ProRodeo Sports News -- May 24, 2024

REDDING, CALIF.

REDDING RODEO

Birthday Boys

Williams celebrates 40th with win in Redding while helping son get first buckle BY ALEX RILEY, Special to ProRodeo Sports News I t was already going to be a special weekend for Dan Williams Jr. His son, Landon, celebrated his fifth birthday May 16, with a party planned for Saturday at their home in Standish, Calif., with family and friends. Williams just decided to add a bonus birthday present to the mix. At the Redding (Calif.) Rodeo, the veteran competitor put together a pair of strong runs in tie-down roping, placing third in both the first and second go-rounds to notch an aggregate time of 18.1 seconds on two head. The result was enough to edge Zack Jongbloed by a tenth of a second, carrying Williams to the championship and a $6,046 payday. In reality, Dan wasn’t actually giving Landon a gift as much as he was returning the favor. The week before, Landon secured his first buckle at a small California rodeo, capturing the win on a special date for the family. “He’s just getting into it. He won his first buckle (May 16) as a matter of fact – on my birthday,” said Dan, 40, with a laugh. “We went to an amateur rodeo down in the Valley and he got on a sheep down there and won sheep riding and got $20 out of my roping partner, so that was a pretty good deal.” Of course, success in Redding is nothing new for Dan. He grew up in the region, competing at the Redding Rodeo grounds all the way back to high school. Last year, he and team roping partner Cody Stewart won the title with Dan also picking up all-around cowboy honors after running in the team roping and tie-down. Now the head rodeo coach at Lassen Community College in Susanville, Calif., Dan has been forced to unretire from tie-down roping in recent years. As part of coaching, he’s been working with up-and-coming rodeo competitors to hone their skills. About 10 years ago, he opted to focus solely on team roping for himself, but decided to get back into calf roping after finding it was easier to show his student-athletes how to be successful rather than just explain it from the sideline. Additionally, his wife, Suzanne, is a breakaway roper, currently ranked among the top 35 in the WPRA World Standings. With the similarities between breakaway and tie-down roping, it made the transition back into the competition fairly simple. The hard part is getting the Williams family and their equine companions from event to event. With everyone in the group now competing and Dan having a team roping partner, the trailer is starting to get a little full. But it’s certainly a good problem to have. “Landon’s got his pony and goes with us everywhere. We were just talking about it – we’ve got a five-horse trailer with living quarters trailer and it ain’t enough anymore with me, her and my roping partner because he ropes calves too, and now my boy with his pony, we’re hauling nine everywhere we go,” Dan joked.

TOP SCORES

Tucker

Johe

TOP MONEY EARNERS Jaxson Tucker/Jason Johe ($6,402 each, team roping) BAREBACK RIDING

1. Jayco Roper .......................... 87 pts. 2. Jaceklane Frost .......................... 85.5 3. Keenan Hayes ............................... 85 STEER WRESTLING 1. Eric Logan .................. 10.3 sec. on 2 2. Straws Milan .............................. 10.9 3. Jesse Brown .............................. 11.4 (Tie) Boyd Sawyer ..................... 11.4 TEAM ROPING 1. J. Tucker/J. Johe ......... 11.2 sec. on 2 2. B. Minton/B. Minton .................. 13.8 3. L. Karney/W. Hansen ................. 16.0 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Zeke Thurston ..................... 87.5 pts. 2. Zachary Dallas .............................. 83 (Tie) Cameron Messier ................. 83 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Dan Williams Jr. .......... 18.1 sec. on 2 2. Zack Jongbloed ......................... 18.2 3. Cody Craig ................................. 18.7 BARREL RACING 1. Miley Bravos ..................... 17.37 sec. 2. Ann McGilchrist ....................... 17.48 3. Julia Johnson .......................... 17.49 BULL RIDING 1. Tristen Hutchings ................ 86.5 pts. (Tie) Chance Schott ................... 86.5 3. Rawley Johnson ........................... 84

Complete results/Page XX

Complete results/ Page 60

Hailey Rae photo California native Dan Williams Jr. wouldn’t be denied at the Redding Rodeo. The veteran tie-down roper secured the rodeo win with 18.1 seconds on two head.

ProRodeo Sports News 5/24/2024

ProRodeo Sports News 5/24/2024

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