wrappin' it up

Dustin Egusquiza and Travis Graves Round Out 2024 American Rodeo Contender Tournament Region Finals in Lexington
Dustin Egusquiza and Travis Graves won the American Rodeo Contender Series team roping at the East Regional Finals in Lexington, Kentucky.
Click Thompson photo, courtesy The American Rodeo

Dustin Egusquiza and Travis Graves paired up like old times at the American Contender Tournament East Regional Finals, and their 4.22-second run in the final round won them $10,000 a man and keeps them in the hunt for the $1 million bonus. The East Regional Finals in Lexington, Kentucky, wrapped up the series of Contender Tournament Region Finals Jan. 25-27, 2024.

Qualifiers from American Rodeo East Regional Finals

  1. Dustin Egusquiza / Travis Graves – 4.22 – $10,000
  2. Ross Mitchell / Cole Walker – 4.53 – $5,500
  3. Erich Rogers / Paul Eaves – 4.82 – $2,500
  4. Coleman Proctor / Levi Lord – 5.28 – $1,500
  5. Brenten Hall / Kaden Profili – 5.45 – $500

American Rodeo Team Roping Format

The American Contender Tournament Central Region Finals was the second of three Region Finals (West, Central, East). The South Point Equestrian Center in Las Vegas hosted the American Western Regional Finals earlier in January, where Pedro Egurrolo and Michael Calmelat got the first Contender win. Canadian brothers Dawson and Dillon Graham won the American Central Regional Finals. The East Region Finals rounded out the Contender Tournament Region Finals Jan. 25-27 in Lexington, Kentucky. 

The top five contenders from all three regions will then compete in the Taylor Telecom Arena in Abilene Saturday, Feb. 10, for the chance to compete in The American Rodeo March 9.

What is the American Rodeo Contender Tournament?

The American Contender Tournament West, Central and East Regional Semi-Finals attract qualifiers from both coasts as well as the Central United States to compete in the re-imagined tournament style format in hopes of making it all the way to The Crown Jewel of Rodeo™ —The American Rodeo 2024.

In 2023, more than 2,500 rodeo athletes competed across the country to vie for a chance at the $1-million bonus on the line if they made it to The American Rodeo, earning impressive money along the way. Guaranteed prize money is upwards of $540,000 for the Regional Semi-Finals and Finals.

More from The American Rodeo

SHARE THIS STORY
CATEGORIES
TAGS
Related Articles
NFR14138
crowded at the top
The Short Score: Driggers and Nogueira, Egusquiza and Lord Win NFR Round 3
Dustin Egusquiza heading a steer for Levi Lord at the 2024 Texas Circuit Finals.
big year
Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord Win 2024 Texas Circuit with Over $60K
Travis Graves
Simply Legendary
The Mental Game That Got Travis Graves to 15 Wrangler National Finals Rodeos
Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord taking a victory lap for winning the 2024 Greeley Stampede.
historic
Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord Win Regular Season, Second-Highest Earnings Record in Team Roping History 
Kollin VonAhn and Travis Graves at the 2024 Governor's Cup.
Down to the Wire
Veterans Travis Graves, Paul Eaves, Colter Todd & Kollin VonAhn in PRCA Heeling Bubble Battle in Season's Final 48 Hours