About: Ted

First round: 1. Tuf Cooper, 10.6 seconds, $1,990; 2. Brady Garten, 11.1, $1,647; 3. Ralph Williams, 11.2, $1,304; 4. Trenton Johnson, 11.5, $961; 5. Kenyon Burnes, 12.4, $618; 6. (tie) Scott Snedecor and Rocky Patterson, 12.5, $172 each. Second round: 1. Jarrett Blessing, 9.6, $1,990; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 10.4, $1,647; 3. Tuf Cooper, 10.7, $1,304; 4. K.W. Lauer, 11.1, $961; 5. (tie) Landon McClaugherty and Mike Chase, 11.4, $480 each. Aggregate leaders: 1. Tuf Cooper, 21.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Ralph Williams, 23.1; 3. (tie) Trenton Johnson, Coy Thompson and Mike Chase, 24.7; 6. Vin Fisher Jr., 25.9.

ALVA, Okla. – Sara Bynum can see the finish line to her college rodeo career. She leads the Central Plains Region’s barrel racing standings by 135 points with one event left on the regular season. She is guaranteed her spot to compete for the national championship at the College National Finals Rodeo in June. Now she just wants to finish business this coming weekend in Guymon, Okla. “It would mean the world if that’s how we left it,” said Bynum, a senior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University from Beggs, Okla. This will mark the third straight year she has competed at the CNFR, and she moved even closer this past weekend by winning the Fort Hays (Kan.) State University rodeo. She placed third in the opening round with a 17.86-second run, then won the championship round in 18.26. What’s more impressive is that she’s done so much on her 8-year-old paint mare, Loretta, a horse her family acquired four years ago off an add on Craigslist. When the tandem arrived in Alva four years ago, both were green to the college rodeo life. They’ve grown together and, now, they’re on the verge of a regional title. “I’ve had to learn a lot in college,” Bynum said. “I had to learn how to season her and season myself.” The training has worked this season. She and Loretta have been one of the driving forces for the Northwestern women’s team, which is battling Southeastern Oklahoma State University for the regional title. The Northwestern women finished second behind their rivals in Hays, getting a little bit of assistance from goat-tier Jenny Massing of Ponoka, Alberta; she finished in at least a tie for third in both go-rounds and earned third-place points in the average. Breakaway roper Cassey Woodward of Dupree, S.D., placed in the first round but was saddled with a no-time in the short round to fall out of the average. The Rangers men also finished second in Hays, led by the all-around champion Maverick Harper, who earned his second such title in as many weeks. He won the tie-down roping and finished third in steer wrestling. Grayson Allred of Kanarraville, Utah, also scored points in both those events, finishing third in tie-down roping and fifth in bulldogging. Cole Patterson of Pratt, Kan., placed in the opening round of tie-down roping but failed to earn a time in the short round. In steer wrestling, Talon Roseland of Marshalltown, Minn., placed second, while Cody Devers of Perryton, Texas, finished fourth; Devers leads the region standings by 95 points over Roseland. Bridger Anderson of Carrington, N.D., won the first round but didn’t place in the average. Team ropers Logan Wood of Prescott, Iowa, and Edgar Fierro of Hennessey, Okla., placed in both rounds and finished second in the average. Heeler Sage Lamunyon of Enid, Okla., placed third in the opening round, but he and his partner, Layton Little of Southwestern Oklahoma State University, failed to secure a time in the short round. Both the Rangers men and women have a virtual lock on qualifying for the college finals as teams. The men are a solid second place, with a 1,477-point lead over the No. 3 team. Only the top two teams and the top three finishers in each event advance to the CNFR, set for June 10-16 in Casper, Wyo. Bynum has held onto the barrel racing lead for much of the region season, but she has no plans to back down now. She’s learned too much over her four-year campaign to slow down heading into the final regular-season event of her career. “I had never really had a horse like Loretta,” she said. “In the back of your mind, you want to prove to everybody how good your horse is. Our region is super tough. “Now we just go run barrels and let it fall where it should.” That mindset has been beneficial to the young cowgirl, who is a veteran in the eyes of college rodeo. But she and Loretta have grown up together and grown on each other. “Loretta is pretty free running,” Bynum said. “I had to rein her down on her first (barrel), or she’d go past it. At 4 years old, I had to be more of a jockey for her. Now I know I can just send her, and she’s going to look for a barrel. I’ve ridden smarter this year. “I had to ride the horse she was at the time and not the horse she was going to be.” Though the school side of college rodeo has been tough on Bynum, she’s stuck with it. She plans to graduate in December, and she knows her ride through college rodeo has been the key. “I’m going to get my bachelor’s (degree), and I have that paint mare to thank for it,” she said.

