ESTES PARK, Colo. – Every cowboy knows he needs a good horse under him in order to find success.

Shad Mayfield has one in Lollipop, the 2024 tie-down roping horse of the year. She was the guiding force behind his first all-around world championship last season, one that watched him earn nearly $400,000, $111,062 of which came at the National Finals Rodeo.

Mayfield used the 15-year-old bay mare again during Wednesday’s fifth performance of Rooftop Rodeo, stopping the clock in 8.3 seconds to move into a tie for second place in the tie-down roping standings.

“My horse was a lot of it,” he said, explaining how the animal helped him secure such a fast time. “That calf was really tricky. He ducked back there to the left, and I knew what I needed to do on the calf. I had to have a game plan and be ready for what that calf was going to do.

“But what made it happen was my horse adjusting to the situation.”

Sports is about making adjustments, and rodeo is no different. Mayfield knows to trust his teammate, and it’s been paying off in spades. He is second in the world standings with $144,977 and will add more to his earnings when Rooftop Rodeo ends Thursday night.

“You’ve got to have good horses, and I’m blessed to have two amazing horses,” said Mayfield, 24, a six-time NFR qualifier and the 2020 tie-down roping world titlist from Clovis, New Mexico. “What’s been a big thing for my success is having those two horses. Without them, I think I’d just be a regular roper. Just having these two horses really steps up my game a lot.”

He’s taking advantage of the situation he’s in. He’s suffered with hip injuries for a couple of years but has worked through them, and he took advantage of his schedule to make a stop in Estes Park. He roped Friday-Sunday in Calgary, then worked his way back to the States. He competes Thursday and Friday – and hopefully Saturday if he makes it to the championship – at the national circuit finals rodeo in Colorado Springs. He will return to Calgary for Sunday’s finale.

“It worked out for me to come here,” Mayfield said. “I think it’s a really cool rodeo down here in the mountains. This is the first year I’ve really got to make it work, being able to come down for Colorado. With the added money increase here, it helps a lot to be able to put it down on our list.”

Rooftop Rodeo
July 5-10
Bareback riding: 1. Clay Stone, 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Blue Ridge Babe; 2. (tie) Andy Gingerich, Roedy Farrell and Darien Johnson, 80.5; 5. Colt Eck, 80; 6. Monte Downare, 78; 7. Bodee Lammers, 76.5; 8. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Ben Kramer, 74.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Payden McIntyre, 4.2 seconds, $1,807; 2. Colt Honey, 4.6, $1,571; 3. Dirk Tavenner, $1,335; 4. (tie) Hadley Jackson, Justin Shaffer and Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.9, $864 each; 7. (tie) Logan Kenline and Logan Wiseman, 5.2, $275 each. Second round: 1. Grant Peterson, 4.0 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.3; 3. Tucker Allen, 4.4; 4. Colt Honey, 4.5; 5. Jacob Wang, 4.9; 6. Tyler Waguespack, 5.0; 7. Marc Joiner, 5.1; 8. (tie) Tyke Kipp, Talon Sterkel and Logan Kenline, 5.2. Average: 1. Colt Honey, 9.1 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.2; 3. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Logan Kenline, 10.4; 5. Logan Wiseman, 10.9; 6. Laramie Warren, 11.8; 7. Tucker Allen, 12.0; 8. (tie) Marc Joiner and Dirk Tavenner, 12.2.

Team roping: 1. Korbin Rice/Kooper Freeman, 4.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Clint Summers/Jade Corkill and Riley Kittle/Landen Glenn, 4.2; 4. (tie) Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp and Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott, 4.3; 6. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 4.4; 7. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 4.5; 8. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.6; 9. Cash Duty/Trae Smith, 4.8; 10. (tie) Laramie Allen/Kelby Frizzell, Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 4.9.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Promiscuous Girl; 2. Shea Fournier, 85; 3. Statler Wright, 84.5; 4. Gus Gaillard, 84; 5. Mitchell Story, 83.5; 6. Eastan West, 82; 7. Riggin Smith, 81; 8. (tie) Clint Reed and Jake Watson, 80.

Breakaway roping: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.4 seconds; 2. Brooke Ladner, 2.5; 3. (tie) Kassandra Shoemaker, Madalyn Richards, Taylor Raupe and Emilee Charlesworth, 2.7; 7. (tie) Sutton Mang, Suzanne Williams and Coralee Andersen, 2.9; (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Samantha Fulton, 3.1.

Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Hale, 8.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Shad Mayfield and Brodey Clemons, 8.3; 4. (tie) Riley Pruitt and Paden Bray, 8.5; 6. John Douch, 8.6; 7. (tie) Sam Lewis and Carter Andreson, 8.7; 9. Marcos Costa, 8.9; 12. Tyson Durfey, 9.0.

Barrel racing: 1. Austyn Tobey, 16.42 seconds; 2. Kylie Wells, 16.48; 3. Millie Marquet, 16.53; 4. Dina Allred, 16.63; 5. Karson Bradley Burger, 16.64; 6. Madison McCaffity, 16.66; 7. Andrea Busby, 16.68; 8. Gracen Harman, 16.71; 9. (tie) Laura Lambert, Christy Hefley and Abigail Knight, 16.75; 12. Gwyneth Cheyne, 16.80; 113. Julie Plourde, 16.81; 14. Blake Molle, 16.82; 15. (tie) Kaycee Thomas and Morgan Addison, 16.85.

Bull riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 91 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Dialed In; 2. Cade Griego, 87; 3. Kane Taylor, 84; 4. Sage Vance, 82; 5. Cooper Jacobs, 74; no other qualified rides.