The one-time pairing of Tanner Green and Will Woodfin took home the gold medals and $25,000 each to win the WCRA Cowboy Games & Rodeo Gold Medal Round on July 24, 2021.
Green, of Cotulla, Texas, and Woodfin, of Stephenville, Texas, were second to last out in the final performance and drew a hard running steer. They stopped the clock in 5.08 seconds to win the Gold Medals and $25,000.
“The funds were getting a little low, so this is going to get me through the rest of the year, I promise,” said Green, the 2018 Resistol Rookie All-Around Champion.
Woodfin, who was called back to rope at the event because his silver medal win 2018 heeling for Matt Sherwood, was thrilled that Green handed him the opportunity to clean up on the heel side to win the gold medal.
“I was excited about getting to come up here to heel for Tanner because I knew that he would give me a chance to win,” Woodfin, who’s been staying in Willcox, Arizona, with his two young daughters and wife Savannah, said. “I looked at the list and had seen Tanner, and I figured that would be a good shot. His partner ended up not getting in, so that’s how I got teamed up with him. I’m glad to be fortunate enough to get it done.”
The round started out soft until the fourth team out of Luke Brown and Hunter Koch set the pace with a 5.21-second run, followed by Clint Summers and Ross Ashford’s 5.15-second run, which put Green in a pressure situation.
“The round is still kind of a blur to me,” Green said. “I remember hitting the barrier and getting a good start. [The steer] was running, and I knew he was a long way. I knew that I probably wouldn’t throw that good of a head loop, so I just tried to get it over both horns, and whatever it went on, it went on. I tried to handle him the best that I could for Will, and I still didn’t do a good job handling him, but he cleaned it up good.
Green caught the steer around its neck and dallied off quick to turn the steer for Woodfin to clean up the run.
“I thought he did a great job, but I was not very good at dallying,” Woodfin admitted. “I made myself a little nervous. I ended up getting it locked off.”
Green’s No.1 head horse is on a break due to soreness, which made him head on a 16-year-old blaze-faced sorrel gelding that he has as a practice horse.
“He’s not a bad horse,” Green said. “He can be a little phony in the box sometimes. He was good to night.”
Woodfin, who has been riding outside horses, borrowed an in-law’s sorrel gelding for the monumental win.
“He belongs to my brother-in-law’s (NFR header Colter Todd’s) father-in-law,” Woodfin said. “He sent him down to my nephew, Colter Lee, to ride for the summer. Corky Irons owns him. He was gracious enough to let me bring him up here, so I’m grateful for that.”
What got Green and Woodfin to the Gold Medal Round was their 4.97-second run in the second performance of the semi-finals. The run didn’t win the round, but it was quick enough to advance them through the WCRA’s wild card.
“I think it’s a really good format because we made a really good run that night and we still didn’t get back,” Green said. “I think if you’re in a tough set, they’ll still let you get back that way. I think it’s a good way to do it.”
Green also advanced through the wild card in the calf roping, which he won the bronze medal with a 10.15-second run, adding $6,000 to his earnings.
“I’m a little disappointed about the calf roping,” Green said. “I didn’t score very good. I just figured go catch one, tie it down and hopefully they would pay me something.”
Green was riding his 15-year-old mare, Maggie to help him double dip at the prestigious rodeo.
“It’s funny because she usually scores good and flat, and tonight she kind of came up a little bit and I was late,” Green said. “It happens, I guess. Just go to the next one and fix it there.”
With Green headed out to finish the Pro Rodeo season roping calves and heading for Clay Futrell, Woodfin will be heading home to ride more outside horses and possibly put his winnings towards a new home.
“My wife and I have been considering some places in Texas, so that will, possibly, be a good down payment,” Woodfin said. “There’s always a place for $25,000, so I’m happy with it.”