ProRodeo Sports News - March 1, 2024

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

BY TANNER BARTH & TRACY RENCK

Shad Mayfield stays hot with title You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in the world roping better than Shad Mayfield right now. The Clovis, N.M., tie-down roper entered the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo with a $30,000 lead in the PRCA | RAM World Standings and nearly doubled that money total inside the Frost Bank Center. Mayfield won two out of the three rounds in his bracket,

setting the stage for his 7.7-second run in the semifinals to advance to the short round. His momentum just kept on rolling into the finals as he clocked the fastest time of the rodeo with a 7.2-second effort to walkout with a huge payday and another San Antonio title. He pocketed $27,083 at the PRCA Playoff Series rodeo, which bumped his season total up to $95,870. That is almost $57,000 higher than the next closest cowboy. All of this recent success has come while battling injuries to both hips. “I just keep going every step of the way and battle the pain that comes with it afterwards,” said Mayfield, the 2020 PRCA World Champion. “I feel so much adrenaline when I’m out there that I don’t feel much of the pain. I’m not really practicing much at home, so I’m putting out 100 percent at these rodeos no matter what.” The last time Mayfield won in San Antonio was 2020, that year he parlayed it into his first gold buckle in Arlington, Texas. He’s hoping for a similar fortune in 2024. Statistically speaking, this is the best start to the season in his young career. “With the way things have been going so far this year, I would have to say this is the best start to a season in my career. I have big goals this year and I feel like a gold buckle is in my future this year,” Mayfield said. “I’m working every step of the way in and out of the arena to get to that ultimate goal.”

Hailey Rae photo Shad Mayfield won San Antonio for the second time in his career with a 7.2-second run in the finals.

Steer wrestler Talley gets big winter push

There are no guarantees in the marathon that is the ProRodeo season, but Jacob Talley no doubt helped his cause to qualify for his sixth NFR, thanks to his performance in San Antonio. The Keatchie, La., cowboy clocked a 3.7-second run in the finals to win the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. That run netted Talley $15,000 and he left the Frost Bank Center after earning $23,500. “I kind of like being backed in a corner, so at that point when he (Stephen Culling) went 3.8, I knew I had to be fast,” said Talley, 33. “You just don’t think about it. You just go do your job and be as quick as possible.” Talley had a long Saturday, Feb. 24, in San Antonio as he qualified for the finals by winning the Wildcard Round earlier in the day with a 4.2-second run. He actually split the Wildcard win with Grant Peterson, but moved on to the finals based on the fact he earned more money throughout the rodeo than Peterson. “It is a of adrenaline up and down, but it is fun,” said Talley about his emotional roller-coaster he went through on the rodeo’s last day. “To get yourself through the Wildcard where they only take one and come to the finals that night, you’re just backed in a corner all day, so to win it makes it enjoyable.” Talley, who has qualified for the NFR in 2016, 2018, 2020-21 and 2023, is just keeping his focus on what he can control. “I just don’t pay attention to money won or (world) standings,” Talley said. “I just go do what I do every day and that makes it easier. I will leave here (San Antonio) and go to another big one in Houston, and it will be pretty easy to have momentum going there.”

Hailey Rae photo Steer wrestler Jacob Talley came through the Wildcard Round to the finals and won San Antonio with a 3.7-second run.

ProRodeo Sports News 3/1/2024

ProRodeo.com

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