Mud flies as Tay Seabrook wrestles a steer in 3.5 seconds to take the bulldogging lead during Saturday’s second performance of the Will Rogers Stampede.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)

 

CLAREMORE, Okla. – If the mud was affecting the competition much during Saturday’s second performance of the Will Rogers Stampede, it didn’t show.

Take steer wrestler Tay Seabrook, who grappled his animal to the ground in 3.5 seconds to jump into the bulldogging lead. He was a lot wetter and dirtier after his run than he was before, but his smile and demeaner proved that he was untroubled.

“This ain’t nothing new to me,” said Seabrook, 23, of Williston, Florida, a community of 3,660 just southwest of Gainesville. “It’s a little more wet than I expected. We get a lot of rain down there. We’ve got a couple indoor arenas, but the majority are outdoors. It’ll rain for a month, so this was no difference for me.”

Sloppy conditions can be a trump card in rodeo. Some animals handle it better than others. Riding a powerful sorrel owned by his buddy Garrett Guillot, Seabrook took advantage of a good steer and made magic happen in the muck.

“That’s just a good horse, and I had my buddy, Garrett Oates, on the hazing side with his horse,” Seabrook said. “Everything’s just set up for me, and I’m so happy they’re mounting me out.

“You’ve got to have a horse that’s going to stand there (for the start), do his job, love his job and give you a good shot every time you get after it. You want him to focus so you can focus. The more that horse is set, the better you’re set.”

That’s something he’s learned over time. Rodeo is something he’s been doing all his life, and it’s a life he loves.

“I’ve been doing rodeo since I was 3 years old,” he said. “I did it all the way from peewee up through high school. I dropped my first steer at 14. My uncle and them butcher cows and pigs. We raise cows, we do hay.

“They team rope, calf rope … that’s what I did before I started bulldogging. They went and got me a horse, and I was just dumb enough to jump off it.”

That’s the nature of steer wrestling. They ride fast horses chasing fast cows, then dismount their steads at high speed. It’s a test of will and a testament to talent. It takes passion to follow this dream, but he has it. He’s leaving the comfortable confines of home, where his goal is to qualify for the Southeastern Circuit Finals Rodeo, which will feature the top 12 contestants from most of the Southern states.

This year, though, he’s expanding his reach. This is his first venture to Claremore, but he expects to be back.

“I like to get out there and give myself a chance,” Seabrook said. “I’m getting a shot, and I’ll do everything I can to give myself a chance.”

Will Rogers Stampede
Claremore, Okla.
May 22-25
Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Jason Wilson, on Frontier Rodeo’s High Heels, and Ty Hawkes, on Frontier Rodeo’s Rocket Line, 81 points; 3. Kooper Heimburg, 79; 4. (tie) Kash Martin, Gauge McBride, Collin Roland and Lane McGehee, 78; 8. Tate Papszycki, 76.

Steer wrestling: 1. Tay Seabrook, 3.5 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.4; 3. Ben Kilburg, 4.5; 4. Logan Mullin, 4.6; 5. Myles Neighbors, 4.7; 6. Chance Howard, 4.8; 7. Tucker Ravenscroft, 5.1; 8. (tie) Walt Arnold and Jake Holmes, 5.2 each.

Team roping: 1. Denton Parish/Joseph Harrison, 5.1 seconds; 2. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 5.4; 3. (tie) Jhett Trenary/L.J. Yeahquo and Jaxson Tucker/Cooper Freeman, 5.6 each; 5. Cooper Cowan/Cade Cowan, 5.7; 6. (tie) Wheston Jones/Cordell Collins and Jake Clay/Whip Peterson, 5.9; 8. Justin Pruitt/Travis Holland, 6.5; 9. Payton Holliday/Derrick Jantzen, 6.7; 10. Mason Stueve/Kingston Chang, 6.8; 11. Jay Crain/Jace Steenhoek, 7.3; 12. Dalton Turner/Clay Clayman, 7.7.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Ross Price, on Double J Rodeo’s Peak A Boo, and Wyatt Lavergne, on Double J Rodeo’s Stacy’s Mom, 85 points; 3. Carson Bingham, 83; 4. Skinny Parsons, 81; 5. Brady Hill, 79.5; 6. Cauy Masters, 78; 7. Tom Webster, 78; 8. (tie) Warwick Southern and Jake Finlay, 76.

Breakaway roping: 1. Lari Dee Guy, 2.2 seconds; 2. Lauren Hopkins, 2.5; 3. (tie) Camden Crain, Mable McAbee and Abbie Williams, 2.6 each; 6. Hannah Giger, 2.7; 7. Kelsey Hallin, 2.9; 8. (tie) Marlee Quarles and Sydney Herrin, 3.0; 10. Brandi McDowell and Hanna Hughes, 3.1; 12. Madalyn Richards, 3.2; 13. Maelee Wade, 3.4; 14. (tie) Baylee Lester and Josey Murphy, 3.7.

Tie-down roping: 1. Pax Vogel, 9.7 seconds; 2. Wade Perry, 10.9; 3. Haze Wright, 11.5; 4. Jarvis Demery, 11.9; 5. Zane Rempey, 12.2; 6 Mason Stueve, 12.7; 7. Bodee Boggs, 13.1; 8. Colton Greene, 14.1.

Barrel racing: 1. Randi Holliday, 18.16 seconds; 2. Ashley Sanders, 18.25; 3. Andee Haden, 18.33; 4. Tiffany Teehee, 18.35; 5. Ashley Parks, 18.45; 6. Kim Squires, 18.51; 7. Suzanne Van Ness, 18.53; 8. Josey Murphy, 18.54; 9. Emily Stiles, 18.61; 10. Megan Stoll, 18.64; 11. Wenda Johnson, 18.65; 12. Kallie Gates, 18.69; 13. Cacee Hendrick, 18.80; 14. Alyssa MacDonald, 18.95; 15. Hailey Kinsel, 19.00.

Bull riding: 1. Ethan Winckler, 88.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Revved Up; 2. Harrison Kalinka, 82; 3. Afonso Quintino, 76; no other qualified rides.