Diaz finds the right Medicine

DODGE CITY, Kan. – It’s safe to say that the Frontier Rodeo Co. bronc Medicine Woman likes Roundup Arena.

The great bay mare, a two-time Saddle Bronc Riding Horse of the Year, has helped cowboys to Dodge City Roundup Rodeo records each of the past two seasons. After helping Wade Sundell to a 92 a season ago, Medicine Woman matched moves with Isaac Diaz for 93 points on Sunday night.

That propelled Diaz – a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Desdemona, Texas – to his first Roundup title and the prestigious trophy belt that was awarded to the champions.

“It means the world to win this rodeo, because I’ve come real close two other times,” said Diaz, who scored 87 points on the same horse to share the victory earlier this year in Corpus Christi, Texas. “Just to be able to draw a horse like that twice in a year is amazing; it’s strictly God. I’ve been praying for my draws all year long, and this is the best I’ve ever drawn. It’s all Him.”

Cowboys are matched with their animals by a random draw, and things have been going the right way for the Florida-born bronc rider.

“When you draw good, it forces you to ride better,” he said. “I guess my focus is better than it has been I the past. I hope this is the start of how it’s going to be from here on out.”

He finished in a four-way tie for fourth place in the first round, then won the short go-round and the two-ride aggregate. In all, he pocketed $4,684. Not only was it a Roundup Arena record, it also was a personal best for Diaz.

“I felt like I rode her better this time than I did earlier this year,” he said. “I felt like she bucked harder today. She was definitely better today than she was at Corpus, and she was all I wanted then.”

Diaz is ninth in the world standings, but his run in southwest Kansas should move him up the money list. That’s important.

“Making the NFR is important, and it’s just as important this year as it is any other year,” Diaz said. “It’s a way we make our living. When we get there, that’s where we make our profit. All that other stuff helps, but that’s where everything comes to play.

“I feel like I’m riding better than I ever have. I feel more confident. My focus is in a different place right now, and I’m excited about that.”

Diaz was one of nine champions crowned Sunday night. Others were bareback Matt Bright, steer wrestler Stockton Graves, team ropers David Key and Martin Lucero, barrel racer Tillar Murray, bull rider Aaron Pass and tie-down roper Caleb Smidt, who has had a lot of success in Dodge City.

“I love this rodeo,” said Smidt, a 2013 NFR qualifier. “I’ve been here three times, and I made the short round three times. I won the all-around two years ago. I won Nampa (Idaho) and Sheridan (Wyo.), but by far, this is my favorite one.”

Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
July 29-Aug. 2
All Around Cowboy: J.D. Yates, $1,648 in steer roping and team roping. 
Bareback riding: 1. Brian Bain, 86 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Hypnotic, $2,777; 2. Jake Brown, 85, $2,129; 3. Matt Bright and Richmond Champion, 83, $1,296 each; 5. Bill Tutor, 82, $647; 6. R.C. Landingham, 81, $463; 7. (tie) Kash Wilson and Marvin Alderman Jr., 80, $324 each.Final round: 1. Seth Harwick, 84 points on Harry Vold  Rodeo’s Sun Glow, $1,650; 2. Matt Bright, 81, $1,250; 3. Bill Tutor, 80, $900; 4. Tanner Aus, 79, $600; 5. Frank Morton, 68, $350; 6. Brian Bain, 67, $250. Average: 1. Matt Bright, 164 points on two rides, $2,777; 2. (tie) Seth Hardwick and Bill Tutor, 162, $1,851 each; 4. Tanner Aus, 157, $1,018; 5. Brian Bain, 157, $648; 6. Frank Morton, 144, $463; 7. Jake Brown, 85 points on one ride, $370; 8. Richmond Champion, 83, $278.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Colt Stearns, 3.4 seconds, $2,865; 2. Ryan Swayze, 3.8, $2,491; 3. (tie) Rowdy Parrott and Ricky Riley, 3.9, $1,931 each; 5. Clayton Hass, 4.0, $1,370; 6. Kyle Irwin, 4.1, $996; 7. (tie) Logan Rudd and Ryan Bothum, 4.3, $436 each. Second round: 1. Kyle Whitaker, 3.3 seconds, $2,865; 2. Jason Lahr, 3.5, $2,491; 3. (tie) Levi Rudd, Tyler Waguespack and Wade Sumpter, 3.6, $1,744 each; 6. (tie) Matt Reeves and Josh Clark, 3.8, $810 each; 8. (tie) Aaron Vosler and Jacob Shofner, 3.9, $125 each. Final round: 1. Stockton Graves, 3.3 seconds, $1,407; 2. Bray Armes, 3.7, $1,164; 3. J.D. Struxness, 4.0, $922; 4. (tie) Seth Brockman and Cooper Shofner, 4.2, $558 each; 6. Tyler Waguespack, 4.7, $243. Average: 1. Stockton Graves, 12.0 seconds on three runs, $4,297; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 12.9, $3,737; 3. J.D. Struxness, 13.0, $3,176; 4. Cooper Shofner, 13.1, $2,616; 5. Bray Armes, 13.2, $2,055; 6. Seth Brockman, 13.5, $1,495; 7. Kyle Irwin, 21.7, $934; 8. Colt Stearns, 7.9, $374.

