The winners of the RODEOHOUSTON Championship have officially been crowned. Along with the title of RODEOHOUSTON Champion comes a $50,000 grand prize, saddle, and belt buckle.
Ty Harris started the night off strong, claiming the tie-down roping title. Sharing the same horse as his brother, Tie-Down Roper Joel Harris, the brothers went back-to-back for six rides on their horse, ‘Mo.’ “It doesn’t get any better than that, knowing that we both excelled at a rodeo like this…We’ve never really done good on the same day,” Ty said. “To win first and second at a rodeo of this caliber, it doesn’t get any better.”
Leighton Berry claimed his second RODEOHOUSTON title in bareback riding with an impressive score of 91.5. Berry won the round on ‘Agent Links,’ a horse that he previously rode at the NFR. The bareback rider talked about his experience with the horse. “I’ve been dreaming of getting on that horse again ever since I had him in the tenth round of the NFR.”
After seeing the draw, Berry said, “I instantly started telling myself that I was gonna be a two-time RODEOHOUSTON champion.”
J.C. Yeahquo and Buddy Hawkins took home the RODEOHOUSTON champion buckle with a time of 4.8 seconds. Never roping together before this year, the pair proved themselves. To celebrate the win, Hawkins is taking time to reflect. “These moments can be fleeting if you aren’t careful. They come a time or two a year if you’re lucky or have a great career,” Hawkins said. “There’s gonna be a lot of quiet moments with me… but I’m just gonna spend some time with the Father on this four- to five-hour car drive here.”
Scoring a 91, Damian Brennan took home the title in saddle bronc riding. Brennan discussed how consistency between each ride has been key for him. “I tried not to change anything, just keep it really simple,” Brennan said. “What I’ve been doing has been working so I just try to keep everything the same.”
With a time of 8.1 seconds in steer wrestling, Dakota Eldridge is now a two-time RODEOHOUSTON Champion after an eight-year gap between wins. “It’s unbelievable,” Eldridge said. “It sets up my year now; when I first won in 2016, it didn’t count toward the world standing; this is a game-changer.”
The steer wrestler also spoke of his wife and two daughters saying, “I can rodeo smarter, not have to go as much and stay home with my wife and kids.”
Leslie Smalygo bragged about her horse’s performance in the barrel racing category, securing the RODEOHOUSTON Championship. Securing her horse, ‘Gus’, when he was three years old, Smalygo sensed a connection between the two. “I had a feeling about him… he’s just taking it 100%,” Smalygo said. “He digs in really hard and takes care of himself… you can’t teach that.”
Jackie Crawford returned to win the breakaway division with a time of 3.7. Riding a fairly new horse, ‘Backtrack,’ the pair secured the title. “I came into this setup on him feeling really confident,” Crawford said. “I really like that little horse. We’re really getting together and we’re really driving. I’m really pumped about what we can do in the future.”
Creek Young earned the title of Champion Bull Rider for RODEOHOUSTON 2024 with a score of 87 in the final Shootout. “I just tried to reset, catch my breath and dominate whatever bull I had,” Young said.
Young gave some words of wisdom for any young fans in the crowd, “For any young kids watching, follow your dreams” Young said. “I grew up in a non-ideal situation to be a Professional Rodeo Cowboy, but now I am living out my dreams. Just keep faith in the good Lord above and everything will pan out.”
2024 RODEOHOUSTON Championship Winners (Total Winnings):
- Tie-Down Roping: Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas, $58,000
- Bareback Riding: Leighton Berry, Weatherford, Texas, $53,750
- Saddle Bronc Riding: Damian Brennan, Injune, Queensland, Australia, $56,750
- Team Roping: J.C. Yeahquo, Mandaree, North Dakota; Buddy Hawkins, Stephenville, Texas, $108,750
- Steer Wrestling: Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nevada, $57,250
- Barrel Racing: Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, Oklahoma, $58,000
- Breakaway Roping: Jackie Crawford, Stephenville, Texas, $55,250
- Bull Riding: Creek Young, Rogersville, Missouri, $54,000
About the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage, and provides year-round educational support within the community. Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $600 million to the youth of Texas and education. The 2024 Rodeo is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 17. The 2024 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, presented by Cotton Holdings, is scheduled for Feb. 22 – 24. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and follow @RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and YouTube for all the latest news.