BY: Kendra Santos
The team roping roster at the Stampede at the E here at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie reads like a Who’s Who in rodeo’s only true tandem event. So, what are all the big dogs doing at this World Champions Rodeo Alliance rodeo on a rainy Oklahoma Tuesday?
Erich Rogers
“I’m here to see if I can double dip and pay for some of the plane tickets I’ve been having to buy,” grinned WCRA heading leaderboard #1 Rogers, who’s roping here with heeling leader Paden Bray and also Cory Petska, with whom he won the 2017 world team roping title. “Paden and I get to advance to Saturday night’s performance, because we nominated our way to the top of the leaderboard. Now I’m trying to help Cory get in, too. The WCRA is great for a lot of reasons, but it all boils down to being for the cowboys. We got to run and sort the steers here to keep it fair and even for everyone. Normally, it’s, ‘Here are the steers we brought for you guys to rope—good luck with them.’ The WCRA works with the cowboys to make a good rodeo—for the contestants and the fans. It’s may the best man win, not who draws the best.”
Cory Petska
“We’re very fortunate to be here on a Tuesday getting to rope for good money during these rough times,” said Petska, who’s also roping with his rodeo partner, Kaleb Driggers, here.“I feel very lucky to be here. We all should.”
Cody Snow
“There aren’t a lot of places you can put up $600, run one steer and have a shot at $12,000 right now,” said Snow, who won the 2019 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo team roping average heading for reigning World Champion Heeler Wesley Thorp, who’s also roping here (in fact, Thorp headed here for eight-time Champ of the World Rich Skelton). “If you rope for a living, you need to put yourself in a position to win this kind of money.”
Junior Nogueira
“I love the Lazy E—its big arena, the huge parking lot and just the feeling here,” smiled Nogueira, who’s currently heeling for Snow, moved from 16th to eighth in the world last week, and in 2016 became the first Brazilian world champion in Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association history when he was crowned the all-around champ of the world. “We don’t have that much going on rodeo-wise this year, and everyone has a chance, whether you rodeo full time or not. I’m close to home (he hangs his hat in Brock, Texas, when in the States) here, and this is the best game in team roping town today.”
Luke Brown
“I’m here because I rope for a living,” said current world heading standings leader Brown. “This is definitely a great opportunity for anybody and everybody to win some good money. The WCRA has put their whole heart into this thing for the cowboys. These guys are 100 percent for the cowboys, and as cowboys that’s a big deal to us.”
Logan Medlin
“This is one of the few places left where there’s still good money to be won,” said Medlin, who’s heeling for Charly Crawford, with whom he’s set to qualify for his first NFR in 2020. “I’m here to try and make some money. The WCRA was good before the pandemic hit. I’m going to support what they’re trying to do, so they can keep making it bigger and better.”
Patrick Smith
“I’m here because I believe in what the WCRA is trying to do,” said Smith, who won a world heeling championship with Clay Tryan in 2005 and another with King of the Cowboys Trevor Brazile—who’s also roping here—in 2010. “There will be a day when I don’t want to rodeo hard, and if the WCRA continues to grow and get better, everybody who works hard to compete at the highest level will have a chance at big things. I believe there’s a way to make money, whether you’re rodeoing full time or not. There’s a future here in the WCRA for all of us.”