Team roping: First round: 1. Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 4.4 seconds, $2,297 each; 2. Colt Fisher/Corey Hendrick, 4.7, $1,997; 3. Derrick Begay/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 4.9, $1,698; 4. Charly Crawford/Shay Carroll, 5.1, $1,398; 5. Travis Tryan/Jett Hillman, 5.2, $1,098; 6. Monty Wood/Boogie Ray, 5.3, $799; 7. Nick Sartain/Rich Skelton, 5.5, $499; 8. David Key/Martin Lucero, 5.6, $200.  Second round: 1. Matt Sherwood/Quinn Kesler, 4.7 seconds, $2,297; 2. Aaron Tsinigine/Ryan Motes, 5.1, $1,997; 3. Nick Sartain/Rich Skelton, 5.3, $1,698; 4. Doyle Hoskins/Wyatt Cox, 5.4, $$1,398; 5. Luke Brown/Kollin VonAhn, 5.5, $1,098; 6. Colby Lovell/Kory Koontz, 5.8, $799; 7. Charly Crawford/Shay Carroll, 5.9, $499l 8. (tie) David Key/Martin Lucero and Zac Small/Tyler Worley, 6.0, $100 each. Final round: 1.David Key/Martin Lucero, 4.9 seconds, $1,130; 2. Luke Brown/Kollin VonAhn, $5.9, $848; 3. Nick Sartain/Rich Skelton, 6.2, $565; 4. Doyle Hoskins/Wyatt Cox, 6.3, $283.Average: 1. David Key/Martin Lucero, 16.5 seconds on three runs, $3,556; 2. Nick Sartain/Rich Skelton, 17.0, $2,996; 3. Luke Brown/Kollin VonAhn, 17.4, $2,546; 4. Doyle Hoskins/Wyatt Cox, 17.0, $2,097; 5. J.D. Yates/Trey Yates, 19.3, $1,648; 6. Miles Baker/Austin Rogers, 20.9, $1,198; 7. Aaron Tsinigine/Ryan Motes, 21.9, $749; 8. Charly Crawford/Shay Carroll, 11.0 on two runs, $300.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Steven Dent, 82 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Pine Cone, $2,477; 2. Rusty Wright and Allen Boore, 81, $1,651 each; 2. (tie) Jesse James Kirby, Isaac Diaz, Cody Wright and Chad Ferley, 80, $557 each; 8. Will Smith, 79, $248. Final round: 1. Isaac Diaz, 93 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Medicine Woman, $1,650; 2. Chad Ferley, 87, $1,250; 3. Rusty Wright, 86, $900; 4. Steven Dent, 84, $600; 5. Will Smith, 81, $350; 6. Allen Boore, 80, $250. Average: 1. Isaac Diaz, 173 points on two rides, $2,477; 2. (tie) Chad Ferley and Rusty Wright, 167, $1,651 each; 4. Steven Dent, 166, $908; 5. Allen Boore, 161, $578; 6. Will Smith, 160, $413; 7. Taos Muncy, 156, $330; 8. Tyrel Larsen, 154, $248. 

