Oregon Cowboy Ties Steer Wrestling Record at San Angelo Rodeo

SAN ANGELO, TX – Over the past five seasons, steer wrestler Jesse Brown has accomplished a lot.

He’s earned five straight qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo, where he’s won multiple go-rounds and staked his claim to being one of the top bulldoggers in the game. He’s won some of the biggest rodeos in the game, from San Antonio, Texas, to Pendleton, Oregon.

He did something for the first time during Wednesday’s ninth performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, knocking down his steer in 2.9 seconds to take the first-round lead inside CRC Roofers Coliseum.

It was the first sub-3-second run of his lifetime, and with it, Brown tied an arena record initially set by Roy Duvall in 1986 and matched by Bryan Fields in 2007.

“That barrier in San Angelo is one of the fastest starts you can get all year outside the NFR,” said Brown, 32, Baker City, Oregon. “I knew it was really fast, and I knew the steer was going to pick it up. You really have nothing to lose as far as if you miss the barrier, so you’re not going to win anything anyway because it was already so fast. I was just running at the barrier.”

Contestants line up behind a barrier rope that is attached to a mechanism inside the timed-event chute. Once the steer is given its adequate head start, the barrier will release. Should the cowboy get a head start, the string tying the barrier will break, and that results in a 10-second penalty.

Fellow Oregonian Dalton Massey was already 3.2, and Brown knew he had to post a time in that range if he hoped to earn a round payday.

He entered this week’s competition fifth in the world standings with just shy of $39,000 in earnings. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain. On top of that, he’ll make his second run in Thursday’s 10th performance with hopes of advancing to Friday’s championship round. He’s done wonders already with a partner he’s still learning about.

“That horse I’m riding is Walt Arnold’s,” Brown said. “Her name is Shelby, and she’s a really nice horse. That was only the fifth time I’ve ever ridden her. I rode her at Austin and won some money there. They live pretty close and were nice enough to let me on.”

It worked out better than even he expected. Another Oregon cowboy, Mike McGinn of Haines City, has the aggregate lead with a two-run cumulative time of 7.2 seconds. Brown could just be solid and still take the overall lead with a 4.2-second run or faster, but he’s hoping to at least secure a fast enough time to be in contention by the time the short round begins.

“You sure want to be solid to make it back, but at the same time, you can’t really back off the barrier,” he said. “If you do, then you’re going to run (the steer) far. I’m still trying to come back in and be in as good a position as you can, because I know how tough the average is.”

Bulldoggers know just how difficult San Angelo’s competition can be. They realize there will be some blazing fast times, but Brown now has a place among the fastest ever to do it in that storied building. He’s right up there with Duvall, who owns 24 NFR qualifications, the most by any steer wrestler ever, and Fields, who also owns the arena record of 3.0 seconds at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, the NFR’s home since 1985.

“Those two guys are a couple of legends in completely different eras,” Brown said. “That’s great company, and I’m just glad to be mentioned with those guys.”

San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo

April 4-18

Bareback riding leaders: 1. Sage Allen, 89 points on Penthouse Rodeo’s Cosmic Stardust; 2. Cole Reiner, 88; 3. Cole Franks, 87.5; 4. (tie) Jess Pope, Tucker Carricato and Mason Stuller, 87; 7. Waylon Bourgeois, 85.5; 8. Jayco Roper, 84.5; 9. (tie) Kade Sonnier and R.C. Landingham, 84; 11. (tie) Orin Larsen, Leighton Berry, Bradlee Miller and Sam Petersen, 83.5.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jesse Brown, 2.9 seconds; 2. Dalton Massey, 3.2; 3. Mike McGinn, 3.4; 4. Winsten McGraw, 3.5; 5. (tie) Bridger Chambers and Tyler Waguespack, 3.6; 7. (tie) Teel Sikes and Brandon Harrison, 3.7. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Denell Henderson, Bridger Anderson and Dakota Eldridge, 3.3 seconds; 4. (tie) Weston Taylor, Hunter Cure and Cash Robb, 3.7; 7. Mike McGinn, 3.8; 8. (tie) Landris White and Will Lummus, 3.9. Average leaders: 1. Mike McGinn, 7.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 7.3; 3. Bridger Anderson, 7.5; 4. Dalton Massey, 7.6; 5. Hunter Cure, 7.7; 6. Will Lummus, 7.9; 7. Rowdy Parrott, 8.0; 8. (tie) Stetson Jorgensen and Justin Shaffer, 8.1; 10. Cody Devers, 8.4; 11. Landris White, 8.5; 12. Emmett Edler, 8.7.   

