DUNCAN, Okla. – If you ask Paul David Tierney, the business of rodeo is just one of his jobs. Like any cowboy, he’s a jack-of-all-trades and will take on any task before him.

That’s actually how he handles life in rodeo, and his mentality has served him well. On Saturday night, he closed out two regional titles in a big fashion by placing in both tie-down roping and team roping to collect more than $6,600 in three days during the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo.

In team roping, he and his heeler, Tanner Braden of Dewey, Oklahoma, stopped the clock in 5.2 seconds to share the third-round victory with Andrew Ward of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Buddy Hawkins of Stephenville, Texas. Tierney and Braden finished fourth in the aggregate, which just added to the pocketbook.

“Tanner heeled great this year,” said Tierney, who finished second in the final heading standings, won the tie-down roping year-end title and had already clinched the circuit’s year-end all-around title before he arrived at the Stephens County Arena. “We had a little tough luck in the season, and when we came back, we started winning again and got pretty close here at the end.

“We had a chance, and that’s all you want when you come in.”

He had a $5,500 lead over the tie-down roping field, and he added to it on the final night of the championship. He roped and tied his calf in 8.1 seconds to finish second not only in the third round but also in the three-run aggregate race.

“I’ve come close a couple times and making it in the calf roping down here, and it was always the third calf that got me,” said Tierney, originally from South Dakota but now living in Oklahoma City. “We put it together on the third one and got it done and won the year-end, so it’s finally a relief.”

He just added to his expansive collection of event titles. The son of ProRodeo Hall of Fame cowboy Paul Tierney, he initially moved to the Sooner State 15 years ago to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva. He returned often and is a two-time winner of the Timed Event Championship, a unique competition in which cowboys must compete in all timed events.

He moved back for good six seasons ago when he married Ashley. That’s when he opted to make the Prairie his home circuit; it’s a region made up primarily of contestants and rodeos in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. In fact, during the three days of the circuit championship, he made the three-hour round trip in order to be back in Oklahoma City during the day.

“It’s just who I am,” Tierney said. “If I stay here, I’m just going to sit around, so instead, I’ll go home and do some stuff there. I’ve been gone all summer, so there’s plenty to do.”

He was joined in the year-end winner’s circle by bareback rider Gauge McBride of Kearney, Nebraska; steer wrestler Trisyn Kalawaia of Hilo, Weakaia; saddle bronc rider Ean Price of Leedey, Oklahoma; team ropers Ward and Hawkins; breakaway roper Christi Braudrick of Caddo, Oklahoma; barrel racer Emily Beisel of Weatherford, Oklahoma; and Creek Young of Nixa, Missouri.

All earned the right to advance to the national circuit finals rodeo, now known as the NFR Open and set for next July in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They will be joined by the aggregate champions in each event.

Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo
Oct. 12-14
Duncan, Okla.
All-around circuit finals champion: Coleman Proctor, $7,725 in team roping and steer roping. Year-end champion: Paul David Tierney.

Bareback riding: First round: 1. Jayco Roper, 84.5 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Family Traditions, $2,149; 2. Yance Day, 78, $1,612; 3. Ty Blessing, 76, $1,074; 4. Colt Eck, 75.5, $537. Second round: 1. Jayco Roper, 84.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Prime News, $2,149; 2. Quintonn Lunsford, 79, $1,612; 3. Ty Blessing, 78.5, $1,074; 4. Colt Eck, 77.5, $537. Third round: 1. Gauge McBride, 84 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Mighty Tricking, $2,149; 2. (tie) Colt Eck/Jayco Roper, 83, $1,343 each; 4. Yance Day, 82, $537. Average: 1. Jayco Roper, 252 points on three rides, $3,223; 2. Colt Eck, 236, $2,417; 3. Gauge McBride, 235, $1,612; 4. Ty Blessing, $806. Year-end champion: Gauge McBride.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Tanner Brunner, 4.2 seconds, $2,149; 2. Travis Munro, 4.4, $1,612; 3. Cody Devers, 4.5, $1,074; 4. Jerek VanPettan, 4.9, $537. Second round: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.3 seconds, $2.149; 2. Trisyn Kalavaia, 4.7, $1,612; 3. Travis Munro, 5.0, $1,074; 4. Gus Franzen, 5.2, $537. Third round: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.1 seconds, $2,149; 2. Adam Musil, 4.2, $1,612; 3. Tanner Brunner, 4.3, $1,074; 4. (tie) Trisyn Kalawaia and Cody Devers, 4.7, $269 each. Average: 1. Travis Munro, 14.7 seconds on three runs, $3,223; 2. Tanner Brunner, 14.8, $2,417; 3. Gus Franzen, 15.4, $1,612; 4. Tyler Scheevel, 15.9, $806. Year-end champion: Trisyn Kalawaia.

Breakaway roping: First round: 1. Taylor Munsell, 2.7 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Chayenne McCartney and Ari-Anna Flynn, 2.9, $1,343; 4. Sierra Heinert, 3.0, $537. Second round: 1. Christi Braudrick, 2.4 seconds, $2,149; 2. Paige Wiseman, 2.7, $1,612; 3. Beau Peterson, 2.8, $1,074; 4. Ari-Anna Flynn, 3.0, $537. Third round: 1. Sierra Heinert, 2.8 seconds, $2,149; 2. Emma Charleston, 2.9, $1,612; 3. Cheyanne McCartney, 3.0, $1,074; 4. Christi Braudrick, 3.7, $537. Average: 1. Christi Braudrick, 9.3 seconds on three runs, $3,223; 2. Cheyanne McCartney, 9.6, $2,417; 3. Sierra Heinert, 5.8 seconds on two runs, $1,612; 4. (tie) Ari-Anna Flynn and Beau Peterson, 5.9, $403 each. Year-end champion: Christi Braudrick.

