By Lazy E Arena
The Fabulous Lazy E Arena – just southeast of Guthrie and northeast of Edmond/Oklahoma City – was opened in November of 1984, just in time for the ’84 National Finals Steer Roping Finals.
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CTEC Qualifications: 14
CTEC Titles: 3
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
CTEC Qualifications: 3
Reserve Champion in 2024
Hometown: Clanton, Alabama
CTEC Qualifications: 12
2023 Champion
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
CTEC Qualifications: 16
2017 Champion
Hometown: Altus, Oklahoma
CTEC Qualifications: 12
2022 Champion
Hometown: Round Rock, Arizona
CTEC Qualifications: 2
Hometown: San Angelo, Texas
CTEC Qualifications: 3
Hometown: Barnsdall, Oklahoma
CTEC Qualifications: 9
2021 Champion
Hometown: Poplarville, Mississippi
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Hometown: Terrebonne, Oregon
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Hometown: Broken Bow, Oklahoma
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CTEC Qualifications: Rookie
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August 15, 2024, Guthrie, Oklahoma – Fresh off winning the all-around championship at the National High School Finals Rodeo in July, teenage rodeo star Ketch Kelton of Mayer, Arizona, has accepted his first invitation to compete at the world’s most prestigious professional timed-event competition in 2025 inside the Lazy E Arena.
The Timed Event Championship of the World – where each cowboy competes in five different timed events and the eventual winner is dubbed rodeo’s “Ironman” – will be held in Guthrie, Oklahoma, Feb. 27 through March 1, with tickets going on sale November 7. Kelton will join a field that already includes champs like World Champion Team Roper and native Oklahoman Clay Smith and reigning and three-time champ Paul David Tierney, among others.
“I wasn’t expecting an invitation this soon,” said Kelton, 18. “It’s cool to have this opportunity at this young an age.”
The teenager is also the back-to-back champion of the Jr Ironman, or youth version of the Timed Event pinnacle. Kelton won that event in 2023 by breaking the aggregate record in heading, heeling, tie-down roping and steer wrestling to earn $20,000. He clinched the title again this spring to take home another $21,750.
Incidentally, the 2025 Jr Ironman contestants are also starting to be announced. Invitations were extended to top finishers from both the National Little Britches Rodeo Association Finals and the Cinch World Championship Junior Rodeo, including Colin Fox, Damian Padilla, Jake Holmes, Kreece Dearing, Jake Shelton, Wyatt Williams, Luke Tippman, Jesse Vesperman, Leo Loucks and Micah Kearney.
Kelton’s feats as a Jr Ironman prompted Lazy E’s general manager, Dan Wall, to personally invite him to take part in the pro competition along with 12 other contestants announced thus far. But Ketch also virtually grew up at the Timed Event Championships, considering his father, Chance Kelton, competed there 14 times and finished as runner-up a few of those years.
“There’s been a lot of preparation and coaching behind this,” Chance said after Ketch won his first Jr Ironman title. “He’s prepared his whole life. We’re Timed Event Championship guys, this is what we do.”
The younger Kelton said the best mental strategy at the grueling event is taking it one run at a time. The Timed Event Championships differs from the Jr Ironman in that it adds steer roping, which Kelton said will be his favorite discipline in 2025.
“It’s the funnest event, ever,” he said. “There’s just something about it that makes it so much fun. It takes more finesse than anything else.”
While he hasn’t competed as much in that event, Chance is a former National Finals Steer Roping qualifier who still ties steers at the house. As for the Timed Event Championships schedule, it prompts adrenaline and the need to hurry and get different horses ready. But that will be like what happened at the NHSFR, where young Kelton recently made the short round in heading, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and reined cow horse. In recent years, he’s been mistake-free on major stages in final rounds.
“I guess I take a final run like just another run,” he said. “You can’t think about it too much. It comes from all the jackpotting I’ve done. I grew up in the jackpotting capital of the world.”
Kelton is classified as an 8 header and 9 heeler, incidentally, in team roping’s Global system. It appears the newest rookie at the Timed Event Championships may be just as competitive next spring as the veterans.
The current field that has been announced to-date includes Paul David Tierney, Nelson Wyatt, Cody Doescher, Jess Tierney, Erich Rogers, Dylan Hancock, Thomas Smith, Marcus Theriot, Blane Cox, Russell Cardoza, Clay Smith, JoJo Lemond, and Ketch Kelton
For more information, visit lazye.com.
ABOUT LAZY E ARENA:
The Lazy E Arena – just northeast of Oklahoma City – was established in December 1984, just in time for the ’84 National Finals Steer Roping Finals. Founder Ed Gaylord had a vision that both the National Finals Steer Roping Finals and the National Finals Rodeo would happen at the same time, in the same area. While the plan only worked for one year, as the NFR moved to Vegas in ’85, the legacy and standards he set from the beginning still carry on today. From giving PBR its start to the Timed Event Championship of the World, the Lazy E has hosted world champions, world championships and personalities galore. In 2005, Gaylord sold the property to a partnership from Nevada, and in October 2013 the property was sold to the McKinney Family from Midland, Texas. They’ve committed to maintaining the Lazy E as the world’s premier Western entertainment facility.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. April 4, 2024 – The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA), in partnership with the Oklahoma Ford Dealers is preparing for the 40th Annual OCA Ranch Rodeo on August 16 and 17 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. Today, OCA is announcing the teams that will be competing in the event. The OCA Ranch Rodeo consists of twelve ranch teams of ‘real ranch’ cowboys that compete in five different events mirroring many of the activities of daily ranch life.