GUYMON, Okla. – The men, women and children who settled in this land more than a century ago were rugged. They needed to be. The terrain can be rugged, and the climate tough on those hoping to grow crops and raise livestock. It’s because of those hearty folks and the lessons learned over the decade that this Oklahoma Panhandle community continues to thrive. The legacy continues through the annual Pioneer Days celebration and the Pioneer Days Rodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 4; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6, at Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. It will be home to nearly 1,000 contestants over the week of competition a true indication of what this event means for the cowboys and cowgirls who make their living in the game. “This is one of those rodeos that just kind of keeps the tradition alive,” said Trevor Brazile, a 23-time world champion from Decatur, Texas. “I love it. He’s one of only two men to have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in all four roping disciplines: heading, heeling, tie-down roping and steer roping. He has earned Montana Silversmiths gold buckles in all but heeling and owns the most all-around world titles with 13. “This rodeo has always been good to me,” Brazile said of Pioneer Days Rodeo. “A lot of people don’t know I grew up 30 minutes from here in Gruver, Texas. I have a lot of ties to this area.” A year ago, he earned the Guymon all-around title again, pocketing nearly $7,200. It’s just further proof that he and many others find Pioneer Days to be the perfect home the first weekend in May every year. This year’s team roping will feature the return of hornless steers that are considered “fresh,” because they have never been through the chute system or pushed into an arena. They will come straight out of a pasture to the rodeo grounds. It makes for some wild action to an already wild rodeo. “This is a cool rodeo,” said Charley Crawford, who won the title a year ago while competing with heeler Joseph Harrison. “We enjoy the long starts and the fresh steers. The committee does a great job.” This will be the first time since 2007 that the team ropers will compete with the muleys. It just adds something else to this rodeo that has been around for 86 years. In addition, John Harrison, one of the most decorated clowns in the game, returns to entertain the Guymon crowd. “John brings a ton of energy and real horsemanship to our rodeo,” said Ken Stonecipher, the production manager for the volunteer committee that produces Pioneer Days Rodeo. “He’s been here before, and we have a lot of people who have asked us to bring him back. We’re glad to have him back in Guymon this year.” Part of that comes through Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, the Dallas-based livestock production company that not only features some of the greatest bucking stock in the game but also has been a staple for this rodeo for the last decade. Carr has been nominated for Stock Contractor of the Year five straight times. “One thing the Pioneer Days Rodeo has been recognized for is having outstanding stock, no matter the event,” said Mitch Egger, the rodeo committee’s chairman. “We have multiple stock contractors who come in and bring their best stock. That makes it exciting.” It’s not just the bucking stock that makes for an entertaining rodeo. The timed-event contestants come from all across the country to take their shot at winning the Guymon title. “It would mean a lot to win the all-around here,” said JoJo LeMond, an eight-time NFR qualifier (heading and steer roping) from Andrews, Texas. “Anytime you can win the all-around at something like Guymon or Cheyenne (Wyo.) or Salinas (Calif.) – somewhere that it’s a cowboy event – that’s great. You’ve got to be mounted well. “Plus, this is a really prestigious rodeo.”