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Ean Price, 85 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Cheap Sunglasses, $2,149; 2. Weston Patterson, 81, $1,612; 3. Jacob Benham, 77.5, $1,074; 4. Caleb Newell, 72, $537. Second round: 1. Sam Martin, 83 points on Frontier Rodeos Big News, $2,149; 2. Tyrel Larsen, 82, $1,612; 3. Trent Burd, 81, $1,074; 4. Ean Price, 78.5, $537. Third round: 1. Weston Patterson, 80.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s State Side, $2,149; 2. Trent Burd, 79.5, $1,612; 3. Tyrel Larsen, 76, $1,074; 4. Denton Ward, 72, $537. Average: 1. Jacob Benham, 224 points on three rides, $3,223; 2. Ean Price, 163.5 points on two rides, $2,418; 3. Weston Patterson, 161.5, $1,612; 4. Trent Burd, 160.5, $806. Year-end champion: Ean Price.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Riley O’Rourke, 8.6 seconds, $2,149; 2. Tom Crouse, 8.9, $1,612; 3. Denton Oestmann, 9.0, $1,074; 4. Ryan Jarrett, 9.1, $537. Second round: 1. Riley O’Rourke, 8.4 seconds, $2,149; 2. Tom Crouse, 8.8, $1,612; 3. Cash Fuesz, 8.9, $1,074; 4. Glenn Jackson, 9.1, $537. Third round: 1. Cash Fuesz, 7.9 seconds, $2,149; 2. Paul David Tierney, 8.1, $1,612; 3. Sam Van Buskirk, 8.4, $1,074; 4. R.J. Straw, 9.3, $537; Average: 1. Cash Fuesz, 26.1 seconds on three runs, $3,223; 2. Paul David Tierney, 27.1, $2,417; 3. Glenn Jackson, 28.1, $1,612; 4. Tom Crouse, 29.6, $806. Year-end champion: Paul David Tierney.

Team roping: First round: 1. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Gavin Foster and Brye Crites/Rance Doyal, 4.9 seconds, $1,880 each; 3. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 5.7, $1,074; 4. Curry Kirchner/Billie Jack Saebens, 5.9, $537. Second round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.1 seconds, $2,149; 2. Tyler Hobert/Shannon Frascht, 5.1, $1,612; 3. Rowdy Jones/Gage Williams, 6.0, $1,074; 4. Cam Hoelting/Dawson McMaster, 10.5, $537. Third round: 1. (tie) Paul David Teirney/Tanner Braden and Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 5.2 seconds, $1,880 each; 3. Casey Hicks/Steve Orth, 5.4, $1,074; 4. Cam Hoelting/Dawson McMasster, 5.7, $537. Average: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 18.1 seconds on three runs, $3,223; 2. Bubba Buckaloo/Gavin Foster, 22.9, $2,417; 3. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins, 10.9 seconds on two runs, $1,612; 4. Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 11.3, $806. Year-end champion header: Andrew Ward. Year-end champion heeler: 1. Buddy Hawkins.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Emily Beisel, 16.02 seconds, $2,149; 2. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Emma Charleston, 16.17, $1,43; 4. Ivy Hurst, 16.38, $537. Second round: 1. Suzanne Brooks, 16.04 seconds, $2,149; 2. Sadie Wolaver, 16.09, $1,612; 3. Ivy Hurst, 16.13, $1,074; 4. Tracy Nowlin, 16.15, $537. Third round: 1. Tracy Nowlin, 15.98 seconds, $2,149; 2. Suzanne Brooks, 16.09, $1,612; 3. Dadie Wolaver, 16.10, $1,074; 4. Emily Beisel, 16.15, $537. Average: 1. Tracy Nowlin, 48.3 seconds on three runs; 2. Emily Beisel, 48.41, $2,417; 3. Sadie Wolaver, 48.58, $1,612; 4. Ivy Hurst, 48.74, $806. Year-end champion: Emily Beisel.

Steer roping: First round: 1. Cole Patterson, 9.6 seconds, $1,882; 2. Mike Chase, 10.9, $1,412; 3. Luke Blanton, 11.4, $941; 4. (tie) Roger Branch and Coleman Proctor, 11.7, $236 each. Second round: 1. Cole Patterson, 11.6, $1,882; 2. Rocky Patterson, 12.6, $1,412; 3. Luke Blanton, 12.9, $941; 4. Zac Parrington, 13.4, $471. Third round: 1. Rocky Patterson, 9.7 seconds, $1,882; 2. Brodie Poppino, 10.1, $1,412; 3. Mike Chase, 10.6, $941; 4. Cole Patterson, 12.0, $471. Average: 1. Cole Patterson, 33.2 seconds on three runs, $2,824; 2. Coleman Proctor, 38.9, $2,118; 3. Roger Branch, 39.1, $1,412; 4. Chet Herren, 39.6, $706. Year-end champion: Cole Patterson.

Bull riding: First round: 1. Cody Hazelton, 85 points on New Frontier Rodeo’s Fire Code, $2,955; 2. Fulton Rutland, 83.5, $2,417; no other qualified rides. Second round: 1. Coy Pollmeier, 86 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Six Shooter, $2,955; 2. Creek Young, 83.5, $2,417; no other qualified rides. Third round: 1. Creek Young, $83 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Overpass, $2,328; 2. Jesse Hopper, 79.5, $1,791; 3. Cody Hazelton, 78, $1,253; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Creek Young, 166.5 points on two rides, $3,223; 2. Cody Hazelton, 163, $2,417; 3. Coy Pollmeier, 86 points on one ride, $1,612; 4. Fulton Rutland, 83.5, $806. Year-end champion: Creek Young.