Tie-down title family affair
San Angelo’s Harris captures tiebreaker against brother in finals of roping championship
Hermanos went mano a mano on RodeoHouston’s championship Sunday.
In a drama-filled turn of events, brothers Ty Harris and Joel Harris tied with identical times of 8.2 seconds in the tiedown roping Shootout, forcing a tiebreaking tie-off using the same horse, and older brother Ty came out on top. The San Angelo native won the tiebreaker with a 9.6 to clinch $58,000 at NRG Stadium.
“I’ve been to a lot of rodeos and had some pretty good wins,” he said. “But I’ve never felt anything like that.
“This was the coolest rodeo day of my life.”
Joel went first in the Shootout and the championship tiebreaker. But after an 8.2 on his first try, he broke the barrier on the second, leaving him at 19.2. “I’m just happy we’re coming away with first and second, and $70,000 between us,” he said. “I didn’t do a good job on my second run, but the first was one of the better runs of my life.
“So I’m just grateful to be in a position where we’re in a showdown for $50,000.”
Joel left with $27,250 as the second-place finisher. Ty would have been just as happy if Joel won, he said. But he also didn’t spend much time feeling sorry for little brother. He was busy soaking in a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“I knew I just had to go tie him down,” Ty said about watching Joel leave too soon. “I felt bad, I didn’t like seeing him break the barrier, but then I had to focus on myself, knowing I needed to stay behind the barrier, go catch him and tie him down.”
Leighton Berry cinched a second consecutive title in bareback riding.
The Weatherford cowboy defended his Houston championship by winning the long and short rounds. He went 88 in the 10-man on Ain’t No Angel, then posted a 91.5 on Agent Lynx on the final ride of the Shootout.
Now he’s $53,750 richer – and one step closer to his goal of winning a world title.
“To come here and win this rodeo twice in a row is unbelievable,” he said. “I’m tremendously blessed. The right horses got underneath me at the right time here once again, and honestly all I can think about right now is, ‘Can I get another one next year?’”
Tie-down roper Riley Webb wasn’t able to win another one. He was the first of five defending champions to fall after breaking the barrier in the long round. Huntsville’s John Douch, the 2022 Houston winner, also exited in the long round; and Shad Mayfield, who claimed $100,000 at The American Rodeo last week in Arlington, saw his qualifying time of 9.2 nullified after judges ruled he jerked his calf down.
Defending breakaway champion Hali Williams also fell in the 10-woman round, and defending champions Dalton Massey (steer wrestling) and Sage Newman (saddle bronc) – a two-time reigning champion – fell in the short rounds.
Their exits, combined with the pre-rodeo injuries to 2023 champions Ky Hamilton (bull riding) and Jordon Briggs (barrel racing), opened the door for seven new champions – and one repeat who last won Houston eight years ago. That man was steer wrestler Dakota Eldridge, who won the long round with a 4.6-second time, and then went 8.1 on the last go of his Shootout to collect $54,250, a custom saddle and a belt buckle.
“It’s crazy how time flies, but it’s great to be back on a good horse,” Eldridge said.
“I retired my old horse that I won this on in 2019, so I rode Curtis Cassidy’s horse, Tyson, and he made my job easy.”
RodeoHouston winnings didn’t count toward the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings in 2016, when the rodeo wasn’t officially sanctioned. But it is now, so the money also will help him chase a gold buckle.
“This is just huge,” Eldridge said.
J.C. Yeahquo and Buddy Hawkins came up huge in team roping, securing their Shootout calf in 4.8 seconds to split $108,750. “This is the biggest win of my entire life,” Yeahquo said. “It’s awesome. I hope it helps me make the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) this year.”
Leslie Smalygo was the fastest cowgirl in both barrel racing rounds.
The North Dakota woman recorded a 14.51 on the last go of the long round, and a 14.35 on the last go of the Shootout to secure $58,000.
“I’ve never considered myself the toughest or the best, but Gus just pulls it out for me every single time, and this is the biggest win of my career,” she said.
Jackie Crawford, a 23time world champion, won her first Houston title with a 3.7 in the Shootout, earning her a $55,250 check. “This is up there with the best of them,” she said. “It’s up there with The American, and being a world champion – all of it.”
Bull rider Creek Young won The American and RodeoHouston in an eight-day stretch, earning him a combined $154,000. “These past two weeks have been very good to me,” Young grinned. “But I credit that to taking care of my body, not going as hard as some people, and just trying to make these big ones count.”
The Missouri man secured Houston with an 87-point ride on Preacher, who he also drew in the semifinals.
“I knew exactly what to expect,” he said.
Finally, Australian Damian Brennan won the saddle bronc Shootout, scoring 91 points on Ed Bishop to collect $56,750.
“This is the biggest win I’ve had so far,” he said. “This is pretty awesome.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to be able to win RodeoHouston – so to get that done is pretty special.”