The 2024 participating ranches include: A Bar Ranch, Claremore; Barron-Highsmith Cattle Co. & Short Ranches, Oologah; Drummond Land & Cattle Co., Pawhuska; Stuart Ranch, Waurika; Daube Cattle Co. & 3C Cattle Co., Ardmore; McPhail Land & Cattle Co., Medicine Park; Buford Ranches, Hominy; Gray G Bar Ranch, Shidler; Quarter Circle 99 Ranch & Double R Operations, Loco; Lazy Rafter Slash Ranch, Lenapah; Trentman Ranch & Steirwalt Ranch, Pawhuska and Shidler; Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Ranch, Delaware.
The competition is fierce, but the cowboys do not take home much more than bumps and bragging rights. They participate with one goal: to support the Children’s Health Foundation (CHF).
“The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association’s Ranch Rodeo has a close relationship with the Children’s Health Foundation (CHF) and entails raising more than $630,000,” said Kent Trentman, Ranch Rodeo Committee Chair.
The event has affectionately been called, ‘Cowboys Helping Kids’ because of our long-standing relationship with Children’s Health Foundation.
“We’ve hosted many ‘Miracle Children’ over the years and met their families. Those connections make our mission real and heart-felt for the participating cowboys and the committee that works to coordinate the event,” Trentman continued.
CHF funds children’s medical research and treatment for children right here in Oklahoma. The funds raised for CHF in Oklahoma, stay in Oklahoma.
According to Trentman, the Oklahoma Ford Dealers have supported the OCA Ranch Rodeo since the beginning as the presenting sponsor.
“The Oklahoma Ford Dealers believe in our mission and have been extremely loyal and generous over the years,” Trentman said.
The OCA is the trusted voice of the Oklahoma Cattle Industry and works to protect and empower Oklahoma cattlemen today, to serve tomorrow. OCA is the only voice that speaks solely for the cattlemen of Oklahoma and represents beef producers in all 77 counties across the state. The OCA officers, board of directors and membership encourages you to join us in our advocacy efforts to ensure less government intervention, lower taxes and a better bottom line. For more information about OCA membership, the theft reward program or activities call 405-235-4391 or visit www.okcattlemen.org.
Introducing the prestigious AQHA Top Horse fan-voted award, a testament to the exceptional equine talent showcased in the Cinch Timed Event Championship and Jr Ironman presented by WCRA.
BIG CTEC NEWS! $1,000 Award Cinch Timed Event Championship AQHA Top Horse Award, and $500 Award – Jr Ironman AQHA Top Horse Award! Nominate an AQHA registered Quarter Horse that you are competing on to be eligible for the award. You can nominate at contestant check in. You will need the horse’s registered name, registration number and owner information. If a copy of the registration papers is available, that will speed up the verification procedure!
The AQHA Top Horse Award will be awarded to the horse that FANS select after CINCH Timed Event Championship judges narrow the selection to 10 AQHA horses!
Voting will open after the first round of the Jr Ironman and the third round of the Cinch Timed Event Championship.
Winning the first Timed Event Championship of the World ever held in 1985 was one of late roping revolutionary Leo Camarillo’s proudest career achievements. Camarillo struck again in 1989, and his 3.3-second TEC steer wrestling record set all the way back in 1986 still stands today. We roll into this week’s 40th annual Cinch Timed Event Championship knowing how proud The Lion was to have his name on that banner that will hang from the rafters of this fabulous Lazy E Arena for the rest of time alongside the rare few who’ve managed to climb and conquer the Timed Event mountain.
“In my family, we were ropers first and ropers last,” Leo once told me. “But we took a lot of pride in gritting our teeth and bulldogging, too, not just to showcase ourselves, but also our horsemanship, technique and try. For me to go back to bulldogging country (Checotah, Oklahoma is the Steer Wrestling Capital of the World) and set a record that still stands is something I’ll go to my grave pretty proud of.”
That he did. And only 19 cowboys have laid claim to the title of Rodeo Ironman. There have been a handful of repeat champions. The great Trevor Brazile has won the prestigious Timed Event a record seven times. KC Jones, who at 56 is returning for another round in 2024 to show the young bucks how it’s done, owns five TEC buckles. Paul Tierney has four TEC titles; Jimmie Cooper and Daniel Green, three; and Kyle Lockett and Paul David Tierney join Camarillo at two titles each.
But what we’ve seen in recent times—in today’s world of now predominantly single-event cowboy specialists, who will this year vie for $210,000 here—is that the list of cowboys capable of doing five-event battle has become increasingly rare as every event in rodeo today is tougher than ever before. It’s been Jess Tierney in 2017, Jordan Ketscher in 2018, Justin Thigpen in 2019, Taylor Santos in 2020, Marcus Theriot in 2021, Erich Rogers in 2022 and Cody Doescher in 2023.
