LOVINGTON, N.M. – Kyle Jonston was succinct and to the point.
“Our rodeo has been incredible,” said Johnston, a member of the Lea County Fair Board and president of its rodeo committee. “This is probably our best year, in my opinion.”
The numbers say as much. Fast times and high scores defined this year’s Lea County Rodeo, highlighted with 10 rides marked 89 points or higher over the course of the four-day event. The exclamation point came on the final ride Saturday night, when Louisiana cowboy Jace Trosclair rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pay Day for 91 points to win the bull riding, bettering the 90.5 earned by Texan Noah Lee the night before.
“I think by the time the sun goes down and the rodeo begins, we’re dealing with mind temperatures, and it shows in how the animals perform,” Johnston said. “I think that makes a big difference.”
Saddle bronc rider Mitchie Story noticed something going on in his first venture to Lovington. He’s a permit-holder, a young-gun in the trying-out phase of his ProRodeo career. Story will be a rookie for the 2027 season, but he’s getting quite the lessons in 2026. So far this season, he’s earned more than $70,000 on the backs of bucking horses.
He rode Carr’s Southpoint Gambler for 89 points to share the bronc busting victory with veterans Brody Cress and Zac Dallas, who matched that score Friday night. All three pocketed just shy of $7,000 for the championships.
“I try not to think about how bit the rodeo is when I’m coming in here,” said Story, 22, of Bayfield, Colorado. “I was just happy that me and my traveling partner, Waitley Sharon, both had really good horses. I was trying not to worry about it being a tour rodeo or how much money was added. I just wanted to go out there and make the best ride on the horse I drew.”
He did that. Southpoint Gambler has bucked at the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s championship that features only rodeo’s best every year. Story would love to be in that mix, too, but he has time to grow into that role.
He stayed on his PRCA permit this season while he finished his education at Weatherford (Texas) College.
“I just graduated college, and I wanted to wait until I was out of school,” said Story, who leads the bronc riding permit standings. “I wanted to rodeo hard and not have to worry about college rodeos. I could just focus on one thing at a time.
“College rodeo is an amazing stepping stone for kids.”
He is, however, one of the top up-and-coming bronc riders, and there must be something in that Colorado water. While he leads the permit money list, Sharon, of Ordway, Colorado, is the top dog in the Rookie of the Year race. The No. 2 man for the top rookie is Coleman Shallbetter of Gunnison, Colorado.
“We all grew up together,” Story said. “We started getting on steers, and then we graduated to the horses in high school. We all got thumped, but we kept going, we kept encouraging each other, and, praise God, it worked out.”
Lea County Fair and Rodeo
Lovington, N.M.
Aug. 5-8
All-around cowboy: Erich Rogers, $2,785 in team roping and steer roping.
Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Leighton Berry, on Rafter H Rodeo’s Medicine Show, and Kade Sonnier, on Penthouse Pro Rodeo’s Cosmic Stardust, 89 points, $7,940 each; 3. Bradlee Miller, 88, $4,094; 4. (tie) Garrett Shadbolt and Luke Thrash, 86.5, $2,697; 6. Bryce Eck, 86, $1,498; 7. (tie) Ben Kramer and Nick Pelke, 85.5, $1,049 each.
