First-time teammates and underdogs Dalton Turner and Daniel Braman beat out 250 teams and the odds of coming back ninth high callback in the short round Feb. 24 and 26 at the 2023 Lone Star Shootout in Stephenville to cash a combined check for $70,000.
The team caught in 6.29 seconds in the first round, 5.32 seconds in the second round and finished it off with a sizzling 4.93-second run in the 19-team short go.
“Going into the short round, someone told me they won the first round on this steer, so I knew he was good,” 29-year-old header Turner said. “We were down there a little way in the short go, so I just wanted to put a little pressure on [everybody] and go at him. Be aggressive and it worked out. Daniel heeled the heck out of him.”
“This is the biggest win of my career. Hands down.”
Dalton Turner
The risk paid off, and the pair are leaving town with a big check, two Hart Trailers from Stephenville Trailers, Durango Boots, Cactus Saddles, Tres Rios Buckles and Kerry Kelly gear. The trailer is coming at a perfect time for Turner, who laughed as he described how his trailers’ door had fallen off in the parking lot as he saddled his horse Sunday afternoon.
The two came together when Turner reached out to Braman to see if he needed a partner for the lucrative roping. Together, they punched their ticket for Sunday during rotation 1 on Friday Feb. 24, posting 5.40 and 5.50-second runs, concurrently.
“Dalton did a great job on all of them, I just tried to catch them the best I could and not put myself in any jam,” 26-year-old Braman said. “I hadn’t roped a steer for him before Friday but he’s real aggressive, and he gets it on them fast. He lets me pull inside and take the shot with no hurry. It’s easy.”
Keeping Cool in Hot Competition
Looking at straight odds, Turner and Braman had less than a 0.4% chance of topping the field of more than 250 teams. When it came down to the wolfie short round, most teams after Turner and Braman boasted NFR back numbers. Despite their fresh partnership and stiff competition, neither of them hesitated or felt intimidation. In Fact, Turner—who specializes in the various track setups and coliseums of the Eastern IPRA and Southeastern Circuit Rodeos
“This setup is a short barrier and that’s all we have back home,” Turner, an eight header said. “I love short barriers and it just plays into my game. I wasn’t thinking about anything except hitting the barrier and heading him as fast as I could. That was all that was on my mind: Do my job, be aggressive and see where it lets me lay.”
For Braman, he focused on drowning out his competitors and bringing his skill into focus.
“You just go out and rope the steer as fast as the steer lets you rope him,” Braman said. “It doesn’t matter who you’re roping against, it’s who draws the best and who uses them.”
Who is Dalton Turner?
Turner grew up roping and raising cattle in Northern Arkansas town of Sidney. He trades horses, hunts and rodeos, doing “whatever it takes” to make ends meet. With the $35,000 check from the Lone Star Shootout, Turner plans to springboard into year filled with more hauling alongside partner and 2022 JR Ironman Champion Clay Clayman.
“This win gives me good confidence,” Turner said. “I feel like I’m on top of the world right now.”
Turner has the Arcadia, Florida, rodeo and Rodeo Austin in his sights before heading out West for the summer with Clayman.
His main mount is a 14-year-old gelding who he purchased from friend Dusty Carter.
“He’s changed my roping,” Turner said. “He’s easy, lets me do it, he’s a little funky and weird about stuff but he lets me catch every time so that’s all that matters.”
South Texas Man Daniel Braman
Hailing from the Texas coastal town of Refugio, Braman cuts his teeth in the oilfield, hunting and roping on the side. Work almost kept him from making the five-hour drive to Stephenville, but he managed to pull it off.
“This is the biggest check I’ve ever won in one day,” said Braman, who is a 9 heeler. “It’s pretty cool.”
Braman’s mount is a horse he calls “Johnny Blaze,” who he bought from John Phillip several years ago.
“He’s one of the best horses I have, he’s really easy and doesn’t short me out,” Braman said. “Definitely lets me take a good short every time, that’s why I love him.”
Braman’s 2023 plans mostly include sticking around home, working, roping and riding colts.
2023 Lone Star Shootout Results
Average
- Dalton Turner and Daniel Braman, 16.54 seconds on three head, worth $70,000
- Brenten Hall and Tyler Worley, 16.86 on three, worth $40,000
- Jake Smith and Will Woodfin, 17.66 on three, worth $28,000
- Clay Smith and Paul Eaves, 21.62 on three, worth $20,000
- Dustin Egusquiza. and Levi Lord, 23.10 on three, worth $15,000
- Tanner Tomlinson and Patrick Smith, 24.67 on three, worth $10,000
- Chad Masters and Hunter Kock, 25.85 on three, worth $5,000
- Luke Brown and Kollin VonAhn, 26.81 on three, worth $4,000
First Round
- Tanner Tomlinson and Patrick Smith, 4.36 seconds, worth $1,500
- Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord, 4.59 seconds, worth $1,000
Second Round
- Aaron Tsinigine and Ryan Motes, 4.39 seconds, worth $1,500
- Slade Wood and Logan Moore, 4.41 seconds, worth $1,000
Short Round
- Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord, 4.35 seconds, worth $1,500
- Dalton Turner and Daniel Braman, 4.93 seconds, worth $1,000
