ProRodeo Sports News - January 22, 2021

Brown ties record, wins Odessa Casting Call BY MATT NABER T ie-down roper Catfish Brown isn’t content to be a big fish in a small pond. Instead, he pushes himself to find out how far he can go, and he got a pretty good idea of what he’s capable of when he won the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, Texas, in January. Brown showcased his prowess by tying the Odessa tie-down roping record of 7.3 seconds that was set by Randall Carlisle in 2010. Jongbloed SANDHILLS STOCK SHOW & RODEO ALL-AROUND & TOP MONEY WINNER Zack Jongbloed ($7,547, tie- TOP SCORES

down roping and steer wrestling) BAREBACK RIDING

“You’ll have six-time world champions and guys who set the bar for a reason, and that makes me want to see how great I can be at something, and in life that’s where I find my happiness,” Brown said. “I know what my passion is, and the things I have done going down the road have encouraged me and made me understand what the game and the sport do for me and how much happiness they bring me.” In addition to tying the Odessa record, Brown earned $6,787. “You want to be in a relaxed, attack-mode mindset,” Brown said. “And any time you can win an amount like that at one rodeo it encourages that mindset, which is huge in our game.” Brown’s Odessa win came aboard Spanky, Brown’s 8-year-old American Quarter Horse bay gelding that he’s owned for two years. “His name suits him because he has a lot of character and charisma, and he’s big, strong, playful and just a big kid with a big motor, and we work well together,” Brown said. “Even on his mediocre days he gives me a chance to win, and that’s what makes me put that much more time into myself.” The Collinsville, Texas, cowboy has swung fromwinning the PRCA | Resistol Rookie of the Year for tie-down roping in 2014 to not competing other years. Recently, he’s been on the upswing, finishing 21st in the 2020 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $37,039. Brown has trained and sold horses, worked as a farrier, and done construction work, but his focus has switched entirely to ProRodeo. “I’ve always had the dream and the dream never left, but there are a lot of things outside the arena that I had to overcome and mine comes from financial stuff,” Brown said. “I’ve always been kind of on my own and doing things, and it’s not always easy that way. I just turned 27, and I’m really thankful for the experiences I’ve had to learn multiple trades and do things to make it work and make it an opportunity in my life. A win like that makes me just as thankful as I can be.” Brown is taking the Odessa win as a sign that he’s taking the right approach. “When you work at something and get the results you want this early in the year, I want to be able to replicate it,” Brown said. “This isn’t the easiest time to be prepared and get success, and you have to be doing something right, so just stay on track.”

1. Mike Solberg ....................... 85.5 pts. (Tie) Will Lowe ........................... 85.5 3. Chase Vossler ........................... 84.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Will Lummus ........................ 4.0 sec. 2. Zack Jongbloed ............................ 4.1 3. Joseph Guze ................................. 4.3 TEAM ROPING 1. D.Egusquiza/T.Graves ... 8.8 sec. on 2 2. E. Rogers/P. Bray ......................... 9.3 (Tie) C. Masters/J. Harrison .......... 9.3 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Stetson Wright ....................... 86 pts. 2. Jacobs Crawley .......................... 84.5 3. Ben Andersen ................................ 84 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Catfish Brown ....................... 7.3 sec. 2. Kyle Lucas .................................... 7.6 (Tie) Caleb Smidt .......................... 7.6 STEER ROPING 1. Cole Patterson ............ 31.2 sec. on 3 2. Vin Fisher Jr. .............................. 32.4 3. Bryce Davis ................................ 32.7 BARREL RACING 1. Ivy Saebens ...................... 14.01 sec. 2. Stephanie Fryar ........................ 14.04 3. Jimmie Smith ........................... 14.12 BULL RIDING 1. Josh Frost ........................... 86.5 pts. 2. Ruger Piva ................................. 84.5 3. Two tied at ..................................... 84

IN BRIEF MONEY TALKS

The total payoff at the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo has increased by $39,497 over the last three years, going from $222,609 in 2019 to $243,145 in 2020 and $262,106 in 2021.

William Kierce photo

Complete results/Page 38

ProRodeo Sports News 1/22/2021

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