LOVINGTON, N.M. – Even at 19, Clayton Jon Biglow has long dreamed of having a long and storied rodeo career.
At 38, Cody Wright is still living his dream.
On the final night of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo on Saturday, the two cowboys were mixed in among a world-class field of 2015 champions during the exposition’s 80th anniversary.
Biglow matched moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Scarlet’s Web for 87 points to share the bareback riding victory with Jake Brown. Wright, a two-time world champion and a 12-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, posted an 86 on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Sweet Maria for 86 points to share saddle bronc riding victory with Cort Scheer; both Scheer and Brown competed Thursday night.
“I like this rodeo, because Pete has a bunch of good horses,” Wright said of the Dallas-based stock contractor. “That’s where you like to come. It looked like there were a lot of chances to win tonight; apparently there was a lot of chances every night.
“That’s good, especially when I’ve got four people enter that I want to see win. I want to go where we all have a chance to win, and Pete’s rodeos are usually them. It seems to me the horses want to buck here in Lovington. It’s a good rodeo.”
He should know. Over the last five years, Wright has earned a good living in Lovington. Two seasons ago, he shared the victory with his younger brother, Jake, also an NFR qualifier.
Biglow is at the other end of the spectrum. He isn’t even a rookie in ProRodeo. He’s a permit-holder, which, in essence, means he’s trying out for the big leagues. Apparently he’s got a pretty good hang of it, even though he plans to remain on his permit a while longer.
“I’m not going to get my PRCA card until I think I’m ready,” said Biglow of Clements, Calif. “I’m still in college, so I won’t do it for the next couple of years when I’m done with school. When I buy my card, I want to rodeo hard and try to make the finals my rookie year.”
If he keeps riding like he did Saturday night, he stands a great chance to do just that. Of course, it helps to draw one of the greatest horses in ProRodeo in Scarlet’s Web, which has been selected to perform at the NFR nine times.
“It was a little intimidating, especially for a guy like me,” Biglow said. “When you see your name next to one of those really good horses, it gets your motor running. She felt amazing, exactly how I was hoping she’d feel.
“Pete Carr’s got a hell of a string of horses.”
He does, but the Lea County Fair and Rodeo has proven to be a great stop for the top cowboys and cowgirls in the game. The rodeo has been recognized the last two years as one of the top five large outdoor rodeos in the country.
“It’s a combination of great stock, good money and great fans,” Wright said. “There are great people putting it on and making it good. Nobody wants to go to a sorry-run rodeo. You go to a few of them, so it’s nice to go to one that’s run well. It’s not boring. I’m sure it’s not sitting as a fan, because it’s not boring back here, and I’m just catching a glimpse of what’s going on in the arena.”
Lea County Fair and Rodeo
Lovington, N.M.
Aug. 5-8
All-around champion: JoJo LeMond, $4,855 in team roping and steer roping.
Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Jake Brown, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Sadie’s Gal, and Clayton Jon Biglow, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlet’s Web, $4,683 each; 3. Kaycee Feild, 86, $3,004; 4. Evan Gray, 85, $1,944; 5. (tie) Ryan Gray and Clint Laye, 83, $1,060 each; 7. (tie) Tyler Scales and Caleb Bennett, 82, $619 each.
