ATOKA, Okla. – Jake Clay and Rance Doyal are having a nice bit of luck roping at events in their home state of Oklahoma.

On Friday night, the team ropers stopped the clock in 5.5 seconds to win the opening night of the Atoka ProRodeo at the Atoka Trail Riders Arena. That was worth $790 per man and gives them a nice bit of confidence heading into Saturday’s second day of competition.

“I like that it pays this well for being a smaller rodeo,” said Clay, 22, a header Sapulpa, Oklahoma. “It’s perfect, because you get two rodeo counts for the circuit and get to rope for some decent money.”

Every cent counts in rodeo, where dollars equal points. Only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event at the conclusion of the regular season advance to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale. The same is said for each circuit. Clay and Doyal compete in the Prairie Circuit, made up of contestants and events primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.

“It’s a good rodeo,” Clay said of Atoka. “It’s a little muddy, but that’s nobody’s fault. The steers are good, and we had a chance to win. That’s really all you could ask for.

He and his partner are toward the top of the circuit standings. Clay sits second in heading, while Doyal is the No. 1 heeler; he lives just 50 miles northeast of Atoka in Hartshorne, Oklahoma.

In March, the tandem pocketed $6,500 apiece by placing well at the Bob Feist Invitational during its one-year run at the Lazy E Arena near Guthrie, Oklahoma. While that money doesn’t count toward ProRodeo standings, it does come in handy.

“My goal is to make the National Finals,” Clay said. “That’s always been a goal of mine, and I’m going to try to do what it takes to get there.”

That included making a switch a year ago. As a heeler, he teamed with five-time NFR qualifier Coleman Proctor to win the aggregate championship at the 2019 Prairie Circuit Finals. Since then, the young cowboy is opening as many doors as possible to make his dreams come true.

“I’ve always liked heading,” Clay said. “I’ve wanted to head, and I figured if I was going to do it, I may as well do it while I was young and see how it works.”

It seems to be workout out quite well.

Atoka ProRodeo
Atoka, Oklahoma
May 21
Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Mark Kreder, on McCoy Rodeo’s Foxtrot, and Jayco Roper, on McCoy Rodeo’s Party Girl, 78 points, $204 each; 3. Tanner Phillips, 72, $117; 4. Danny Weil, 66, $58.

Steer wrestling: 1. Adam Musil, 5.8 seconds, $323; 2. Tyler Pearson, 6.8, $243; 3. Sean Mulligan, 8.4, $162; 4. Shawn Musil, 10.0, $81.

Team roping: 1. Jake Clay/Rance Doyal, 5.5 seconds, $790; 2. Dustin Morgan/Nick Rowland, 6.7, $592; 3. Wyatt Muggli/Casey McCleskey, 7.5, $395; 4. Britt Smith/Jake Smith, 11.1, $197.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Timothy Troyer, 79 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Dun It, $267; 2. Dawson Dahm, 73, $200; 3. Brady Burton, 67, $133; no other qualified rides.

Breakaway roping: 1. Jackie Crawford, 2.4 seconds, $1,249; 2. (tie) Tacy Webb and Martha Angelone, 2.6, $926 each; 4. Jenna Lee Hays, 2.8, $603; 5. (tie) Shai Schaefer and Shelby Boisjoli, 3.0, $301 each.

Tie-down roping: 1. Landon McClaugherty, 13.8 seconds, $429; 2. Wyatt Muggli, 20.8, $321; 3. Kyle Lucas, 22.7, $214; 4. Layton Little, 24.6, $107.

Barrel racing: 1. Shelby Janssen, 17.84 seconds, $573; 2. Stephanie Joyner, 18.01, $498; 3. Taitum Thomas, 18.07, $423; 4. Randi Holliday, 18.11, $349; 5. Tana Poppino, 18.20, $274; 6. Molly Childers, 18.27, $199; 7. Lindsey McLeod, 18.39, $125; 8. Katy Pendergrass, 18.70, $50.
Steer roping: First round: 1. Bryce Davis, 11.6 seconds, $720; 2. Cole Patterson, 13.4, $540; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 13.5, $360; 4. Trent Johnson, 14.2, $180. Second round: 1. Jason Stockton, 11.7 seconds, $720; 2. Shay Good, 12.0, $540; 3. Matt Phipps, 12.6, $360; 4. (tie) Cash Myers and Tony Reina, 13.1, $90 each. Average: 1. Cole Patterson, 28.9 seconds on two runs, $1,080; 2. Cash Myers, 32.2, $810; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 33.1, $540; 4. Bryce Davis, 11.6 seconds on one run, $270.  

Bull riding: 1. Joseph McConnel, 87 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Real Gun, $403; 2. Joe Alejos Jr., 77, $330; no other qualified rides.