SAN ANGELO, Texas – The moment was almost surreal for Justin Davis of Cottonwood, Calif.
He was backed into the heeler box inside the San Angelo Coliseum for the championship round of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo on Friday night. To his left was his best friend, header Spencer Mitchell of Colusa, Calif. In front of them was a steer they knew they could win on.
“It’s as good as it gets,” said Davis, who finished off the tandem’s 4.0-second run to win the short round and clinch the San Angelo team roping title. “We’ve roped together our whole lives. We’ve been best friends our whole lives. I was just comfortable roping with him. We’re always on the same game plan.”
Mitchell and Davis grew up in the same part of northern California. Over the past few weeks, they made a serious run this West Texas community, placing in all three go-rounds and pocketing $9,490.
“We knew we had a good steer, and we just wanted to try not to back down at all and get out of our game plan,” said Mitchell, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier who earned the trip to Las Vegas in 2011-12. “We’d roped aggressive all week before, so we stuck to that.”
Mitchell is known for being aggressive, and that works just fine for Davis. It definitely worked in their favor Friday night and turned into the perfect way to close out a solid performance in San Angelo.
“Spencer got an unbelievable start,” said Davis, who qualified for the NFR in 2009. “He wants to be on the barrier every time and stay aggressive. He (roped the steer) really fast. As soon as he roped him, the steer checked up like he was going to stop. When Spencer turned him, the steer jumped away. I was just in the right place at the right time.
“We knew we had to be 4.6 to win the average, and I knew when Spencer got a rope on him that we were going to be fast.”
The solid finish will move both cowboys into the top 10 in their respective standings. It’s quite a bit different than last year, when Mitchell’s horse troubles caused the tandem to finish outside the top 40 in the final 2015 standings.
“We had roped together for a little while last summer, but I didn’t have the horses I felt confident in,” Mitchell said. “I just decided to go home until I got those horses.
“A friend of mine in Oregon told me at the end of the year that he had a couple of horses I needed to try. I’ve actually worked out pretty well on one of them. I’ve run four steers on her and placed on all four runs.”
That 12-year-old bay mare was a key factor in the tandem’s victory in San Angelo.
“She’s a little horse, but she has enough attitude and heart that she can make it,” he said. “She fits my style, and she has a lot of try to her. That’s what I like the most about her.”
Davis agrees, and he knows horsepower might be what gets the pair a return qualification to the NFR.
“That’s our ultimate goal,” Davis said. “I’ve had a fire lit in my ever since this year started. The mare he’s riding is unbelievable, and I’ve got two great heal horses.”
The combination allows the bragging rights to being the 2016 San Angelo champions.
“This is a huge win for us,” he said. “It’s one of the biggest rodeos of the year, and this is the biggest regular-season win of my life. This is one of the rodeos that was on my bucket list.
“There was a lot of energy in that building tonight. The events leading up to ours was good. Bareback riding was outstanding, and then my buddy, K.C. Jones, won the bulldogging. When he won it, I really wanted to win it, so that got me going even more.”
There’s no reason for Mitchell and Davis to stop now.
San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo
Feb. 5-7, Feb. 12-14, Feb. 17-19
Bareback riding: Round 1: 1. Tanner Aus, 90 points on J Bar J Rodeo’s Pass The Hat, $4,256; 2. Jake Vold and R.C. Landingham, 88, $2,837 each; 4. Caleb Bennett, 86.5, $1,560; 5. (tie) Mason Clements, Jamie Howlett and Tim O’Connell, 84.5, $757 each; 8. (tie) Luke Creasy and Jake Brown, 84, $213 each. Final round: 1. Caleb Bennett, 90.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, $1,650; 2. Jake Vold, 89.5, $1,250; 3. Tim O’Connell, 89, $900; 4. Mason Clements, 88, $600; 5. Teddy Athan, 82.5, $350; R.C. Landingham, 81, $250. Average: 1. Jake Vold, 177.5 points on two rides, $4,256; 2. Caleb Bennett, 177, $3,263; 3. Tim O’Connell, 173.5, $2,411; 4. Mason Clements, 172.5, $1,560; 5. R.C. Landingham. 169, $992; 6. Teddy Athan, 165.5, $709; 7. Luke Creasy, 161, $567; 8. Jamie Howlett, 84.5 points on one ride, $426.
