Brazile Still has Winning Formula

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Around the time of his 42^nd birthday last November, Trevor Brazile announced that he was slowing down his rodeo schedule, meaning the 2018 National Finals Rodeo was likely to be his last.

He proved this weekend at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo that he’s not done. On Saturday night, he roped and tied his calf in 7.5 seconds and is fourth in the opening round; on Sunday afternoon, he stopped the clock in 7.7 seconds and is eighth in the second round. His cumulative time of 15.2 seconds is atop the leaderboard, sharing the top spot with Michael Otero of Weatherford, Texas, with just two preliminary performances remaining on Wednesday and Thursday.

“I didn’t say I wanted to win part time,” said Brazile, the winningest cowboy in ProRodeo history with 24 world championships. “I said I wanted to go part time.”

He’s used to winning and has been doing so since his rookie season 24 years ago. Those overall gold buckles are a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association record, as are the 14 all-around crowns. He’s won individual titles in heading, tie-down roping and steer roping, and he’s one of just two men to have qualified for the National Finals in all four roping disciplines – he first qualified in 1998 as a heeler.

WATCH: Last night, Sam Fowler's interview with Trevor Brazile:
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Brazile has qualified for the National Finals 52 times – 31 to the NFR and 21 to the National Finals Steer Roping, which is a separate event from the 10-day championship in Las Vegas but still features only the top 15 steer ropers in the game.

So, it’s no wonder he wanted to take a break from the game and focus his attention toward his family, which includes his wife, Shada, and their three children.

“There are a lot of big rodeos in the first quarter of the year, and most of them happen in Texas,” Brazile said, noting that living in Decatur, Texas, allows him to make those events easier; San Angelo’s rodeo overlaps other big stock shows in Fort Worth and San Antonio and leads into another in Houston.

As for his runs over the weekend, he credits a smart approach to his tie to being at the top of race heading into the championship round, which takes place Friday and features just the top 12 contestants in each event from the preliminary rounds.

“I put two wraps on those calves,” he said, explaining that it makes for a more secure tie to the calf’s three legs and cuts down on the chances that the animal can break free of the grasp, which would have resulted in a no-time. “The first one I had at Fort Worth kicked lose for me to win the first round because I put a wrap and a hooey on him, so I wasn’t going to let that happen again.”

Brazile will return to San Angelo for a four-day run inside the storied coliseum. He and Clay O’Brien Cooper will compete in team roping Wednesday and Thursday, then there’s the short round on Friday and the Chute-Out on Saturday.

“It’s always a great rodeo,” Brazile said. “I always say I love to compete there, because there are so many tie-down roping fans. There are a lot of rodeo fans in general, too, but between the (Roping) Fiesta and the stock show, there are some die-hard roping fans.”

No wonder he’s already excited about his return to west Texas in just a few days.

San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo

Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, Feb. 13-15

Bareback Leaders: 1. Bill Tutor, 88 points on Lancaster and Jones’ Highway Man; 2. Caleb Bennett, 85.5; 3. Austin Foss, 85; 4. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Jake Vold, 84; 6. (tie) Hunter Brasfield and David Peebles, 83; 8. Tanner Aus, 82.5; 9. Zach Hibler, 82; 10. Jesse Pope, 81; 11. (tie) Tony Barrington and Cody Cabeen, 79.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Tucker Allen, 3.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Don Payne and Josh Clark, 3.7; 4. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Sam Shelton, 3.8; 6. Denell Henderson, 3.9; 7. Jacob Talley, 4.0; 8. Dru Melvin, 4.2. Second round: 1. Richard Coats, 3.2 seconds; 2. Dirk Tavenner, 3.8; 3. Tom Lewis, 3.9; 4. (tie) Tanner Brunner and Gary Gilbert, 4.0; 6. (tie) Sam Powers, Ross Mosher and Josh Garner, 4.1. Average: 1. Scott Guenthner, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Tucker Allen, 8.2; 3. Denell Henderson, 8.3; 4. Dru Melvin, 8.4; 5. Josh Clark, 8.7; 6. (tie) Jacob Edler and Blake Knowles, 9.2; 8. Tyler Pearson, 9.5; 9. Payden McIntyre, 9.6; 10. (tie) Stephen Culling and Cody Devers, 9.7; 12. Mike McGinn, 9.8.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.6 seconds; 2. Nelson Wyatt/Rich Skelton, 3.7; 3. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 3.8; 4. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 3.9; 5. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes, Manny Equsquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy and Tyler Waters/Brady Norman, 4.0; 8. Anthony Lucia/Wesley Moss, 4.1. Second round leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Paul Eaves and Caleb Smidt/Will Woodfin, 3.6; 4. Brandon Webb/Kollin VonAhn, 3.7; 5. (tie) Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, Lathen Bryant/Morgan McVay and Shane Phillip/John Phillip, 3.8; 8. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 3.9. Average leaders: 1. Clay Smith/Jake Long, 7.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Aaron Tsinigine/Kyle Lockett, 8.1; 3. Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, 9.5; 4. Garett Chick/Ross Ashford, 9.7; 5. Marcus Theriot/Coleby Payne, 9.8; 6. Levi Simpson/Cole Davison, 10.0; 7. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Dustin Searcy, 10.1; 8. Bart Brunson/Trace Porter, 11.5; 9. Lane Santos Karney/Dillon Wingereid, 11.9; 10. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Ryan Motes and Ryan Reed/Monty Joe Petska, 13.4; 12. Cory Clark/Lane Mitchell, 13.7. 

