DODGE CITY, Kan. – There is a silver piece of hardware with some red rubies and a Budweiser logo that rests on a special place in a home near Helena, Montana.

Timmy Sparing won it eight seasons ago when he was crowned the steer wrestling champion at the 2014 Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. He’s trying to get a matching set and placed himself into position to do just that with is runs during Wednesday’s opening day of Dodge City’s rodeo.

“That’s at home on the dresser,” Sparing said of his first Roundup buckle. “It’s a trophy now, but I’d like to add another one to it.”

He started his day in the morning, knocking his steer to the ground in 4.1 seconds; he sits second in the opening go-round. During Wednesday’s performance, he was 4.2, and his cumulative time of 8.3 seconds is the fastest of all steer wrestlers in the mix so far. He sits third in the second round and first in the aggregate.

What’s he been doing in the years since he won Roundup?

“I took a couple years off and went back home and competed in circuit rodeos for a while,” said Sparing, now 33. “I battled a few injuries, got healthy, and I’m glad to be back here.”

Wednesday was the first of four days of preliminary competition. In the men’s timed events – steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping – cowboys will compete in two go-rounds. The top 12 cumulative scores on two runs when Saturday comes to a close will qualify for Sunday’s championship round.

That’s when the buckles will be handed out and the lion’s share of the payout will be issued.

“This first (day), you’ve got to get your name on the board,” Sparing said. “There are a bunch of tough bulldoggers coming up in the next three days. Hopefully (the score) will hold up, and I’ll be here for the short round, but the caliber of bulldoggers coming up, they’re just so good.”

He had an advantage in the horse he was riding and the man who was helping keep the steer lined out.

“I’m riding Bridge Chambers’ horse, Rooster,” said Sparing, who is 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds. “I’ve ridden him and Dirk Tavenner’s horse this year. Horsepower is a huge part of bulldogging. It’s a lot of technique for me.  I’m a little bit smaller than a lot of the bulldoggers. I rely on technique and horsepower, and it’s been working good.”

Yes, it has. His best finish was eight seasons ago, when he finished 38^th in the world standings. With two months remaining in the regular season, Sparing sits 10^th this season. Only the top 15 on the money list when the season concludes Sept. 30 will qualify for the National Finals Rodeo.

He’s proving that having a good horse and a great hazer comes in handy. For the latter, he relies on Tavenner, an NFR qualifier who has also hazed at the sport’s grand finale.

“Dirk is one of the best in the business,” Sparing said. “You don’t have to worry about him at all. You just go do your job.”

That works, too.

Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
Aug. 3-7, 2022
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Wyatt Denny, 86.5 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Pistol Princess; 2. Anthony Thomas, 82.5; 3. A.J. Ruth, 72; 4. Colton Crawford, 70; no other qualified rides.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Landris White, 4.0 seconds; 2. Timmy Sparing, 4.1; 3. (tie) Stetson Jorgensen and E.J. Joos, 4.2; 5. Grady Payne, 4.4; 6. Jace Melvin, 4.5; 7. (tie) Mike McGinn and Nick Guy, 5.6. Second round leaders: 1. Dakota Eldridge, 3.7 seconds; 2. Dalton Massey, 4.1; 3. Timmy Sparing, 4.2; 4. Landris White, 4.4; 5. Stetson Jorgensen, 4.6; 6. (tie) Kalane Anders and Jace Melvin, 4.7; 8. Ty Allred, 5.0. Average leaders: 1. Timmy Sparing, 8.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Landris White, 8.4; 3. Stetson Jorgensen, 8.8; 4. Jace Melvin, 9.2; 5. Kalane Anders, 9.7; 6. Mike McGinn, 10.0; 7. Bridger Chambers, 10.1; 8. Nick Guy, 10.2; 9. (tie) Grady Payne and Ty Allred, 10.3; 11. Colt Honey, 10.5; 12. Dalton Massey, 17.6.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 5.5 seconds; 2. Quinn Kesler/Caleb Hendrix, 6.0; 3. Nelson Wyatt/Tyler Worley, 6.2; 4. Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams, 6.5; 5. Ryan VonAhn/Kollin VonAhn, 6.6; 6. Chet Weitz/Jace Davis, 7.3; 7. Hagen Peterson/Scotty Lauaki, 7.5; 8. Nick Becker/Tyrel Taton, 8.2. Second round leaders: 1. Tanner James/Max Kuttler, 5.3 seconds; 2. Quinn Kesler/Caleb Hendrix, 6.4; 3. J.D. Yates/Marcus Banister, 8.1; 4. Jeff Johnston/Jett Hillman, 10.4; 5. Ryan VonAhn/Kollin VonAhn, 12.7; 6. Nelson Wyatt/Tyler Worley, 15.1; no other qualified runs. Average leaders: 1. Quinn Kesler/Caleb Hendrix, 12.5 seconds on two runs; 2. J.D. Yates/Marcus Banister, 16.4; 3. Ryan VonAhh/Kollin VonAahn, 19.3; 4. Nelson Wyatt/Tyler Worley, 21.3; 5. Tanner James/Max Cuttler, 5.3 seconds on one run; 6. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 5.5; 7. Kreece Thompson/Chad Williams, 6.5; 8. Chet Weitz/Jace Davis, 7.3; 9. Hagen Peterson/Scotty Lauaki, 7.5; 10. Nick Beker/Tyrel Taton, 8.2; 11. Ben Jordan/Trevor Hale, 9.3; 12. Jeff Johnston/Jett Hillman, 10.4.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Riggin Smith, 85.5 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Michael; 2. Lefty Homan, 83.5; 3. Shorty Garrett, 83; 4. Logan Cook, 82.5; 5. (tie) Wyatt Casper and Isaac Diaz, 82; 7. Will Pollock, 80.5; 8. Jake Clark, 79.  

Breakaway roping leaders: 1. Loni Lester, 3.0 seconds; 2. Mable McAbee, 3.1; 3. Winnter Williams, 3.3; 4. Sawyer Gilbert, 3.8; 5. Hannah Hughes, 4.1; 6. Brandy Gilbert, 4.5; 7. Alyssa Bigon, 4.7; 8. Jayme Marcrum, 5.5; 9. Ashlyn Moeder, 5.7; 10. Brooke McLemore, 12.8.

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 8.3 seconds; 2. Kincade Henry, 8.7; 3. Westyn Hughes, 8.8; 4. Blake Chauvin, 9.3; 5. Marty Yates, 9.4; 6. (tie) Anthony Jordan and Benny Mosley, 10.9; 8. Chet Weitz, 10.1. Second round leaders: 1. King Pickett, 8.2 seconds; 2. Riley Webb, 9.0; 3. Marty Yates, 9.2; 4. (tie) Cory Solomon and Adam Gray, 9.3; 6. Benny Mosley, 10.0; 7. (tie) Chae Webster and Westyn Hughes, 11.7. Average leaders: 1. Cory Solomon, 17.6 seconds on two runs; Marty Yates, 18.6; 3. Benny Mosley, 20.0; 4. Westyn Hughes, 20.5; 5. Riley Webb, 21.3; 6. King Pickett, 21.5; 7. Chet Weitz, 23.7; 8. (tie) Chase Webster and Anthony Jordan, 24,7; 10. Reese Riemer, 27.9; 11. Riley Pruitt, 29.2; 12. Stetson Vest, 33.3.  

Barrel racing leaders: 1. Tarryn Lee, 17.28 seconds; 2. Destri Devenport, 17.45; 3. Tammy Peterson, 17.49; 4. Jacie Etbauer, 17.60; 5. Timber Allenbrand, 17.67; 6. Kallie Gates, 17.76; 7. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 18.12; 8. BryAnna Haluptzok, 22.19; 9. Stacey Hansen, 22.56; 10. Latricia Mundorf, 22.59; 11. Londyn Ross, 22.65; 12. Ilyssa Riley, 22.74.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Canyon Bass, 85.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s 997; 2. Brett McAbee, 84.5; 3. Trevor Reiste, 82.5; 4. Creek Young 79.5; 5. Reid Oftedahl, 73; no other qualified rides.