Wyoming tie-down roper takes 2^nd-round lead while competing for John Jaros

ESTES PARK, Colo. – To be an elite athlete, it takes an attention to detail and an intense focus.

Forgive tie-down roper Hunter Reaume for having his mind wonder a bit during Saturday night’s fourth performance of Rooftop Rodeo. He tried to focus on his run and on his calf, but there were other things going on in his heart.

“Up here in Estes, I’m roping for John Jaros,” said Reaume, 28, of Meeteetse, Wyoming. “He was on the committee here, and he passed away a few weeks ago. I’m really thankful that I had a good calf and that I could make a good run for him.”

Jaros was an important part of Estes Park Western Heritage Inc., a group of volunteers that works with the town of Estes Park to produce the annual rodeo. He was also a volunteer fireman. He died June 18, and the committee has continued to produce this year’s event while also recognizing the efforts Jaros has provided the group over the years.  

“John bought my truck from me last fall,” Reaume said. “He’s got a construction company here in town, and I met him in Vail because I was staying in the mountains. We met over the truck and just hit it off. I found out he was from here and on the rodeo committee and a big rodeo fan. He actually came to my circuit finals last fall.”

It was a bittersweet moment. Reaume stopped the clock in 8.2 seconds to take the second-round lead and sits third in the two-run aggregate. Both give him a solid chance to cash in, beyond the $100 he earned for having the fastest run of the night. After each event, the contestants with the best times or best scores take a victory lap, then stop in front of the grandstands, where they are handed a $100 bill.

“I know his family was here the other night,” he said. “This money is going to go to his family. I’m going to put it in the fund jar they have for it.”

Like Reaume, Rooftop Rodeo is part of the Mountain States Circuit, the region made up of contestants and events primarily in Colorado and Wyoming. The money he earns in the arena will help him toward another qualification to the circuit finals.

“I grew up on a horse in Wyoming, but I started taking calf roping serious in college,” Reaume said. “I couldn’t do it without this horse here. There’s definitely a bond you have with them. I’ve always been an athlete growing up, so calf roping is one of the most demanding events as far as horsemanship, roping ability and athleticism. I also like that it’s just me and my horse.”

That horse is Tango, a gelding he’s had for a couple months. Their Saturday night run was the best they’ve produced together. It just happened at a special time during a special moment.

“I come here every year,” he said. “This is one of my favorite rodeos. I love it up here. The committee’s awesome.”

Rooftop Rodeo
July 6-11
Bareback riding: 1. Bill Tutor, 87 points on Cervi Brothers’ Jelly Bean; 2. Chad Rutherford, 84; 3. (tie) Tyler Griffin and Waylon Bourgeois, 83.5; 5. Colton Crawford, 83; 6. (tie) Luke Thrash and Kory Hart, 80; 8. Will Lowe, 79.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Sam Goings, 3.8 seconds, $1,807; 2. Stockton Graves, 4.1, $1,495; 3. Travis Munro, 4.2, $1,184; 4. Cody Devers, 4.3, $872; 5. (tie) Ty Allred, Grady Payne and Landris White, 4.6, $291 each. Second round: Clayton Hass, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Kyler Dick and Shane Frey, 3.6; 4. Landris White, 3.9; 5. Rowdy Parrott, 4.0; 6. (tie) Cody Devers, Riley Duvall, Colt Honey, Tait Kvistad and Cash Robb, 4.2. Average: (tie) Cody Devers, Sam Goings, Kyler Dick and Landris White, 8.5 seconds on two runs; 5. Rowdy Parrott, 8.9; 6. Grady Payne, 9.5.   

Team roping: First round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.3 seconds, $1,869; 2. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 4.6, $1,547; 3. (tie) Chad Masters/Paul Eaves and Kolton Schmidt/Cole Davison, 4.7, $1,064 each; 5. (tie) Payden Emmett/Lucas Falconer, Luke Brown/Hunter Koch and Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp 4.8, $301 each. Second round: Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 3.9 seconds; 2. Tyler Wade/Trey Yates, 4.0; 3. Coy Rahlman/Douglas Rich, 4.1; 4. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.5; 5. Austin Crist/Josh Fillmore, 5.2; 4. Todd Drommond/Jason DeVore, 5.5. Average: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 8.8 seconds; 2. Chad Masters/Paul Eaves, 10.3; 3. Kolton Schmidt/Cole Davison, 10.9; 4. Austin Crist/Josh Fillmore, 15.5; 5. Britt Smith/Jake Smith, 15.6; 6. Payden Emmett/Lucas Falconer, 17.1.  

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ross Griffin, 85 points on Cervi’s Two Cookies; 2. Statler Wright, 84.5; 3. Houston Brown, 83; 4. Jake Watson, 82.5; 5. Spencer Wright, 82; 6. (tie) Brody Cress and Will Pollock, 81; 8. Ben Anderson, 80.5.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Riley Pruitt, 7.4 seconds, $1,890; 2. Lane Livingston, 7.9, $1,644; 3. Cody Craig, 9.1, $1,397; 4. Ryan Thibodeaux, 9.4, $1,151; 5. Blane Cox, 9.8, $904; 6. Jeremiah Peek, 10.2, $657; 7. (tie) Macon Murphy, Brody Stallard and Buck Tate, 10.4, $192 each. Second round: 1. Hunter Reaume, 8.2 seconds; 2. Garrett Jacobs, 8.6; 3. Blake Chauvin, 8.8; 4. (tie) Brody Stallard and West Smith, 9.1; 6. (tie) Sy Felton, Tom Joe Crouse and Marcos Costa, 9.3. Average: 1. Brody Stallard, 19.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Marcos Costa, 19.8; 3. Hunter Reaume, 20.4; 4. Blane Cox, 20.6; 5. Jase Staudt, 20.9; 6. Jeremiah Peek, 21.1; 7. Cason Kingsbury, 21.3; 8. Colby Anders, 22.0.  

Barrel racing: 1. Nicole Driggers, 16.39 seconds; 2. Josey Owens, 16.49; 3. Carly Cervi, 16.57; 4. Kathryn Varian, 16.62; 5. Keyla Costa, 16.66; 6. Elizabeth Ellis, 16.67; 7. (tie) Kaycee Willbanks Colletti and Reagan Laney, 16.70; 9. Wendy Hoefer, 16.74; 10. Brittyn Rocha, 16.77; 11. Leslie Smalygo, 16.85; 12. Peyton Stepanoff, 16.86.

Bull riding: 1. Jesse Flores, 87 points on Cervi’s Skim Walker; 2. Brody Yeary, 85.5; 3. Robbie James Taylor, 84.5; 4. J.R. Stratford, 84; 5. Koby Radley, 82; 6. Jackson Ward, 79; 7. Jeff Askey, 78.5; 8. Corye Daily, 70.