(PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN)
GUYMON, Okla. – Dean Thompson is trying to make a name for himself in professional rodeo.
He’s a first-year bareback rider with big-time dreams and an athletic acumen to get him to where he wants to go. Heading into this weekend’s activities, he was fifth in the Resistol Rookie of the Year race and 12th in the world standings.
He made a statement during Saturday night’s third performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, riding Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire for 92.5 points to take the bareback riding lead with one day left in the weeklong event.
“Before it started, we were (behind the chutes) thinking that horse was something like a dragon,” said Thompson, 21, of Altamont, Utah. “That’s a big bucking horse.”
He learned about his match-up through the random draw when it was released Tuesday afternoon. He experienced a bit of trepidation and excitement. Gun Fire has been one of the best bucking horses in ProRodeo for several years, and in 2022, the buckskin mare was named the Bareback Horse of the Year.
She earned it over the course of the campaign. She was bucked several times, and the average score was better than 90 points. In 2021, the average score on Gun Fire was almost 92 points. That’s sensational. That year, only one cowboy scored less than 90, and he was just a half point shy of that marking.
“When she left out of there, I saw that my markout was good,” Thompson said of the start of his ride, where the heels of his boots were above the break of the horse’s shoulders. “I felt that first jump and saw that I was in a good spot, and then it just got good.”
Yes, it did, and it was the arena record to boot. A year ago, eventual world champion Jess Pope was 92 on Gun Fire to set the mark. The rookie from Utah bettered it by a half point, and it was a fight.
“I knew that horse was going to be all there, and she was and then some,” he said.
With one performance remaining, Thompson will have to ride the storm out to see if he can earn the biggest victory of his young career. It is his highest marking yet, and but he’s just getting started. There are hundreds of great bucking horses in ProRodeo, and he’ll have a shot at many of them.
But on this day in the Oklahoma Panhandle, Dean Thompson conquered the beast.
Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo
May 1-7
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Dean Thompson, 92.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire; 2. Donny Proffit, 88; 3. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Orin Larsen, 87; 5. Leighton Berry, 86; 6. (tie) Cooper Cook and Kade Sonnier, 85; 8. Keenan Hayes, 83.5.
Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 6.6 seconds; 2. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 6.8; 3. Kreece Thompson/Landen Glenn, 7.2; 4. Tyler Waters/Douglas Rich, 7.3; 5. Rio Nuter/Reece Wadhams, 7.6; 6. Casey Hicks/Steve Orth, 7.9; 7. Klay Yaussi/Kash Yaussi, 8.3; 8. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 8.5. Average leaders: 1. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 21.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Tyler Waters/Douglas Rich, 23.0; 3. Casey Hicks/Steve Orth, 23.8; 4. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 28.9; 5. Braden Pirrung/Lane Siggins, 32.4; 6. J.C. Yeaqho/L.J Yeahquo, 33.3; 7. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 36.4; 8. Kreece Thompson/Landen Glenn, 36.7.
Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Mason Couch, 3.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Cash Robb, Brandon Harrison, Ty Bauerle and J.D. Struxness, 4.6; 6. (tie) Joshua Hefner and Austin Anderson, 5.3; 8. Laramie Warren, 5.4. Average leaders: 1. Mason Couch, 13.1 seconds on three runs; 2. J.D. Struxness, 13.3; 3. Cash Robb, 14.6; 4. (tie) Brandon Harrison and Cody Devers, 15.0; 6. Joe Nelson, 15.9; 7. (tie) Joshua Hefner and Landris White, 16.1.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Tanner Butner, 90 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Lonesome Eyes; 2. Wyatt Casper, 88.5; 3. (tie) Brody Cress and Lefty Holman, 86.5; 5, (tie) Chase Brooks, Logan Cook and Cort Scheer, 85.5; 8. Sam Martin, 84.
Breakaway roping: Second round leaders 1. Josie Conner, 2.1 seconds; 2. Cheyenne Bartling, 2.6; 3. (tie) Kodi Hansen and Christi Braudrick, 2.7; 5. (tie) Lari Dee Guy and Madison Outhier, 2.8; 7. Rheagan Cotton, 2.9; 8. Sequin Brewer, 3.0. Average: 1. Josie Conner, 4.9; 2. Madison Outhier, 5.10; 3. Christi Braudrick, 5.4; 4. Jackie Crawford, 5.5; 5. (tie) Cheyenne Bartling and Kodi Hansen, 5.7; 7. (tie) Lari Dee Guy, Rheagan Cotton and Sequin Brewer.
Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Marley Berger, 7.4 seconds; 2. Kincade Henry, 8.1; 3. Shane Hanchey, 8.5; 4. (tie) Marcos Costa and Bryce Derrer, 8.6, 6. Trenton Smith, 8.9; 7. (tie) Cory Solomon and Ty Harris, 9.3. Average leaders: 1. Ty Harris, 26.0 seconds on three runs; 2. Shane Hanchey, 27.1; 3. Kincade Henry, 27.4; 4. Bryce Derrer, 27.5; 5. Connor Blaise Atkinson, 27.7; 6. Cory Solomon, 27.8; 7. Trell Etbauer, 28.5; 8. Luke Potter, 29.1.
Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Taycie Matthews, 16.95 seconds; 2. Wenda Johnson, 17.09; 3. Leslie Smalygo, 17.44; 4. Quincy Sullivan, 17.15; 5. Kathryn Hawkins, 17.16; 6. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.17; 7. Paige Jones, 17.19; 8. (tie) Ivy Saebens and Suzanne Brooks, 17.25; 10. Austyn Tobey, 17.27. Average leaders: 1. Tracy Nowlin, 34.47 seconds on two runs; 2. Paige Jones, 34.49; 3. Quincy Sullivan, 34.64; 4. Ilyssa Riley, 34.73; 5. (tie) Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Acey Pinkston, 34.74; 7. Austyn Tobey, 34.76; 8. Ivy Saebens 34.77; 9. Kappie Bryant, 34.79; 10. Suzanne Brooks, 34.90.
Bull riding leaders: 1. Junior Souza, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s County Jail; 2. Colton Kelly, 86.5; 3. Dustin Boquet, 86; 4. Deklan Garland, 84.5; no other qualified rides.