Brushton Minton got the call of a lifetime on Jan. 11, when the 2023 NFR tie-down roping rookie was asked to join the standout roster of 25 all-around cowboys to compete for the Iron Man title at the 40th annual Cinch Timed Event Championship.
In 2024, the iconic five-event marathon featuring heading, heeling, tie-down, steer wrestling and steer tripping will be held at Guthrie, Oklahoma’s Lazy E Arena Feb. 29 through March 2, and will be livestreamed in its entirety on Roping.com.
All-Around Cowboy Brushton Minton
Minton, 25, enters in his first Cinch Timed Event Championship in place of fellow Californian Kyle Lockett after finishing the 2023 ProRodeo season seventh in the world in the All-Around (tie-down roping, team roping and steer wrestling are his events) and 15th in the tie-down after taking 12th in the NFR average at his first Finals. Then, he concluded his year by taking the both the year-end and average tie-down titles at the California Circuit Finals Rodeo, where he also qualified in the heeling and the steer wrestling.
“I was pretty dang stoked to get the call,” said Minton, who has $276,577 in PRCA career earnings. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”
Getting in Iron Man mode
As a regular competitor in the tie-down, team roping and steer wrestling, Minton, who recently shifted his operations to Texas, noted that he had some learning to do in the steer tripping arena over the next six weeks.
“I’ve tied a little bit from the post,” he said, referring to practicing from the ground before putting all the pieces together horseback. “So, I’ve never tripped before, but I plan on getting back here to Texas and to start practicing that.”
Minton’s dad, Linderman Award winner Casey Minton, is on the hunt for a tripping horse and has horses for his son to head and heel on. Also, Minton may be bulldogging aboard his younger brother’s horse, and he can provide for himself in the calf horse department. So with just a few days under his belt, the details and preparation are starting to come together.
“Just gotta piece it all together,” he said, which includes finding partners, who are still to be determined.
Minton’s 2024 ProRodeo Goals
This winter, Minton is roping calves at all the winter rodeos, with hopes of securing his second NFR berth at the end of the season.
“I’m probably going to bulldog a bit,” he added. “I don’t know if I’m going to go to all of them, but whenever I can get up right, I would like to pick up the bulldogging and do that, maybe try to get some all-around points.”
Lockett’s Legacy
Lockett falls off the 2024 Cinch TEC roster after competing in the event 23 times and taking home the title in 2005 and 2011.
