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Rodeo Recap: April 29 – May 5
Summer Runs on the Horizon with Big Paydays Down South
Sydney Butler
May 07, 2024
It’s humid this time of year down South. Luckily, that doesn’t stop Professional Rodeo’s Best from hitting multiple rodeos in one weekend.
Last week, rodeo contestants had two big opportunities to compete, three if you’re a bull rider.
From the Guymon Pioneer Days to the Cactus Jack Xtreme Bulls in Texas and the American Royal Rodeo in Missouri, big payouts offer major shifts in the standings heading into rodeo’s summer run.
This Week: Best New Country From Jesse Black
Guymon Offers Contestants World Class Hospitality and Four Full Days of Professional Rodeo Action
Guymon, Oklahoma is infamously home to some of the best hospitality in rodeo and where “Champions Come to Play the First Weekend in May.”
Four days of rodeo take place at the Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena.
For roughstock riders, the best score of the rodeo takes the win, for the timed event contestants, the average best of three rounds, and for the women of Professional rodeo, the average best of two rounds.
Here’s your 2024 Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo champs:
Bareback
The Bareback event in Guymon turned out not one, but two impressive 90-point rides.
Both Jess Pope on Frontier Rodeo’s, Breaking News and Dean Thompson on Frontier Rodeo’s, Gun Fire scored 90 points to earn themselves each a $3100 check.
Dean Thompson is currently 6th in the ’24 Bareback World Standings after the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo; Pope is still outside the Top 15 bubble!
Steer Wrestling
North Dakota’s Bridger Anderson started hot in Guymon, winning the first round of the rodeo with a 4.0 second flat run.
The Steer Wrestling continued to be fast all weekend, however the 2x NFR qualifier ran consistently enough to take the win with 14.5 seconds on three-head.
After his win in Guymon, OK, Anderson earned over $6000 to help his position in the ’24 Steer Wrestling World Standings!
Team Roping
Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord are having a stellar season.
After finishing 9th in the world in 2023, the pair started strong and won the National Western, the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo and Rodeo Austin in the 2024 season’s first half.
Now in the latter half of the season, the team have another big win to add to their roster. The pair roped 22.6 seconds on three-head for the win in Guymon.
Following their win at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, Egusquiza is currently leading the ’24 Team Roping Header World Standings, Lord is in 2nd in the Heeler standings!
Saddle Bronc
Statler Wright continued his winning streak in Guymon, OK this weekend.
Wright finished just outside the Top 15 in 2023 but is looking to be a strong contender for the World Championship this year with significant wins under his belt including the Wilderness Circuit Finals, Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo and La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros.
Wright rode Frontier Rodeo’s, Watch Kitty for 87.5 points for another win in Guymon.
Guymon’s $3,900 payout to Wright lands him as currently sitting 2nd in the 2024 Saddle Bronc World Standings!
Tie Down
Two big names dominated the Tie Down Roping in Guymon: 2020 World Champion and 5x NFR qualifier, Shad Mayfield split the win with 2017 World Champion and 4x NFR qualifier, Marcos Costa.
Mayfield won the first round of the Pioneer Days Rodeo with a 7.1 second run and was second in the third round after a 7.3. Costa split seventh in the second round and was fourth in the third round, consistent enough to tie Mayfield for the average win, totaling 23.9 seconds on three-head.
Post the conclusion of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, Mayfield remains in the lead of the ’24 Tie Down World Standings; Costa is currently 14th!
Barrel Racing
4x NFR qualifier Dona Kay Rule came to play in Oklahoma. Rule won round one with a 16.99 second run, followed by a third place finish in round two after running a 17.25.
With a total of 34.24 seconds on two head, Dona Kay Rule won the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo and a check for $2,500, adding to her total 2024 winnings of just over $25,000 after 14 rodeos!
Bull Riding
JR Stratford spent 2023 out of competition. This year, he’s back and better than ever with multiple wins under his belt this season. In Guymon, Stratford covered Frontier Rodeo’s, Moon Flower for an 89.5 point ride.
$4,000 in his pocket following the conclusion of the rodeo in Guymon, Stratford is now 9th in the ’24 Bull Riding World Standings!
Breakaway
Jill Tanner and Rylee George are both relatively new to the Professional Breakaway scene. Regardless, the two flexed their breakaway skills in Guymon. Tanner split third in round one with a 2.5 second run, then split fourth in round two after a 2.8 second run.
On the other hand, George finished second in round two after roping a 2.4. In total, both split the average win with 5.3 seconds on two head.
Both Tanner and George won around $5,000 from their top finishes in Guymon, further helping their positions in the ’24 Breakaway World Standings!
Fun Fact
Oklahoma’s only rodeo to be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame is the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo!
Cactus Jack Xtreme Bull Riding Offers Contestants Chance at $50,000 Prize
$50,000 in added money at the Cactus Jack Xtreme Bull Riding meant rodeo’s best bull riders all turned up and nodded their head last weekend in Uvalde, Texas. Utah’s Tyler Bingham is a 3x NFR qualifier, but hasn’t been back to the NFR since 2020.
In Uvalde, Bingham won round one of three with an 88 point ride on United Pro Rodeo’s, Pit Bull. He was sixth in round two with an 83.5, then won the final round on United Pro Rodeo’s, Top Gun, scoring an 89.5. All in, Bingham was 261 on three head for over $15,000 in earnings.
Bingham’s wins in Texas at the Cactus Jack Xtreme Bull Riding moved him noticeable up in the ’24 Bull Riding World Standings: he’s currently sitting 26th!
American Royal Rodeo Offers Mid Season Payouts to Contestants
It was rodeo weekend in Kansas City, Missouri, fittingly named as Kansas City is home to Major League Baseball’s, The Kansas City Royals. Over $100,000 was on the line this weekend for ProRodeo contestants, a major league payout that drew some of the best Professional Rodeo has to offer.
Bareback
It was a good weekend for Jess Pope. Following his win in Guymon, Oklahoma, Pope topped the leaderboard in Kanas City, covering Korkow Rodeos’, I Fly Plane for 87 points and another $2100 check.
With two wins in one weekend, Pope is well on his way to moving up in the ’24 Bareback World Standings!
Team Roping
J.C. Yeahquo and partner Buddy Hawkins II haven’t had a big win since RODEOHOUSTON in February. Kansas City was good to the team ropers who roped in 4.3 seconds and another win in the 2024 ProRodeo Season.
A $2500 check for Yeahquo and Hawkins II solidified Hawkin’s lead in the ’24 Team Roping Heeler World Standings; Yeahquo fell to second!
Saddle Bronc
Iowa’s Riggin Smith was the 2020 Resistol Rookie of the Year in the Saddle Bronc riding. Ever since, he’s experienced some success. 2024 may just be Smith’s year. Smith rode Korkow Rodeos’, Joker Poker for 87 points in Kansas City.
Smith’s win in Kansas City has placed the Saddle Bronc rider just outside the Top 15 bubble, currently sitting 16th in the ’24 World Standings!
Check back next week and each week thereafter for all the highlights on your favorite contestants as they work their way down the 2024 rodeo road.
 - Richard S. | Bits n’ Spurs Weekly Newsletter P.S. Check out our community on Reddit and join the conversation |