LAS VEGAS – The first thing header Coleman Proctor must do after he backs into the timed-event box is get a good start; it’s a vital piece of the puzzle that is team roping.
Sometimes, though, it’s more about the finish.
“I’ve taken a lot of great tarts here and not finished very well, and it’s cost me a lot,” said Proctor of Pryor, Oklahoma. “(His horse) Heisman got me out of the barrier, and I felt like I was right next to the steer. It probably affected some of those guys behind me because sometimes when you get such a great start, it shows them there’s more stretch in the barrier than they think, and there’s a few guys that got the barrier tonight that we haven’t seen.”
As the 11th team to rope, Proctor and his heeling partner, Logan Medlin, posted the fastest run of the night, a 3.8-second run to win Friday’s ninth round, adding another $33,687 to each of their coffers. They have roped seven of nine steers for a cumulative time of 28.5 seconds and sit fourth in the aggregate race, and each man has earned nearly $141,000 in Las Vegas.
Friday was a big move for the tandem. Proctor moved to second in the heading world standings at $296,736, $38,000 behind Tyler Wade, but Wade and his partner, Wesley Thorp, have times on just five steers. That’s where a solid average check can come into play.
In addition, tie-down roper Shad Mayfield, who led the all-around standings heading into Friday, had to use two loops and settled for a 14.9-second run. That moved Proctor into the lead in the all-around race with $326,648, and he has a $31,924 advantage over Mayfield and a $33,607 lead over the No. 3 man, heeler Junior Nogueira.
“I’ve had a lot of people ask me this week about what it’s like heeling for somebody that’s chasing the all-around buckle, and he’s busted his butt all year for this to give himself a chance for this,” said Medlin of Tatum, New Mexico. “Just to be along or the ride, to play a role in that, I just feel honored to be a part.”
It’s the combination of teamwork and perseverance for both men. Proctor also competes in steer roping and finished 17th in the standings. That’s one of the reasons he’s in this position.
“Logan has been part of almost every major all-around title in my career, so this is nothing new to him,” Proctor said.
There have been a mix of emotions throughout the first nine days. They went through a stretch in Rounds 3-5 that took them off the mountaintop, then they started riding the train back up. They returned to the pay window on Night 6, then won Round 7, finished second on the eighth night and won again Friday.
“We should know it’s going to be a roller coaster of emotions,” Proctor said. “We all plan on dominating from Round 1, so it does hit you. It’s hit me this week, and I’m a nine-time veteran, and it’s still the same roller-coaster ride, and it’s also the fun of it, too.”
Medin is also in contention for the heeling world title, so he’s invested just as much.
“This is tones of fun,” he said. “This is what I dreamed of as a kid, getting to wine these go-rounds and just being able to bring people to their feet and bring a sense of excitement for the sport of team roping.
“I think this week of team roping has been amazing. There are so many people that have told me it’s been their favorite event to watch this week, and I think that just shows how competitive it is and how tough it is to win. There’s no greater feeling than tonight to beat the 14 best teams in the world and come out on top tonight.”
The NFR is rodeo’s Super Bowl and World Series wrapped up in a 10-day championship. It features only the best from the regular season, and they’re all battling for rodeo’s gold. Fans pack into the Thomas & Mack Center and help create an atmosphere that is nothing short of electric.
“We’re excited about it, and there’s no better feeling in the world like just making 19,000 people start standing up and screaming for you,” Proctor said.