For Immediate release Contact: Susan Kanode (817) 307-6336

Cooper takes tie-down loping lead

By Susan Kanode For the National Western Stock Show

DENVER, Colo. (Jan. 22, 2014) --- It’s been ten years since Clint Cooper won the tie-down roping title at the National Western Stock Show . The Decatur, Texas, resident put himself in position to be back here again on Sunday for the U.S. Bank Pro Rodeo Finals with an 8.0-second run here on Wednesday. This put Cooper in the lead in the first round of competition. He was riding Sweetness, three time AQHA tie-down roping horse of the year. It’s been two years since he has qualified for the Wrangler . Sitting 34th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Cooper could add to his earnings and make a significant move with a win here in Denver. He will rope again here at the Thursday morning performance and only needs an 8.7-second run to take the lead in the overall standings. On paper this looks good and realistically it can happen. However, there are many factors in tie-down roping. Cooper has a very dependable and consistent horse that does 80% of his job with no one on his back. Tomorrow, he will ride Sweetness into the roping box, turn him around and back him in the corner. When horse and calf are in position he will nod his head for the calf to be released. He has to give the calf a head start or will receive a 10-second penalty, virtually taking him out of any opportunity for a final round qualification. As the calf runs, the horse rates it and horse and rider work together to be in position to rope. A well-placed loop over the calf’s head and proper handling of the rope is critical now. Ideally, the calf will stay on its feet. Sweetness will start backing up as Cooper runs down the rope, picks the calf p (all four feet must clear the ground), lays the calf on its side and ties three legs together – a lot to happen in 8 seconds. Then the calf has to stay tied for six seconds with slack in the rope or Cooper will be disqualified. Calves have been known to kick free. Chase Williams from Stephenville, Texas, is leading the overall standings with a total of 16.8 seconds. Williams is a three-time College National Finals Rodeo qualifier, competing for Tarleton State University in his home town. If Cooper does well here on Thursday morning, the tie-down roping could be a battle between a veteran and a rookie. There are two rodeo performances at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo on Thursday. The morning rodeo starts at 10:30 a.m. and the evening at 7 p.m.

DENVER, Colo., (Jan. 21, 2014) – The following are unofficial results from the National Western Stock Show Rodeo.

Eleventh Performance –

Bareback Riding: 1, Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 82 points on Burch Rodeo’s Bottoms Up. 2, Kyle Bowers, Calgary, Alberta, 80. 3, Grant Denny, Minden, Nev., 78. 4, (tie) Kash Wilson, Gooding, Idaho and Weston Garrett, Belle Fourche, S.D., 74.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Ty Lang, McCook, Neb., 5.9 seconds. 2, Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb., 6.3. 3, Mike Kuka, Maple Plain, Minn., 9.8. 4, Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 10.5.

Team Roping: 1, Arky Rogers, Lipan, Texas and Travis Woodard, Stockton, Calif., 5.8. 2, Scott White, Oelrichs, S.D., and Justin Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 6.6. 3, Nick Rawlings, Stephenville, Texas, and Sid Sporer, Cody, Wyo., 8.5. 4, Ty Blasingame, Ramah, Colo., and Cody Davison, Madisonville, Texas, 10.2.

Saddle Bronc: 1, Joe Lufkin, Sallisaw, Okla., 79 points on Burch Rodeo’s Moxie. 2, Sam Leftwich, McLaughlin, S.D., 77. 3, Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 74. 4, Cole Neely, Duchess, Alberta, 66.

Tie Down Roping: 1, Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.0 seconds. 2, Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 8.7. 3, (tie) Ryan Watkins, Alliance, Neb., and Cody Jordan, Hobbs, N.M., 9.4.

Barrel Racing: 1, Benette Little, Ardmore, Okla., 15.52. 2, Nikke Steffes, Vale, S.D., 15.58.3, Heather Humphries, Buffalo, Texas, 15.66. 4, Tara Woodall, Merkel, Texas, 15.77.

Bull Riding: (three rides) 1, Shawn Proctor, Tooele, Utah, 78 points on Burch Rodeo’s Annie’s Pet. 2, Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo., 73. 3, Tate Smith, Litchville, N.D., 65.

Current Leaders –

Bareback Riding: (first round) 1, Richie Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 86 points on Calgary Stampede’s Turkish Whiskey. 2, Tyler Scales, Severance, Colo., 85. 3, (tie) Luke Creasy, Levelland, Texas; Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore.; and Cody Joe Ziober, Huntsville, Texas. 83. (second round) 1, (tie) George Gillespie IV, Placerville, Calif., on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Rusty Nail and Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., on Calgary Stampede’s Unfortunate Karma, 84 points each. 3, Brian Bain, Redmond, Ore., 83. 4, (tie) Micky Downare, Hartsel, Colo; Evan Jayne, Marseille, France; and Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas; 82. (total on two) 1, Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 167. 2, (tie) Luke Creasy, Levelland, Texas, and Cody Joe Ziober, Huntsville, Texas, 163. 4, Richie Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 162.

