Bryce Ehlinger turned a full day of consistent heeling into one of the biggest prizes of The Patriot Event, winning the Holiday Auto Group All Ages #9.5 Jeep Roping and driving away with a Jeep Gladiator after topping the high-point standings by roughly 15 points.
Ehlinger, of Manvel, Texas, stacked nine solid runs to earn his way back to the short round and ultimately secure the points race, roping with several partners—including his brother—in the Fort Worth event.
“It was going good,” Ehlinger said. “I just knew I needed to catch all of them to get back in the short round and get some points.”
The win came after a quick turnaround for the Texas cowboy, who had competed the night before at the Junior Ironman in Guthrie, Oklahoma, before making the drive south to Fort Worth.
Ehlinger’s approach to the roping was simple: stay consistent and avoid costly mistakes.
“All day I was trying to hold out and see the corner and ride to it instead of being too close,” Ehlinger said. “You could get too aggressive and ride around the end of it.”
In his high-call run of the roping, Ehlinger heeled for his brother, who secured the steer with a neck shot. The pair stopped the clock in the mid-eight-second range—more than enough to secure valuable points toward the overall title.
“I just wanted to get him caught to get some points,” Ehlinger said. “I wasn’t too worried about winning the average. If we ended up winning it, that was just a bonus.”
Ehlinger credited much of his success to the seasoned horse beneath him, a versatile mount his family has owned for more than a decade.
“We’ve had him about 12 years,” Ehlinger said. “I’ve roped calves on him, ranched on him and heeled on him. He’s the same trip every time and makes it a lot easier.”
The win capped a busy stretch for Ehlinger, who planned to remain in Fort Worth competing throughout the remainder of The Patriot Event, including appearances in the semifinals of the calf roping and open heading.
But before getting back to work, the Texas roper had one more thing to enjoy.
“I drove it in the arena,” Ehlinger said with a big smile of the Jeep Gladiator. “I tried to spin it a little, but I forgot to turn the traction control off.” he laughed.