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tyler Pearson, 3.3 seconds, $1,930; 2. Dean Gorsuch, 3.6, $1,679; 3. Stockton Graves, 3.7, $1,427; 4. (tie) Wade Sumpter, Cooper Shofner and Christian Pettigrew, 3.9, $923 each; 7. Monty Eakin, 4.0, $420; 8. Seth Brockman, 4.1 $168. Second round: 1. Nick Guy, 3.2 seconds, $1,930; 2. Jacob Shofner, 3.5, $1,679; 3. (tie) Cole Edge and Casey Martin, 3.6, $1,301 each; 5. (tie) Tyke Kipp and Cooper Shofner, 3.7, $793; 7. Tyler Waguespack, 3.8, $420; 8. (tie) Cody Kroul and Bray Armes, 3.9, $84. Average: 1. Cooper Shofner, 7.6 seconds on two runs, $2,896; 2. Tyler Pearson, 8.1, $2,518; 3. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Bray Armes, 8.2, $1,951; 5. Dean Gorsuch, 8.3, $1,385; 6. (tie) Seth Brockman and Trevor Knowles, 8.6, $818; 8. Dakota Eldridge, 8.7, $252.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Marty Yates, 7.9 second, $2,539; 2. (tie) Riley Pruitt and Ryan Jarrett, 8.2, $2,042 each; 4. Shane Hanchey, 8.5, $1,545;5. Sterling Smith, 8.6, $1,214; 6. Tuf Cooper, 8.9, $883; 8. (tie) J.D. Kibbe and Monty Lewis, 9.1, $110 each. Second round: 1. Stran Smith, 7.6 seconds, $2,539; 2. Cory Solomon, 7.8, $2,208; 3. Cade Swor, 8.3, $1,877; 4. Blaine Cox, 8.6, $1,545; 5. Ace Slone, 8.7, $1,214; 6. Tuf Cooper, 8.8, $883; 7. Marcos Costa, 9.0, $552; 8. Jesse Clark, 9.2, $221. Average: 1. Tuf Cooper, 17.7 seconds on two runs, $3,808; 2. Marcos Costa, 18.5, $3,312; 3. (tie) Blaine Cox and Sterling Smith, 19.0, $2,566; 5. Bradley Bynum, 19.2, $1,821; 6. Adam Gray, 20.0, $1,325; 7. Stran Smith, 20.2, $828; 8. Riley Pruitt, 20.3, $331.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Cort Scheer, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Showgirl, and Cody Wright, on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Sweet Maria, 86 points, $4,235 each; 3. Sam Spreadborough, 84, $2,717; 4. Isaac Diaz, 83, $1,758; 5. (tie) Allen Boore and Jesse James Kirby, 82, $959; 7. (tie) Tyrel Larsen and Spencer Wright, 81, $559.
Steer roping: Third round: 1. Shay Good, 10.1 seconds, $1,969; 2. Chet Herren, 12.1, $1,629; 3. JoJo LeMond, 12.5, $1,390; 4. (tie) Neal Wood, Brent Lewis and Guy Allen, 12.6, $634.. Average: 1. Cody Lee, 41.5 seconds on three runs, $2,953; 2. Brodie Poppino, 41.7, $2,444; 3. Guy Allen, 42.0, $1,935; 4. Troy Tillard, 43.1, $1,426; 5. Chet Herren, 44.3, $917; 6. Corey Ross, 57.3, $509.
Team roping: First round: 1. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 5.1 seconds, $1,842; 2. Travis Tryan/Jett Hillman, 5.2, $1,602; 3. Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 5.4, $1,362; 4. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.6, $1,121; 5. (tie) Nate Singletary/Tom Bill Johnson and Jake Barnes/Junior Nogueira, 5.8, $761 each; 7. JoJo LeMond/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 5.9, $401; 8. Nathan McWhorter/Wesley Thorp, 6.0, $160. Second round: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.7 seconds, $1,842; 2. (tie) JoJo LeMond/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Chad Masters/Travis Graves, Joel Bach/Jim Ross Cooper, Aaron Macy/Chad Williams and Bubba Buckaloo/Russell Cardoza, 4.8, $1,121; 7. Cale Markham/Buddy Hawkins Jr. 5.0, $401; 8. Edward Hawley Jr./Ty Romo, 5.0, $160. Average: 1. Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 10.2 seconds on two runs, $2,764; 2. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 10.4, $2,403; 3. JoJo LeMond/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 10.7, $2,043; 4. Travis Tryan/Jett Hillman,11.3, $1,682; 5. Edward Hawley Jr./Ty Romo, 11.8, $1,322; 6. Jake Barnes/Junior Nogueira, 11.9, $961; 7. Justin Davis/Trey Johnson, 13.1, $601; 8. Ethan Shelley/Corban Livingston, 14.0, $240.
Barrel racing: 1. Carley Richardson, 17.70 seconds, $4,330; 2. Jessica Frost, 17.74, $3,464; 3. (tie) Janet Staton and Hailey Kinsel, 17.83, $2,490 each; 5. Alicia Stockton, 17.84, $1,732; 6. Michelle Lummus, 17.87, $1,299; 7. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 17.89, $1,082; 8. Paige Conrado, 17.91, $974; 9. Meghan Johnson, 17.92, $866; 10. Kenna Squires, 17.95, $758; 11. Dawn Lewis, 17.97, $649; 12. Christine Laughlin, 18.0, $541; 13. Jackie Ganter, 18.04, $433; 14. (tie) Ivy Conrado and Jill Wilson, 18.12, $271.
Bull riding: 1. Cody Teel, 88 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Lonestar, $5,048; 2. (tie) Sage Kimzey and Bryce Barrios, 84, $3,365; 4. (tie) Bayle Worden and Casey Huckabee, 82, $1,514; 6. Corey Granger, 78, $841; 7. Tanner Learmont, 75, $673; 8. Dallee Mason, 73, $505.