GUYMON, Okla. – Tristan Martin has good reason to be confident.
He’s coming off his best season in the PRCA, and he’s off to a hot start in 2022. It all added up to a phenomenal three days at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. He placed in the first two go-rounds Wednesday and Thursday and has already pocketed more than $1,600.
He put an exclamation point Friday night with a 3.8-second run to take the third-round and aggregate leads with three performances remaining at Oklahoma’s Richest Rodeo.
“That steer had a pretty good track record; they were 4.0 on him and missed him one time,” Martin said of the animal he was matched with via the random draw. “I knew if I got my start and got my hands on him, I’d do my job and it would all be over with.”
In addition to having a successful week – with a great opportunity to capitalize even more at the conclusion of the rodeo – he’s enjoying the trip with his wife, Josee, and their 4-month-old baby boy, Boudreaux David. Guymon was a good stopping point for the cowboy from Sulphur, Louisiana, and he and his little family travel for a branding at her family’s place in Wyoming.
“We’re having a good time,” he said. “I’ve placed at this rodeo, but I’ve always wanted to win Guymon. The (trophy) belt, I think, is pretty iconic, with the Guymon conchos. Hopefully it’s mine this year.”
He understands importance of having a unique trophy like the belt. Many rodeos offer buckles for their champions, but Guymon provides another wearable souvenir.
“I’d really like to get a belt from here and a gold buckle this year,” he said of the world champion’s hardware.
Martin started competing in ProRodeo five seasons ago and has worked his way up the money list. He earned his first qualification to the National Finals Rodeo this past season, where he won the third round and finished third in the NFR aggregate race. He pocketed nearly $110,000 over 10 days in Las Vegas and finished fifth in the world standings.
So far this year, he’s earned just shy of $50,000 and is third in the world standings. That’s likely to change if his place in Guymon holds up.
“I did good in high school and college and progressed in the pros,” said Martin, 26. “I had to work at it a little more, go to the gym. I feel like I’m at the top of my game, and it feels great.”
Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo
April 26-May 2
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Dean Thompson, 85 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Center Line; 2. Keenan Reed Hayes, 83; 3. Kyle Charley, 76.5; 4. Andy Gingerich, 76; 5. A.J. Ruth, 74; 6. Derrik Thompson, 66; no other qualified scores.
Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Shay Carroll/Evan Arnold, 5.7 seconds; 2. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 12.2; 3. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 16.4; 4. Bodie Mattson/Bryan Lemmon, 18.1; 5. Caleb Smidt/Jim Ross cooper, 22.1; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 34.9 seconds on three runs; 2. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 36.0; 3. Bodie Mattson/Bryan Lemmon, 45.9; 4. Shay Carroll/Evan Arnold, 12.3 seconds on two runs; 5. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 13.9; 6. Jhett Trenary/Gralyn Elkins, 14.4; 7. Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison, 14.6; 8. (tie) Coy Rahlmann/Douglas Rich and Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 14.7.
Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Tristan Martin, 3.8 seconds; 2. Tory Johnson, 4.5; 3. Emmettt Edler, 4.6; 5. Adam Musil, 4.7; 6. Ryan Nettle, 15.0; 7. Gage Hesse, 15.7; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Tristan Martin, 11.6 seconds on three runs; 2. Tory Jonson, 14.7; 3. Blake Mindemann, 14.9; 4. Adam Musil, 16.9; 5. Emmett Edler, 17.6; 6. Gage Hasse, 25.0; 7. Ryan Nettle, 25.2; 8. Grady Payne, 7.7 seconds on two runs.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Mitch Pollock, 85.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Lil Sugar; 2. Wyatt Casper, 84; 3. CoBurn Bradshaw, 82; 4. Tyrel Larsen 78.5; 5. Brady Hill, 78; 6. (tie) Cash Wilson and Kade Bruno, 77; 8. Damian Brennan, 76.5.
Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Jake Booze, 11.9 seconds; 2. Nolan Richie, 13.7; 3. Cory Solomon, 14.7; 4. Reese Riemer, 15.8; 5. Caleb Smidt, 18.2; 6. Humpty Whayne Jr., 19.2; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Nolan Richie, 32.8 seconds on three runs; 2. Cory Solomon, 33.1; 3. Caleb Smidt, 35.4; 4. Jake Booze, 36.4; 5. Reese Riemer, 42.6; 6. Humpty Whayne Jr., 44.0; 7. Marty Yates, 16.7 seconds on two runs; 8. Will Howell, 17.5.
Barrel racing: First round: First round: 1. Wenda Johnson, 16.94 seconds, $2,171; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 17.19, $1,861; 3. (tie) Nicole Driggers and Shelley Morgan, 17.30, $1,448 each; 5. Taycie Matthews, 17.32, $1,034; 6. (tie) Ivy Hurst and Tracy Nowlin, 17.33, $724 each; 8. Kyle Scribner, 17.35, $414; 9. Rachael Werkmen, 17.36, $310; 10. (tie) Paige Jones and Tami Semas, 17.39, $103 each. Second round leaders: 1. Leslie Smalygo, 16.85 seconds; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 17.03; 3. Elizabeth Schmid, 17.12; 4. Katelyn Scott, 17.28; 5. Cayla Small, 17.35; 6. Emily Mangione, 17.36; 7. (tie) Paige Jones and Josey Grovers, 17.42; 9. Cheyenne Wimberley, 17.44; 10. Shanna Simmons, 17.55. Average leaders: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 34.22 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Elizabeth Schmid, Leslie Smalygo and Paige Jones, 34.81; 5. Cayla Small, 34,96; 6. Katelyn Scott, 35.03; 7. Josey Groves, 35.30; 8. Kendall Kennedy, 35.35; 9. Sidney Forrest, 35.36; 10. Shali Lord, 35.53.
Bull riding leaders: 1. Shawn Bennett Jr., 87 points on Magic Poison; 2. Riley Barg, 78; 3. Trey Holston, 76; no other qualified rides.