DODGE CITY, Kan. – There are times when a seasoned veteran needs to go back to school.
That was the case for Taos Muncy, one of the greatest saddle bronc riders in the game today. He was just a college sophomore in 2007 when he won his first world championship, then followed that four years later with his second gold buckle.
Over time, he’s qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo nine times, so he’s a proven winner. But July wasn’t very good, and he had fallen to 17th in the world standings.
“Rodeo’s a real humbling,” said Muncy of Corona, N.M. “I’ve had heck. I went 10 or 11 rodeos without a check. So, I decided to go home for three days. I just regrouped and went back to the basics. I spurred my spur board every day and watched some of my rides from the past and figured out what I was doing wrong.”
That bit of self-education paid off Thursday night during the second performance of the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. Muncy matched moves with Frontier Rodeo’s Big News for 85.5 points to take the saddle bronc riding lead at Roundup Arena.
“I really didn’t know that horse, but I knew (2015 world champ) Jacobs Crawley won Beaumont on him,” Muncy said. “I knew he was a younger horse. He was everything they said he was. I gave him a pile of rein and just went at it.”
The rein is attached to the horse’s halter, and cowboys lift with it as they make their spur rides to help them maintain balance and allow for a fluid motion. The movement of the horse’s head determines how much rein is needed
“It’s kind of scary to do that with a younger horse when you haven’t seen hit,” he said. “But I knew it’s a Frontier horse, so you know they’re gong to do their job. For a colt, he’s pretty big and is going to get bigger.”
Now he’s hoping that momentum carries over. He has earned a little more than $46,000 this season but knows he needs several thousand more in his pockets by the end of the regular season if he is to return to the NFR – only the top 15 on the money list in each event advance to Las Vegas in December.
“I’ve been trying to make things happen instead of just letting it happen, but today felt good,” Muncy said. “I know I can do it. I just need to keep after it. I’m not in the top 15, so doing well here could dang sure do it.
“I’ve placed here over the years, but I’ve never won it. This is definitely a rodeo that’s on my bucket list to win.”
And it all happened because he got to spend time at home in central New Mexico with his wife, Marissa, and their two kids, Marley and Milo.
“I’ve been real fortunate because they spent about two weeks with me on the road,” he said. “I just haven’t been able to see them at the house. It was nice to sleep in my own bed. I just played with those kids, enjoyed every moment and remembered why I rode broncs, so I hope now everything comes together.
Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
Aug. 1-5
Bareback riding leaders:1. (tie) Seth Hardwick, on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Wrangler Valley, and Wyatt Denny, on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Hot Valley, 84 points; 3. (tie) Clayton Biglow and Steven Dent, 83; 5. Jesse Pope, 82; 6. Will Martin 78; 7. J.C. Hester, 76; 8. Will Lowe 75; 9. (tie) Kenny Haworth and Tony Barrington, 73; 11. (tie) Orin Larsen and Mark Kreder, 69; no other qualified rides.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Cody Pratt, 3.8 seconds; 2. Bridger Anderson, 4.2; 3. Tyler Waguespack, 4.3; 4. Tom Lewis, 4.4; 5. (tie) Kyle Irwin and Heath Thomas, 4.6; 7. Stockton Graves, 4.8; 8. Kyle Whitaker, 4.9; 5. Justin Shaffer, 5.3; 6. Blake Knowles, 5.7; 7. Jacob Talley, 5.9; 8. Ty Talsma, 6.0. Second round leaders: 1. Tyler Pearson, 3.7 seconds; 2. Aaron Vosler, 4.0; 3. Nick Guy, 4.2; 4. (tie) Stockton Graves and Bridger Anderson, 4.3; 6. (tie) Blake Knowles and Tyler Waguespack, 4.4; 8. Taylor Gregg, 4.7. Average leaders: 1. Bridger Anderson, 8.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 8.7; 3. Stockton Graves, 9.1; 4. (tie) Heath Thomas and Cody Pratt, 9.9; 6. Blake Knowles, 10.1; 7. Kyle Irwin, 10.3; 8. (tie) Levi Rudd and Kyle Whitaker, 10.4; 10. Shane Frey, 10.7; 11. Trever Nelsen, 10.8; 12. Taylor Gregg, 12.7.