“To me, the coolest thing about the Timed Event is that nobody goes into it without a weakness of some sort,” said Cowboy King Brazile. “Nobody rides into the Timed Event like they do every other event they enter throughout the year, because at this event you’re going to have to do some things you don’t have great comfort in doing. Part of who wins the Timed Event is about who handles being uncomfortable the best.”
Brazile’s 26 gold buckles put him in a league of his own in rodeo’s history books. How do those seven TEC titles rank?
“Those Timed Event titles mean a ton to me,” he said. “I’ve said throughout my career that I didn’t want to be labeled as anything other than a cowboy. The (world) all-around buckles and the Timed Event buckles mean the most, because of the versatility it takes to win both.”
What kind of cowboy wins the Timed Event, and the $100,000 champ’s check that goes with the coveted TEC title?
“Only a cowboy who’s really handy in all facets of rodeo, who’s also mentally tough, stands a chance,” Trevor said. “When you run 25 head in five events (heading, heeling, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and steer roping), a lot of stuff’s going to go wrong. It’s about who keeps rolling with the punches. I’ve had everything go wrong that possibly can at the Timed Event, just like everybody else. One of those years I won it, I took a 60 in the first event in the first round. You have to keep it all together in your head to be successful at the Timed Event.”
Jones won his first Timed Event title in 1993, and his fifth in 2012. And hey, he was contending for another one last year before his steer rope broke in Round 4.
“Heck, I wish I was 40 again,” Jones smiled. “I don’t care how old you are, you have to show up prepared. It’s 25 head, and you’re not going to draw at the top of the herd 25 times. You’re going to have to get by runners and whatever else they throw your way.
“Nobody has ever lucked into winning the Timed Event. You better have some skills, and it’s a big mental game, too. Drawing up and down, and switching events so fast takes shifting your focus from event to event, and fast. You have to be able to react to all the curveballs that come your way. There are times you can make up some time, and other times when you need to just set up a run and stay steady. It all comes into play, including strategy and gamesmanship, at the Timed Event.”
Jones roped calves and heeled for Mark Simon at the 1991 National Finals Rodeo. He won the 1994 Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping Classic heeling for Kevin Stewart. How do his Timed Event titles stack up in the career of this equine dentist who’s worked on horses’ teeth for the likes of living rodeo legends Cody Ohl and Sherry Cervi?
“I love the Timed Event, it’s been good to me and I’m so thankful for that,” Jones said. “I didn’t always get to go rodeo the way I wanted to when I was younger. But I could always work a good share of the year and still go to the Timed Event. I always look forward to it, because it’s something big to work toward. I may be getting a little longer in the tooth, but I still have a few goals and dreams. I’m not done, and I’m not backing down.
“There’s a reason not many young guys win the Timed Event. It takes a long time to really get a foundation in each event, and there’s a lot of knowledge that you better have tucked in your head if you’re going to go win the Timed Event. If you only have one main event—like most guys today—you have to work your tail off to figure out the foundation and fundamentals in four more. And that’s not an overnight process.”
Paul Tierney was the 1979 world champion calf roper and the 1980 world champion all-around cowboy. He was victorious at four of the 29 Timed Events he competed in.
“Getting to see cowboys compete in events they’re strong and weak in is part of what makes the Timed Event special to watch,” Tierney said. “We always talk about the mental game in our rodeo culture, and you get to see guys’ mental strengths and weaknesses at the Timed Event, too. There’s been an evolution at this event over the years. When the Timed Event first started, there were a lot of calf ropers and bulldoggers who had to learn to team rope to enter. The heeling is what eliminated a lot of guys back then.
“Today, the Timed Event includes more team ropers who have to learn how to bulldog and steer rope to enter. That’s because team roping only became a standard event they have at every rodeo in recent times, and everybody ropes now. But they don’t all steer wrestle now, like we did 25 years ago. The steer wrestling has become more of a pitfall now than it was back in my day. That, and the steer roping.”
Tierney says the steer roping was his toughest event to tackle each year, because it was his weakest. That’s traditionally the 25th of 25 runs it takes to complete the Timed Event course.
“All four years I won it, I was in the lead going into that last steer, and I was proud that I never failed to get my job done, even in my weakest event,” he said. “It takes a really disciplined person to win the Timed Event, and if you don’t have discipline, you will not be successful. Especially in 2024. Rodeo mode in my day and rodeo mode today are two very different things. These guys who rodeo today have to go so fast every time they nod their head. So you have to throw rodeo mode right out the window at the Timed Event now. This is not a one-header, and it’s not about winning go-rounds. The Timed Event is a marathon. It’s about making good runs, no matter what.
“I was always an all-around buff, and winning the all-around was my No. 1 goal. Larry Mahan and Phil Lyne were my heroes growing up, and I competed in six events at the College (National) Finals (Rodeo) one year. When I turned pro, I worked all three timed events (he roped calves, bulldogged and heeled), and steer roped when I could. Guys can be strong in even two or three events. But it takes five at the Timed Event, and that makes this event very special. These guys who compete at the Timed Event are the best all-around cowboys in the world. That’s why people come from far and wide to watch them compete. The cowboys who shine at the Timed Event are smart, strategic guys who outwork everybody. You have to be tough to win the Timed Event.”
