Bareback
Harold Miller's 3rd round 70 may not look like much on the surface, but it marked the last time this 67 year old cowboy would enter the arena. Fittingly enough his last ride was on a Spur' N S horse named John Wayne. Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway. Miller also finished atop the SRA leaderboard for 2023.
Night 1
Tanner Phipps won 1st place on Spur’n S John Wayne scoring 77 and taking home $1,300. He was followed by Cole File (76/ $800) on Air Time of Double Creek Pro Rodeo, while Kameron Merck (Warden- Double Creek) and Lane Rowland (Delta Dawn- Double Creek) split 3rd place with a 75 and each taking home $267.
Night 2
Tanner Phipps took home 1st place again scoring an 82 on TL Rodeo’s War Party and securing $1,300 in the process. Kameron Merck finished second on Geronomo out of Rafter 3 Rodeo, tying Lane Rowland on Air Time (Double Creek Pro Rodeo) with a 74 and the two both winning $667. There were no other qualified rides on the second night.
Night 3
Phipps completed the SFR sweep scoring 83 on Big Show out of Rafter K Rodeo and taking home another $1,300. Lane Rowland secured $800 via a second place score of 74 on Geronomo (Rafter 3 Rodeo). Harold Miller stole the show with his third-place score of 70. The 67-year-old cowboy’s retirement was announced shortly following his ride.
Steer Wrestling
With two second place finishes and a third place in round three, Danny Pyles won the weekend average by 1.3 seconds. Pyles strong performance in the Southern Finals Rodeo helped him finish second overall in the 2023 SRA standings. Tanner Lloyd was the Southern Rodeo Association steer wrestling champion for 2023.
Night 1
Colton Brumley was the fastest of the night with a run of 5 seconds ($1,400) followed by Danny Pyles with a 5.2 ($840). Joe Cook took home the last money grabbing spot wrestling his steer to the ground in 5.4 seconds and securing $560.
Night 2
Dustin Jacobson’s 4.5 seconds was enough to earn him the top spot and $1,400. Trey Lloyd was 0.1 seconds behind him to steal second place and $840. Danny Pyles' bulldogging effort of 5.3 seconds was enough to earn him the third-place spot and a check for $560.
Night 3
Trey Lloyd improved on his second place finish in the previous round by winning round three with a 4.1 second run (the quickest run of the SFR) and winning $1,400. Danny Pyles was able to place for the third straight night, winning $840 with a 4.6 second place finish. Tyler Kidd earned his first check of the weekend after a 5.2 second run, earning $560.
Breakaway Roping
Ryleigh Parker book ended the SFR this year with round 1 and 3 wins, propelling her to the average win by half a second over Chloe Cox. Grace Toberer finished as the top breakaway roper in the 2023 SRA standings, despite not earning a check during the weekend.
Night 1
Ryleigh Parker’s 2.4 second run was not only the fastest of the night, but the whole weekend, earning her $1,400. Anna Scott’s 3.3 second run earned her $840 and Sage Dunlap rounded out the money earners with a 3.9 second run and $560.
Night 2
After a 12.5 run on the previous night, Chloe Cox improved to 2.7 seconds, fast enough for a first-place finish and $1,400. Jamie Elsworth improved 13.4 seconds during night one to a 2.8 second run for second place and $840. Kyla Matthews roped her calf in 3 seconds and won $560 following a no-time on the previous night.
Night 3
Ryleigh Parker again captured the top spot winning $1,400 after a 2.5 second run. Chloe Cox secured her second check of the weekend with a 2.8 second roping worth $840. Anna Scott rounded out the Sunday matinee performance with a 2.9 second run winning $560.
Calf Roping
Cynch Whitesell cruised to an average win this weekend after taking the top spot in the first two go-rounds. Mat Futrell and Justin Thigpen rounded out the top three average winners thanks to strong performances in round three. Caden Ussery brought home the top spot in Calf Roping for the 2023 SRA season.
Night 1
Cynch Whitesell roped and tied down his calf in 7.5 seconds securing him the night one win and $1,400. Clay Livengood took home second place with a 8.4 second run worth $840. The last two cowboys (Jacob Dagenhart and Dustin Jacobson) to go on night one split third place with 9.3 seconds and earned $280 each.
Night 2
Cynch Whitsell defended his night 1 win with an 8.1 second run worth $1,400 and the first-place finish. Ashton Semien tied his calf in 9 seconds ($840) and Clay Livengood took home the third place with a $560 9.2 second run.
Night 3
Justin Thigpen claimed Sunday’s fastest time with a 7.9 second run and won a $1,400 check. Thomas Linton’s 8.9 second run was enough for a second-place finish and $840. There was another tie for third place as Cork Kirk and Matt Futrell both tied their calves in 9.1 seconds and won $280.