Team roping:First round leaders: 1. Jr. Dees/Cody Cowden, 4.7 seconds; 2. Paul David Tierney/Danner Braden, 5.0; 3. Tyler Wade/Tyler McKnight, 5.4; 4. Steven Duby/Evan Arnold, 5.6; 5. Matt Sherwood/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.4; 6. Cale Markham/Jake Clay, 6.6; 7. Nelson Wyatt/Trace Porter, 6.9; 8. Dylan Gordan/Gage Williams, 7.2. Second round leaders: 1. Tyler Wade/Tyler McKnight, 4.8; 2. Jake Orman/Will Woodfin, 5.0; 3. JoJo LeMond/J.D. Yates, 5.4; 4. Jr. Dees/Cody Cowden, 5.5; 5. Jake Barnes/Rich Skelton, 5.9; 6. Cale Markham/Jake Clay, 6.9; 7. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 7.4; 8. Billy Peters/Rio Esquibel, 9.6. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Tyler Wade/Tyler McKnight and Jr. Dees/Cody Cowden, 10.2 seconds on two runs; 3. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 12.4; 4. Cale Markham/Jake Clay, 13.5; 5. Billy Peters/Rio Esquibel, 17.6; 6. JoJo LeMond/J.D. Yates, 21.1; 7. Dylan Gordon/Gage Williams, 22.1; 8. Wheston Jones/Jett Hillman, 2 2.2; 9. Jake Orman/Will Woodfin, 25.4; 10. Lane Ivy/Blaine Vick, 25.5; 11. Steven Duby/Evan Arnold, 5.6 seconds on one run; 12. Jake Barnes/Rich Skelton, 5.9.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Taos Muncy, 85.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big News; 2. (tie) Spencer Wright and Bradley Harter, 83.5; 4. (tie) Rusty Wright and Mitch Pollock, 82.5; 6. Dawson Hay, 81; 7. Wyatt Casper and Clay Elliott, 80.5; 9. Jacobs Crawley, 80; 10. Lefty Holman, 79.5; 11. (tie) Sterling Crawley and Tyrel Larsen.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Paul David Tierney, 8.8 seconds; 2. (tie) Weldon Watson and Cooper Martin, 9.1; 4. Tuf Cooper, 9.4; 5. (tie) Ty Baker and Charlie Gibson, 9.6; 7. Blair Burk, 10.0; 8. Treg Schaack, 10.1. Second round leaders: 1. Hudson Wallace, 8.8 seconds; 2. Cheyenne Harper, 9.4; 3. Dennis Luetge, 9.6; 4. Reese Reimer, 9.7; 5. Ty Baker, 10.9; 6. Seth Cooke, 10.5; 7. Bryson Sechrist, 10.7; 8. Weldon Watson, 11.0. Average leaders: 1. Ty Baker, 19.6 seconds on two runs; 2. Weldon Watson, 20.1; 3. Bryson Sechrist, 22.0; 4. Cheyenne Harper, 23.1; 5. (tie) Charlie Gibson and Cooper Martin 25.0; 7. Cole Bailey, 26.1; 8. Casey Butaud, 26.4; 9. Hudson Wallace, 27.8; 10. Cimarron Boardman, 30.2; 11. Josh Pool, 33.2; 12. Kody Mahaffey, 33.4.
Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Sarah Rose McDonald, 17.15 seconds; 2. Shali Lord, 17.16; 3. Jimmie Smith, 117.18; 4. Lori Todd, 17.20; 5. Cierra Chapman, 17.41; 6. Ali Armstrong, 17.43; 7. Diana Shoop, 17.59; 8. Sabrina Devers, 17.61; 9. Hollie Etbauer, 17.63; 10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.64. Second round leaders: 1. Shali Lord, 17.32 seconds; 2. Skyla Whitters, 17.38; 3. Cierra Chapman, 17.39; 4. Deb Cox, 17.64; 5. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.66; 6. Aimee Kay, 17.68; 7. (tie) Sabrina Devers and Jimmie Smith, 17.75; 9. Jodee Miller, 17.76; 10. Dona Kay Rule, 17.79. Average leaders: 1. Shali Lord, 34.48 seconds on two runs; 2. Cierra Chapman, 34.80; 3. Jimmie Smith, 34.93; 4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 35.30; 5. Sabrina Devers, 35.36; 6. Deb Cox, 35.38; 7. Diana Shoop, 35.54; 8. Sydney Frey, 35.70; 9. Aimee Kay, 35.75; 10. Micah Samples, 35.86; 11. Holly Wright, 36.04; 12. Janie Johnson, 36.10.
Bull riding leaders: 1. J.W. Harris, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Kooty Crazy; 2. Aaron Williams, 86; 3. Laramie Mosley, 85; 4. Ruger Piva, 84; 5. Tim Bingham, 83.5; 6. Callum Miller, 81.5; 7. Tyler Bingham, 81; 8. Fulton Rutland, 80.5; 9. Chase Dougherty, 78; 10. Trevor Kastner, 76.5; 11. Trevor Reiste, 75; no other qualified rides.