Jimmie Cooper took the world all-around torch right after Tierney, in 1981. The dad of NFR team roping twins Jake and Jim Ross, and breakaway roping daughter, Jill Tanner, could not be more proud of his Timed Event accolades.
“Winning the world all-around championship is the toughest thing there is to win, and the Timed Event Championship is right there with it,” Cooper said. “The Timed Event is on the same level as a world championship, and it gets respect because of that. I’m very proud to have won the Timed Event, and the list of guys who’ve won it is amazing.
“I won that world all-around title the second year I rodeoed, and only rodeoed for seven years. When I quit rodeoing, the Timed Event really fit me better, because I didn’t have to stay out there on the road. I could really work toward that, and it gave me a lot of recognition without having to live on the road. The Timed Event took over a different season of my life, and I looked forward to going to the Lazy E to compete in it every year. Not all years went great, but those just lit a fire in me for the next one. We’re all competition junkies, and the Timed Event is right there with a world championship because of how hard it is to win.”
What do Timed Event champs have in common?
“Guys who win the Timed Event are consistently tough, and they can take the pressure,” Cooper said. “To perform at that level in five rounds of five events comes with a very high degree of difficulty. This isn’t a one-header where just anybody has a shot at success. And the Timed Event is one of a kind because of it.”
There are two noticeably absent Cowboys who’ve been constant Timed Event contenders in recent times. Kyle Lockett’s a two-time TEC titlist, and is at 46 taking an injury time-out in 2024. Fellow Californian Lane Karney, who finished third last year and has several top-four finishes to his credit, raced home to his very pregnant wife, Jane, at Timed Event’s end last year to welcome their baby girl, Charlie, to the world and has since shifted his priorities.
Lockett had a mishap at a match calf branding in November and, “I broke the long bone in my left shoulder, and haven’t been able to rope much since,” he said. “I did rope in the American qualifier (West Regional Finals) in Vegas the other day, but didn’t make it through. You can’t show up at the Timed Event thinking you’re going to half ass it and do any good. Running 25 head under those conditions—big arena, and big, fresh cattle over a long score—is no joke, and there aren’t very many people who can pull it off when they’re healthy.
“The Timed Event separates the men from the boys, and I’m proud to be a part of its history. I love this event so much that if I had a chance to start all over again the morning after it ends, I’d stay every time. I’m planning on going back to the Lazy E and getting another W. I’m 46, but I can still do things 25-year-olds can do.
“I got to be there to watch and compete against guys like Jimmie Cooper and Paul Tierney, and they beat us into their 50s. The best guys can win the Timed Event at any age, and there are actually advantages that come with more experience. When you’re running 25 head, you will be faced with things that have never happened to you before. An older, wiser veteran won’t panic when that happens, and that helps him react and get by things a young guy might not be able to handle.”
Since last year, the Karneys have launched a booming real estate business, and are laser-focused on that and their young family.
“It’s a brotherhood back there behind the Timed Event chutes, and I’ll treasure that feeling for the rest of my life,” said Lane, who’s big brother to 2020 TEC champ Santos, and will be his best man this fall when Taylor marries Paul’s daughter and 2020-21 Miss Rodeo America Jordan Tierney. “In today’s world of single-event cowboys, it’s pretty cool to compete alongside a group of guys who are willing to bear down and try it on in five events. I’m sure going to miss that Timed Event camaraderie, but have turned a page in my life, and am all in on the next chapter.”
“It’s a brotherhood back there behind the Timed Event chutes, and I’ll treasure that feeling for the rest of my life,” said Lane, who’s big brother to 2020 TEC champ Santos, and will be his best man this fall when Taylor marries Paul’s daughter and 2020-21 Miss Rodeo America Jordan Tierney. “In today’s world of single-event cowboys, it’s pretty cool to compete alongside a group of guys who are willing to bear down and try it on in five events. I’m sure going to miss that Timed Event camaraderie, but have turned a page in my life, and am all-in on the next chapter.”
Three-time TEC titlist Daniel Green joins Camarillo, Lockett, Santos and Ketscher in the category of Timed Event champs from California. Though Daniel has retired from Timed Event battle himself, he’ll suit up to serve as heading and heeling help for his son, Eli, in this year’s Junior Ironman, which will pay the winner $20,000.
“I miss being back in my prime, and the ability to compete at that highest, maximum level,” Daniel said. “I miss the excitement that comes with competing at the Timed Event. That was a great time in my life, and to have that versatility and mental strength to deal with the things that don’t always go right in 25 rounds meant a lot to me. You have to let the tough stuff go, and keep moving forward at the Timed Event.
“To win the Timed Event, you’ve got to be prepared physically and mentally, and you might need a break or two to go your way while you’re at it. Drawing the right steer or calf at the right time, or having the ball bounce your way when you need it to come in very handy at the Timed Event. There’s no way it’s all going to go perfectly over 25 runs, so being able to leave the bad stuff behind and go on to the next run is key. You can’t look back, and can only look forward. I never did well when I was trying to chase somebody, and trying to make things happen usually led to more mistakes. There will be bobbles in 25 rounds, but staying solid is the better bet at this event.”
Green has an inside joke with his breakaway roping friends that references the Timed Event champion banners that hang above this Lazy E Arena.
