Cooper Seeking Eighth Gold Buckle In PRCA Team Roping

Cooper Seeking Eighth Gold
Buckle In PRCA Team Roping

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Between 1985 and 1994, Clay O'Brien Cooper of Glen Rose, Texas, won a PRCA-record seven world team roping titles with partner Jake Barnes of Cave Creek, Ariz.

This year, Cooper is making a strong drive to win an eighth gold buckle with header David Key of Caldwell, Texas.

Key seemed right at home in Caldwell, Idaho, and the tandem claimed Tour-round and aggregate titles at the Caldwell Night Rodeo. In doing so, they earned 28 Tour points each and jumped into third and second place, respectively, in the Tour's team roping standings after earning just 25 points through the summer Tour's first six stops.

The Outdoor Life Network will televise highlights from Caldwell's Tour round on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET.

The Caldwell Night Rodeo gave cowboys and cowgirls another chance to earn Tour points in hopes of qualifying for the Pace Picante ProRodeo Challenge, Sept. 25-27 in Omaha, Neb. Only the top 12 contestants in each event's Tour standings following the final Tour stop in Pendleton, Ore., on Sept. 13 qualify for the Pace Challenge.

Reigning world all-around champion Trevor Brazile of Anson, Texas, who bagged aggregate and all-around titles in Caldwell, also scored 28 Tour points, taking a chunk out of the lead held by Blair Burk of Durant, Okla.
Leaders at the top of the Tour standings changed in bareback riding, team roping (heading) and barrel racing.
Two-time and reigning Canadian champion Davey Shields Jr. of Bashaw, Alberta, scored 21 points and moved up from third place to grab the Tour standings lead with three stops remaining. Tanner Bryson of Cornville, Ariz., earned 14.5 Tour points to leapfrog Barnes for the top spot, while Kelly Kaminski of Bellville, Texas, claimed 29 Tour points and took over the lead from fellow Texan and rookie Brittany Pozzi of Victoria.

Rope Myers of Van, Texas, who won the 2001 world steer wrestling title, highlighted the list of contestants who moved into the top 12 with solid efforts in Caldwell. Myers won the Tour round, earned 15.5 points and climbed six spots to No. 8.

Tie-down roper Brad Goodrich of Hermiston, Ore., made a similar six-spot move into eighth after scoring 11 points, capped by a fourth-place showing during Saturday's Tour round.

Idaho cowboy Rowdy Buechner of Sandpoint performed well in his home state, moving into seventh place after earning 22 Tour points. He had the best score in the first round and finished in a three-way tie for second in the aggregate.

In the all-around competition, Trevor Brazile, Anson, Texas, leads with $153,818 in season earnings to date. Close on his heels is Cody Ohl, Stephenville, Texas, with $102,438. Ohl is followed by Scott Johnson, Gustine, Texas, with $95,281; Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $92,063; and Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D., $81,488.

Standings by event:

Bareback riding: 1. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, $88,566; 2. Tom McFarland, Morristown, Ariz., $68,642; 3. Darren Clarke, Lewisville, Texas, $60,688; 4. Cody Jessee, Prineville, Ore., $60,252; 5. Pete Hawkins, Weatherford, Texas, $57,569.

Steer wrestling: 1. Shawn Greenfield, Lakeview, Ore., $75,765; 2. Brich Negaard, Buffalo, S.D., $53,111; 3. Mickey Gee, Wichita Falls, Texas, $49,530; 4. Rope Myers, Van, Texas, $48,917; 5. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas, $46,398.

Team roping (heading): 1. Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont., $64,000, 2. Speed Williams, Amarillo, Texas, $60,338; 3. David Key, Caldwell, Texas, $53,764; 4. Trevor Brazile, Anson, Texas, $47,123; 5. Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas, $44,805.

Team roping (heeling): 1. Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D., $64,000; 2. Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, $60,338; 3. Wayne Folmer, El Paso, Texas, $60,010; 4. Clay O’Brien Cooper, Glen Rose, Texas, $51,688; 5. Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas, $44,242.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Glen O’Neill, Didsbury, Alberta, Canada, $108,942; 2. Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, $84,840; 3. Dan Mortensen, Billings, Mont., $81,888; 4. Scott Johnston, Gustine, Texas, $81,474; 5. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D., $65,961.

Tie down roping: 1. Cody Ohl, $92,779; 2. Blair Burk, $85,474; 3. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $73,184; 4. Trevor Brazile, $67,345; 5. Mike Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., $63,620.

Bull riding: 1. Terry Don West, Henryetta, Okla., $136,531; 2. Tyler Fowler, Theodore, Ala., $77,896; 3. Robey Condra, Dayton, Texas, $68,067; 4. Ryan Brown, Temecula, Calif., $67,668; 5. B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis., $60,471.

Steer roping: 1. Guy Allen, Santa Anna, Texas, $49,827; 2. Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas, $43,721; 3. Trevor Brazile, Anson, Texas, $39,349; 4. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., $26,185; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, $19,938.

Barrel racing: 1. Kelly Kaminski, Belleville, Texas, $57,551; 2. Melanie Southard, Cushing, Okla., $56,153; 3. Kelly Yates, Pueblo, Colo., $53,751; 4. Brandie Halls, Carpenter, Wyo., $38,455; 5. Darlene Kasper, Bertram, Texas, $37,523.

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