Team ropers Jake Freeland, left, and Wyatt Murray stopped the clock in 4.9 seconds during Saturday’s second performance of Utah’s Own Rodeo. The Utah ropers took the lead with the run.
(PHOTOS BY STEVE GRAY)
SALT LAKE CITY – There are times that a Hail Mary works in rodeo.
Utah team ropers Wyatt Murray and Jake Freeland can attest to it, because that’s pretty much what happened during Saturday’s second performance of Utah’s Own Rodeo in conjunction with the Utah State Fair.
“That steer didn’t start very good, so I pulled,” the header, Murray, said, referring to slowing his horse down to allow the steer a legal head start. “I was late, so I was like, ‘Well, if I’m going to win something, I’ve got to throw.’
“So, I just bombed off and hoped it went on, and it worked.”
The result was a 4.9-second run, which put the tandem into the No. 1 position with just Monday’s final performance left in the three-day rodeo; there is no ProRodeo competition Sunday, so action will return to the Days of ’47 Arena to kick off the second week of the state fair.
“I just seen the steer turn and whipped (the rope) down there, and he jumped in it real nice,” said Freeland, 42, a heeler. “I’m from Spanish Fork, and I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid. My birthday’s always around the state fair.”
The duo began roping together this season, and they’ve already found some fortune. Together they picked up wins in Cortez, Utah, and Price, Utah, in June. Murray is 11th in the Wilderness Circuit, a series of rodeos and contestants primarily in the Utah and southern Idaho region. Freeland is 17th. Both want to finish the circuit season among the top 12 to qualify for the year-end championship, which will take place the first weekend of November in Heber City, Utah.
“With Jake, I don’t have to worry about nothing,” said Murray, 26, of Neola, Utah. “If I turn him, he’s going to catch him. I don’t have to do anything special.”
It’s an approach that has them holding an advantage with 10 more teams scheduled to compete on the final night.
“Wyatt does an awesome job,” Freeland said. “He’s riding an awesome horse, and the team works really good together.”
That’s critical, since there are five souls involved in every run: two ropers, two horses and one steer. Murray and Freeland lead the pack that includes National Finals Rodeo qualifiers and a three-time world champion in Clay Tryan, who sits sixth with his son, Braylon.
“Winning this rodeo would mean a lot being a native and that this rodeo is usually tough,” Murray said. “It got tough tonight. It would mean a lot to win something against the top guys.”
Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo
Sept. 11, 12 and 14
Salt Lake City
Bareback riding: 1. Kody Lamb, 90.5 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail; 2. Tim O’Connell, 88.5; 3. Orin Larsen, 86; 4. Jacek Frost, 85.5; 5. Connor Griffith, 85; 6. (tie) Lane McGehee and Bradlee Miller, 83.5; 7. Mason Yancy, 82; 8. Lincoln Reeder, 81.5.
Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Mike McGinn and Jace Melvin, 3.7 seconds each; 3. Logan Kenline, 4.0; 4. Tyke Kipp, 4.3; 5. Landris White, 4.4; 6. Talon Roseland, 4.7; 7. Hazen Smith, 6.5; 8. Chase Black, 6.5.
Team roping: 1. Wyatt Murray/Jake Freeland, 4.9 seconds; 2. Cody Snow/Lane Mitchell, 5.0; 3. (tie) Kellan Johnson/Trae Smith and Cody Stubbs/Wyatt Thomas, 5.1 each; 5. Jet Toberer/Dan Scarbrough, 5.3; 6. Clay Tryan/Braylon Tryan, 6.0; 7. Brock Andrus/Tadd Thomas, 6.2; 8. Tyler Whitlow/Travis Whitlow, 13.9.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Rusty Wright, 90.5 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Heavy Feathers; 2. Chase Brooks, 87; 3. (tie) Hayz Madsen and Bailey Small, 86 each; 5. (tie) Darcy Radel and Kolby Wanchuk, 84.5; 7. Bryett Larsen, 84; 8. (tie) Christian Bolli and Tanner Butner, 76.
Tie-down roping: 1. Tom Simpson, 7.6 seconds; 2. King Pickett, 7.8; 3. Riley Wakefield, 8.2; 4. Tate Crandall, 8.6; 5. Britt Bedke, 9.1; 6. Justin Brinkerhoff, 9.3; 7. Logan Corta, 9.5; 8. Gary Grand, 9.7.
Breakaway roping: 1. Rickie Engesser, 2.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Zoie Bedke and Ali Norcutt, 2.1; 4. Samantha Kingsbury, 2.2; 5. (tie) Kimberly Sanford and Brylee Smith, 2.3; 7. Sloan Anderson, 2.4; 8. (tie) Jenna Dallyn, Erika Frost and Kimberly Williams, 2.5.
Barrel racing: 1. KariAnn Cross, 16.61 seconds; 2. Austyn Tobey, 16.75; 3. Sonya Madsen, 16.79; 4. Anita Ellis, 17.06; 5. Katie Barton, 17.15; 6. Emma Smith, 17.21; 7. Carlee Otero, 17.25; 8. (tie) Sabrina Polfer and McKinlee Kellett, 17.48; 10. Sandy Bywater, 17.74.
Bull riding: 1. Tristan Mize, 86 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Side Quest; 2. Dakota Adams, 72; no other qualified rides.