“I say, ‘If you want to be solid, rope them under Kyle’s banner,” Green grinned. “But if you want to win, you’ve got to rope them under my banner.”
Daddy Daniel is excited about Eli’s first hurrah in this arena that’s held such a special spot in his heart. The Junior Ironman is a 12-round contest—three each in heading, heeling, steer wrestling and tie-down roping.
“This is Eli’s first year, and it’ll be pretty cool for me to get back in this building with him,” Daniel said. “It’ll be a pretty special occasion for our family for me to see my son doing something I loved so much. You can watch something all you want, but we’ll just have to see how he feels when he gets into it. With the rule change that an adult can help the kids, which is new this year, it’ll be that much more special and memorable to be down in the dirt with my son.”
Like everything else in rodeo, the Timed Event will become harder to win over time as every event gets tougher. The last five years are living proof of that fact, with Thigpen striking in 2019, Santos getting the win in 2020, Theriot coming out on top in 2021, Rogers proving he’s more than a header in 2022 and Doescher becoming the first home-stater ever to get the TEC win for Oklahoma last year. A little-known Timed Event trivia fact is that Mike Beers was the first TEC rookie to win the title in 1986, and Thigpen and Santos are just the second and third cowboys ever to follow suit.
Thigpen and his wife were just starting to build a new house for their family when he hit the 2019 Timed Event jackpot.
“Maybe we won’t have to go to the bank for a loan now,” he beamed in the TEC winner’s circle.
Santos was coming off of his first NFR qualification in the tie-down roping in 2019 when he won $103,000 at his first Timed Event in 2020, just as COVID was shutting down rodeo with the rest of the world.
“It makes me proud to carry on a great tradition started by legends like Leo Camarillo, who was a close family friend, and carried on by guys like the best there’s ever been, Trevor Brazile,” said Santos, who went to Brazile’s for a pre-TEC tune-up before his first one. “Timed Event contestants are the kind of cowboys who’d come in handy if you needed help on the ranch.”
Theriot just qualified for his first NFR heading for Cole Curry in 2023.
“The Timed Event is the biggest, most prestigious event I’ve ever won,” he said at TEC 2021’s end. “There aren’t many chances to get it done, and only one guy wins it every year. People ask me what it takes to win it now that I know, and I tell them, ‘A lot of patience, concentration and just staying focused. I definitely feel like you have to be made for this event to win it.’”
Rogers has experienced about every emotion at the Timed Event, from the low of blowing out a knee bulldogging at the 2018 TEC, to finally finding the finish line in first place in 2022.
“The Timed Event is one of the premier events a guy can go to to show off your talent and versatility,” Rogers said. “You’re taking on not only the toughest set of all-around cowboy competitors in the world, but the cattle they bring in for this event also. They’re big and strong and tough, too.”
Doescher’s Sooner State W meant the literal world to his family.
“This is life-changing for us,” he said. “We live in a single-wide, and we’re trying to get out of it because we’ve outgrown it with three kids. We’re trying to get a place either bought or built. This money couldn’t have come at a better time. We’ve never seen this much money at one time.”
There’s never a bad time for a windfall $100,000 win. And with a tip of the hat to 40 years of tradition, the 2024 Timed Event titans are here to make more history.
Age: 18
Hometown: Manvel, Texas
Colin Fox started competing in rodeo when he was just 8 years old and, as an all-around cowboy, he’s been waiting for the chance to compete in the Jr. Ironman.
“I’ve always wanted to get the chance to do it someday,” Fox said. “When I saw they had the Jr. Ironman, I didn’t really know how to get into it. So this year, when I saw that [the WCJR] was a qualifier, I was pretty excited to jump all over that. I’ve always enjoyed working multiple events, so it seems like a lot of fun.”
The freshman on the rodeo team at Sam Houston State University qualified through the 2023 WCJR at the Lazy E. He considers the steer wrestling his strongest event, but he’s roped calves and headed all through high school and college.
“So the team roping is definitely my weaker side, but I would say I can head pretty well,” Fox said. “My heeling is definitely just something I need to work the most on.”
With a covered arena at school, Fox has been getting plenty of practice in for the Lazy E, despite the weather.
“We’ve been taking horses over there pretty much every day, steer wrestling, roping calves and then we team rope at the end,” Fox said. “I feel like I’m getting mentally right for it as well. I’ve been keeping the calf horse free and everything because it’s more of getting everything knocked down instead of trying to be fast.”
Fox is a three-time NHSFR qualifier and was the Texas High School Rodeo state champion bull dogger his sophomore year. He’ll be riding his own calf and steer wrestling horses—he’s had both since high school. His head and heel horses are still in the works, but one thing is for certain, he has a knockout helper in the team roping—2022 NFR average champion Tanner Tomlinson. Hazing for him will be John Schueneman.
Age: 18
Hometown: Oakdale, California
Eli Green practically grew up at the Cinch Timed Event Championship, watching his dad, three-time Timed Event champ and 10-time NFR qualifier Daniel Green.
Green is the youngest of Daniel and Shawnda’s three children—Grace and Kyndall being his older sisters—and having a 24-time CTEC contestant for a dad just might come in handy in Green’s first Jr. Ironman appearance.
