LANDON McCLAUGHERTY, Tilden, Texas

There were no magic seeds that served in the Timed Event Championship pumpkin for Landon McClaugherty last March.

Maybe the sophomore jinx took over for the rookie magic that appeared in 2011. After a phenomenal start to his TEC career, in which he finished the 25 head in a cumulative time in 366.3 seconds, the Texan struggled a year ago. But that’s the challenge each of the 20 men in this prestigious field face throughout the weekend.

Now it’s time to rebound, which is just what McClaugherty did for the remainder of the 2012 ProRodeo campaign. In fact, he won 17 event titles, including all-around crowns at 10 rodeos, most notably the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour event in Lovington, N.M. He doubled up by adding tie-down roping titles in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Vinita, Okla., while also winning team roping in Los Fresnos, Texas, and Bellville, Texas.

And even though there were no steer roping titles, McClaugherty won plenty of money in the event; he qualified for the second time in his career for the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping.

It’s all more proof that he’s a very talented all-around cowboy, and he plans to tell the world about it by the time this weekend is through.