PRORODEO Sports News - November 22, 2024

TIE-DOWN ROPING Sustaining Success Mayfield looking to maintain consistency

BY ALEX DODD S had Mayfield is no stranger to the top of the PRCA | RAM World Standings. The five-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and 2020 PRCA Tie Down Roping World Champion opened the season on a heater and kept up the momentum despite nagging injuries. Now Mayfield is turning his attention toward the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge, where he’ll hit the ground in Las Vegas as the top man in the tie-down roping. “I just learn more every year,” Mayfield told the ProRodeo Sports News . “The more years I go, I just feed off of each year. I’m maturing a lot in my roping and everywhere else.” As of Oct. 15, Mayfield unofficially led the tie-down standings with $286,347 – $65,038 more than the second cowboy in the world, Haven Meged. He also holds a $34,012 lead in the all-around with $224,413. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story about Mayfield’s sensational season. The 23-year-old suffered through two torn hip labrums throughout the season, which led to a significant dry spell in the thick of the summer run. After competing at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo, Mayfield went to 10 straight rodeos without a payday before getting back on track at Ogden (Utah) Pioneer Days. “Honestly, after hearing about my hip injuries, it just made me try harder,” Mayfield said. “And a lot of it was also because of my horse. A lot of people don’t really see that but that mare I rode, Lollipop, she makes a lot of stuff happen. She definitely did a lot of it.” Mayfield opened the season with top finishes during the Texas swing at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in February. He pocketed $39,327 at those two events alone to jumpstart yet another impressive season. In the summer, he added notable wins at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo and Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days to stay steady in the standings. An impressive September, including victories at the

2024 TIE-DOWN ROPING STANDINGS

1. Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M. .................... $286,347 2. Haven Meged, Miles City, Mont. ............... 221,309 3. Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas .................... 219,172 4. Riley Webb, Denton, Texas ....................... 216,907 5. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La. .................... 157,845 6. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas ............... 155,868 7. John Douch, Huntsville, Texas .................. 155,804 8. Kincade Henry, Mount Pleasant, Texas ..... 140,958 9. Dylan Hancock, San Angelo, Texas ........... 134,896 10. Zack Jongbloed, Iowa, La. ...................... 134,380 11. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas ...................... 127,444 12. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla. .................. 123,999 13. Joel Harris, San Angelo, Texas ............... 116,810 14. Cole Clemons, Okeechobee, Fla. ............ 103,417 15. Quade Hiatt, Canyon, Texas .................... 101,980

FROM THE CHAMP

“That’s a dream come true, and I’ve worked my whole life to get to that point. But now you get past that, and it’s time to start over. Just because you’ve worked your whole life for one, that doesn’t mean you have to stop now. It’s time to get back

Tie-down roper Shad Mayfield makes a run during the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup from Sept. 26-28 in Sioux Falls, S.D. Mayfield won the event and pocketed $39,625. PRCA ProRodeo photo photo by Clay Guardipee

Webb

Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., and the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., gave Mayfield a $57,369 boost in the waning moments of the season. Mayfield credited Lollipop for putting him in a position to sustain success in 2024. “What makes her so good is that she’s so fast,” he said. “With calf roping, you really want to have a fast horse. It helps a lot, and she’s a bred racehorse. With her speed, I can get any start at the barrier, and she’s going to catch the calf faster than any other horse.” This trip to the NFR marks Mayfield’s third as the tie-down roping season leader. And he hopes to be in the same position after ten rounds of fierce competition from Dec. 5-14 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. “I want to keep doing what I’m doing and not change anything up,” Mayfield said of his plan for the NFR. “I can’t change too much, but I’m going to try to stay right there with what I’ve done all year. And try to stay consistent throughout the Finals and see what happens.”

QUOTABLE “I want to keep doing what I’m doing and not change anything up. I can’t change too much, but I’m going to try to stay right there with what I’ve done all year. And try to stay consistent throughout the Finals and see what happens.”

to the grindstone.”

– Riley Webb

– Shad Mayfield

ProRodeo Sports News 11/22/2024

ProRodeo Sports News 11/22/2024

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

56

57