Despite winning Rodeo Houston this year with Clay O’Brien Cooper, Davis still wears his 2012 USTRC National Finals of Team Roping Open Preliminary Reserve Champion buckle, which he won with Martin Lucero.

“Winning it with Martin was really special, because he’s one of my biggest mentors in rodeo,” Davis said. “He’s really helped me with my game from start to finish. He’s so experienced, and that’s such a big part of it.

“That day, we made really good runs over and over again. We were eighth callback and had to make up some time, and on that last steer we ended up winning the go round and jumping to second.”

Davis is bound for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification, and said a go-round buckle from the Thomas & Mack might make him switch think twice about which one he puts on.

“Guys ask me why I don’t wear my RodeoHouston buckle, but I don’t really want to scratch it,” Davis laughed. “This USTRC buckle was just a really special win for me, and it will take a lot, like an NFR buckle, to make me change it.”