Saddle Bronc
Tristin McCalin placed in all three rounds of the Southern Finals Rodeo helping him win the weekend average and take home over $5,000. McCalin also finished first in the overall standings for the year.
Night 1
Tristin McClain scored 81 on Black Smoke from Double Creek Pro Rodeo to take home first place check of $1,311. Just one point behind him was Colt Bass who scored 80 points after an 8 second ride atop Rafter K’s Big Gypsy. Tyler Pruitt secured the last check of the night with a 79-point ride atop Rio Lobo (Spur’n S) earning $524.
Night 2
Connor Brumley’s bronc from TL Rodeo, Slow & Easy, was anything but as he and Connor scored 80 points. Tyler Pruitt remained on the leaderboard after scoring 80 points on North Point out of Double Creek. Pruitt and Brumley split the first-place check with each winning $1,049. Trist McClain rode Night Rider to a third-place finish of 78 points, winning $524 in the process.
Night 3
Hayden Phipps recorded the highest score of the rodeo aboard Double Creek’s Black Jack with an 84-point performance worth $1,311 on Sunday after finishing fourth the night before and being bucked off in the first round. Tyler Pruitt won his third check in as many nights after scoring 76 on Big Gypsy from Rafter K Rodeo and claiming $787. Tristin McClain also won his third check of the weekend after a 75-point ride on Buzz Killer from Outlaw Rodeo earning him $524.
Team Roping
Before the weekend kicked off Jacob Dangerhart told SRA his favorite quote is "if you aint first, you're last" Those words rang true as him and heeler Adam Plyer took home the average win this weekend. The pair have a combined 33 years competing on the SRA tour and 25 SFR qualifications between them.
Night 1
Jacob Dangerhart/ Adam Plyer roped their steer in 5.1 seconds, the fastest time of the both the night and the whole weekend winning the pair $1,400 each. JD Young/ Alex Brooks secured second-place with a 6.4 second run worth $840 for both cowboys. Mason Johnson/ Logan Bunn took home the last checks of the night with a 9.1 second run worth $560.
Night 2
Tanner Lloyd/ Ty Lloyd each won $1,400 after a first place run of 7.2 seconds. Heath King/ Stephen Britnell won $840 for an 11.7 second run, beating out Brantley Swofford/ Tyler Kidd who recorded a 11.8 second run for $560.
Night 3
Daniel McLamb/ Scott Lee earned their first check of the weekend with a 6.1 second run winning $1,400. Not too far off their heels were Jacob Dangerhart/ Adam Plyer who found themselves on the leaderboard again, this time with a 6.5 second run worth $840. Tanner Lloyd/ Ty Lloyd earned the last check of the weekend with a 9.3 second roping worth $560.
Barrel Racing
Jill Johnson placed in all three nights, including a round one victory helping her to win the average for the weekend. Johnson purchased her mare Slurry from World Champion barrel racer Jordan Briggs in the middle of her futurity year. Sarah Craver finished the year atop of the 2023 SRA leaderboard.
Night 1
Jill Johnson was the fastest cow girl of the night, rounding her three barrels in 13.049 seconds and winning $1,400. Mandy Cook was on her heels with a 13.050 second place finish worth $840. Danielle McCraw won the last check of the night with a third-place time of 13.058.
Night 2
Josie Thompson collected her first check of the weekend after a 12.918 second run worth $1.400. Jill Johnson’s 13.086 second clover pattern earned her $840 and Kristen Yde won $560 for her 13.138 second third place finish.
Night 3
Tammy Rice won her first check of the weekend after the cowgirl turned in a 12.983 second run winning first place and $1,400. Joise Thompson collected her second check of the night after turning and burning in 13.072 seconds winning $840. Jill Johnson placed for the third time this weekend winning $560 after a 13.138 second run.
Bull Riding
If it was the bull's weekend to shine, no one told Lane Edwards. Out of the 5 qualifying rides over the weekend, Lane Edwards was three of them. Clay Guiton still came out on top in the overall SRA standings. If the name sounds familiar, Guiton has been making a name for himself on this year's PBR Unleash The Beast series
Night 1
Lane Edwards kicked off the scoring Friday night with an 81 point ride aboard a bull from Spurn’ S called Sniper. Brady Robinson was the only other bull rider to stay on for 8 seconds after an 81 point ride on Rafter 3’s Spot Tango. The pair split first place with each winning $1,311.
Round 2
Lane Edwards turned in the only qualified run on night 2 as he scored 74 points on Double Creek’s Grim Reaper and winning all the night’s money ($2,622).
Round 3
Lane Edwards completed the weekend sweep after scoring 82 points and winning $1,573 on a bull named Big Energy out of Double Creek Pro Rodeo. Zeke Benge was the only other bull rider to stay on for eight seconds and scored 73 points on Outlaw Rodeo’s Flatliner.
Photographer Credit: Lyn Johnson of Made You Look Photography
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