“I don’t know if it gives me a leg up, but he’s been helping me get ready, and we’ve been running a bunch of steers and everything,” Green said. “I’ve been bouncing around to some other places, too, getting practiced up.”
Green qualified for the Jr. Ironman in July of 2023 through the Cinch World Champion Junior Rodeo, after finishing third in the team roping and placing in a few rounds.
“I’m very excited for it,” Green said. “I’ve been wanting to do it the last couple years, but this was the first time I got around to going out there to get qualified.”
The high school senior is an all-around hand, competing regularly in the heeling, calf roping and steer wrestling. Aside from his multiple California High School Rodeo Association wins, Green won the 2021 Hooey JR BFI #10.5 at the Lazy E.
He’ll be riding his sister’s bay head horse “Sven,” his heel horse “Buddy,” bull dogging horse “Siete” and calf horse “Ralph.” Green’s plan for his first Jr. Ironman is to remain smooth.
“I just want to knock down 12 head and try not to be super slow as I do it but not be irrational, either,” Green explained.
Age: 20
Hometown: La Junta, Colorado
In 2024, Evan Bottini returns to the Jr. Ironman competition for the third time, and with hard won wisdom.
“I’ve learned to never, never count yourself out, that’s for sure” said Bottini, 20. “A lot of things can change. And just because you’re winning the first round doesn’t mean you’re gonna win the last one. So you just gotta stay real humble about things and keep your head high and just keep doing what you’re doing. It’ll sort out how it’s supposed to be.”
Last year, Bottini was coming off a pretty fresh ankle injury and, though there’s still some tenderness to it, he’s happy to report he’s managed to stay healthy ahead of the event so far. This year’s challenge instead comes from the fact that he’s since lost his calf horse, Goose.
“My calf horse died after the last Iron Man,” said Bottini, a sophomore on Kansas’ Colby Community College rodeo team. “I’ve got a new younger horse coming, Tom Cat. I’m not real worried about him, I just don’t know what to expect. I haven’t had him in that big of a setting, but I think he’ll be alright.”
Bottini’s mom and dad are helping him get the rest of his horsepower in order, which includes again counting on Jackson Seibert’s Pac Man for the heading, while his own horses—Netflix and Maverick—will carry him in the heeling and the steer wrestling.
For manpower, Russel Cardoza will be helping on both ends in the team roping this year and, in the bulldogging, Tyler Pearson will again be hazing for Bottini, the 2021 NHSFR steer wrestler, 2021 Little Britches Dally Ribbon Roping World Champion and 2017 National Little Britches Rodeo Junior Boy World Champion Breakaway Roper.
In school, Bottini is wrapping up his studies in beef production, and he’s entertaining a few different paths forward.
“I might come back to continue another year here to get a welding degree and some other things that I would like to get,” said Bottini, who hails from the southeastern corner of Colorado. “But I’ve also got some colleges—Fort Hays, and some colleges down in Texas—that have offered me to come and talk to them.”
But for the moment, his focus is on the next few college rodeos and getting to the Jr. Ironman arena in good working order.
“We’ve been healthy all year. We’ve still got a couple weekends to go but, hopefully, everything stays strong, and we’re good to go by the time we get there.”
Age: 19
Hometown: Dalton, Georgia
Georgia’s Hank Burgess is set on representing the Southeast at his first Jr. Ironman and proving that rodeo talent isn’t only in the purview of the Western states.
“I’m ready to go out there and show that talent comes from all over and not just way out West,” he said. “I’m excited to cheer on Justin Thigpen—he’s from Georgia, too—and bring back some titles to the Southeast.”
Burgess, 19, came up through the ranks of junior high, high school and Little Britches rodeo and currently competes on the Northwest Mississippi Community College team under renowned coach and NFR steer wrestler, Will Lummus.
Burgess qualified at the National Little Britches Finals and has been pleasantly surprised by the subsequent celebrity treatment.
“I’m announced as the kid going to the Jr. Ironman and all sorts of people come up to me to wish me luck,” he said. “I get phone calls and texts offering me horses to ride. It’s wild. It’s great!”
Luckily, Burgess doesn’t need to call in any favors and has his horses lined up, including a few that are home-raised and self-trained.
“When I’ve made my own horses, I know them and I know how they’re going to react to stuff,” he said. “I’ve always liked working with the young ones and making them into what I want them to be.”
With tie-down ropers like Tim Pharr and Danny Phillips as neighbors to offer advice and practice time, calf roping is Burgess’ strongest event, but he’s aiming for “businessman’s rounds all week across the events.”
“I’m going to go out there and do the best with what I have,” he says. “If it works out, I come home with a paycheck. And if not, at least I got to go and that’s pretty cool.”
Helping Burgess in the roping will be Travis Klingeman. Hazing for him will be Ironman competitor and World Champion Steer Wrestler Tyler Pearson.
Age: 18
Hometown: Krum, Texas
When Jake Shelton caught the roping bug, he caught it from the best.
“I started roping steers when I was around 11,” Shelton, 18, said. “I went with some family friends to rope calves at Roy Cooper’s place, and I’ve been in love with it since.”
And when he caught the bulldogging fever, he caught that from the best as well.
“K.C. Jones taught me how to bulldog,” he said. “I’ve had some good teachers.”
