GUYMON, Okla. – Bubba Buckaloo and Joseph Harrison don’t really rodeo like they used to.

The team ropers – and neighbors in southern Oklahoma near Lake Texhoma – have other priorities in their lives. Both train horses, and that accomplishes a couple of things: It allows both to stay closer to home while also making a living as cowboys.

Both have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. Buckaloo is a header, and he played on ProRodeo’s grandest stage in 2018. Harrison is a heeler, and he earned six straight trips to the championship from 2017-2022. Alas, there is no rust in their game, and they’re proving that in the Oklahoma Panhandle this week.

They stopped the clock in 7.7 seconds during Saturday afternoon’s second performance of the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. They sit fourth in the third round, but the tandem has already placed twice so far: Buckaloo and Harrison finished fifth in the opening round, which occurred Wednesday, then won the second round Thursday. They hold a five-second lead in the three-run aggregate.

“I’ve placed in some rounds here in the past,” said Buckaloo, 36, of Kingston, Oklahoma. “Last year, my little boy was born during this rodeo, so I didn’t enter, but the year before, I won third, and that’s the best I’ve ever done. This is the most money I’ve ever won out here.”

That fact has already been outdone. The duo has already secured nearly $4,000 in Guymon earnings and will secure a few more thousand dollars before the week is done. That’s also the most Harrison has pulled out of Texas County, though he does own a one of the most cherished prizes in the sport: A Pioneer Days Rodeo championship belt. Harrison and his then partner, Charly Crawford, shared the overall victory in 2017.

“It’s funny, but I’ve been high call back at this rodeo twice and couldn’t win it,” said Harrison, 37, of Marietta, Oklahoma. “I won third once, and then no good one time. The year that Charly and I won it, we were sixth high call back on two, and everybody else messed up and we split it. This time, we were second on two, and the guys in front of us got us by eight-tenths of a second, so they have a little time to mess with. If they catch clean, chances are they’ll probably get us, and I wish them good luck.

“But I really would like to win this rodeo with Bubba Buckaloo.”

Guymon is unique in that it features hornless cattle in team roping, and they’re walking fresh, meaning that they’ve come straight out of the pasture and into the rodeo arena. That adds a bit of wildness to the event and adds to the prestige of winning Pioneer Days.

“I rope with Joseph all the time, and we usually keep four or five muleys and rope them year ’round,” Buckaloo said. “But having them fresh like this, it’s definitely a chore.”

 While many of the 1,100 contestants competing at this rodeo have their sights set on qualifying for the NFR, Buckaloo and Harrison are content in their decision to stay close to home. Their ProRodeo goals involve the Prairie Circuit, a series of PRCA events primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.

“We’re not really rodeoing to try to make the finals,” said Harrison, who lives about six hours from Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena. “This is a circuit rodeo for us, and it’s a great, great rodeo and so much fun. We came up here to have a good time and to try to make a little bit of money.

“We’ve just been jackpotting and staying around the house. I’ve been entering some colts in the futurities, and that deal has been pretty good.”

Whatever success the two find in Guymon is just gravy on top of biscuits. The food’s still good, but why not try to make it better.

“It’s been awesome out here, because we’ve slowed down from rodeoing, and the only thing you get to do now is tell stories,” Buckaloo said. “To win Guymon would be awesome.”

Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo
May 2-4

Bareback riding leaders: 1. Kashton Ford, 87 po0ints on Championship Rodeo’s Cajun Queen; 2. Will Lowe, 82.5; 3. Donny Proffit, 82; 4. Andy Gingerich, 81.5; 5. Ty Hawkes, 81; 6. Jade Taton, 77; 7. Owen Brouilette, 76.5; 8. Cole Hollen, 74.