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Clay Tryan/Nicki Northcott and J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 3.8 seconds; 3. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 3.9; 4. (tie) Hiyo Yazzi/Shawn Murphy, Jhett Trenary/L.J. Yeahquo, Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres and Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 4.0; 8. (tie) Chet Weitz/Blake Walker and Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman, 4.1. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord and Luke Brown/Trey Yates, 3.8 seconds; 3, (tie) Aaron Tsinigine/Jade Corkill, Devon Johnson/Boogie Ray, Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, Kolton Schmidt/Will Woodfin and Riley Kittle/Landen Glenn, 3.9. Average leaders: 1. Kolton Schmidt/Will Woodfin, 8.6 seconds on two runs; 2. Jhett Trenary/L.J. Yeahquo, 8.7; Jr. Dees/J.C. Flake, 8.8; 4. Bubba Buckaloo/Joseph Harrison, 9.1; 5. (tie) Roan Oldfield/Creed West and Chet Weitz/Blake Walker, 9.2; 7. Manny Egusquiza/Walt Woodard, 9.6; 8. Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman, 9.7; 9. Coy Brittain/Eddie Medina, 9.8; 10. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 10.2; 11. Devon Johnson/Boogie Ray, 10.4; 12. Forrest Fisher/Caleb Green, 11.2. 

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Logan Hay, 87.5 points on New Star Rodeo’s True Gritt; 2. Blaise Freeman, 86; 3. (tie) Thayne Elshere, Ben Anderson and Dawson Hay, 85.5; 6. Kade Bruno, 85; 7. (tie) Jake Finlay, Gus Gaillard and Ryder Sanford, 84.5; 10. Darcy Radel, 83.5; 11. (tie) Kolby Wanchuk and Wyatt Casper, 83.

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Kason Dyer, 7.4 seconds; 2. (tie) Brodey Clemons, Tyson Durfey, Ryan Jarrett and Shad Mayfield, 7.7; 6. Kincade Henry, 7.9; 7. Britt Bedke, 8.2; 8. (tie) Sam Lewis and Dean Holyan, 8.4. Second round leaders: 1. Ty Harris, 7.0 seconds; 2. Tyler Calhoun, 7.5; 3. Colton Suther, 7.6; 4. Tate Teague, 8.0; 5. Chance Fleming, 8.2; 6. (tie) Jacob Walters, Chizm KuyKendall, Cutter Carpenter, Colton Green and Cash Enderli, 8.3. Average leaders: 1. Chance Fleming, 17.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Garrett Jacobs, 17.3; 3. Kody Mahaffey, 17.6; 4. (tie) Andrew Burks and Roy Lee, 18.1; 6. Trent McDonald, 18.2; 7. Daxton Hill, 18.3; 8. (tie) Riley Webb and Sam Lewis, 18.9; 10. Dean Holyan, 19.3; 11. (tie) Roan Hudson and Tyson Durfey, 19.9. 

Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. Martha Angelone, 1.7 seconds; 2. Taylor Munsell, 1.8; 3. (tie) Shai Schaefer, Jordi Edens, Bailey Bates, Kelsie Domer and Jenna Dallyn, 1.9; 8. (tie) Jill Tanner, Joey Williams and Cadee Williams, 2.0. Second round leaders: 1, Summer Williams, 1.7; 2. Kieley Walz, 1.8; 3. (tie) Megan Powel, Rylee George and Bailey Bates, 1.9; 6. (tie) Carlee Potter and Aspen Miller, 2.0; 8. (tie) Shalee King and Jenna Dallyn, 2.1; 10. (tie) Bethanie Harkey, Jordi Edens, Simone Park and Brooke Ladner, 2.2. Average leaders: 1. Bailey Bates, 3.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Jenna Dallyn, 4.0; 3. Jordi Edens, 4.1; 4. Shalee King, 4.4; 5. Kristy Stewart, 4.8; 6. Sawyer Gilbert, 4.9; 7. Ellie Meeks, 5.1; 8. (tie) Emilee Charlesworth, Cheyenne Britain and Shai Schaefer, 5.4; 11. Haley Sage, 5.5; 12. (tie) Macy Auclair and Libby Winchell, 5.6.  

Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Kassie Mowry, 14.01 seconds; 2. Alyssa Urbanek-Wade, 14.02; 3. Jordan Driver, 14.04; 4. Jymmy Cox, 14.05; 5. Sophie Palmore, 14.20; 6. Heather Crowley, 14.23; 7. Fallon Taylor, 14.24; 8. (tie) Jo Fisher and Katie Halbert, 14.28; 10. Billie Harmon, 14.29. Average leaders: 1. Jordan Driver, 30.04 seconds on two runs; 2. Jymmy Cox, 30.05; 3. Kassie Mowry, 30.09; 4. Alyssa Urbanek-Wade, 30.14; 5. Tiany Schuster, 30.17; 6. (tie) Julie Plourde and Krystal Dillman, 30.31; 8. Katie Halbert, 30.32; 9. Lindsey Muggli, 30.33; 10. Billie Harmon, 30.39; 11. (tie) Sophie Palmore and Rachelle Riggers, 30.41.

Bull riding leaders: 1. T.J. Gray, 89 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Justified; 2. (tie) Dustin Boquet and Grayson Cole, 87; 4. T. Parker, 86.5; 5. Lukasey Morris, 86; 6. Elijah Mora, 85.5; 7. Bryce Jensen, 85; 8. (tie) Jessi Petri and Maverick Smith, 84.5; 10. Mason Spain, 84; 11. Colorado Kid Mackey, 83.5; 12. Sam Southern, 82.