That top-notch education successfully carried Shelton through the ranks of junior high and high school rodeo to a 2023 Cinch World Championship Junior Rodeo steer wrestling title and a qualification for the Jr. Ironman.
“The Jr. Ironman has always been a goal of mine,” the Krum, Texas, high school senior said.
Though feeling strongest in the calf roping and steer wrestling, Shelton is going “full throttle” on training for all the events.
“Whenever I’m not in school, I’m practicing,” he said. “I try to practice at least two events every day. I might take off a night to go jackpot, but otherwise, it’s all day, every day.”
Shelton’s horse string will include some of Jones’ bulldogging team.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be real good friends with K.C. for a long time,” he said. “He told me, ‘Well, you know, the team, they’re in shape. Why don’t you just take them?’”
Hazing for Shelton will be his father, Daryll Shelton. And in the team roping, his good friend Cash Fretwell will be helping on both sides.
Age: 18
Hometown: Mayer, Arizona
Reigning Jr. Ironman Champion Ketch Kelton is the definition of cowboy cool. The Arizona roper garnered the 2022 Arizona High School Rodeo Association and NHSFR All-Around Cowboy titles before smashing the Jr. Ironman aggregate record in 2023 with a time of 107.4 seconds on 12 head.
Specializing in heading and heeling, the 18-year-old isn’t rattled by the thought of coming into the 2024 event with a bullseye on his back.
“I don’t have a different perspective this year,” Kelton said. “You know what to expect, and you know you need to pace yourself throughout the competition. Just treat everything the same and try not to make a mistake. I really enjoy competing up there with those guys. I’ve always wanted to do the Ironman.”
The son of 12-time Cinch Timed Event Championship competitor Chance, Kelton literally has the Ironman competition in his blood.
His horse lineup closely matches his 2023 roster, starting with personal gelding “Boon” in the heading and heeling. He’ll be riding Damian Padilla’s bulldogging horse again and calling Brent Lewis for a calf horse.
In the help department he’ll have Cody Lovell heading and Cade Rice heeling.
Kelton’s supporters will include parents Chance and Tammy, as well as grandparents Willy and Phyllis Kelton.
Age: 19
Hometown: Chico, Texas
It’s a busy time of year for Kreece Dearing. The second semester of college rodeo just kicked off and the South Plains College freshman only had a few days between competing in Odessa and heading north to the Lazy E for his second Jr. Ironman.
College rodeoing has given Dearing, of Chico, Texas, good opportunity to prepare for the event.
“We have practice Monday through Thursday,” he said. “I’m getting to practice a lot more than I did last year.”
Dearing has been an avid roper since the start, and he added steer wrestling to his all-around repertoire some five years ago. Since his Jr. Ironman debut last year, Dearing has also added a WCRA Division Youth All-Around title to his long list of rodeo accomplishments. It’s momentum he hopes to carry into this year’s competition.
In 2023, Dearing won the third round of the Jr. Ironman, “but had no luck in the first or second round.”
This year, he plans to “gun it a little more.”
“I’m going to make sure I get a time in every single event,” he said. “A time is a lot better than a 60.”
Helping him out in the team roping on both sides will be NFR heeler Levi Lord. As for horsepower, Dearing will be bringing his horses “Big Jake” on the head side, “Carmela” on the heel side and “Tooley” for calf roping. He’s still debating on his bulldogging horse.
His parents Anita and Rodney Dearing will be there to show their support.
Age: 17
Hometown: New Haven, Indiana
Luke Tippman is entering the Jr. Ironman for the first time in 2024 after being awarded the NLBRA All-Around Cowboy World Champion title in 2023.
“In the spring I had a really good season,” Tippmann, 17, recalled of his championship season. “I started getting on broncs and earning more points, and my best rodeos were in the spring, leading up to the finals.”
Bronc riding seems to have grabbed ahold of Tippman’s heart, but he claims team roping as his strongest event and, at the Lazy E come February, he’ll be heeling with the help of his partner of six years, Brazil’s Junior Fornazin.
“I just want to go into it with a level head and take it one run at a time,” Tippmann said with the wisdom of the Cinch Timed Event Championship veterans. “You can’t beat yourself up over something you can’t fix, so if I make a mistake, I’m just going to do my best to move on.”
Just a few weeks out from go time, Tippmann had his horses ready but was still determining his hazer for the steer wrestling. He believes one of the Tierney brothers is lined up to pull his steers tight for him in the heading.
When he’s not in the arena or in school, the high school junior with plans to attend Panhandle State University also works for his dad, Tim, at his company Beastmaster Rodeo, which sells rodeo gear and accessories.
Age: 17
Hometown: Holt, Florida
Though born into a rodeo family, it was only six years ago that 17-year-old Micah Kearney of Holt, Florida, first swung his leg over a saddle. But since then, he’s more than made up for lost time, punching his ticket to the 2023 National Little Britches Finals where he qualified for his first Jr. Ironman.
“Honestly, I was scared of horses for the longest time, so I didn’t get started young like most people,” he said. “But once I did, I was hooked. I didn’t want to do one event; I wanted to do all of them—and I wanted to be good at all of them.”
Competing at the Jr. Ironman has been a longtime goal of Kearney’s, and he’s been laser-focused on returning to the Lazy E.
