Trevor Brazile is one of the greatest cowboys to have ever competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
Now the 16-time world champion has the advantage in one of the tightest races in recent history at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping after opening night. Brazile placed in three go-rounds Friday night at the Lazy E Arena and leads the aggregate.
“It makes you go to bed tonight with good thoughts when you come here to execute,” said Brazile, the three-time and reigning Steer Roping World Champion from Decatur, Texas. “It’s far from over, but it lets you sleep better to do what you came here to do. We’re a long way from finishing this thing out. If you don’t finish, the start doesn’t matter.
Brazile holds a 9.6-second lead in the average over the No. 2 man, J.P. Wickett, a 13-time NFSR qualifier from Sallisaw, Okla. Two-time world champion Rocky Patterson of Pratt, Kan., leads the world standings with $70,855, but he’s just $303 ahead of Brazile. Vin Fisher Jr. of Andrews, Texas, is third with $68,042, while Cody Lee of Gatesville, Texas, is fourth, $67,399.
But Brazile’s advantage is greater than that. He’s the only one in the World Title contention to have tied down all five steers. The final five rounds take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3.
“Trevor’s in the driver’s seat with the average and the fact that he ropes really good,” said Patterson, who scored times on just three of five runs Friday night. “I’ve just got to try to win first every round and see where the cards fall at the end.”
Roping on Champ, the Reserve World Champion Steer Roping Horse borrowed from friend Chris Glover, Brazile is taking a business approach to his 16th qualification to the Clem McSpadden.
“I’m just trying not to let any of the outside factors of what’s going on with the roping interfere with my game plan,” he said. “I just want to execute. I know the runs I’ve been making in practice all week, and I want to bring that to the Lazy E and do the exact same thing.
“The friends you have in the rodeo industry are priceless. It’s a blessing to have Chris. He finished 16th in the world, so he didn’t make it here this year. But his horse is here, and I’m grateful for that.”
A lot of cowboys would like to be as consistent as Brazile was Friday. Chet Herren of Pawhuska, Okla., started off hot, posting a 10.8-second run to win the opening go-round. He held the lead in the average through three rounds, then things fell apart.
Fisher won the second (10.8 seconds) and fourth go-rounds (12.0), then failed to score a time in the fifth round. Still, he remains fifth in the average. Patterson won the third round in 12.2, while Chance Kelton of Mayer, Ariz., equaled the fastest run of the night (10.8) to win the fifth round.
“I love this race,” Brazile said. “I think it’s the best thing in the world for steer roping. It’s a great time to be a steer roping fan. It’s healthy for the sport, and it’s fun for the contestants. It’s what sports is all about.”
Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping
Lazy E Arena
Nov. 2-3, 2012
First round: 1. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 10.8 seconds, $5,077; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 11.9, $4,077; 3. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 12.0, $3,077; 4. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 12.1, $2,077; 5. Ralph Williams, Skiatook, Okla., 12.5, $1,077.
Second round: 1. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 10.8 seconds, $5,077; 2. (tie) Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., and Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 12.0, $3,577 each; 4. Mike Chase, McAlester, Okla., 12.5, $2,077; 5. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 13.1, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 23.9 seconds on two head; 2. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 24.0; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 24.9; 4. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 25.7; 5. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 26.2.
Third round: 1. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 12.2 seconds, $5,077; 2. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 12.6, $4,077; 3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 12.8, $3,077; 4. Cody Scheck, Ellinwood, Kan., 12.9, $2,077; 5. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 13.7, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 36.5 seconds on three head; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 39.0; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 40.5; 4. Mike Chase, McAlester, Okla., 43.0; 5. Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas, 44.3.
Fourth round: 1. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 12.0 seconds, $5,077; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 12.2, $4,077; 3. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 12.9, $3,077; 4. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 13.2, $2,077; 5. Rod Hartness, Pawhuska, Okla., 14.0, $1,077. Average leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 51.2 seconds on four head; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 52.5; 3. Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 58.2; 4. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 61.0; 5. Mike Chase, McAlester, Okla., 63.2.
Fifth round: 1. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 10.8 seconds, $5,077; 2. (tie) Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, and Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 10.9, $3,577 each; 4. Jess Tierney, Hermosa, S.D., 11.0, $2,077; 5. (tie) J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., and Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas, 13.3, $538 each. Average leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 64.7 seconds on five head; 2. J.P. Wickett, Sallisaw, Okla., 74.3; 3. Mike Chase, McAlester, Okla., 78.1; 4. Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas, 79.5; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, 52.5 on four. World standings: 1. Rocky Patterson, $70,854.75; 2. Trevor Brazile, $70,551.83; 3. Vin Fisher Jr. , $68,041.65; 4. Cody Lee, $67,398.78; 5. Chet Herren, $49,645.80; 6. Chance Kelton, $42,930.44; 7. Jess Tierney, $42,438.31; 8. Kim Ziegelgruber, $38,373.30; 9. Dan Fisher, $38,169.75; 10. Mike Chase, $37,392.40; 11. J.P. Wickett, 35,590.47; 12. Landon McClaugherty, $32,012.69; 13. Rod Hartness, $30,661.52; 14. Cody Scheck, $30,146.94; 15. Ralph Williams, $29,576.21