Teens land big windfall; ladies, legends bank tens of thousands

GUTHRIE, Oklahoma, April 1, 2023 – Southeastern Oklahoma  State University’s Levi James and Murray State College’s Garrett Hughes combined to out-rope nearly 400 teams in the biggest Hooey Jr. BFI on record in Guthrie, Oklahoma’s Lazy E Arena, splitting a cool $50,000 cash plus huge array of prizes. James of Atoka, Okla., and Hughes of Sulphur, Okla., caught four steers in 29.44 seconds for the windfall on March 30.

Then, in the Hooey Jr. BFI Open for higher-ranked ropers, it was Weatherford College standouts Jett Stewart and Cashton Weidenbener who took home $42,000 plus Cactus saddles, Resistol hats, Gist buckles, Hooey backpacks and Smarty dummies, among other prizes. The pair had left their Texas home at 2:30 a.m. to make it to Guthrie for the day’s ropings, then took off to Snyder, Texas for the next evening’s college rodeo.

Weidenbener of Payson, Arizona, is the defending National High School Finals Rodeo heeling champion. It was only the second jackpot for the young horse ridden by Ione, Oregon’s Jett Stewart, who is the son of former NFR heeler Jason Stewart. The latter had called his father before that final steer for $42,000 and gotten this advice:  “It’s not that hard. Just score, ride and rope.” 

Earlier in the week, Arkansas heeler Whitney DeSalvo won her fifth Charlie 1 Horse team roping championship in six years, this time with Arizona’s Kenzie Kelton. The pair split $20,800 on March 29 for roping four steers in 37.50 seconds. 

DeSalvo, the highest-rated female heeler in the world, also placed seventh and eighth in the roping to earn $13,900 on the day. It was only her second time to rope with Kelton, a freshman at Central Arizona College in Coolidge. Kenzie’s dad, Chance, is a former NFR header and her brother, Ketch, won the Jr Ironman Title at the Timed-Event Championships of the World in the same arena less than a month earlier. 

Dana Markham and Kelly Snow combined to win the 9.5 Incentive on three steers, worth $7,500.

The Charlie 1 Horse Breakaway title went to Sarah Angelone of Lipan, Texas (the defending Women’s Professional Rodeo Association all-around champion originally hails from Virginia). For catching all three calves in 9.73 seconds, she earned $14,000 cash and several prizes – plus another $2,760 in the rounds. 

“I was focusing on just roping one calf at a time and doing my job each round,” said Angelone, who also had a good callback with her other entry, but broke out. 

She explained it was important to maintain a strong mental game throughout the long day of roping.

“Having a short-term memory mindset helped me clear my mind after that breakout and be able to focus on my next calf,” she said.  

Arizona native Brett Woolsey won about $5,000 in the team roping and breakaway to clinch the all-around title and prizeline including two Smarty dummies.

On March 31 in Guthrie, Jaret Freeman and Scott Lauaki bested 142 teams to split $60,000 cash and the BFI prizeline for winning the 15.5 roping. The field they beat included NFR greats Trevor Brazile (heeling), Brandon Beers and Matt Sherwood.

Later that day, wildfires in the Guthrie area postponed the latter half of the BFI Legends roping, but Cory Petska and Seth Smithson hung tight for the $19,000 win. They roped five steers in 37.70 seconds. In its second year, the jackpot for former BFI contestants over 40 draws legends such as Tee Woolman and Rich Skelton. Petska was heading, but he’s a world champion heeler and former BFI champion heeler.

Wrangler BFI Week continues with the BFI itself on April 1, followed by the 12.5 on April 2, the 11.5 Businessman’s and 10.5-Over-40 on April 3 and the 9.5-Over-40, 8.5 and 7.5 on April 3. 

