GOODING, Idaho – When T.J. Gray arrived in this community Saturday night for a rematch with a bull he knew well, he had a little help.

“The crowd is absolutely electric,” said Gray, 23, of Dairy, Oregon. It’s a pretty small stadium, but it sounds like you’re in a big arena. The crowd loves it here. On top of that, my sponsor, M2 Ranch, is one of the main sponsors here I had my sponsor (Jeff Miller) jump up and pull my bull rope, and that made it a little bit more special.”

It all came together on the final night of the Gooding Pro Rodeo, where Gray rode Macza Pro Rodeo’s Big River for 90 points to win the bull riding title and nearly $6,000. That will push his earnings past $150,000, where he sits fifth in the world standings with six weeks remaining in ProRodeo’s regular season.

Gray has been riding a hot streak through the summer. His biggest victory came at the Daddy of ‘em All, the Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days, but he has cashed in a great deal this season. That included sharing first place in St. Paul, Oregon, where he matched moves with Big River the first time for 85.5 points.

“I knew I had a good bull,” Gray said. “I knew I should ride him, so it just put a cap on the whole night.”

It’s a nice change from the roll of bad luck he experienced earlier this season.

“I’ve been very blessed,” he said. “I spent a lot of time earlier this year where I was getting real down on myself and wondering if the good times will ever come. I just had to trust in God, and, yeah, they sure did come. They ain’t over yet. We’ve got a lot more good times coming in the future.”

He’s well on his way to his first National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale that features only the top 15 contestants in each event. It’s the biggest rodeo in the world with highest payouts in the sport. He’s already in contention for that elusive world championship.

“You always believe it’s possible as a bull rider,” Gray said. “That’s something you’re always looking at and thinking is possible. When it comes more into view, you get more and more excited and your faith at that being the outcome starts to rise.”

Gooding Pro Rodeo
Aug. 14-17
All-around champion: Wacey Schalla, $2,171 in bareback riding and bull riding. 

Bareback riding: 1. Cole Reiner, 91 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail, $5,499; 2. Ethan Mazurenko, 89, $4,216; 3. Keenan Hayes, 88.5, $3,116; 4. Cole Franks, 88, $2,016; 5. Wacey Schalla, 87.5, $1,283; 6. (tie) Cooper Cooke and Sam Petersen, 86, $825 each; 7. (tie) Lane McGehee, Jacek Frost, Clay Jorgenson, Weston Timberman and Kade Sonnier, 84.5, $110 each.

Steer wrestling 1. Payden McIntyre, 3.4 seconds, $4,175; 2. (tie) Cash Robb and Clayton Hass, 3.5, $3,438 each; 4. (tie) Bridger Anderson, Ty Erickson and Dirk Tavenner, 3.7, $2,292 each; 7. (tie) Gavin Soileau, Laramie Warren, Trisyn Kalawaia and Eli Lord, 3.9, $1,351 each; 11. (tie) Tanner Brunner and Levi Rudd, 4.0, $614 each. 

Team roping 1. Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 4.5 seconds, $4,984; 2. (tie) Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp and Chad Masters/Wyatt Cox, 4.6, $3,655 each; 6. Colby Siddoway/Keegan Cumbie, 4.8, $2,658; 7. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.9, $2,326; 8. Rhett Anderson/Jared Fillmore, 5.0, $1,994; 9. (tie) Devon McDaniel/Walt Woodard and Coy Rahlman/Tyler Pearson, 5.2, $1,495 each; 11. (tie) Brodi Jones/Arye Espenscheid and Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 5.3, $1,080 each; 13, Cam Jensen/Clayton Symons, 5.4, $665; 14. Jr. Dees/J.C. Flake, $498; 15. Tanner Pallesen/Jade Espenscheid, 5.9, $332.  

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Damian Brennan, 89 points on Korkow Rodeos’ Me Mojo, $6,148; 2. Cash Wilson, 88, $4,713; 3. (tie) Zac Dallas and Jake Finlay, 87.5, $2,869 each; 5. Wyatt Casper, 86, $1,434; 6. Parker Fleet and Ryder Wright, 85.5, $922 each; 8. Dawson Dahm, 85, $615.

Breakaway roping: 1. Hali Williams, 1.9 seconds, $6,275; 2. (tie) Kacie Wiersma, Madalyn Richards and Aspen Miller, 2.0, $4,078 each; 5. (tie) Addy Hill, Martha Angelone, Beau Peterson, Aubryn Bedke, Shelli Scrivner and Cadee Williams, 2.1, $1,621 each; 11. (tie) Hope Thompson, Sarah Angelone and Tiffany Schieck, 2.2, $784; 14. (tie) Maddy Deerman, Timber Allenbrand, Amanda Terrell and Eryn Maddock, 2.3, $196 each.

Tie-down roping: 1. Hunter Herrin, 7.5 seconds, $5,076; 2. Chisum Allen, 8.2, $4,399; 3. Haven Meged, 8.3, $4,061; 4. Colton Farquer, 8.5, $3,384; 5. (tie) Blane Cox, Jake Hannum and Zack Jongbloed, 8.6, $2,707; 8. (tie) Trevor Hale, Seth Hall, Beau Cooper and Marcos Costa, 8.7, $1,565; 12. (tie) Bo Pickett and Paden Bray, $846 each, 9.0; 14. Joel Harris, 8.9, $508; 15. (tie) Cash Hooper and Tom Crouse, 9.0, $169 each.

Barrel racing: 1. Kassie Mowry, 16.76 seconds, $6,847; 2. (tie) Jordon Briggs and Carlee Otero, 16.79, $4,964 each; 4. Chelsea Moore, 16.82, $3,423; 5. Keyla Costa, 16.86, $2,739; 6. Ashley Castleberry, 16.87, $2,054; 7. Emily Beisel, 16.88, $1,712; 8. Andrea Busby, 16.92, $1,541; 9. (tie) Toria Madsen, Sharin Hall, Steely Steiner and Tiany Schuster, 16.95, $1,113 each; 13. (tie) Morgan Backstrom and Halyn Lide, 16.98, $599 each; 15. Katelyn Scott, 17.00, $342.

Bull riding: 1. T.J. Gray, 90 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Big River, $5,922; 2. Jeter Lawrence and Hayes Weight, 87, $3,948 each; 4. Stephan Tonita, 85.5, $2,171; 5. Dalton Rudman, 84, $1,382; 6. (tie) Trevor Reiste and Wacey Schalla, 83.5, $888 each; 8. (tie) Jeff Bertus and Jace Trosclair, 83, $296 each.