie) Vin Fisher Jr. and Corey Ross, 11.1, $749 each; 6. Chet Herren, 11.3, $326. Third round: 1. Trey Wallace, 10.8 seconds, $1,891; 2. Will McBride, 11.4, $1,565; 3. Chris Glover, 11.7, $1,239; 4. Tom Smith, 12.1, $913; 5. (tie) Jess Tierney and Joe Wells, 12.3, $456. Fourth round: 1. Chet Herren, 10.8 seconds; $1,891; 2. Chance Kelton, 11.1, $1,565; 3. Brodie Poppino, 11.7, $1,239; 4. (tie) Walter Priestly and Rob Denny, 11.9, $750 each; 5. Marty Poppino, 12.0, $326. Fifth round: 1. Kim Ziegelgruber, 11.2 seconds, $1,891; 2. Jason Evans, 11.7. $1,565; 3. Mike Chase and J.B. Whatley, 12.0, $1,076 each; 5. Chris Glover, 12.5, $587; 6. Joe Wells, 12.6, $326. Average: 1. Chance Kelton, 68.1 seconds on five runs, $5,673; 2. Brady Garten, 78.6, $4,695; 3. Mark Milner, 84.9, $3,717; 4. Tony Reina, 85.4, $2,739; 5. Chris Glover, 86.9, $1,761; 6. Randy Wells, 55.5 seconds on four runs, $978.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Chad Ferley, 86 points on D&H Cattle’s Shaken Not Stirred, $3,486; 2. (tie) Chet Johnson, Heith DeMoss and Tyler Corrington, 84, $1,975 each; 5. (tie) Rusty Wright and Rusty Aldridge, 82, $697 each; 7. Justin Caylor, 80, $465; 8. (tie) Brady Nicholes, Ty Thompson, Cody Taton and Hardy Braden, 79, $87 each.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Dru Melvin, 3.7 seconds, $1,960; 2. Tyler Pearson, 3.8, $1,705; 3. Quinn Campbell, 4.0, $1,449; 4. Jacob Talley, 4.3, $1,193; 5. (tie) Josh Peek and Chance Howard, 4.5, $810 each; 7. (tie) Dean Gorsuch and Ben Shofner, 4.6, $298 each. Second round: 1. Tommy Cook, 3.6 seconds, $1,960; 2. (tie) Josh Peek and Todd Suhn, 3.7, $1,577 each; 4. Tyler Waguespack, 4.1, $1,193; 5. Trell Etbauer, 4.2, $937; 6. Clayton Hass, 4.3, $682; 7. Kyle Irwin, 4.4, $426; 8. (tie) Garrett Poston and Cole Edge, 4.5, $85 each. Third round: 1. Quinn Campbell, 3.7 seconds, $1,960; 2. Dru Melvin, 3.9, $1,705; 3. Kyle Irwin, 4.0, $1,449; 4 (tie) Riley Duvall and Cole Edge, 4.6, $1,065 each; 6. Brady Hageman, 4.8, $882; 7. (tie) Rowdy Parrott and Payden Kime McIntyre, 4.9, $298. Average: 1. Quinn Campbell, 13.2 on three runs, $2,940; 2. Cole Edge, 13.8, $2,557; 3. Josh Peek, 13.9, $2,173; 4. Payden Kime McIntyre, 14.3, $1,790; 5. Dean Gorsuch, 14.5, $1,406; 6. Dru Melvin 14.7, $1,023; 7. Rowdy Parrott, 15.2, $639; 8. Jacob Talley, 15.8, $256.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Clay Long, 7.6 seconds, $1,744; 2. Trevor Brazile, 7.8, $1,617; 3. (tie) Tyson Durfey and Marty Yates, 8.1, $1,175 each; 5. (tie) Seaver Tate and Morgan Grant, 8.3, $720 each; 7. Chase Williams, 8.4, $379; 8. Quay Howard, 8.6, $152. Second round: 1. Ryan Jarrett, 7.4 seconds, $1,744; 2. (tie) Michael Otero and Cody McCartney, 7.5, $1,403 each; 4. (tie) Marty Yates and Trent Creager, 7.6, $948 each; 6. (tie) EJ Roberts and Cade Swor, 7.7, $493 each; 8. Clint Robinson, 7.9, $152. Third round: 1. (tie) Hunter Herrin and L.D. Meier, 7.7 seconds, $1,630 each; 3. Timber Moore, 8.2, $1,289; 4. Catfish Brown, 8.4, $1,062; 5. (tie) Jake Hamilton, Sterling Smith and Trevor Brazile, 8.5, $607 each; 8. E.J. Roberts, 8.6, $152. Average: 1. Marty Yates, 24.9 seconds on three runs, $2,616; 2. Trevor Brazile, 25.5, $2,275; 3. Ryan Jarrett, 26., $1,934; 4. Timber Moore, 26.7, $1,592; 5. (tie) Clay Long and L.D. Meier, 27.2, $1,081 each; 7. Seaver Tate, 27.3, $569; 8. Hunter Herrin, 27.4, $227.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. (tie) Alicia Stockton and Shelby Herrmann, 17.43 seconds, $1,860 each; 3. Natalie Foutch, 17.45, $1,431; 4. Emily Holton, 17.54, $1,240; 5. Jordan Taton, 17.55, $954; 6. (tie) Shelley Morgan and Taylor Langdon, 17.56, $668 each; 8. Mary Burger, 17.57, $382; 9. Chelsie Clement, 17.59, $286; 10. Ivy Hurst, 17.60, $191. Second round: 1. Ivy Hurst, 17.06 seconds, $2,004; 2. (tie) Toni Harden and Alicia Stockton, 17.18, $1,574 each; 4. (tie) Carlee Pierce and Kim Schulze, 17.21, $1,097; 6. Victoria Williams, 17.29, $763; 7. Taylor Langdon, 17.33, $572; 8. Natalie Foutch, 17.37, $382; 9. Jean Winters and Tara Carr, 17.47, $239. Average: 1.Alicia Stockton, 34.61 seconds on two runs, $2,004; 2. Ivy Hurst, 34.66, $1,717; 3. Natalie Foutch, 34.82, $1,431; 4. Taylor Langdon, 34.89, $1,240; 5. Victoria Williams, 34.92, $854; 6. Kim Schulz, 35.08, $763; 7. Mary Burger, 35.11, $572; 8. Toni Hardin, 35.12, $382; 9. Shelby Herrman, 35.13, $286; 10. Britany Diaz, 35.15, $191.

Bull riding: 1. (tie) Sage Kimzey, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Line Man, and Jason Beck, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Footloose, $3,313 each; 3. Caleb Sanderson, 89, $2,125; 4. (tie) Scottie Knapp and Clayton Foltyn, 87, $1,125 each; 6. Jeff Askey, 86, $625; 7. (tie) Trey Benton II and Aaron Pass, 85, $438 each.