ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 21, 2018

TEAM ROPING WORLD CHAMPIONS Team roping header Clay Smith, right, and heeler Paul Eaves compete during Round 5 of the 2018

Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Smith and Eaves each won their respective world championships by earning $289,921. PRCA ProRodeo photo by James Phifer

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Phil Doyle

within $4,822 of Nogueira in heeling. “I missed the first round, so it sure helped to get some money in the second round,” said Smith, 27. “We’re going to keep going at them and see what happens. That’s all we can do, keep making the best round we can make.” Smith and Eaves split for fifth in Round 3 and won Round 5, which enabled them to pull back into the lead of their respective events. Their 3.8-second win in the fifth round moved Smith and Eaves from sixth to fifth in the average. Eaves said the steer was a big factor in that victory. “The steer was really good, one of the better steers we’ve drawn,” said Eaves, 28. “Tonight, he was pretty straight, and it makes a difference to be fast. Everything came together.” During Round 6, they added $15,654 to their bank accounts, placing third in the round and building nearly $30,000 leads on their closest competitors. Despite the big payoffs at the Wrangler NFR, the duo tried not to treat the Finals different than other rodeos.

“The same as we would at a regular rodeo,” Smith said. “We make sure the horses are warmed up and that’s really it, we just focus on what we need to do. There’s no difference between here and when we go to Odessa (Texas). It’s just the same routine.” By Round 10, Smith and Eaves put together a team roping championship run. They stopped the clock in 4.4 seconds to clinch third in the average – 34.5 seconds on eight head. They each cashed in for $174,577 at the Finals. “It’s everything we’ve worked for,” Smith said. “We just stayed aggressive and tried to win something on every one of them (the steers). We were catching them, getting good checks and that’s a big advantage.” The duo remained strong in the average and weathered the storm at the 2018Wrangler NFR. After a four-year partnership, they are parting ways for the 2019 season. Smith will be roping with Jake Long, and Eaves will heel for Luke Brown. “It’s just time for a change,” Eaves said.

ProRodeo Sports News 12/21/2018

ProRodeo.com

39