Shiozawa looking for elusive championship

By Susan Kanode

Eight time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo tie-down roping qualifier Matt Shiozawa took the lead in tie-down roping here with two runs totaling 22.8 seconds. (photo by Dan Hubbell)

Cheyenne, Wyo., — Matt Shiozawa from Chubbock, Idaho, is one of the most successful tie-down ropers in the business with eight Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications to his credit.

His success has come at rodeo arenas across the country, but a title that has eluded him in a big competitive field has been at Cheyenne Frontier Days. In 2014, he finished in second place and took home $17,993.

Shiozawa made both of his runs in pre-rodeo competition known as slack. While they weren’t identical in the arena, he stopped the clock in 11.4 seconds each time. His total of 22.8 seconds on two runs is more than two seconds ahead of the man in second place, Clint Cooper from Decatur, Texas. Cooper was the champion here in 2004.

Shiozawa’s success in 2014 and again this year has come with the help of a special gray gelding known to his family as Gray Pony, who is actually owned by his six-year-old daughter Stella. Stella is the oldest of his three daughters. His wife Ali and the girls were all on hand to cheer for their favorite cowboy and watch him ride Stella’s horse. Now they are making plans to return to Frontier Park on July 31 and hope they leave with a new championship saddle from “the Daddy of ‘em All.”

First and second rounds of steer roping were also completed in slack. Three-time world champion Rocky Patterson, from Pratt, Kan., won the first round with a 14.5-second run. The second round saw Lawson Plemons, from Axtell, Texas, at the top of the leaderboard with an 11.8. Each of these men earned $5,959 for their efforts. Unfortunately, neither of them are planning to be here for the championship finals as they had no times in their other runs.

The Cinch Rodeo Shootout will start the performances here on Friday at 12:15 p.m. For a full schedule, rodeo results and more information go to www.cfdrodeo.com.

CHEYENNE, Wyo., July 21, 2016 — The following are results after Wednesday and Thursday slack competition at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.

 Steer Roping: (first round winners) 1, Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., 14.5 seconds, $5,959. 2, Coy Thompson, Whitewood, S.D., 15.5, $5,182. 3, Todd Casebolt, Ryan, Okla., 15.9, $4,405. 4, (tie) J.D. Yates, Pueblo, Colo., and Delon Parker, Worden, Mont., 16.3, $3,239. 6, Darin Suit, Ames, Okla., 17.9, $2,073. 7, Bobby Joe Hill, Mexia, Texas, 17.4, $1,296. 8, Will McBride, Ogallala, Neb., 17.7, $518. (second round winners) 1, Lawson Plemons, Axtell, Texas, 11.8, $5,959. 2, Shay Good, Midland, Texas, 13.0, $5,182. 3, Buck Mekelburg, Yuma, Colo., 13.9, $4,405. 4, (tie) Tony Reina, Wharton, Texas, and Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, 14.5, $3,239. 6, Jarrett Blessing, Paradise, Texas, 14.6, $2,073. 7, Shorty Garten, Pawhuska, Okla., 15.7, $1,296. 8, Ryan Rochlitz, Minatare, Neb., 16.1, $518. (total on two – final round qualifiers) 1, Todd Casebolt, Ryan, Okla., 32.8 seconds. 2, Jarrett Blessing, Paradise, Texas, 33.3. 3, Bobby Joe Hill, Mexia, Texas, 36.4. 4, Delon Parker, Worden, Mont., 37.4. 5, J.D. Yates, Pueblo, Colo., 38.8. 6, Darin Suit, Ames, Okla., 39.2. 7, Troy Tillard, Douglas, Wyo., 41.1. 8, Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla., 41.7. 9, Coy Thompson, Whitewood, S.D., 42.5. 10, Vin Fisher, Jr., Andrews, Texas, 43.2. 11, Jim Ward, Pendleton, Ore., 43.3. 12, Dan Fisher, Andrews, Texas, 44.7.

Tie-Down Roping: (first round leaders) 1, Billy Hamilton, Stegler, Okla., 11.0 seconds. 2, (tie) Boe Brown, Valentine, Neb.; Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas; and Tyler Thiel, Belle Fourche, S.D., 11.1 each. 5, Matt Shiozawa, Chubbock, Idaho, 11.4. 6, Cody Quaney, Cheney, Kan., 11.6. 7, Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., and J.D. Kibbe, Portales, N.M., 12.0. (second round leaders) 1, Bryson Sechrist, Apache, Okla., 10.3. 2, Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 11.0. 3, Matt Shiozawa, Chubbock, Idaho, 11.4. 4, Stephen McLauchlin, Rockwall, Texas, 12.2. 5, Blake Ash, Aurora, Mo., 29.7. 6, Lane Jeffrey, Wilburton, Okla., 12.9. 7, (tie) Quay Howard, Canyon, Texas, and Cole Bailey, Okmulgee, Okla., 13.0. (total on two) 1, Matt Shiozawa, Chubbock, Idaho, 22.8. 2, Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 24.9. 3, Josh Jennings, Glendale, Utah, 26.1. 4, Quay Howard, Canyon, Texas, 26.3. 5, Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla., 26.4. 6, Brice Ingo, Boone, Colo., 26.4. 7, Boe Brown, Valentine, Neb., 26.5. 8, Lane Jeffrey, Wilburton, Okla., 26.6.