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Chance Howard, 3.7 seconds, $3,472; 2. Bridger Anderson, 3.9, $3,019; 3. (tie) Eli Lord, Dalton Massey and Tanner Scheevel, 4.1, $2,113 each; 6. Colten Leech, 4.2, $1,208; 7. Tyler Waguespack, 4.3, $755; 8. (tie) Tucker Ravenscroft and J.D. Struxness, 4.5, $151 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Jesse Brown and Justin Shaffer, 3.9 seconds, $3,245 each; 3. (tie) Rooster Yazzie and Eli Lord, 4.1, $2,340 each; 5. Mike McGinn, 4.2, $1,660; 6. (tie) Shayde Etherton, Riley Reiss, Trey Nahrgang and Cimarron Thompson, 4.3, $566 each. Average: 1. Eli Lord, 8.2 seconds, $5,207; 2. Bridger Anderson, 8.3, $7,547; 3. (tie) Chance Howard and Tanner Scheevel, 8.6, $3,509 each; 5. Rooster Yazzi, 8.8, $2,491; 6. Cimarron Thompson, 9.3, $1,811; 7. Dalton Massey, 9.4, $1,132; 8. Landris White, 9.5, $453.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Marty Yates, 9.1 seconds, $3,725; 2. (tie) Dylan Hancock, Max Mathis and Kyan Wilhite, 9.4, $2,753 each; 5. (tie) Trevor Hale and Cody McCartney, 9.5, $1,539 each; 7. Lane Livingston, 9.8, $810; 8. Hagen Houck, 9.9, $324. Second round: 1. Tyler Calhoun, 7.8 seconds, $3,725; 2. Shane Hanchey, 8.6, $3,239; 3. Cash Hooper, 8.9, $2,753; 4. (tie) King Pickett and Trevor Hale, 9.0, $2,024 each; 6. Kater Tate, 9.1, $1,296; 7. Cade Wallis, 9.2, $810; 8. (tie) Cole Clemons, Anthony Jordan and Pecos Tatum, 9.4, $108 each. Average: 1. Trevor Hale, 18.5 seconds on two runs, $5,587; 2. Shane Hanchey, 19.1, $4,859; 3. Cade Wallis, 20.5, $4,130; 4. Kater Tate, 20.8, $3,401; 5. Kalai Nobriga, 21.0, $2,672; 6. Quinton Ellis, 21.1, $1,943; 7. Cory Solomon, 21.5, $1,215; 8. Lane Livingston, 21.6, $486.
Breakaway roping: First round: 1. (tie) Rylee A George and Sawyer Gilbert, 2.4 seconds, $2,462 each; 3. Taylor Munsell, 2.5, $1,893; 4. Sequin Brewer, 2.6, $1,641; 5. (tie) Kendra Lewis, Shacie Marr and Hailey Schafer, 2.7, $1,010 each; 8. (tie) Aspen Miller and Hope Thompson, 2.8, $442 each; 10. (tie) Josie Goodrich, TiAda Gray and Danielle Lowman, 2.9, $84 each. Second round: 1. Hali Williams, 1.9 seconds, $2,651; 2. Danielle Lowman, 2.3, $2,272; 3. (tie) Quincy Sullivan, Tibba Smith, Kaydin Finan and Avery Landry, 2.4, $1,452 each; 7. Bailey Bates, 2.5, $757; 8. (tie) Claire Dale and Amy Ohrt, 2.6, $442 each; 8. Taylor Munsell, 2.7, $252. Average: 1. (tie) Taylor Munsell, Danielle Lowman and Rylee George, 5.2 seconds on two runs, $3,408 each; 4. Hali Williams, 5.4, $2,462; 5. Sawyer Gilbert, 6.0, $1,893; 6. Kaydin Finan, 6.1, $1,515; 7. (tie) Timber Allenbrand and Kamie Crouse, 6.2, $947 each; 9. Avery Landry, 6.4, $568; 10. (tie) Kinlie Brennise and Kassidy Dennison, 6.5, $189 each.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Zac Dallas, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Toma Jo, Brody Cress, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Secret Agent and Mitchie Story, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Southpoint Gambler, 89 points, $6,953 each; 4. (tie) Zeke Thurston, Ryder Wright and Sage Newman, 87.5, $2,285 each; 7. (tie) Weston Patterson and Gus Gaillard, 87, $1,043 each.
