Sydney Graham Cashes in On West Texas Rodeo Win

The ABC Pro Rodeo in Levelland, Texas, took place April 4-6. The barrel racing was the highest-paid event for the winner, and one cowgirl had a stellar weekend, taking the win at not just one but two West Texas PRCA rodeos.

Sydney Graham and Hesa Mind Bender / Photo Courtesy of Sydney Graham

The ABC Pro Rodeo has been a member of the PRCA since 1943 and hosts their event at the Mallet Event Center in Levelland, Texas. Professional cowboys and cowgirls from all over come to compete at this rodeo, and some even make it a point to stop in and compete on their way out west to the California run. 

The rodeo consists of a slack round on Wednesday followed by action-packed four performances, ending on Saturday night. The competition was fierce, but one cowgirl prevailed and found herself in the No. 1 spot when the dust settled. 

Sydney Graham from Abilene, Texas, edged out her fellow competitors by 3 tenths of a second in the Ladies Barrel Racing to win $2,262 for her efforts. She jockeyed her trusty gelding, Hesa Mind Bender, to the winner's circle this weekend. 

Graham and Hesa Mind Bender, or Tio as she calls him, are a partnership that has been together for a long while, and at the age of 17 years young, the sorrel gelding continues to outrun his younger competition. The gelding also clocked a 16.8-second run on a standard pattern this weekend to take the win in Andrews, Texas, at the PRCA pro rodeo. 

The pair can be seen next at the final stop for the “Texas Swing” in San Angelo on April 13 at 1:00 P.M. CST in the matinee performance, where they hope to advance to the rodeo’s final rounds.

ABC Pro Rodeo Full Results:

All-Around Cowboy: Lane Webb, $1,455, tie-down roping and team roping.

Bareback Riding: 1. Roedy Farrell, 86.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo's Tango, $1,191; 2. Tuker Carricato, 84, $902; 3. (tie) Bryce Eck and Payton Lackey, 83, $541 each; 5. Jade Taton, 81, $253; 6. (tie) Clayton Hibler and Tim Murphy, 80, $90 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1. Emmett Edler, 4.0 seconds, $1,452; 2. Adam Musil, 4.6, $1,201; 3. Tyke Kipp, 4.7, $951; 4. (tie) Tyrel Cline and Brad Ralph, 4.8, $576 each; 6. Ty Cochrane, 5.0, $250.

Team Roping: 1. Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, 4.2 seconds, $1,622 each; 2. Cole Morgan/Jess Morgan, 5.2, $1,410; 3. Zane Kilgus/Tator Taton, 5.6, $1,199; 4. Bridger Ketcham/Caden Beaty, 5.7, $987; 5. Chace Thompson/Chad Williams, 7.2, $776; 6. Zack Woods/Gavin Foster, 7.5, $564; 7. Cash Duty/Clay Green, 9.7, $353; 8. Jhett Trenary/Jake South, 11.2, $141.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1. Sterling Crawley, 85.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo's No Show Jones, $1,731; 2. (tie) Gus Gaillard and Joe Priebe, 82, $1,128 each; 4. (tie) Danny Cassidy and Liam Pauley, 79, $498 each; 6. Walker Rezzonico, 76, $262.

Tie-Down Roping: 1. Jarvis Demery, 8.4 seconds, $1,963; 2. (tie) Brody Stallard and Lane Webb, 8.6, $1,455 each; 4. Matt Kenney, 9.1, $948; 5. Tate Teague, 9.4, $609; 6. Walker Warkentin, 9.5, $338.

Barrel Racing: 1. Sydney Graham, 15.87 seconds, $2,262; 2. Ryann Pedone, 16.12, $1,922; 3. Dena Kirkpatrick, 16.21, $1,583; 4. Cheyenne Wimberley, 16.24, $1,357; 5. Dona Rule, 16.26, $1,131; 6. Chloe Gray, 16.28, $792; 7. Ilyssa Riley, 16.31, $565; 8. Taylor Carver, 16.32, $452; 9. Sadie Wolaver-Troyer, 16.33, $396; 10. (tie) Emily Beisel and Stevi Hillman, 16.34, $311 each; 12. (tie) Timber Allenbrand and Keyla Costa, 16.35, $113 each.

Bull Riding: 1. (tie) Braden Richardson, on Beutler & Son Rodeo's Fake Friend, and Ethan Winckler, on Beutler & Son Rodeo's Bruce, 86 points, $1,439 each; 3. Chase Wimer, 84.5, $893; 4. (tie) Isaak Dyck and Avery Mullins, 79, $472 each; 6. Hayden Welsh, 77, $248.