By Robert Simpson • Special To Ropers Sports News
In 2005, Kyle Lockett described his win of the Timed Event Championship of the World as “the best moment in my rodeo career right now.” Sunday afternoon (March 6, 2011) the cowboy from Visalia, Calif. became the seventh multi-TEC champion, winning the 2011 TEC with 308.8 seconds on 25 head for $50,000.
At the TEC, each contestant is required to compete in all five timed events: tie-down roping, steer roping, heading, heeling and steer wrestling – over five rounds in three days. Each round of competition features excitement with the leaders changing after every run, with only seconds separating them.
What was the difference in the two titles? Lockett said it was the years in between. This year marked the third year in a row that he had led after the first go. The other two didn’t pan out for a win. This time though, he stayed steady. Lockett dropped to third on the final run of the second go, the steer roping, the 10th head of the weekend. But he never dipped below third. In fact, he regained the lead on the final run of third go, the steer roping, which is the 15th head, and he never gave it up. So the difference in the two titles, Lockett said is “It’s just good to know you can still do it.” There was also another difference in the most recent title run. In 2005, Trevor Brazile led Lockett by one-tenth of a second going into the final run of the weekend. Lockett tied his steer down in 16.6 seconds, while Brazile was 46.8 seconds. Lockett said it helped this year “having a little bit of a lead” going into the fifth round. He was actually 51.7 seconds ahead of the pack entering Sunday’s fifth round. He didn’t surrender. Actually, it was quite the opposite of 2005, as Lockett had clinched the win before he ran his last draw in the steer roping on Sunday.
Jo Jo LeMond, who was second after 24 head, recorded a 51.4 in the steer roping. That left Brazile, the 14-time PRCA and six-time TEC champion, in the lead with 345.0 on 25 head. At the TEC, they give a 60-second time instead of a no-time. So, since Lockett was 68 seconds ahead of Brazile, he could take a 60 and still win it. Lockett, the seventh multi-TEC champion in the event’s 27 years, has now earned $206,500 at the TEC, according to statistician Curt Robinson.
Brazile of Decatur, Texas, not only earned $25,000 for second in the average, but with Sunday’s round of 48.7 on five head, posted the second fastest round of the weekend. That ran his total for the 2011 TEC to $31,000 and put him over the $600,000 mark for career TEC earnings. To earn a check in the average among the 20-man field is a prestigious accomplishment. In addition to Lockett and Brazile, those doing just that were: Beau Franzen, Sidney, Mont., 347.3 in third; Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas, 366.3 in fourth; Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 374.1, in fifth; Russell Cardoza, Terrebone, Ore., 375.1 in sixth; LeMond of Andrews, Texas, 377.9 in seventh and Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas, 380.4 in eighth. Besides the average, six checks are paid for the fastest round. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., worked five head Saturday night in 46.4 seconds for the fastest overall round and $10,000. Cash Myers of Athens, Texas took home the “Hottest Heeler” award by Hot Heels Roping Machines for having the fastest heeling run of the event – a 5.5 in the fifth round.
The TEC was developed by the Lazy E in 1985 to determine the best all-around timed event cowboy in the world — the man who could stand out in more than his specialty event, the man who could be consistent in all five timed events. The majority of today’s professional rodeo cowboys no longer compete in multiple events, but specialize in one, possibly two. This event attracts the biggest names in the rodeo industry that correlates into 45 World Championship titles, in addition to thousands of fans representing 48 states from across the country! A portion of the proceeds from the 2011 Timed Event Championship will be donated to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Lazy E is proud to support this institution for western preservation!
The 2011 Timed Event Championship is sponsored by Priefert Ranch & Rodeo Equipment, Pendleton Whiskey, Wrangler, Cross Bar Gallery, Ram Trucks, Ariat Boots, John Vance Motors, Coca-Cola, Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, Cinderella Horses.com, R.K. Black, Inc., Gist Silversmiths, Spin to Win Magazine, National Saddlery, Hot Heels, The Oklahoman, Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, CSI Saddlepads, News 9, the Best Western Edmond, and the Fairfield Inn & Suites – Edmond.
The 2011 Timed Event Cham-pionship was a Lazy E Production. For more information on the Timed Event Championship or other Lazy E events, contact the Lazy E Arena, 9600 Lazy E Drive, Guthrie, OK 73044, (405) 282-RIDE, (800) 595-RIDE or visit www.lazye.com.
Results of the 2011 Timed Event Championship are as follows::
Average (25 head): 1. Kyle Lockett, Visalia, Calif., 308.8, $50,000; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 345.0, $25,000; 3. Beau Franzen, Sidney, Mont., 347.3, $15,000; 4. Landon McClaugherty, Tilden, Texas, 366.3, $10,000; 5. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 374.1, $7,500; 6. Russell Cardoza, Terrebone, Oregon, 375.1, $5,000; 7. Jo Jo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, 377.9, $4,500; 8. Bryce Davis, Abilene, Texas, 380.4, $3,000.
Fastest rounds: 1. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 46.4 in 4th go, $10,000; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 48.7 in 5th go, $6,000; 3. Russell Cardoza, Terrebone, Oregon, 50.2 in 4th go, $5,000; 4. Daniel Green, Oakdale, Calif., 51.5 in 3rd go, $4,000; 5. Cade Swor, Chico, Texas, 52.2 in 2nd go, $3,000; 6. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas, 53.0 in 5th go, $2,000.
Winning $50,000 Kyle Lockett, who also won the championship in 2005, now has cumulative Timed Event earnings of $206,500.
Winning $31,000 Trevor Brazile, the six-time champion and five-time reserve champion, now totals $610,500 in 16 years.