LOVINGTON, N.M. – Travis Sheets knew a few things about Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies, but he wasn’t sure exactly what it would be like to ride the 9-year-old bay gelding.
“I’ve seen him a couple of times, and I’ve heard good stories about him,” said Sheets, a saddle bronc rider from Hyannis, Neb. “I was pretty excited to have him today.”
He had good reason. Sheets and True Lies worked together for 85 points Wednesday night to lead after opening night of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo at Jake McClure Arena. He’ll have to wait until Saturday’s final performance concludes to know the final results, but Sheets has a good feeling about his chances.
“That horse felt really good,” he said. “He just feels like a million dollars. I’d like to haul him in the trailer with me and get on him everywhere I go.”
Sheets holds a two-point lead over Wrangler National Finals Rodeo veteran J.J. Elshere of Hereford, S.D., who rode Carr’s Deuces Wild for 83 points. Sheets sits just outside the top 40 in the world standings, so he’d like to get on that roll and make a big move up the world standings.
“I had kind of a slow July,” he said. “It’s been picking up.”
And doing well in Lovington is key, because the rodeo is part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour, a group of 23 lucrative events all across the United States.
“There aren’t too many tour rodeos left, and I need to count every one I go to,” Sheets said. “There’s still a good chance, so hopefully I can keep drawing good and keep riding good.”
With the Lea County Fair and Rodeo drawing all the biggest names in ProRodeo, the Nebraska cowboy knows it might be a bit of a stretch to win the event title, but there’s always hope.
“To win this rodeo, it would mean a lot,” he said. “This would be one of the biggest rodeos I would have ever won if it holds. I doubt I win it, but I think that score will hold for a good check.”
Lea County Fair and Rodeo
Lovington, N.M.
Aug. 8-11
Bareback riding leaders: 1. (tie) Caleb Bennett, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Outa Sight, and Seth Hardwick, on Carr Pro Rodeo’s River Boat Annie, 86 points; 3. (tie) J.R. Vezain and Casey Colletti, 83; 5. Will Lowe, 81; 6. Steven Peebles, 78; 7. Richie Champion, 76.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Kash Koester and Jacob Shofner, 4.0 seconds; 3. Ben Shofner, 4.6; 4. Riley Hork, 5.0; 5. (tie) Teddy Johnson and Jack Hodges, 5.7; 7. Aaron Vosler, 5.8; 8. Cooper Shofner, 5.9. Second round leaders: 1. Stockton Graves, 4.6 seconds; 2. Ben Shofner, 4.8; 3.Jacob Shofner, 5.4; 4. Riley York, 5.5; 5. Cimarron Thompson, 5.9; 6. Clay Gravatt, 6.7; 7. Cooper Shofner, 7.7; 8. (tie) Rhett Kennedy and Zack Cobb, 7.8. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Ben Shofner and Jacob Shofner, 9.4 seconds on two runs; 3. Riley York, 10.5; 4. Cooper Shofner, 13.6; 5. Clay Gravatt, 17.4; 6. Zack Cobb, 20.0; 7. Kash Koester, 4.0 on one; 8. Stockton Graves, 4.6.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Thiel, 8.0 seconds; 2. Ross Beasley, 8.5; 3. Shane Hanchey, 8.8; 4. (tie) Sterling Smith and Matt Kenney, 9.1; 6. Beau Marshall, 9.2; 7. Scott Kormos, 9.3; 8. Cimarron Boardman, 9.5. Second round leaders: 1. Matt Kenney, 8.7 seconds; 2. Cimarron Thompson, 10.5; 3. Quay Howard, 10.8; 4. Cliff Kirkpatrick, 13.2; 5. Seth Emerson, 13.8; 6. Taylor Smith, 14.6. Average leaders: 1. Matt Kenney, 17.8 on two runs; 2. Quay Howard, 22.1; 3. Cliff Kirkpatrick, 24.8; 4. Seth Emerson, 27.6; 5. Trevor Thiel, 8.0 on one; 6. Ross Beasley, 8.5; 7. Shane Hanchey, 8.8; 8. Sterling Smith, 9.1.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Travis Sheets, 85 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s True Lies; 2. J.J. Elshere, 83; 3. Bradley Harter, 81; 4. Sterling Crawley, 78; 5. Cody Martin, 77; 6. Robert Aragon, 75; 7. (tie) Jacobs Crawley and Louie Brunson, 74.
Steer roping: Third round leaders: 1. Bryce Davis, 10.5 seconds; 2. Brent Lewis, 11.9; 3. Scott Snedecor, 12.4; 4. (tie) Rocky Patterson, Jim Davis and Buster Record Jr., 13.9. Average leaders: 1. J.P. Wickett, 42.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Brent Lewis, 44.4; 3. Rod Hartness, 50.4; 4. Landon McClaugherty, 26.2 on two; 5. Scott Snedecor, 27.2; 6. C.A. Lauer, 29.3.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.2 seconds; 2. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.5; 3. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8; 4. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 5.3; 5. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 5.4; 6. Kaleb Driggers/Jade Corkill, 5.6; 7. Billy Stephens/Justin Hendrick, 6.1; 8. Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 6.6. Second round leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 4.3 seconds; 2. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 4.8; 3. Arky Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.2; 4. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 6.0; 5. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 9.9; 6. Carly Crawford/Jim Ross Cooper, 14.3. Average leaders: 1. Erich Rogers/Kory Koontz, 8.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres, 11.4; 3. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 20.2; 4. Charly Crawford/Jim Ross Cooper, 22.4; 5. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.2 on one; 6. (tie) Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz and Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.8; 8. Arky Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.2.
Barrel racing leaders: 1. Shada Brazile, 17.64 seconds; 2. Caren Lamb, 17.70; 3. Gretchen Benbenek, 17.71; 4. Kim Schulze, 17.74; 5. Kelsi Walraven, 17.89; 6. April Denny, 22.73.
Bull riding leaders: 1. Dalton Votaw, 89 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Missing Parts; 2. Friday Wright III, 60; no other qualified rides.