ALVA, Okla. – Maverick Harper readily admits that his rodeo legacy has helped him in the arena. The Northwestern Oklahoma State University cowboy proved it this past weekend by winning the heading and all-around titles at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Weatherford. He also finished second in tie-down roping and placed in steer wrestling. “My parents have been the biggest help of my life,” said Harper, a senior from Stephenville, Texas. “They’ve supplied me with what I need. “Where I live in Alva, I live a mile from the practice arena. I will steer wrestle two or three times a week. My brother has moved here to help me with my calf roping; he is a (PRCA) Southeast Circuit finalist. He has really stepped up my calf roping this last year.” His mother, Debra, is a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier in barrel racing, while step-father, Gary Green, is a seven-time NFR qualifier in steer wrestling. His grandfather, James Morgan, also qualified in tie-down roping and was the co-owner of Harper & Morgan Rodeo Co. “It was set up for me to rodeo the rest of my life,” Maverick Harper said. He’s taking advantage of it at the college level. In Weatherford, he and partner Tanner Nall of Colcord, Okla., won the first round with a 6.5-second run. Their 7.2 in the final round was good enough for second, and their two-run cumulative time of 13.7 earned the tandem the victory. Harper roped and tied his first-round calf in 9.2 seconds to finish fourth, then put together a 10.0 to finish second in the short round and average. He placed in a tie for fifth in the first round of steer wrestling with a 4.7-second run and ended up tied for sixth overall. “After coming off a couple of bad rodeos, it felt really good to get back in the saddle, especially in not just one event,” he said. “It was good to come on strong in the outdoors and really get going in every event and move forward.” The Weatherford rodeo marked the return to outdoor arenas. The Central Plains Region features four outdoor rodeos in the fall, followed by three indoor events to kick off the spring semester. The final three rodeos – Southwestern, Fort Hays (Kan.) State University and Oklahoma Panhandle State University – are all larger, outdoor pens. “I think growing up in the South and liking some rodeos, I like the outdoors a lot better. (There is) a lot more room to set things up. Toward the end of the season, it shows who the real winners are, who can step up to the plate and win.” Northwestern finished second in the men’s team race, helped by gathering key points in all three men’s timed events. In addition to Harper, six other Rangers picked up points. Heeler Sage Lamunyon of Enid, Okla., placed in the long round with his partner, Southwestern’s Layton Little. Steer wrestler Talon Roseland of Marshalltown, Iowa, led all bulldoggers by finishing second overall, while Bridger Anderson of Carrington, N.D., placed third. Cody Devers of Perryton, Texas, won the first round and finished fourth overall. In tie-down roping, Colton Brown of Nocona, Texas, was the highest finisher, earning third place in the short round and fourth overall. Cole Patterson of Pratt, Kan., placed in both rounds and finished fifth. The Northwestern women finished fifth in Weatherford, led by barrel racer Sara Bynum of Beggs, Okla., who placed in both rounds and finished fourth in the average. Aundrea Dufrane placed in both rounds of goat-tying and finished fifth overall, while Melissa Couture of Springdale, Ark., stopped the clock in 8.2 seconds to finish sixth in the short round. Both the Northwestern men’s and women’s team sit second in the region standings heading into the final two rodeos of the season. It’s vital to stay at the top of the game; only the top two teams and top three individuals in each event advance to the College National Finals Rodeo, set for June 10-16 in Casper, Wyo. “When I came into the season, I wanted to make the college finals in all three events,” Harper said. “After Weatherford, I’ve given myself a way better chance. If I have another rodeo like Weatherford, I should be just fine.” And his decision to compete in rodeo at Northwestern stands as one of the top decisions he has made in his young career. “The school has been really helpful,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my scholarship, I probably wouldn’t have (gone) to college. Now I’m on the verge of graduating, which is a great opportunity for me.”

