GUYMON, Okla. – It’s been eight years since Chet Johnson won a share of the saddle bronc riding championship at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo.

He’s ready to win it again. On Friday, he and traveling partner Tyler Corrington scored 84-point rides to take the early lead in the rodeo’s classic event during the rodeo’s opening night. Now they’ll await the final three performances to see how they finish.

“It’s early in the rodeo, and there are a lot of good guys with a lot of good horses still to ride,” said Johnson, of Gillette, Wyo. “It would great if Tyler and I both won one of those belts together.”

The Pioneer Days Rodeo championship belt is one of the most treasured trophies in the game. Many world champions attach their gold buckles to their Guymon belt, so the No Man’s Land title special.

“The guy that makes the belts lives in Gruver (Texas) and is a buddy,” said Corrington, a native Minnesotan who also lives in the Texas town about 20 minutes south of Guymon. “He makes all my leather stuff for me. It’d be fun to go in there and watch him make my belt.”

Corrington and Johnson did their parts with solid rides inside Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. Corrington matched moves with Lori Darling, while Johnson rode Sweet Maria – both the horses are from the Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo string.

“She’s a lot of fun,” Johnson said of Sweet Maria, which, like Lori Darling, has been selected to perform at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “She’s a little horse, and she gets kind of tricky at the end.

“During the first six seconds, it was a lot of fun. I can’t wait to get on her again.”

Corrington had tried his hand with Lori Darling before, and he found the gray mare to be a nice fit.

“She just feels awesome,” he said “She takes a bunch of rein and is the one you’d want.

“This is a great rodeo to come to. The horses are always good, and any money you can win is awesome.”

Corrington and Johnson travel the rodeo circuit with another top cowboy, Cort Scheer of Elsmere, Neb., who spends a good portion of his season living in Guymon. All three qualified for the NFR this past December.

“Chet made an awesome ride,” Corrington said. “His horse was a little trickier than min. I’m just fortunate to be leading it with him.”

Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo
April 28-May 4
Results through the first performance
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Tim O’Connell, 86 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlet’s Web; 2. Tilden Hooper, 83; 3. Kyle Brennecke, 82; 4. Winn Ratliff, 81; 5. (tie) Yance Day and Justin McDaniel, 78; 7. Justin Pollmiller, 72; 8. Heath Ford, 69.

Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Keven Daniel/York Gill, 6.4 seconds; 2. Arky Rogers/Travis Woodard, 7.9; 3. David Key/Jett Hillman, 9.6; 4. Jimmy Tanner/Shawn Harris, 10.8; no other qualified times. Aggregate leaders: 1. Arky Rogers/York Gill, 27.3 seconds on three runs; 2. David Key/Jett Hillman, 32.6; 3. Keven Daniel/York Gill, 12.2 seconds on two runs; 4/ Coleman Proctor/Jake Long, 14.7; 5. Charly Crawford/Ryan Motes, 15.3; 6. Ty Blasingame/J.W. Borrego, 15.5; 7. Cole Dorenkamp, 15.9; 8. Turtle Powell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 16.1.

Steer roping: Fifth round leaders: 1. Jason Evans, 11.7 seconds; 2. Joe Wells, 12.6; 3. Cody Lee, 12.7; 4. Brady Garten, 13.1; 5. Chance Kelton, 13.2; 6. Randy Wells. Aggregate leaders: 1. Chance Kelton, 68.1 seconds on five runs; 2. Brady Garten, 78.6; 3. Randy Wells, 55.5 seconds on four runs; 4. Cody Lee, 59.6; 5. Colt Carter, 67.2; 6. Mark Milner, 69.2.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. (tie) Chet Johnson, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Sweet Maria, and Tyler Corrington, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Lori Darling, 84 points

Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Brady Hageman, 4.8 seconds; 2. Rowdy Parrott, 4.9; 3. Tom Lewis, 5.2; 4. Austin Eller, 5.7; 5. Casey Martin, 5.8; 6. Jon Herl, 6.0; no other qualified times. Aggregate leaders: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 15.2 seconds on three runs; 2. Brady Hageman, 21.9; 3. Austin Eller, 24.4; 4. Tom Lewis, 24.6; 5. Jon Herl, 26.2; 6. Casey Martin, 27.3; 7. Josh Peek, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 8. Cole Edge, 9.2.

Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Timber Moore, 8.2 seconds; 2. Clay Long, 9.7; 3. Tyson Durfey, 11.5; 4. Chase Williams, 15.6; 6. Jeff Chapman, 21.0; no other qualified times. Aggregate leaders: 1. Timber Moore, 26.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Clay Long, 27.2; 3. Chase Williams, 32.2; 4. Tyson Durfey, 32.7; 5. Jeff Chapman, 45.8; 6. Marty Yates, 15.7 seconds on two runs; 7. Ryan Jarrett, 16.5; 8. Trevor Brazile, 17.0.

Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Toni Harden, 17.18; 2. Carlee Pierce, 17.21; 3. Tara Carr, 17.47; 4. Reann Zancanella, 17.55; 5. Kelly Yates, 17.60; 6. (tie) Shali Lord and Cheyenne Shipps, 17.62; 8. Ari-Anne Flynn, 17.65; 9. Emily Miller, 17.66; 10. (tie) Sherry Cervi and June Holeman, 17.67. Aggregate leaders: 1.Toni Hardin, 35.12 on two runs; 2. Sherry Cervi, 35.37; 3. Reann Zancanella, 35.40; 4. Cindy Gillespie, 35.54; 5. (tie) Bridgett Carr and Cheyenne Shipps, 35.66; 7. (tie) Brittany Grant and Ari-Anna Flynn, 35.70; 9. Sabrina Ketcham, 35.80; 10. Tye Green, 35.81.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Dallee Mason, 77 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Next Thing Smoking; no other qualified rides.