OKLAHOMA CITY – The ladies made the biggest statement during Saturday’s final performance of the Oklahoma City ProRodeo.

It was the final PRCA- and WPRA-sanctioned rodeo in Jim Norick Arena, and a solid crowd worked its way into the storied coliseum to see the action; the first ProRodeo occurred six decades ago when the 1965 National Finals Rodeo kicked open the building’s doors.

“This is actually my first time to compete here,” said Shelby Whiting, who posted a 2.1-second run to win the breakaway roping title and $1,881. “Being able to win it in the final night of rodeo for the arena is a great memory to help me remember how special this is for me.”

A pair of barrel racers also made solid statements. Two-time NFR qualifier Lesley Smalygo of Skiatook, Oklahoma, posted a 15.39-second run to win barrel racer, while fellow Tiany Schuster, a three-time qualifier from Krum, Texas, was just one-tenth of a second behind to finish as the runner-up. Smalygo earned $2,076, and Schuster collected $1,779.

The key for all three was to take advantage of the opportunities before them.

“You just have to go after it,” said Whiting, a Paola, Kansas, cowgirl who moved into the top five of the breakaway roping standings in the Prairie Circuit, the region made up primarily of rodeos and contestants from Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. “I was the third run on (that calf). I knew he was really good, and I knew I just had to go out there and go after it.

“It’s so tough nowadays that you just have to go after it anyway.”

A key component in any timed event is to have solid horsepower, and Whiting knows she has something special in Dolly, a 10-year-old bay mare.

“My horse is phenomenal,” said Whiting, who attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant. “I’ve had her since she was 2. She’s a spitfire for sure, and she keeps me on her toes, but she gives me 1,000 percent every time I nod.

“She’s my baby for sure.”

The goal now is to take advantage of her situation. The rodeo season will continue through September, and while every roper’s dream is to qualify for the National Finals Breakaway Roping in December, the Kansan would love to earn a spot at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. To do that, she’ll need to finish among the top 12 in the region.

“This is a fantastic start to the circuit season,” Whiting said. “It’s super exciting.”

Oklahoma City ProRodeo
Oklahoma City
Jan. 24-25
Bareback riding: 1. Myles Carlson, 80 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Blackhawk, $1,034; 2. Reece Reder, 78, $776; 3. Jence Griffith, 74.5, $517; 4. Rhett Robbins, 74, $259.

Steer wrestling: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.0 seconds, $1,015; 2. Tyler Scheevel, 4.4, $840; 3. Adam Musil, 4.5. $665; 4. Weston Taylor, 4.7, $490; 5. Shawn Musil, 4.9, $315; 6. (tie) Laramie Warren and Cooper Orr, 5.1, $88 each.

Team roping: 1. Cam Hoelting/Dawson McMaster, 4.8 seconds, $1,772; 2. Cash Duty/Cashton Weidenbener, 5.0, $1,466; 3. Casey Hicks/Trigger Hargrove, 5.2, $1,161; 4. (tie) Brandon Farris/Braden Harmon and Kolton Schmidt/Landen Glenn, 5.3 each, $703 each; 6. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 5.4m $306.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Waitley Sharon, 84 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Red Cloud, $1,442; 2. Walker Rezzonico, 80, $1,093; 3. Brady Irvine, 79, $787; 4. Jace Lane, 78, $525; 5. Roper Kiesner, 77.5, $306; 6. Danny Cassidy, 77, $219.

Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Hagen Houck and Paul David Tierney, 8.7 seconds, $1,563 each; 3. Ace Reese, 8.8, $1,121; 4. Preston Pederson, 9.1, $826; 5. Pax Vogel, 9.2, $531; 6. Gator Goodrich, 9.4, $295.

Breakaway roping: 1. Shelby Whiting, 2.1 seconds, $1,881; 2. (tie) Erin Johnson and Taylor Munsell, 2.5, $1,513 each; 4. Mataya Eklund, 2.6, $1,145; 5. Payton Scalzo, 2.8, $900; 6. Sami Jo O’Day, 2.9, $654; 7. (tie) Reagan Davis, Kashly Van Petten, Willow Wilson and Y’leigh Yarbrough, 3.0, $143 each.

Barrel racing: 1. Leslie Smalygo, 15.39 seconds, $2,076; 2. Tiany Schuster, 15.49, $1,779; 3. Kellie Jorgensen, 15.61, $1,483; 4. Jo Fisher, 15.64, $1,285; 5. (tie) Wenda Johnson and Devon Brown, 15.66, $890 each; 7. (tie) Paige Jones and Julie Plourde, 15.71, $494 each; 9. Kaydi Anderson, 15.72, $297; 10. Randee Hedrick, 15.75, $198.

Bull riding: 1. Josiah Chism, 86 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Bam Bam, $2,491; 2. Brayden Lamb, 76, $2,122; no other qualified rides.