Team roping: Third round leaders: 1. Dalton Turner/Clay Clayman, 6.1 seconds; 2. Chet Weitz/Bryce Graves, 6.6; 3. Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman, 6.7; 4. Bubba Buckaloo/Joseph Harrison, 7.7; 5. (tie) Curry Kirchner/Tyler McKnight and Jeff Flenniken/Buddy Hawkins, 8.9; 7, Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott, 10.6; 8. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 11.8. Average leaders: 1. Bubba Buckaloo/Joseph Harrison, 23.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Curry Kirchner/Tyler McKnight, 28.7; 4. Chad Masters/Cory Petska, 30.6; 4. Jeff Flenniken/Buddy Hawkins, 36.4; 5. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 42.5; 6. 6. Teagan Bentley/Dusty Taylor, 44.9; 7. Chet Weitz/Bryce Graves, 13.8 seconds on two runs; 8. Dalton Turner/Clay Clayman, 14.7.

Steer wrestling: Third round leaders: 1. Cody Devers, 4.2 seconds; 2. Jace Melvin, 4.5; 3. Matt Reeves, 4.7; 4. Cole Walker, 5.0; 5. Trace Harris, 5.1; 6. (tie) J.D. Struxness and Tucker Alberts, 5.2; 8. Tyler Mann, 5.9. Average leaders: 1. Matt Reeves, 13.2 seconds on three runs. 2. Cody Devers, 14.5; 3. Trace Harris, 15.1; 4. Tyler Mann, 15.2; 5. Jace Melvin, 15.4; 6. Tucker Alberts, 17.6; 7. Sawyer Strand, 23.9; 8. Hadley Sanders, 25.9.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Rusty Wright, 86.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Top Pick; 2. Zac Dallas, 85.5; 3. (tie) Thayne Elshere, Waitley Sharon and James Perrin, 82; 6. Cash Wilson, 81; 7. Cooper Thatcher, 79; 8. Carson Bingham, 77. 

Breakaway roping: Third round leaders: 1. Aspen Miller, 2.4 seconds; 2. Beau Peaterson, 2.8; 3. Molly Hamilton, 3.5; 4. Shalee King, 3.8; 5. Lari Dee Guy, 3.9; 6. Sami O’Day, 4.5; 7. Shai Schaefer, 4.6; Emilee Charlesworth, 12.2. Average leaders: 1. Aspen Miller, 8.1 seconds on three runs; 2. Beau Peterson, 10.8; 3. Shalee King, 11.0; 4. Lari Dee Gyy, 11.2; 5. Sami O’Day, 13.8; 6. Shai Schaefer, 14.4; 7. Molly Hamilton, 15.3; 8. Emilee Charlesworth, 20.9. `.

Tie-down roping: Third round leaders: 1. Kyan Wilhite, 7.1 seconds; 2. Landyn Duncan, 8.2; 3. Austin Lawrence, 8.5; 4. Kyle Lucas, 9.2; 5. Ryan Jarrett, 9.5; 6. Lane Webb, 9.7; 7. Denton Oestmann, 9.8; 8. Jace Staudt, 10.8. Average leaders: 1. Kyan Wilhite, 25.5 seconds on three runs; 2. Ryan Jarrett, 26.4; 3. (tie) Austin Lawrence and Kyle Lucas, 28.2; 5. Haven Meged, 28.4; 6. Landyn Duncan, 30.5; 7. Denton Oestman, 30.7; 8. Lane Webb, 31.5.

Barrel racing: 1. Wenda Johnson, 17.31 seconds; 2. Summer Kosel, 17.46; 3. Julie Plourde, 17.53; 4. McKinlee Paschal, 17.76; 5. Keyla Costa, 17.77; 6. (tie) Katelyn Scott and Kim Squires, 17.78; 8. Jymmy Cox, 17.84; 9. (tie) Paige Jones and Kallie Gates, 17.89.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Thayne Elshere, 84.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Let’s Dance; 2. Lane Vaughan, 78.5; 3. Robby Taylor, 77; 4. Jesse Petri, 67; no other qualified rides.