ProRodeo Sports News July 13, 2018

Top Timed-Event Winner

Tie-down roper Martin goes on heater to win big BY TRACY RENCK A return trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo was possibly slipping away for Cooper Martin. Then along came Cowboy Christmas for the Alma, Kan., cowboy. From June 26 to July 10, Martin earned $23,944 to capture the title as the top timed-event competitor during the lucrative Cowboy Christmas run. N.M. They rode him

TOP TIMED-EVENT 1. Cooper Martin, TD ................... $23,944 2. Trevor Brazile, TD, TR1 ............. $23,714 3. Scott Guenthner, SW ................ $22,003 4. Aaron Tsinigine, TR1 ................ $21,729 5. Trey Yates, TR2 ...................... $21,729 6. Dustin Egusquiza, TR1 .............. $21,204 7. Kory Koontz, TR2 .................... $21,204 8. Tuf Cooper, TD ....................... $19,792 9. Clay Tryan, TR1 ..................... $18,775 10. Travis Graves, TR2 ................ $18,775

all through high school and college. When they graduated college, they slowed down on their roping careers. We bought the horse back, and when we got him

“This feels great,” said Martin. “Reese Riemer is who I rodeo with, and we tried to enter everything where we didn’t have to fly. Both of us feel a lot more comfortable on our own horses. We tried to go to as many rodeos as we could, and it all came together.” Martin edged 23-time world champ Trevor Brazile by a mere $230 to win the timed-event honor. Martin acknowledged the catalyst for his memorable run was his performance at the World’s Oldest Rodeo in Prescott, Ariz. (June 28 to July 4), where he finished third in the average to earn $4,532. “Prescott got things going,” Martin said. Martin’s success continued in a big way at the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede and the St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo. He clocked a 7.6-second time to win Cody and collect $10,046. He then won the two-head average with an 18.0-second time in St. Paul and earned $9,366. “I had never had much luck in Cody, so it was great to do well there,” Martin said. “In the first round (at St. Paul), I ran her out there and she stepped right, and I popped her down. When I flanked her, I thought she was going to kick and she took the tie. That’s just where I wanted to be after the first round. Then on my next one I knew I had a really good one. I knew all I needed to do was catch her, and it was going to be easy.” Back on July 2, Martin was 26th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $21,993. By July 11, he moved up to 13th place with $45,937. “This is a huge boost,” Martin said. “There’s nothing guaranteed for sure, but it dang sure gives a guy a lot more confidence heading into the rodeos coming up.” Payday, 18, provided the horsepower for Martin. “I knew my horse fit me, and he was awesome,” he said. Martin purchased Payday

back he felt like a completely different horse. Cooper was in a tight position horse-wise last year. We sold (Payday) to (Martin), and it couldn’t have worked out any better.” Although Cowboy Christmas can be taxing, it left Riemer smiling. “This was a fun run for both of us,” said Riemer, who also had a strong Cowboy Christmas, earning $14,051. “It is awesome that Cooper was the timed-event champ (during Cowboy Christmas). Everyone who goes into the Fourth of July has in the back of their minds wanting a run like that. To win as much as we did was a lot of fun. I’ve never been a part of a Fourth of July run that good. I doubled about what I have ever won during Cowboy Christmas. It helps when a guy is roping as good as Cooper was.” Last year, with Payday providing the horsepower, Martin made his Wrangler National Finals Rodeo debut. He finished ninth in the final world standings and earned $65,846 in Las Vegas, highlighted by winning Round 4 with a 7.6-second time. “It always helps to draw good calves, but you darn sure have to have a fast horse,” Martin said. “I’m really glad that he stayed sound, and I’m going to keep riding him all summer. My goal is to keep him as long as I can. We’re entering everything we can get to driving-wise until it (the NFR) is made. That’s the game plan. We do not want to let up.”

in May 2017 from Riemer, who qualified for the Wrangler NFR in 2014 and 2016. Riemer is riding Edgar, 16, who he has ridden throughout his career. Reimer has owned Payday twice. “We bought him when I was in high school from a friend of ours, and he actually bought him out of New York state,” Riemer said. “He bought him sight unseen. That guy broke him and started him and just ranched on him. We bought him, and a friend of ours started him for us and we brought him along. The horse has quite the character. I couldn’t catch on that horse to save my life when I was in high school. “We ended up selling the horse to brothers from Portales,

ProRodeo Sports News 7/13/2018

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