PECOS, Texas – This time of year is a busy one for cowboys and cowgirls that make their livings in rodeo.
It’s the start of the summer run, when they leave their homes and venture off to lands known and unknown chasing their gold-buckle dreams. For most Texans, it a chance to escape the heat, but before they do, they make sure to be part of the West of the Pecos Rodeo.
Take Leighton Berry, a bareback rider from Weatherford, Texas. His initial plans had him at a rodeo up north, but things didn’t work out. When that happened, he turned the tide and put his name in the hat for the “World’s First Rodeo.” During Thursday’s second performance, he rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Fox Hole Gunner for 87 points to take the lead.
“When our plans changed and we saw a day that not very many guys were out on a Thursday, we thought we’d see the Pete Carr crew out in west Texas,” said Berry, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and the No. 3 man in the 2024 world standings with more than $93,000 in earnings. “Me and my traveling partner plucked two of their buckers, so we dang sure made the right decision to come out here.
“This is my first one back since Weatherford (three weeks ago), and to get it kicked off like this – feeling good, body feeling good and mentally feeling strong – and now we just need to get the good draws going. We sure did that tonight. It feels good to be on top.”
This isn’t the first year he’s been toward the top of the world standings. He first qualified for the NFR in 2020 and ended the campaign ninth on the money list. An injury sidelined Berry early in 2021 and he sat out six months. Once he returned that August, he went on a heater and finished 23rd. He returned to the NFR in 2022 and ’23 and finished among the top six.
Born and raised in Weatherford, he’s a proud Texan who has had great success in the Lone Star State. This past March, he won RodeoHouston for the second straight year, adding $50,000 to his bankroll. It’s a nice payday, but even better, it allowed Berry a bit of comfort heading into the busiest time of the season.
“It’s been a whirlwind of a year,” he said. “I got the repeat in Houston and got married to my wife, Kodi, and, man, things are rolling. I got a new business going, so God’s been really good, and I’ve been blessed to keep moving forward. And do what I’m doing. We’re ready to do the rodeo trail.”
The wedding was followed by a nice honeymoon in Mexico. He and his bride were able to enjoy their time together before getting back to the business at hand. For now, Berry’s focus is strictly on rodeo’s world championship.
“I’ve been in talks of a world-champion race every year I’ve been to the NFR, and the best I’ve done is third,” Berry said. “It’s a blessing that I can even get to the NFR. This year is just different in my mouth. I really want a gold buckle at the end of this thing, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
West of the Pecos Rodeo
June 26-29
Bareback riding: 1. Leighton Berry, 87 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Fox Hole Gunner; 2. Cooper Filipek, 82.5; 3. Cole Reiner, 81; 4. Tim Murphy, 80.5; 5. Kash Martin, 77; no other qualified rides.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Pedro Egurrola/Cory Petska and Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, 6.7 seconds; 3. Clay Tryan/Blaine Vick, 8.1; 4. Coy Brittain/Michael Fortenberry, 8.7; 5. Clay Eggers/Joshua Smitherman, 12.6; 6. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 13.0; 7. Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan, 13.9; 8. Jhett Trenary/Jake South, 15.3. Second round leaders: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torre, 6.2 seconds; 2. Peyton Walters/Brandon Gonzales, 6.7; 3. Lightning Aguilera/Lane Mitchell, 7.0; 4. Shad Mayfield/Faron Candelaria, 7.5; 5. Coy Brittain/Michael Fortenberry, 8.2; 6. Clayton Eggers/Joshua Smitherman, 9.7; 7. Cash Duty/Clay Green, 10.0; 8. Cash Fretwell/ole Walker, 11.5. Average leaders: 1. Coy Brittain/Michael Fortenberry, 16.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Shad Mayfield/Faron Candelaria, 17.4; 3. Cash Duty/Clay Green, 18.1; 4. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 19.2; 5. Jace Brand/Tyson Thompson, 20.3; 6. Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 20.5; 7. Cash Fretwell/Cole Walker, 20.5; 8. Clayton Eggers/Joshua Smitherman, 22.3.
Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. Cole Patterson, 12.9 seconds; 2. Seth Schafer, 13.2; 3. Brodie Poppino, 13.4; 4. Cooper Mills, 14.0; 5. (tie) Trenton Johnson and J. Tom Fisher, 14.4; 7. John Bland, 14.5; 8. Vin Fisher Jr., 14.8. Second round leaders: 1. Dan Fisher, 12.3 seconds; 2. (tie) Thomas Smith and Martin Poindexter, 13.3; 4. Jett Fisher, 14.3; 5. Cooper Mills, 16.2; 6. John Bland, 17.1; 7. Mark Milner, 17.2; 8. Keith Hudson, 19.2. Third round leaders: 1. Cole Patterson, 11.2 seconds; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 11.8; 3. (tie) Cooper Mills and Martin Poindexter, 14.9; 5. John Bland, 15.1; 6. Mark Milner, 16.0; 7. Dan Fisher, 16.7; 8. J.D. Barnes, 20.0; Average leaders: 1. Cooper Mills, 45.1 seconds on three runs; 2. John Bland, 46.7; 3. Mark Milner, 57.9; 4. Cole Patterson, 24.1 seconds on two runs; 5. Vin Fisher Jr., 26.6; 6. Martin Poindexter, 28.2; 7. Dan Fisher, 29.0; 8. Marty Jones, 37.8.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Jake Finley, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pretty Woman, and Sage Newman, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Smoke on the Water, 86.5 points; 3. Tanner Butner, 85; 4. Clint Franks, 83; 5. Isaac Richard, 81.5; 6. Tom Webster, 81; 7. Blaise Freeman, 80.5; 8. Chase Brooks, 80.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Monty Lewis, 9.3 seconds; 2. Tanner Green, 9.8; 3. Hunter Herrin, 9.9; 4. Tyson Arledge, 10.3; 5. Cash Hooper, 10.6; 6. Tyler Milligan, 10.9; 7. John Douch, 11.0; 8. Trenton Smith, 11.2. Second round leaders: 1. Gatlin Peck, 9.9 seconds; 2. Marcos Costa, 10.0; 3. Tyler Milligan, 10.4; 4. Hunter Herrin, 10.5; 5. Cash Hooper, 10.6; 6. Gio Piloto, 12.2; 7. Word Hudson, 12.4; 8. John Douch, 12.9. Average leaders: 1. Hunter Herrin, 20.4; 2. Cash Hooper, 21.2; 3. Tyler Milligan, 21.3; 4. Marcos Costa, 22.2; 5. John Douch, 23.9; 6. John Douch, 23.9; 7. (tie) Cole Walker and Chantz Webster, 25.5.
Breakaway roping: 1. Emilee Charlesworth, 3.1 seconds; 2. Hope Thompson, 3.4; 3. Jade Mitchell, 3.5; 4. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 3.8; 5. Kelsie Domer, 4.0; 6. (tie) Cheyenne Britain and Haley Sage, 4.2; 8. (tie) Bradi Good and Lucy Richards, 4.4. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Jackie Crawford and Kayelen Helton, 3.1 seconds; 3. (tie) Haley Sage, Sarah Angelone and Tibba Smith, 3.2; 6. Kendal Pierson, 3.5; 7. (tie) Cheyanne McCartney and Rheagan Cotton, 3.8. Average leaders: 1. Haley Sage, 7.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Rheagan Cotton, 7.9; 3. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 8.0; 4. Haley Mason, 8.3; 5. (tie) Jackie Crawford and Sarah Angelone, 8.6; 7. Hope Thompson, 8.7; 8. Bradi Good, 8.8.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 4.3 seconds; 2. (tie) Logan Kenline and Tucker Allen, 4.9; 4. Ryan Nettle, 5.1; 2. Heath Thomas, 5.2; 3. Clay Guthrie, 5.8; 4. Ty Burgess, 6.4; 5. Taylor Pavlosky, 6.6; 6. Trace Harris, 8.0; 7. Grady Payne, 14.1; 8. Gary Gilbert, 14.4. Second round leaders: 1. Don Payne, 4.0 seconds; 2. Bridger Anderson, 4.3; 3. Tucker Allen, 4.5; 4. Taylor Pavlovsky, 5.4; 5. (tie) Trace Harris and Justin Shaffer, 5.6; 7. Remey Parrott, 5.8; 8. (tie) Jay Williamson and Ryan Nettle, 5.9. Average leaders: 1. Tucker Allen, 9.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Bridger Anderson, 9.8; 3. Rowdy Parrott, 10.9; 4. (tie) Ryan Nettle and Justin Shaffer, 11.0; 6. (tie) Taylor Pavlovsky, Gavin Soileau and Logan Kenline, 12.0.
Barrel racing: 1. Keyla Costa, 17.62 seconds; 2. Londyn Ross, 17.83; 3. Jamie Olsen, 17.97; 4. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 18.07; 5. Shelley Morgan, 18.12; 6. Kylee Scribner, 18.15; 7. Margo Smith, 18.28; 8. Hailey Kinsel, 18.30; 9. (tie) Corley Cox, Katelyn Scott and Caley Walkoviak, 18.32; 12. Josey Suggs, 18.35.
Bull riding: Creek Young, 86.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Let’s Go Brandon; no other qualified rides.