PRORODEO Sports News February Digital Edition

FIRST FRONTIER SMITH/BROWN TAKE FIRST FRONTIER CIRCUIT CROWN

By Ted Harbin, Special to PRORODEO Sports News

T.J. Smith/Scot Brown knew they had some work to do when they arrived at Harrisburg, Pa., for the Boot Barn First Fron tier Circuit Finals Rodeo. They were about $5,000 behind the regional lead ers, Chase and Riley Quynn of Schuylerville, N.Y., so Smith and Brown didn’t necessarily need a Hail Mary heave; consistent work over the four-round championship might do the trick. It did. Smith and Brown won the opening round with a 5.5-second run, then grabbed three more pay checks to win the aggre gate title and $12,189 each. That catapulted them to the circuit title, and both men will represent the Northeastern United States circuit at the NFR chance,” said Smith, 54, of San Mateo, Fla. “It had to be a good weekend, and it was. It was awesome.” He and Brown – a 48-year-old heeler from Mt. Joy, Pa. – snagged $7,164 in go-round money, highlight ed by their $2,512 payday in Thurs day’s opener at New Holland Arena. They finished fourth the next morn ing, then were second Friday night and finished tied for second Saturday Open at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colo., in July. “We came in a little bit behind, but we knew we had a

afternoon to clean house. “My head horse (Blondie) is so easy

my partner called and asked me about roping. I had just gotten that horse back, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to head again. We roped our first steer together ever at the first rodeo this year.” The two had been friends for years, dating back to when the two were com peting on a more national level. Brown is competing in his 21st year of PRO RODEO, while Smith earned his PRCA card in 1992. “Scot just heels so fast that it’s easy

to ride, and my heel er is so good, so that just makes it easy for me,” Smith said. “That horse (was) owned by my uncle, Bob Herrington, and he gave that horse back to me, and that horse is the only reason I even started back heading because I trained him. “I heeled for seven years, and then

18 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2026