Wrangler BFI Week Results

Charlie 1 Horse All-Girl Team Roping

Round One:  1. Kayelen Helton and Becky Cannizzaro, 6.49 seconds, $1,000; 2. Kenzie Kelton and Whitney DeSalvo, 7.49 seconds, $800; 3. Quincy Sullivan and Brett Woolsey, 7.97 seconds, $400. Round Two:  1. Danielle Lowman and Arena Ben, 6.27 seconds, $1,000; 2. Hope Thompson and Kennlee Tate, 6.97 seconds, $800; 3. Quincy Sullivan and Casey Jo Hodge, 7.23 seconds, $400. Short Round:  1. Stevens and Rylee Stokes, 8.72 seconds, $1,000; 2. Kelsey Pepion and Annette Stahl, 9.32 seconds, $800. Average:  1. Kenzie Kelton and Whitney DeSalvo, 37.50 seconds, $20,000; 2. Dana Markham and Kelly Snow, 38.19 seconds, $14,000; 3. Connie Harris and Megan Gunter, 39.49 seconds, $11,000; 4. Carsyn Tharp and Kennlee Tate, 42.59 seconds, $8,000; 5. Jessica Montgomery and Jackie Crawford, 43.13 seconds, $6,000; 6. Martha Angelone and Danielle Roper, 43.86 seconds, $5,000; 7. Kenna Francis and Whitney DeSalvo, 44.71 seconds, $4,000; 8. Decca Gagan and Whitney DeSalvo, 45.05 seconds, $3,000.  9.5 Incentive Average on Three:  1. Dana Markham and Kelly Snow, 27.76 seconds, $7,500; 2. Emma Carrell and Courtney Crites, 29.45 seconds, $4,500; 3. Connie Harriss and Megan Gunter, 31.21 seconds, $3,000; 4. Avery Goegelle and Kelly Snow, 32.62 seconds, $2,500; 5. Sydney Ball and Kennlee Tate, 33.52 seconds, $2,000; 6. Carsyn Tharp and Kennlee Tate, 33.71 seconds, $2,000

Charlie 1 Horse Breakaway

First Round:  1. Quincy Sullivan, 3.03 seconds, $1,000; 2. Sarah Angelone, 3.04, $750; 3. Baylee Barker, 3.06, $500; Second Round:  1. Sarah Angelone, 3.05, $1,000; 2. Janae Todacheenie, 3.35, $750; 3. Cheyenne Guillory, 3.36, $500; Short Round Fast Time (Not Placing in Average):  1. Sarah Angelone (other entry), 12.61, $1,000. Average:  1. Sarah Angelone, 9.73 on three, $14,000; 2. Taylor Hanchey, 10.98, $10,000; 3. Hali Williams, 11.32, $6,500; 4. Janae Todacheenie, 11.75, $5,500; 5. Brandi McDowell, 12.14, $4,500; 6. Brett Woolsey, 12.4, $3,500; 7. Jackie Crawford, 12.42, $3,000; 8.  Bailey Jay, 12.68, $2,500; 9. Kennedy Buckner, 13.01, $2,000; 10. Danielle Wray, 13.21, $1,500; 11. Lexey Williams, 15.37, $1,250. 18-And-Under Incentive:  1. Brett Woolsey, 12.4, $1,000; 2. Summer Williams, 8.73 on two, $750; 3. Kamey Kennermer, 10.22, $500.

Hooey Jr. BFI 10.5

First Rotation:  1. Wesson Parker and Rowdy Payne, 6.33 seconds, $2,500; 2. Levi James and Garrett Hughes, 6.67, $2,000; 3. Mason Cross and Wyatt J Howell, 7.31, $1,500; 4. Jacob Rush and John David Daniel, 7.46, $700. Second Rotation:  1. Preston Ivey and Brayden Morris, 5.45, $2,500; 2. Landon Dasilva and Wyatt J Howell, 5.70, $2,000; 3. Trigger Hargrove and Wiley Breeze, 6.23, $1,500; 4. Aaron Raulston and Brayden A Israel, 6.24, $700. Third Rotation:  1. Colton Williamson and Layne Rogers, 5.88, $2,500; 2. Briar White and Tate Barton, 6.36, $2,000; 3. Taton Salazar and Colton Devore, 6.56, $1,100; 4. Holland Roukema and Teagan Roukema, 6.56, $1,100; Fourth Rotation:  1. Kade Gierisch and Tanner  Tomlinson, 6.23, $2,500; 2. Bridger Ketcham and Cole Wilson, 6.53, $2,000; 3. Maverick Lozano and Cross Ringelstein, 6.68, $1,500; 4. Bobby Vaughn and Traven Todd, 7.03, $350; 4. Bridger Ketcham and Trey Toft, 7.03, $350. Short Round that didn’t place in the average:  1. Casper Ringelstein and Zane Starns, 13.00, $2,000; 2. Mattox Moyer and Keaton Kellum, 13.90, $1,500; 3. Tanner Evans and Lucas Willeford, 14.22, $1,000.  Average:  1. Levi James and Garrett Hughes, 29.44 seconds on five, $50,000; 2. Kaitlyn Torres and Cross Ringelstein, 30.44, $30,000; 3. Jaxon Stoker and Noah Vasquez, 31.59, $18,000; 4. Jadon Bailey and Junior Jose Corpus, 32.20, $12,500; 5. Raesh Casebolt and Brodie Boyce, 32.77, $10,000; 6. Foreman Casebolt and Sid Harvey, 33.92, $9,000; 7. Joseph Villareal and Maverick Lozano, 34.17, $8,000; 8. Jaycus Hill and Garrett Hughes, 34.31, $6,000; 9. Bridger Ketcham and Trey Toft, 34.38, $5,000; 10. Colter Reed and Snook Traden Lauer, 34.80, $4,500; 11. Brody Mathiews and Ryan Davis, 35.01, $4,000; 12. Blaine Coates and Wylie Morgan, 35.91, $3,500; 13. Conner Wright and Trentyn Hurst, 36.61, $3,000; 14. Rendon Powledge and Ryan Davis, 37.20, $3,000; 15. Bill Cody Odell and Junior Jose Corpus, 38.79, $3,000; 16. Blaine Coates and Cole Denny, 39.87, $2,500; 17. Weston Lakin and Jaxon Reynolds, 40.63, $2,500; 18. Easton Lakin and Blaine Caldwell, 41.56, $2,500; $1,250; 19. Jhett Vanderhamm and Colter Reed Snook, 41.67, $2,500; 20. Rachel Kittle and Beau West, 41.95, $2,500.

