Header Dustin Egusquiza turns his steer for his heeler, J.C. Flake, during their 4.0-second run Friday night to take the team roping lead at the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)

 

BIG SPRING, Texas – A slight drizzle sprinkled over team ropers Dustin Egusquiza and J.C. Flake, but they were unbothered.

It had rained harder before Friday’s second performance of the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo, and it a heavier mix hit just before it ended, but a little wetness wasn’t bad. They had kept their ropes dry enough to perform well.

“This is my first time coming to Big Spring, which is kind of shocking because it’s only three hours from my house,” said Egusquiza, 31, a header and an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier originally from Marianna, Florida, but now living in Mineral Wells, Texas. “I was glad to get to come here this year.”

Despite the moisture leaking out of the sky, the ground conditions were strong. Egusquiza and Flake stopped the clock in 4.0 seconds to take the team roping lead, while three others moved into the lead in their respective events: barrel racer Ryann Pedone, bull rider Noah Lee and saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer.

“That was super good,” said Flake, 27, a heeler from Milsap, Texas. “That steer was straight, and Dustin threw a long ways. I just tried to do my job as fast and as good as I could. Dustin heads him so fast, I’ve just got to make sure I catch two feet.”

The tandem has been very fast this year. On March 25, they set the team roping world record with a time of 2.9 seconds. They will await the outcome of Saturday’s final performance to see how their first trip to Big Spring shakes out.

“Coming here has been a blessing,” Flake said. “I’ve seen in on the books this year, and I thought, ‘That’s where we’ve got to go.’ My brother actually went to college out here, so I’ve been here a lot. I’ve just never come to the rodeo. I was excited to get to come and get a little bit of a pre-run before we leave for the summer.”

That’s coming up pretty quickly, and organizers of Big Spring’s rodeo considered that when they made the decision to change the dates to an earlier time of year.

“I’d never looked at it on the books because it was always after we leave, but it’s got pretty good added money for a Texas rodeo, and I’m glad to be here,” Egusquiza said. “The steers are really good, and it’s a pretty cool arena down here in a little bowl. The fans are really loud, so you can tell they love rodeo.

“It’s a pretty cool rodeo to come to for the first time.”

It might not be their last. Makayla Boisjoli first made an appearance at the Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl a few years ago, and she continues to come back. It’s become more exciting now that the rodeo features a bigger purse.

“I like Big Spring,” said Boisjoli, a breakaway roper originally from Calgary but now living in the Lone Star State. “They did increase the money this year, which is awesome for them to do for us.”

The rain didn’t put a damper on her return to Howard County. She posted a 2.1-second run to move into a tie for second place. Madison Outhier leads breakaway just one-tenth of a second faster.

“If you rodeo long enough, you’re going to run some in the rain, and you can’t let it affect you,” she said. “You still drove over here and paid your entry fee, so it’s better to just be a cowboy about it and go rope.

“At home, we rope a lot of the wet conditions up north.”

Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo
June 4-6
Bareback riding: 1. Lane McGehee, 83 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Rodeo Colors; 2. Payton Lackey, 80.5; 3. Kash Loyd, 79; 4. Cole Hollen, 74.5; no other qualified rides.

Steer wrestling: 1. Marc Joiner, 3.7 seconds; 2. Tyler Scheevel, 4.0; 3. Tyler Waguespack, 4.4; 4. (tie) Cimarron Thompson and Jake Shelton, 4.6; 7. Emmett Edler, 5.1; 8. Bray Armes, 5.3; 9. Logan Mullin, 5.9; 10. Cole Walker, 6.4.

Tie-down roping: 1. Lane Livingston, 8.0; 2. Travis Staley, 8.5; 3. Dean Holyan, 8.6; 4. Kincade Henry, 8.9; 5. Cross Fulford, 9.1; 6. Word Hudson, 9.5; 7. Luke Coleman, 9.7; 8. Sterling Smith, 9.8; 9. Kallen Johnson, 9.9; 10. (tie) Colten Wallis and Pax Vogel, 10.0.

Breakaway roping: 1. Madison Outhier, 2.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Makayla Boisjoli and Cheyanne McCartney, 2.1; 4. (tie) Brighton Bauman, Jackie Crawford and Jade Mitchell, 2.3.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cort Scheer, 84 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Honor Guard; 2. Tom Webster, 83; 3. Traven Sharon, 82; 4. Carson Neal, 78; 5. (tie) Hunter Greathouse and Roper Kiesner, 76; 7. (tie) Regan Lyons, Korben Baker and Will Pollock, 75.

Team roping: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/JC Flake, 4.0 seconds; 2. Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman, 4.6; 3. Kelvin Medeiros/Cashton Weid Weidenbener, 5.0; 4. Jacob Stansbury/Hayden Sanders, 5.1; 5. Wyatt Bray/Blake Walker II, 5.3; 6. Conley Kleinhans/Kyler Kanady, 5.4.

Barrel racing: 1. (tie) Jackie Ganter and Ryann Pedone, 15.62 seconds; 3. Sissy Winn, 15.70; 4. Billie Harmon, 15/75; 5. Morgan Addison, 15.76; 6. Jana Bean, 15.82; 7. Maylee McCrary, 15.85; 8. Faith Nolte, 15.88; 9. Taylor Baize, 15.91; 10. Molly Harper, 15.95; 11. Bristan McCarley, 15.97; 12. Erica Klein, 16.04; 13. Kaylin Doaki, 16.07; 14. Julie Plourde, 16.14; Katelyn Scott, 16.15.

Bull riding: 1. Noah Lee, 85.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Packin Heat; 2. Jax Mills, 83; 3. Riggen Hughes, 80.5; 4. Hayden Welsh, 79; 5. Hudson Bolton, 62; no other qualified rides.