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. (tie) Josh Clark and Riley Duvall, 3.6 seconds, $3,321 each; 3. (tie) K.C. Jones, T.J. Hall, Dakota Eldridge and Heath Thomas, 3.9, $1,931 each; 7. (tie) Stan Branco and Orrin Fontenot, 4.0, $541 each. Second round: 1. Jacob Talley, 3.5 seconds, $3552; 2. (tie) Blake Knowles and Kody Woodward, 3.8, $2,857 each; 4. (tie) Clayton Tuchscherer and Mike McGinn, 3.9, $1,931 each; 6. Justin Morehouse, 4.0, $1,236; 7. (tie) Rowdy Parrott and Clint Shofner, 4.1, $541 each. Final round: 1. Matt Reeves, 3.9 seconds, $2,001; 2. K.C. Jones, 4.1, $1,656; 3. Jace Melvin, 4.2, $1,311; 4. (tie) Riley Duvall and Dakota Eldridge, 4.5, $794 each; 6. Scott Guenthner, 5.2, $345; Average: 1. K.C. Jones, 12.3 seconds on three runs, $5,328; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 12.8, $4,634; 3. Riley Duvall, 12.9, $3,939; 4. Matt Reeves, 13.9, $3,244; 5. Jace Melvin, 14.2, $2,548; 6. Scott Guenthner, 14.9, $1,853; 7. Nick Guy, 15.1, $1,158; 8. Timmy Sparing, 16.0, $463.
Team roping: First round: 1. Adam Rose/Walt Woodard, 4.0 seconds, $3,506; 2. Colby Lovell/Will Wodfin, 4.1, $3,049; 3. Cody Snow/Dugan Kelly, 4.2, $2.592; 4. (tie) Billy Bob Brown/Garrett Jess and Bart Brunson/Zack Mabry, 4.5, $1,906 each; 6. (tie) Nathan McWhorter/Dustin Davis and Justin Davis/Zane Bruce, 4.6, $991 each; 8. (tie) Caleb Smidt/B.J. Dugger, Tyler Wade/Kinney Harrell and Spencer Mitchell/Justin Davis, 4.7, $102 each. Second round: 1. Kolton Schmidt/Shay Carroll, 3.6 seconds, $3,506; 2. (tie) Spencer Mitchell/Justin Davis, Brady Tryan/Tommy Zuniga and Tate Kirchenschlager/Trevor Kirchenschlager, 3.9, $2,592 each; 5. (tie) Levi Simpson/Jeremy Buhler, Lane Ivy/Allen Bach, Casey Tew/John Robertson and Drew Horner/Trey Johnson, 4.0, $991 each. Final round: 1. Spencer Mitchell/Justin Davis, 4.0 seconds, $1,537; 2. Kelsey Parchman/Matt Kasner, 4.1, $1,272; 3. Billy Bob Brown/Garrett Jess, 4.4, $1,007; 4. Colby Lovell/Will Woodfin, 4.6, $742; 5. Brandon Webb/Mickey Gomez, 4.7, $447; 6. (tie) Cody Snow/Dugan Kelly and Justin Davis/Zane Bruce, 4.8, $133 each. Average: 1. Spencer Mitchell/Justin Davis, 12.6 seconds on three runs, $5,259; 2. Colby Lovell/Will Woodfin, 13.3, $4,573; 3. Billy Bob Brown/Garrett Jess, 13.7, $3,887; 4. Kelsey Parchman/Matt Kasner, 14.1, $3,201; 5. Brandon Webb/Mickey Gomez, 14.5, $2,525; 6. Justin Davis/Zane Bruce, 14.6, $1,829; 7. Cody Snow/Dugan Kelly, 15.4, $1,143; 8. Adam Rose/Walt Woodard, 17.1, $457.
Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 88 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Rich n Fancy, $3,353; 2. Allen Boore, 85.5, $2,571; 3. Rusty Wright, 85, $1,900; 4. Curtis Garton, 83, $1,229; 5. (tie) Jesse Bail and Doug Aldridge, 82.5, $671 each; 7. Joey Sonnier III, 82, $447; 8. Tyrell Smith, 81.5, $335. Final round: 1. Rusty Wright, 86 points on J Bar J Rodeo’s Night Line II, $1,650; 2. Allen Boore, 85.5, $1,250; 3. Curtis Garton, 84.5, $900; 4. Ryan Mackenzie, 83, $600; 5. Jacobs Crawley, 82, $350; 6. Joey Sonnier, 80.5, $250. Average: 1. (tie) Rusty Wright and Allen Bore, 171 points on two rides, $2,962 each; 3. Jacobs Crawley, 170, $1,900; 4. Curtis Garton, 167.5, $1,229; 5. Ryan Mackenzie, 164, $782; 6. Joey Sonnier III, 162.5, $559; 7. (tie) Doug Aldridge and Jesse Bail, 162, $391 each.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Jake Pratt, 7.9 seconds, $4,106; 2. (tie) Michael Otero, Caleb Smidt and Neil Dove, 8.0, $3,035 each; 5. (tie) Garrett Hale and E.J. Roberts, 8.1, $1,696 each; 7. (tie) Chant DeForest and Ike Fontenot, 8.2, $625 each. Second round: 1. Marcos Costa, 7.4 seconds, $4,106; 2. Riley Pruitt, 7.7, $3,571; 3. (tie) Timber Moore and J.D. Kibbe, 7.8, $2,767 each; 5. (tie) Hunter Herrin and Justin Macha, 7.9, $1,696 each; 7. Sterling Smith, 8.1, $893; 8. (tie) Tyler Prcin, Quay Howard and Jerrad Hofstetter, 8.2, $119 each. Final round: 1. Caleb Smidt, 8.3 seconds, $1,943; 2. (tie) Jayce Johnson and Timber Moore, 9.7, $1,441; 4. Chand DeForest, 10.9, $938; 5. Tyler Prcin, 13.0, $603; 6. (tie) Zeb Chapman and E.J. Roberts, 13.1, $168 each. Average: 1. Caleb Smidt, 35.0 seconds on three runs, $6,159; 2. Timber Moore, 27.1, $5,356; 3. Jayce Johnson, 27.9, $4,552; 4. Chant DeForest, 28.7, $3,749; 5. Tyler Prcin, 30.4, $2,946; 6. E.J. Roberts, 30.7, $2,142; 7. Zeb Chapman, 31.5, $1,339; 8. Marcos Costa, 37.1, $536.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Mary Walker, 15.59 seconds, $4,624; 2. (tie) Jana Bean and Megan Lewis, 15.64, $3,633; 4. (tie) Pamela Capper and Tiany Schuster, 15.67, $2,532; 6. Sherry Cervi, 15.68, $1,762; 7. Kelley Schnaufer, 15.69, $1,321; 8. Stevi Hillman, 15.72, $881; 9. Kaley Bass, 15.76, $661; 10. Sarah Rose McDonald, 15.77, $440. Second round: 1. Tana Poppino, 13.97 seconds, $4,624; 2. Kathy Grimes, 13.98, $3,963; 3. Paxton Segelke, 14.15, $3,303; 4. Alexa Lake, 14.19, $2,862; 5. Cayla Melby, 14.20, $2,202; 6. Jackie Ganter, 14.21, $1,762; 7. Lisa Thornton, 14.22, $1,321; 6. (tie) Kristen Darnell and Mary Walker, 14.23, $771 each; 10. Tori Morris, 14.25, $440. Final round: 1. Pamela Capper, 14.22 seconds, $3,425; 2. Kristen Darnell, 14.33, $2,569; 3. Jackie Ganter, 14.35, $1,713; 4. Kelley Schnaufer, 14.49, $856. Average: 1. Pamela Capper, 44.18 seconds on three runs, $6,936; 2. Jackie Ganter, 44.35, $5,945; 3. Kristen Darnell, 44.38, $4,954; 4. Kathy Grimes, 44.47, $4,2,94; 5. Tiany Schuster, 44.54, $3,303; 6. Jana Bean, 44.62, $2,642; 7. Kelley Schnaufer, 44.65, $1,982; 8. Nicole Riggle, 44.86, $1,321; 9. Mary Walker, 49.27, $991; 10. Sherry Cervi, 50.12, $661.
Bull riding: 1. Dustin Bowen, 87.5 points on Lancaster & Jones’ Total Bull Battle Born, $9,306; 2. (tie) Joseph McConnel and Shane Proctor, 86.5, $6,204 each; 4. Tim Bingham, 86, $3,412; 5. Josh Koschel, 85.5, $2,171; 5. (tie) Reagan Avery, Jeff Bertus, John Young and Kanin Asay, 84.5, $931 each.