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Rusty Wright, 87.5 points on Northcott & Macza’s Banshee; 2. (tie) Cody DeMoss and Colt Gordon, 87; 4. Ryder Wright, 84; 5. (tie) Preston Burr, Wade Sundell and Chase Brooks, 83; 8. Kolby Wanchuk, 82.5; 9. (tie) Aaron Lide and Wyatt Casper, 82; 11. Brody Cress, 81.5; 12. (tie) Tate Owens, Hawkins Boyce, Jake Wright and CoBurn Bradshaw, 81. 

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Jake Pratt, 7.0 seconds; 2. Michael Otero, 7.1; 3. Kyle Lucas, 7.4; 4. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Blair Smith, 7.5; 6. Tuf Cooper, 7.6; 7. (tie) Blane Cox, John Douch and Bryson Sechrist, 7.7. Second round leaders: 1. Adam Gray, 7.1 seconds; 2. (tie) Justin Smith and Bradley Bynum, 7.2; 4. (tie) Tyler Milligan and Cory Solomon, 7.3; 6. (tie) Cimarron Boardman and Jesse Clark, 7.6; 8. Trevor Brazile, 7.7. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Trevor Brazile and Michael Otero, 15.2 seconds on two runs; 3. Jesse Clark, 15.5; 4. Jake Pratt, 15.9; 5. Tuf Cooper, 16.1; 6. Haven Meged, 16.5; 7. Hunter Herrin, 16.6; 8. Blake Ash, 16.7; 9. Bradley Bynum, 17.1; 10. Matt Shiozawa, 17.2; 11. Cory Solomon, 17.3; 12. Tyler Milligan, 17.5; 10. Trenton Smith, 17.8; 11. Cody Huber, 18.0; 12. Ryle Smith, 18.8.

Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Nicole Love, 14.08 seconds; 2. Alex Lang, 14.19; 3. (tie) Teri Bangart and Sherry Cervi, 14.29; 5. Stevi Hillman, 14.32; 6. (tie) Halyn Lide and Kappy Allen, 14.34; 8. Mindy Goemmer, 14.35; 9. Dona Kay Rule, 14.38; 10. Lois Ferguson, 14.40. Average leaders: 1. Nicole Love, 30.20 seconds on two runs; 2. Alex Lang, 30.47; 3. Teri Bangart, 30.59; 4. Carolyn Uhler, 30.61; 5. (tie) Stevi Hillman and Cheyenne Wimberley, 30.62; 7. Ryann Pedone, 30.64; 8. (tie) Dona Kay Rule and Ilyssa Glass, 30.69; 11. (tie) Halyn Lyde and Kappy Allen, 30.79.

Bull riding leaders: 1. (tie) Aaron Williams, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Tequila Worm, and Stetson Wright, on United Pro Rodeo’s Happy Days, 89 points; 3. Brady Portenier, 87; 4. Rorey Maier, 85; 5. (tie) Cole Meloncon and Riker Carter, 84; 7. Aaron Pass, 83.5; 8. (tie) Dave Mason and Wyatt Edwards, 83; 10. Scottie Knapp, 82.5; 11. (tie) Parker Breding, Koby Radley and Lane Nobles, 82.

WATCH: Interview with Jeff Bertus:
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