“It was the thing I was working toward,” he said. “So it was very, very rewarding to get that email.”
Since the official invite, Kearney has been putting in the hours “practicing everywhere and anywhere to get as sharp as possible, physically and mentally.”
Kearney says he favors the team roping and bulldogging, is keeping his strategy simple: “I’m going in just making sure I get all 12 head caught about as fast as I can.”
Roping with Kearney will be two-time NFR header Nelson Wyatt. Hazing for him will be World Champion Steer Wrestler Tyler Pearson.
Age: 17
Hometown: Tylertown, Mississippi
Mississippi all-around star Tyler Porter will be competing in the Jr. Ironman competition for the first time in 2024, but he’s leaving the jitters at home.
“I’m excited about going,” said Porter, 17. “I’m pretty confident about doing it because I’m practicing doing all my events, so I’m doing pretty well. I just practice hard and go there and compete, you know?”
Porter qualified to compete in Guthrie through the National Little Britches Rodeo Association and was a top 10 header at their 2023 Finals. Back home in Mississippi, the homeschooled junior is sitting pretty in the standings, currently ranked No. 2 in the Boys All Around, No. 1 in the steer wrestling, No. 3 in the team roping and No. 1 in the tie-down roping.
For help, he’s calling upon two-time World Champion Kaleb Driggers for help on both ends of the team roping and, in the steer wrestling, World Champion Tyler Pearson will be supplying the haze.
For horsepower, Porter will be riding his own.
“My steer wrestling horse, we bought him last year and I’ve been riding him for about six months now,” Porter said. “My head horse, we’ve had him for about four years, and then my heel horse, we just got.”
Porter’s dad, Sean, is also a calf roper and he helped put the finishing touches on the steer wrestling horse when they got him, but they’ve been teaming up with Gonzales, Louisiana’s five-time World Champion Steer Wrestler Tyler Waguespack for extra help, too.
“I’ve been going down there for a about a year now,” Porter said. “We’re all good friends, and he’s helped me a lot with my steer wrestling.”
At the event, dad Sean, mom Amanda and 11-year-old brother and fellow roper Jake will be cheering Porter on through the three, four-event perfs of the Jr. Ironman, all with the goal of winning the championship and $20,000.
Love is in the air, and what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than by treating your special someone to an unforgettable experience filled with adrenaline, excitement, and world-class competition? This February 29 – March 2, 2024, mark your calendars for the 40th Cinch Timed Event Championship at the fabulous Lazy E Arena. Get ready to witness 25 of the best all-around cowboys go head-to-head in a thrilling display of skill and determination as they vie for the prestigious title and a chance to claim the $100,000 check, Montana Silversmiths buckle, and the ultimate bragging rights.
Purchase 2024 Cinch Timed Event Championship Tickets!
At the Cinch Timed Event Championship, expect nothing short of heart-pounding action as these athletes showcase their talents in heading, heeling, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and steer roping.. Whether you’re a seasoned rodeo fan or experiencing the thrill for the first time, the atmosphere at the Lazy E Arena promises to be electrifying, making it the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your loved one.
But the excitement doesn’t stop there! In addition to the main event, attendees can also purchase tickets for the 47th Bob Feist Invitational on March 30, 2024. This event brings together the best 125 open teams in the world for a day of intense competition and jaw-dropping action. With adrenaline-fueled moments at every turn, the Bob Feist Invitational is bound to be an unforgettable experience for the entire family.
47th BFI Set For Easter Weekend In Guthrie
Beyond the rodeo arena, there will be plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained throughout the day. From delicious food vendors serving up mouthwatering treats to interactive exhibits and shopping opportunities, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at these action-packed events.
Purchase 2024 Wrangler BFI The Feist Tickets!
So, this Valentine’s Day, skip the traditional gifts and surprise your loved one with tickets to the Cinch Timed Event Championship and the Bob Feist Invitational. Share in the excitement, cheer on your favorite competitors, and create lasting memories together at the Lazy E Arena. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget!
Don’t miss out on the thrill of a lifetime. Get your tickets now and make this Valentine’s Day one to remember at the heart of the action!
Are you ready to experience the thrill of the Wild West like never before? Mark your calendars because the 40th Cinch Timed Event Championship is just around the corner, February 29 – March 2. Promising an unforgettable blend of adrenaline-pumping competition and Western shopping extravaganza! Whether you’re a seasoned cowboy or a Western enthusiast, this event is tailor-made for you.
Join us as we celebrate four decades of cowboy excellence at the Cinch Timed Event Championship, where 25 of the best all-around cowboys will vie for their chance at the prestigious $210,000 purse. From heading, tie-down roping, heeling, steer wrestling, and steer roping, witness the mastery of these skilled athletes as they compete in five timed events over the course of three action-packed days.
Purchase 2024 Cinch Timed Event Championship Tickets!
But that’s not all – immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Western Marketplace, where an array of vendors awaits to offer you the finest selection of Western apparel, accessories, and more. Whether you’re in the market for authentic cowboy boots, handcrafted leather goods, or one-of-a-kind Western decor, you’ll find it all right here.
The Cinch Timed Event Championship runs Feb. 29 to March 2, 2024, streaming on Roping.com. read more
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the vendors you can expect to encounter at the Western Marketplace:
