Durant Pro Rodeo Showcases Top Talent Amid Challenging Weather Conditions
Durant, Okla., was the place to be for rodeo fans on May 31 and June 1. The stands were packed on both nights of the performances that showcased loads of rodeo talent for the 2024 Durant Riding Club PRCA Rodeo.
Thursday, the day before the rodeo was set to start, the fairgrounds experienced an intense rainstorm, leaving the arena underwater. However, the committee and volunteers worked endlessly to make sure the show would go on.
Flashback to 2021, and Durant had similar weather prior to the rodeo, yet they proceeded with no hiccups, which made the decision to continue with the 2024 performances an easy call.
Many of the top rodeo athletes and former National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifiers were in attendance for the Durant Rodeo this year. Contestants provided the fans with a great show filled with high-marked rough stock rides and fast-timed event runs. There was no room for error at the pay window for these athletes.
Durant Pro Rodeo Results:
Bareback riding:1. Kash Martin, 84 points on United Pro Rodeo's Sober Sunday, $1,117; 2. Gavin French, 83, $846; 3. Wacey Schalla, 81, $609; 4. Tyler Griffin, 80, $406; 5. Bill Tutor, 76.5, $237; 6. Bodee Lammers, 76, $169.
Steer wrestling:1. Isaiah Na'auao-Asing, 3.8 seconds, $1,832; 2. (tie) Riley Duvall, Clay Guthrie and Trisyn Kalawaia, 3.9, $1,354 each; 5. (tie) Travis Munro and Justin Thigpen, 4.2, $757 each; 7. (tie) Jacob Daniell, J.W. Ery and Landris White, 4.3, $186 each.
Team roping:1. Jake Orman/Dustin Davis, 4.1 seconds, $1,865 each; 2. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 4.2, $1,622; 3. J7 Bland/Tyson Thompson, 4.4, $1,378; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 4.6, $1,135; 5. Cody Russell/Cody Egusquiza, 4.9, $892; 6. Bart Brunson/Chase Graves, 5.5, $649; 7. Wheston Jones/Blake Barnes, 5.9, $405; 8. J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.1, $162.
Saddle bronc riding:1. Wade Sundell, 85 points on United Pro Rodeo's Sky Fall, $1,359; 2. Weston Patterson, 81.5, $1,029; 3. Sterling Crawley, 81, $741; 4. Wacey Byrne, 79.5, $494; 5. (tie) Jarrod Hammons and Roper Kiesner, 77.5, $247 each.
Tie-down roping:1. (tie) Kason Dyer and Ryan Jarrett, 8.1 seconds, $1,607 each; 3. (tie) Tom Crouse and Pax Vogel, 8.3, $1,158 each; 5. Connor Matheson, 8.5, $822; 6. Cash Enderli, 8.7, $598; 7. Karson Kolacek, 8.8, $374; 8. John Pereira, 9.1, $149.
Barrel racing:1. Madison McCaffity, 15.78 seconds, $1,794; 2. Katelyn Hobbie, 15.80, $1,538; 3. Chloe Gray, 15.87, $1,282; 4. Taylor Carver, 15.90, $1,111; 5. LaTricia Duke, 16.06, $854; 6. Andrea Busby, 16.07, $684; 7. Mataya Eklund, 16.10, $513; 8. Ashley Sanders, 16.12, $342; 9. Emma Abbott, 16.16, $256; 10. Kaycee Killingsworth, 16.22, $171.
Bull riding:1. Trey Kimzey, 90 points on United Pro Rodeo's Top Gun, $3,074; 2. JR Stratford, 87, $2,357; 3. Trey Benton III, 86, $1,742; 4. (tie) Brandon Ballard and Ethan Winckler, 83.5, $922 each; 6. (tie) Grayson Cole and Toby Hale, 83, $461 each; 8. (tie) Cannon Cravens and Colton Kelly, 82.5, $154 each.
Established in 1941, the Durant Riding Club has produced a great show and rodeo for rodeo fans for over 80 years. The riding club joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) in 2021, turning their annual rodeo into an important stop on the Prairie Circuit for the professional cowboys.
Durant, located in southeastern Oklahoma, is the capital of the Choctaw Nation. The city welcomes cowboys from all over the Nation every year to compete. The Durant Riding Club PRCA Rodeo is an important tradition to the city of Durant and the community, and after a successful 2024, 2025 is looking bright for the Durant PRCA Rodeo.
SAMI JO BUUM
From tiny pink cowboy boots and pigtails to pro rodeos and fast horses, Sami Jo was definitely bitten by the horse bug at a very young age. She was born and raised in Colorado on a small backyard farm in Brighton. The western industry has been a huge part of almost every aspect of her life. She was not born into a rodeo family and is a first-generation professional barrel racer. With her husband, she co-owns and operates a construction company out of Keenesburg, Colo. as well as run a small performance horse breeding and training operation, Dark Horse Equine. She is passionate about animals, rodeo, family, work and Christ. She plays many roles from business owner, professional cowgirl, rodeo wife, horse trainer and breeder, animal therapist, writer and more; however, being a mom is her favorite job title. I look forward to sharing my experiences and all things western with my audience.