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Stran Smith, 8.2 seconds, $2,737; 2. (tie) J.D. Kibbe and Cody Quaney, 8.6, $2,201 each; 4. Caleb Smidt, 8.8, $1,666; 5. (tie) Landyn Duncan and Blair Burk, 8.9, $1,130 each; 7. (tie) Monty Lewis and Justin Maass, 9.0, $416 each.  Second round: 1. (tie) Cody Ohl and Caddo Lewallen, 7.7 seconds, $2,558 each; 3. (tie) Tyson Durfey and L.D. Meier, 8.0, $1,844; 5. Cole Bailey, 8.1, $1,309; 6. Adam Gray, 8.4, $952; 7. Tyler Milligan, 8.5, $595; 8. (tie) Trent Creager, Dennis Luetge and Stran Smith, 8.6, $79 each. Final round: 1. Sterling Smith, 8.0 seconds, $1,305; 2. Caleb Smidt, 9.2, $1,080; 3. (tie) Justin Maass and Ace Slone, 9.6, $743 each; 5. Stran Smith, 10.5, $405; 6. Timber Moore, 11.5, $225. Average: 1. Caleb Smidt, 27.0 seconds on three runs, $4,105; 2. Stran Smith, 27.3, $3,569; 3. Ace Slone, 28.1, $3,034; 4. Justin Maass, 28.3, $2,499; 5. Sterling Smith, 29.2, $1,963; 6. Timber Moore, 30.3, $1,428; 7. Blair Burk, 32.1, $892; 8. GlenJackson Glasper, 39.8, $357.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Kelley Schnaufer, 17.09 seconds, $2,420; 2. Jackie Ganter, 17.10, $2,074; 3. Sidney Forrest, 17.15, $1,729; 4. Abby Searcy, 17.20, $1,498; 5. Megan Swint, 17.21, $1,152; 6. Shelley Morgan, 17.22, $922; 7. Sarah Rose McDonald, 17.23, $691; 8. Tillar Murray, 17.26, $461; 9. (tie) Meghan Johnson, Mary Burger and Laura Lambert, 17.28, $192 each. Second round: 1. Tillar Murray, 17.02 seconds, $2,420; 2. (tie) Sarah Rose McDonald and Carley Richardson, 17.06, $1,902 each; 4. Laura Kennedy, 17.07, $1,498; 5. Kelley Schnaufer, 17.11, $1,152; 6. Bailee Snow, 17.15, $922; 7. Stevi Hillman, 17.16, $691; 8. Calyssa Thomas, 17.17, $461; 9. Christy Loflin, 17.18, $346; 10.  Megan Swint, 17.21, $230. Final round: 1. Tillar Murray, 17.06 seconds, $1,793; 2. Kim Couch, 17.15, $1,345; 3. Jackie Ganter, 17.17, $896; 4. Kelley Schnaufer, 17.19, $448. Average: 1. Tillar Murray, 51.34 seconds on three runs, $3,630; 2. Kelley Schnaufer, 51.39, $3,112; 3. Jackie Ganter, 51.68, $2,563; 4. Sarah Rose McDonald, 51.76, $2,247; 5. Kim Couch, 51.77, $1,728; 6. Meghan Johnson, 51.81, $1,383; 7. Carley Richardson, 51.86, $1,037; 8. Paige Willis, 51.98, $691; 9. Abby Searcy, 52.09, $519; 10. Mary Burger, 52.13, $346.

Bull riding: 1. Scottie Knapp, 89 points on 4L and Diamond S Rodeo’s Spanish Moss, $2,787; 2. Aaron Pass, 88, $2,137; 3. (tie) Rocky McDonald and John Young, 86, $1,301 each; 5. Trevor Kastner, 85, $650; 6. Tanner Bothwell, 84, $465; 7. (tie) Hondo Flores and Dalton Votaw, 83, $325 each. Final round: 1. Aaron Pass, 88 points on 4L and Diamond S Rodeo’s Sandi’s Dream, $2,700; 2. Rocky McDonald, 86, $2,300; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Aaron Pass, 176 points on two rides, $2,787; 2. Rocky McDonald, 172, $2,137; 3. Scottie Knapp, 89 points on one ride, $1,580; 4. John Young, 86, $1,022; 5. Trevor Kastner, $650; 6. Tanner Bothwell, 84, $465; 7. Hondo Flores, 83, $372; 8. Zeb Lanham, 82, $279.