Within the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the United States is divided into 12 circuits, allowing those who want to stay a little closer to home the opportunity to earn championships and even a bid to the NFR Open held in Colorado Springs, Colo., in July. The California circuit met over the New Year's weekend to determine the champion representatives they would send to battle for the national title.
Coming out on top of the steer wrestling event for the year-end was Tucker Allen, who called Ventura, Calif., home throughout the year. Allen picked up wins at Brawley, Salinas, and Industry, Calif., to pave the way for his first circuit title. Meanwhile, it was Hayden Webb, the 20-year-old cowboy from Wheatland, Calif., who remained steady throughout all three rounds and earned the average title. Webb was just out of the money with his first-round performance of 5.5 seconds but came back in round two with a quick 4.3 for the win. Round three was another solid showing of a 5.0 flat to pick up the fourth-place check and be enough to edge out former California Circuit Champion and NFR qualifier Stan Branco for the average win. Both Allen and Webb will be representing California at the NFR Open in 2024.
Moving on to the only event in rodeo that is a team event, Blake Hirdes and Mike George paired up for the average title in the team roping. The duo won Folsom, Ramona, and Norco this year on their way to the Finals. Hirdes knows the ropes of the NFR Open, as he won it in 2022 with former partner Dalton Pearce. In total, George and Hirdes won $5,850 each for their consistent roping at the Finals, winning the average by more than three seconds. The year-end championships were earned by Preston Burgess and Dalton Pearce.
After having a bit of a rough NFR, Brushton Minton kicked off the dust, put his hat on, and went back to work. The Witter Springs, Calif. tie-down roper put three runs together in a total of 27.7 seconds to earn the average title and $8,636 on his way to the NFR Open. The year-end champion was 33-year-old Jordan Ketscher from Squaw Valley. The all-around cowboy competed in both the team roping as a header and the tie-down roping at the Finals. Ketscher won King City, Auburn, Stanford, and Santa Maria to clench to the year-end title.
Gold card holder Kathy Petska lit up the arena in the barrel race. The Turlock, Calif., cowgirl has been a long-standing tough competitor in the arena, and she certainly brought the "A-game" to Red Bluff. She started off hot in the first round with a 13.51 to earn second, followed by a nice solid run of 13.62 in the second round, and finishing up with a 13.59 in the third round. Where only four ladies left the barrels standing all three rounds, Petska tied for the win in the average with fellow barrel racer Payton Schoeppach. The duo each turned three barrels, three times in a total of 40.72 seconds. The results allowed Petska to take home the year-end title and Schoeppach to also earn a bid to Colorado Springs.
California Circuit Finals Results:
Steer Wrestling
First Round:
1. Stan Branco, 4.4 seconds, $2,229
2. Grant Peterson, 4.7, $1,671
3. Tucker Allen, 4.8, $1,114
4. Bryar Byrne, 5.4, $557.
Second Round:
1. Hayden Webb, 4.3 seconds, $2,229
2. Levi Rudd, 4.7, $1,671
3/4. Tucker Allen and Owen Redfeairn, 5.1, $836 each
Third Round:
1. Edgar Machado, 4.1 seconds, $2,229
2. Josh Garner, 4.7, $1,671
3. Grant Peterson, 4.8, $1,114
4. Hayden Webb, 5.0, $557
Average:
1. Hayden Webb, 14.8 seconds on three head, $3,343
2. Stan Branco, 15.1, $2,507
3/4. Levi Rudd and Grant Peterson, 16.1, $1,254 each
Team Roping
First Round:
1. Tanner James/Wyatt Cox, 5.1 seconds, $2,229 each
2. Mike Christensen/Rhett Kennedy, 5.2, $1,671
3. Blake Hirdes/Mike George, 5.5, $1,114
4/5. Lane Karney/Wyatt Hansen and Dan Williams Jr./Cody Stewart, 6.7, $279 each
Second Round:
1. Spencer Mitchell/Cody Cowden, 4.4 seconds, $2,229 each
2. Cutter Machado/Dalton Pearce, 5.1, $1,671
3. Presto Burgess/Todd Hampton, 5.5, $1,114
4. Tanner James/Wyatt Cox, 5.6, $557
Third Round:
1. Marcus Battaglia/Jason Johe, 4.9 seconds, $2,229 each
2/3. Blake Hirdes/Mike George and Cutter Machado/Dalton Pearce, 6.0, $1,393 each
4. Corey Fitze/Joseph Shawnego, 6.1, $557
Average:
1. Blake Hirdes/Mike George, 18.0 seconds on three head, $3,343 each
2. Cutter Machado/Dalton Pearce, 21.2, $2,507
3. Presto Burgess/Todd Hampton, 23.7, $1,671
4. Tanner James/Wyatt Cox, 10.7 on two head, $836
Tie-Down Roping
First Round:
1. Cody Stewart, 9.3 seconds, $2,229
2/3. Colton Farquer and Brushton Minton, 10.1, $1,393 each
4. Tyler Forsberg, 10.7, $557
Second Round:
1. Dan Williams Jr., 8.8 seconds, $2,229
2. Brushton Minton, 9.2, $1,671
3. Cody Stewart, 10.1, $1,114
4. Jordan Ketscher, 10.3, $557
Third round:
1. Brushton Minton, 8.4 seconds, $2,229
2. D.J. Parker, 9.4, $1,671
3. Tyler Forsberg, 9.7, $1,114
4/5. Jade Church and Jordan Ketscher, 9.9, $279 each
Average:
1. Brushton Minton, 27.7 seconds on three head, $3,343
2. Jordan Ketscher, 32.6, $2,507
3. Tyler Forsberg, 36.5, $1,671
4. Jade Church, 37.9, $836
Barrel Racing
First Round:
1. Ann McGilchrist, 13.44 seconds, $2,094
2. Kathy Petska, 13.51, $1,571
3. Shelby Bates, 13.56, $1,047
4. Payton Schoeppach, 13.59, $524
Second Round:
1. Kay Cochran, 13.47 seconds, $2,094
2. Shelley Holman, 13.48, $1,571
3. Tonia Forsberg, 13.56, $1,047
4. Payton Schoeppach, 13.60, $524
Third Round:
1. Shelby Bates, 13.28 seconds, $2,094
2. Miley Bravos, 13.52, $1,571
3/4. Ann McGilchrist and Payton Schoeppach, 13.53, $785 each
Average:
1/2. Kathy Petska and Payton Schoeppach, 40.72 seconds on three head, $2,748 each
3. Kaillee Hamre, 41.64, $1,571
4. Maren Powers, 42.29, $785
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