Steer Wrestling: (first round) 1, Riley Duvall, Checotah, Okla., 4.0 seconds. 2, Jule Hazen, Ashland, Kan., 4.1. 3, Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah, 4.3. 4, Sterling Lambert, Fallon, Nev., 4.8. (second round) 1, Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 3.5. 2, Austin Courmier, Oakwood, Texas, 3.8. 3, Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 4.0. 4, Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah, 4.2. (total on two) 1, Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah, 8.5. 2, Joe Buffington, Wheatland, Wyo., 10.4. 3, Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 10.6. 4, (tie) Sterling Lambert, Fallon, Nev., and Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D., 10.7 each.

Team Roping: (first round) 1, Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla., and Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 4.8 seconds. 2, Keven Daniel, Franklin, Tenn., and York Gill, Stephenville, Texas, 5.1. 4, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 5.3. 4, Arky Rogers, Lipan, Texas, and Travis Woodard, Stockton, Calif., 5.8. (second round) 1, Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla., and Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 4.9. 2, Adam Rose, Willard, Mo., and Billie Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 5.2. 3, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 5.6. 4, J.D. and Trey Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 5.7. (total on two) 1, Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla., and Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 9.7. 2, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 10.9. 3, Adam Rose, Willard, Mo., and Billie Saebens, Nowata, Okla., 11.3. 4, Cole Cooper, Loma, Colo., and K.C. Curtis, Monroe, Utah, 14.1.

Saddle Bronc Riding: (first round) 1, Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 87 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Brown Sugar. 2, Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 83. 3, (tie) Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D.; Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn.; and Ryan MacKenzie, Jordan Valley, Ore., 82. (second round) 1, Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 90 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Hell’s Fire Hostage. 2, Ryan MacKenzie, Jordan Valley, Ore., 84. 3, Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla., 83. 4, Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, 82. (total on two) 1, Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 168. 2, Ryan MacKenzie, Jordan Valley, Ore., 166. 3, Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn., 162. 4, (tie) J.D. Johnson, Tremonton, Utah, and Tyrel Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 157.

Tie-Down Roping: (first round) 1, Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.0 seconds. 2, Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 8.1. 2, (tie) Randall Carlisle, Baton Rouge, La.; Will Howell, Stillwater, Okla.; and Chase Williams, Stephenville, Texas; 8.5 seconds each. (second round) 1, Matt Shiozawa, Chubbock, Idaho, 7.0. 2, (tie) Blair Burk, Durant, Okla.; Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla.; and Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla.; 7.7. 2, Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas, 8.5. 3, Cody Saculla, Bryan, Texas, 8.6. 4, Jordan Ketscher, Squaw Valley, Calif., 8.7. (total on two) 1, Chase Williams, Stephenville, Texas, 16.8. 2, Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., 17.1. 3, Jordan Ketscher, Squaw Valley, Calif., 17.4. 4, Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla., 17.8.

Women’s Barrel Race: (first round) 1, Tana Poppino, Big Cabin, Okla., 15.35 seconds. 2, Kimmie Wall, Roosevelt, Utah, 15.37. 3, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.43. 4, Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 15.50. (second round) 1, Ann Peterson, Avondale, Colo., 15.39. 2, Megan Williams, Daingerfield, Texas, 15.41. 3, Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 15.42. 4, (tie) Kelly Larsen, Riverton, Utah, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., and Shelly Morgan, Canton, Texas; 15.44. (total on two) 1, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 30.87. 2, Shelly Morgan, Canton, Texas, 30.95. 3, Megan Williams, Daingerfield, Texas, 31.10. 4, Jaime Barrow, Lake Wells, Fla., 31.17.

Bull Riding: (first round) 1, Ardie Maier, Timber Lake, S.D., 84 points on Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Kyle Style. 2, Riker Carter, Stone, Idaho, 83. 3, (tie) Brady Portenier, Caldwell, Idaho; Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., and John Young, Orient, Iowa, 81. (second round) 1, Markus Mariluch, Elko, Nev., 88 points on Diamond S Bucking Bulls. 2, Trevor Kastner, Ardmore, Okla., 84. 3, Josh Frost, Goodwell, Okla., 83. 4, Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., 82. (total on two) 1, Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., 163. 2, Cody Campbell, Summerville, Ore., 157. 3, Dylan Dicey Vick, Escalon, Calif., 156. 4, John Young, Orient, Iowa, 152.