ProRodeo Sports News - April 28, 2023

PRORODEO COWBOYS

Egusquiza/Lord aren’t the only team that ProRodeo fans should have their eyes on headed into the key summer run. Just after the San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo, it was announced that seven-time Wrangler NFR header Cody Snow was joining forces with three-time PRCA World Champion heeler Jade Corkill. Snow has spent seven seasons roping with Wesley Thorp during his ProRodeo career. Together the duo has earned more than $850,000 each during that time. Snow said sometimes in roping you have to change things up and getting the opportunity to rope with a three-time world champion like Corkill was too good to pass up. “Jade is truly a machine out there roping,” he said. “He’s arguably one of the best heelers in our sport over the past decade. It’s a no brainer for me to rope with him. I don’t know how many more years he’s going to rodeo for. So, I really wanted to take the opportunity to rope with him while he was still rodeoing and see if we can get a gold buckle out of it.” Snow/Corkill roped together for the first time this season at the Clark County Fair & Rodeo in Logandale, Nev., April 12. Speaking of world champs, heeler Thorp will back into the box with a new header in Tyler Wade for the first time in three years, for the remaining six months of the ProRodeo season. Wade/Thorp have joined forces with a combined 12 Wrangler NFR qualifications under their belts. As of April 26, Thorp is sitting seventh in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, while Wade is outside the Top 15 at No. 23. “Everyone ropes so good nowadays and Wesley and I have been friends for a while, so it made a lot of sense,” said Wade, 30. “We’ve been second partners on and off for about four or five years at jackpots, where we’ve had some success. So, there’s not going to be a whole lot of transition for us, it should be a pretty easy fit with our roping styles.” The new team roping partners mentioned are just a few of the many cowboys that have formed fresh teams this spring. There may be even more to come before it’s all said and done. Thorp said it comes down to finding the right partner at the right time to capitalize on the opportunity in front of them. “There have been a lot of changes with team roping this spring,” said Thorp, the 2019 PRCA World Champion Heeler. “I think when it comes down to guys changing partners, you just have to see what styles match up together and what works best. There’s so much to win at the NFR nowadays too, that you’ve got to be able to rope with somebody where your styles click, and you can get a run nailed down.”

Hailey Rae photo Heeler Levi Lord, left, gets ready to make a throw after his partner Dustin Egusquiza made the catch during the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in February. The duo teamed up this year to make a run at the world championship.

Swap Meet

Team ropers find new partners in 2023

BY TANNER BARTH T eam roping partner swaps are fairly common in the

Egusquiza, a five-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “I’ve known him for six years and I even lived with him for a year. He’s been roping really good lately, and honestly I think he’s one of the best heelers in the world right now. We are all really close and I think it’s going to make for a fun year.” The duo believes the sky is the limit for them in 2023, with their sights set on the ultimate goal of winning a gold buckle this December. The highest either cowboy has finished at this point in their careers is third in the world standings. “That’s for sure the goal (winning a gold buckle),” said Lord, 27. “I think that’s what we are all out here for. I feel like we’ve got good horses and rope well enough to get it done. I mean you have to have things go your way, but that’s definitely our goal. We believe we can do it. It’s just getting out there and doing it.”

sport of rodeo. Each year you see a handful of new teams form, headed into the key stretch of the season. 2023 may take the cake with a number of PRCA World Champions and up and coming stars on the move. Every move is strategic as cowboys look to gain the upper hand in the race for the money at hand and a coveted world title. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord have turned their new partnership into almost instant success. The duo started roping together back in January at the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, Texas. Since that point they have won nearly $50,000 and find themselves inside the top 5 of the PRCA | RAM World Standings. It’s a roping partnership that was spurred by a friendship. Now, the two friends are teaming up in their quest for a world championship. “Levi has been one of my best friends for a long time now,” said

PRCA ProRodeo photos by Clay Guardipee 2019 World Champion Team Roping Heeler Wesley Thorp, left, is now teamed up with header Tyler Wade, right, for the remainder of the 2023 season.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/28/2023

ProRodeo Sports News 4/28/2023

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

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