California Circuit Finals rookie Bryor Minton teamed up with two-time NFR header Spencer Mitchell to win the 2024 California Circuit Finals Rodeo in Red Bluff Dec. 29-31, for $7,292 a man.
Minton and Mitchell, who didn’t rope together during the regular season, roped three steers in 18.6 seconds to take home the aggregate title worth $3,500 apiece. For 23-year-old Minton, winning his breakout circuit finals in a field with California greats, like 10-time NFR header Daniel Green and eight-time NFR heelers Kyle Lockett and Cody Cowden, is no small feat.
“Especially my first year there and everything,” Minton, of Witter Springs, California, said. “There are guys that rope way better than I do, but I knew almost just stay in my game, and if they let me win playing my game, then that’s awesome, but if they don’t, I can’t be too upset about it. I just got stuff to work on still.”
How to win in Red Bluff
Minton and Mitchell kicked off their Red Bluff trip with a stronger steer in Round 1. Off the barrier a bit, they just went and knocked the first one down with a 7.3.
With a better feel for things in Round 2, Minton took a more aggressive start, and they pocketed $1,750 a man for second in the round with a 6.1.
“I just got a little more aggressive on the barrier on the second one, and my horse was working good,” Minton said. “It was just simple—just a practice run, honestly, for me and Spencer.”
Minton and Mitchell entered the third round tied third and fourth and wanted to put some pressure on the top teams.
“I felt like we kind of had to put the gas on a little bit and just make a good run on our third one,” Minton said. “Just if they beat us, they beat us, but at least we gave us a fighting chance.”
Their 5.2-second run was pressure enough to tie for the third-round win for $2,042 a man and claim the average title. Not allowing a hiccup in the first round to derail their entire circuit finals came down to a mental perspective Minton’s been prioritizing on the jackpot scene.
“Going into the circuit finals, I’ve been working really hard in Arizona on not beating myself and just going to make my run,” Minton said. “And if they beat me, they beat me, but I’m still happy with myself. That was my mindset of going up there to the circuit finals, too. On the first one, I could have just thrown three coils and hooked him, but my horse would’ve not worked as good on the other two. But I just made a mental decision of over and under him, go to capture him and complete the course. I was happy in myself for just staying on what I’ve been practicing and not beating myself up there and being totally happy.”
Into the new year
Minton and Mitchell punched their tickets to the 2025 NFR Open in Colorado Springs in July. The rodeo will be a family affair for Minton as his older brother and 2023 NFR tie-down roper Brushton also qualified.
“I think everybody will go,” Minton said with a laugh. “I think Brushton was more excited that I made it than himself making it. It’s cool.”
As for his 2025 plans, Minton is taking it one stride at a time.
“I’m not going to be pushy about it but of course we’re going to circuit rodeo, and my plan is to make it to the circuit finals again and go to all the California Circuit rodeos,” Minton said. “And it depends on how it starts out in the spring. If I’m doing good and roping well and winning along, I’m not going to be afraid of trying to go give it a shot and kind of go rope and get my feet wet in the big world out there.”