Team roping: First round: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.4 seconds, $3,472 each; 2. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza/JC Flake and Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 4.6, $2,792 each; 4. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 4.8, $2,113; 5. Curry Kirchner/Tanner Braden, 4.9, $1,660; 6. Brenten Hall/Wyatt Cox, 5.0, $1,208; 7. J.C. Yeahquo/Logan Moore, 5.1, $755; 8. (tie) Tee McLeod/Jake Edwards, Kolton Schmidt/Paden Bray and Aaron Tsinigine/Ty Romo, 5.3, $101 each. Second round: 1. Denton Dunning/Ketch Kelton, 4.0 seconds, $3,472; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Logan Medlin, 4.3, $3,019; 3. (tie) Derrick Begay/Colter Todd and Bridger Ketcham/Corey Kendrick, 4.6, $2,340 each; 5. (tie) Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, Riley Kittle/Trey Yates and Cody Snow/Lane Mitchell, 4.8, $1,208; 8. Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 5.1, $302. Average: 1. Derrick BegayColter Todd, 9.4 seconds on two runs, $5,207; 2. Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 10.5, $4,528; 3. Tee McLeod/Jake Edwards, 10.7, $3,849; 4. Riley Kittle/Trey Yates, 11.2, $3,170; 5. Cody Snow/Lane Mitchell, 11.7, $2,491; 6. Gavin Hershbereger/Garrett Hershberger, 12.6, $1,811; 7. Bryson Alder/Oliver White, 14.0, $1,132; 8. Cory Kidd/Carson Johnson, 14.2, $453.
Steer roping: First round: 1. Chet Herren, 11.7 seconds, $2,546; 2. Clay Long, 11.9, $2,214; 3. Dalton Walker, 12.2, $1,882; 4. (tie) Martin Poindexter and Scott Snedecor, 12.3, $1,384 each; 6. Roger Nonella, 12.6, $886; 7. Doc Shoemaker D.V.M., 12.9, $554; 8. (tie) Dustin Bassett and Taylor Santos, 13.1, $111 each. Second round: 1. Jarett Holliday, 12.0 seconds, $2,546; 2. Ryan Rochlitz, 12.2, $2,214; 3. (tie) Cole Patterson and Tyler Waters, 12.4, $1,716 each; 5. (tie) Chet Herren and Cash Myers, 12.5, $1,052 each; 7. (tie) Laramie Allen, Clint Buringa and Cody Lee, 12.8, $258 each. Third round: 1. Kelton McMillen, 9.6 seconds, $2,546; 2. Clay Long, 10.1, $2,214; 3. Jake Clay, 10.3, $1,882; 4. (tie) Clint Buringa and Jarett Holliday, 12.0, $1,284 each; 6. Cody Lee, 12.1, $886; 7. Troy Tillard, 12.4, $554; 8. Tanner Stec, 12.5, $221. Average: 1. Chet Herren, 37.9 seconds on three runs, $3,820; 2. Cody Lee, 30.1, $3,321; 3. Scott Snedecor, 42.4, $2,823; 4. Martin Poindexter, 45.6, $2,325; 5. (tie) Taylor Santos and Erich Rogers, 47.4, $47.4; 7. Slade Wood, 47.5, $830; 8. Billy Good, 48.6, $332.
Barrel racing: 1. Sydney Graham, 17.13 seconds, $7,366; 2. Emily Beisel, 17.22, $5,893; 3. Morgan Addison, 17.39, $4,788; 4. Raelin Jurgens, 17.43, $3,683; 5. Carlee Otero, 17.50, $2,946; 6. Brittney Hawley, 17.52, $2,210; 7. (tie) Kim Squires and Jodee Miller Pedone, 17.54, $1,749 each; 9. Kassie Mowry, 17.55, $1,73; 10. Makenzie Mayes, 17.57, $1,289; 11. Emma Parr, 17.61, $1,105; 12. Whitley Sharp, 17.62, $921; 13. Tara Carr, 17.67, $737; 14. Katelyn Scott, 17.70, $552; 15. Lindsey McCuistion, 17.75, $368.
Bull riding: 1. Jace Trosclair, 91 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pay Day, $8,996; 2. Noah Lee, 90.5, $6,897; 3. Qynn Andersen, 89.5, $5,098; 4. (tie) Clayton Sellars and Luke Mackey, 89, $2,699 each; 6. (tie) Josh Frost, Cooper James and Marshal Tsosie, 88, $1,199 each.