Hooey Jr. BFI Open

First Round:  1. Brayden Schmidt and Logan Cullen, 6.50 seconds, $3,000; 2. Cutter Cain and Dodge Hare, 6.65, $2,000; 3. James Arviso and Nicky Northcott, 7.31, $1,000. Second Round:  1. Cole Smith and Landen Glenn, 6.0, $3,000; 2. Cole Smith and Michael Eugenio Calmelat, 6.51, $2,000; 3. Casper Ringelstein and Scout McElroy, 7.03, $1,000. Short Round:  1. Cole Smith and Michael Eugenio Calmelat, 7.09, $3,000; 2. James Arviso and John Hisel, 7.91, $2,000; 3. Jett Stewart and Cashton Weidenbener, 7.96, $1,000.  Average:  1. Jett Stewart and Cashton Weidenbener, 41.09 seconds on five head, $42,000; 2. Mason Appleton and JR Gonzalez, 41.27, $25,000; 3. Damian Jr Padilla and Michael Eugenio Calmelat, 43.24, $15,000; 4. Denton Parish and Denton Dunning, 45.27, $11,000; 5. Mason McDaniel and Sammy Saunders, 45.85, $8,500; 6. James Arviso and John Hisel, 45.86, $6,000; 7. Cole Smith and Michael Eugenio Calmelat, 47.33, $5,000; 8. Ketch Kelton and Logan Cullen, 48.42, $4,500; 9. Cason Richey and Will Smith, 49.60, $4,000; 10. Eli Green and Porter Bryant, 49.61, $4,000; 11. Brayden Schmidt and Logan Cullen, 50.89, $3,500; 12. Brennen Wilson and Brayden Morris, 56.75, $3,500.

15.5

First Round:  1. Brandon Farris and Shawn Crockett, 6.82 seconds, $4,000; 2. Jimmy Harrison and Derrick Jantzen, 7.24 seconds, $3,000; 3. Jaxon Hill and Hayden Sanders, 7.53 seconds, $2,000. Short Round (Not Placing In Average):  1. Kevin Williams and Brad Newberry, 8.47 seconds, $3,000; 2. Race Meliman and Daniel Braman, 9.92 seconds, $2,000; 3. Peyton Walters and Luke Miller, 10.47 seconds, $1,000.  Average:  1. Jarett Freeman and Scott Lauaki, 31.83 seconds on four head, $60,000; 2. Brandon Farris and Shawn Crockett, 32.56 seconds, $40,000; 3. Brandon Beers and Bobby Alexander, 33.75 seconds, $30,000; 4. Bobby Mote and Trevor Brazile, 34.33 seconds, $23,000; 5. Brad Freeland and Matt Sherwood, 34.61 seconds, $18,000; 6. Brandon Farris and Braden Harmon, 34.63 seconds, $16,000; 7. Miles Baker and Shawn Crockett, 35.75 seconds, $12,000; 8. Walker Smith and Brady Kyle, 35.89 seconds, $8,000; 9. Matt Sherwood and Chase Helton, 36.0 seconds, $6,000.

BFI Legends 

First Round:  1. Vic Morrison and Steve Orth, 6.70 seconds, $2,000. Second Round:  1. Cory Petska and Seth Smithson, 6.09 seconds, $2,000. Short Round:  1. Chris Francis and Josh Patton, 7.34 seconds, $2,000. Average:  1. Cory Petska and Seth Smithson, 37.70 seconds on five steers, $19,000; 2. Troy Fischer and Boogie Ray, 42.65 seconds, $11,000; 3. Logan Olson and Seth Smithson, 42.99 seconds, $7,500.