While the heelers hit a lull, the headers of USTRC Resistol JR Champion race are hungry for action and earnings.
Top 5 Takeaways
Last month, Waynesville, North Carolina’s Walker Guy finally clinched the top spot in the standings and, this month, he shows no signs of ceding it. Guy now boasts 118 points, up 27 points from the 91 reported in the November issue of The Team Roping Journal. He now leads by 38 points over the No. 2 spot, occupied by Luverne, Alabama’s Aiden Perrett with 90 points—a seven-point increase from last months’ reporting.
Perhaps this month’s most notable move was made by Cole Lansford of Childersburg, Alabama. Last month, Lansford was in a three-way heading tie for 10th with 23 points. Currently, he’s occupying the No. 3 spot with 56 points—a 33-point leap.
Not to be outdone, Parker Guy—Walker’s junior by two years—arrived on the scene and in the No. 4 spot in the standings with 35 points, giving him a one-point lead over No. 5 header Weston Baucom of Carthage, North Carolina. Baucom stays in the Top 5 this month by maintaining his 34 points reported in the last issue.
For the heelers, the December-issue reporting shows no change to the standings, with Fairmount, Georgia’s Houston Childers keeping his first-place position with 96 points. Brit Smith, of McDavid, Florida, follows in No. 2 with 71 points; Macon, Mississippi’s Lucas Koehn keeps third with 57 points; Kelby Frizzell of Texas’ Sterling City stays in fourth with 46; and Acampo, California’s Dean Sherbo is bound to fifth with 40 points.
The Winnings
Headers
Walker Guy, 15, met October on a mission. At the Southern Alabama Championship, produced by Allen’s Roping Productions and held the first of the month, Guy won the #14.5 and the #12.5 for 10 points each. He then took fourth place in the #11.5 for 7 points and a total of 27 points on the event, giving him his No. 1 rank in the standings with 118 points.
Aiden Perrett also roped at the Southern Alabama Champions, There, the now 16-year-old took fourth in the #10.5 for 7 points. The points—90 in total—are good for a comfortable hold on the No. 2 place in the standings.
Meanwhile, Cole Lansford also went to the Southern Alabama Championships … and went to work while he was at it. Lansford, 17, put his entries to use to win first and fifth in the #9.5 for 10 and 6 points, respectively. In the #8 USTRC Prize Roping, he claimed two holes again—this time second and third for 9 and 8 points, for an event total of 33 points. Added to the 23 points he earned earlier in the season—8 points at the North Alabama Championships in June and 15 points at August’s Alabama Classic—Lansford now has 56 points and third place in the standings and has shaken loose of a three-way tie for 10th.
October’s Southern Alabama Championship was the place to be for earning points and taking names and Parker Guy was no exception. Parker, 13, hit the ground running in the #11.5 and took first place for the full 10 points. In the #10.5, he placed third for 8 points and, in the #8 USTRC Prize Roping, he won fourth for 7 points. Combined with the 10 points he’d earned roping in the #9.5 and the #8.5 Truck Roping at September’s Tennessee Super Qualifier (for 9 points and 1 point, respectively), Parker paved his way to the Top 5 with 35 points, worth the No. 4 spot at this reporting.
Heelers
There were no changes to the heeling standings.
Current USTRC or Key Card/Key Card Max membership is required to participate in the Resistol Junior Champion Program. Earned points begin counting at time of membership purchase thru the NFTR’s last shootout event. The season begins the Monday after the last USTRC Cinch NFTR event and ends the last day of the next USTRC Cinch NFTR event.
Ropers must enter at least one Shootout division in the USTRC NFTR to be eligible. The award will be announced at the end of the USTRC Cinch National Finals of Team Roping event.
The points breakdowns are as follows: Starting with At Home Challenge Events, ropers will earn 10 points if they win the Challenge. No other points will be awarded. At Signature Events, points will be awarded to those winning an aggregate check. It starts at First Place with 10 points, Second = 9 points, and so on as far down as the ropings are paid. During the Cinch NFTR, the placing points are simply doubled. First Place will be 20, second = 18, and so on.