ADA, Okla. – Toby Inman is having the most fun of his career as a freestyle bullfighter and it showed in his demeanor this past Saturday. He earned the Bullfighters Only Ada Invitational championship through two wild bouts on Saturday night and walked away from the Pontotoc County Agri-Plex with $12,000. “I’m flabbergasted,” said Inman, a bullfighting veteran from Davis Junction, Ill. “I’m stoked, and it hasn’t completely set in yet. “Ada’s always been a big event. It is one of the biggest events I have ever been in, and it’s just getting better. You always have good bulls, and the fans that come are fantastic. When you go to Ada, you know the stands are going to be full with people who know bullfighting.” Inman was the lone veteran to qualify for Saturday night’s Hooey Championship Round. He was joined by rookies Colt Oder, Tucker Lane and Justin Ward, three up-and-coming athletes who made their way to Saturday’s competition through Friday’s Qualifier Rounds. “My first-round bull was just fun,” he said of his 85.5-point fight, the highest marked bout of the weekend. “Bulls like that are the whole reason to do it. When it’s not fun, that’ll be the time I hang up my hat. Even the short-go bull – the one that wanted to eat me – he made it fun because he made me work at it. “In the short-go, I was the only veteran. That goes to show nothing’s a hand-out. You’ve got to go out and earn it.” Inman posted the highest score to walk away with the lion’s share of the purse. A year ago, he finished second in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings with $26,983. Through just six events in 2018, he has earned two victories and $24,500 and leads the world standings by about $15,000. It’s the perfect example of how much money is available in the BFO already. “The fun fact is that the season has just begun,” said Inman, who came out of retirement in 2016 to return to bullfighting. “The money is amazing. If you would have asked me a few years ago, I would’ve never guessed I’d be fighting bulls again, much less be in a spot to compete for the world championship. I have a chance to make a statement, and that is that I’ve still got it.” In a surprising turn of events, rookies Colt Oder, Tucker Lane and Justin Ward all qualified for the championship in Ada. They bested a field that featured champions like the two-time reigning BFO world titlist, Weston Rutkowski, and Dusty Tuckness, who has been recognized for eight straight years as the best bullfighter in ProRodeo. There were also nine other veterans in the mix that didn’t make it to the final round. “To get the call to be part of it was incredible,” said Oder, 20, of Moonpark, Calif. “That’s where the legendary Mr. Smooth (Rex Dunn) had bullfights for so many years. To make it back to the short round was mind-blowing. I felt like I was comfortable in the situation.” Oder finished second in the championship round, just half a point behind Inman. He proved the quality of education that happens at the BFO Development Camps – he attended the camp last March in San Bernardino, Calif. In fact, he was one of nine young bullfighters at Ada that have been part of the D Camps. “Last year was my rookie year, and I got my start at a D Camp,” he said. “That’s the first place where I stepped around Spanish fighting cattle. I got to go to a few events after that and got to be part of the Super Camp. “I don’t think anybody can teach the way the Bullfighters Only D-Camps are taught. They break things down into such fine detail. It just makes it pretty plain and simple for what you’ve got to do out there.” Even as one of the oldest guys on tour, Inman is seeing just how special those educational opportunities are for the up-and-coming bullfighters. It’s also going to make the bullfight game even better for years to come. “There are just so many more opportunities now than there was when I first started,” Inman said. “I just got paid $12,000 for winning Ada. When I won it last, you might win a couple thousand dollars, but that’s it. Now the money is where we deserve it and, it helps with the name and recognition of what should be coming for a lot of years. “The awesome thing about the D Camps is that we’re always bringing in the young guys that are hungry. It’s going to keep us on our toes, and you never know who is going to be the next big name. We need that in this sport.” Qualifier Rounds results: Round 1: Colt Oder, 82.5 points Round 2: Justin Ward, 78.5 points Round 3: Tanner Brantley, 82.5 points Round 4: Tucker Lane, 83.5 points Ada Invitational: Round 1: 1. Colt Oder, 83 points, 2. Kris Furr, 81; 3. Dayton Spiel, 78.5; 4. Schell Apple, 0. Round 2: 1. Tucker Lane, 83.5 points; 2. Dusty Tuckness, 81; 3. Zach Call, 80; 4. Tanner Zarnetski, 78.5. Round 3: 1. Toby Inman, 85.5 points. 2. Jimmy Essary, 82; 3. Beau Scheuth, 81; 4. Tanner Brantley, 0. Round 4: 1. Justin Ward, 84 points; 2. Weston Rutkowski, 82; 3. (tie) Noah Krepps and Justin Josey, 78 points Championship Round: 1. Toby Inman, 84 points; 2. Colt Oder, 83.5; 3. Tucker Lane, 82.5; 4. Justin Ward, 80.