Sioux Falls’ Cinch Governor’s Cup dropped perhaps the toughest team roping of the regular season on night one, with Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp coming out on top with a 3.8 for $11,000 a man, with the last hole being a 4.2.

In a round that may make or break NFR dreams for the team ropers on the bubble, Sioux Falls provided the single most intense round of team roping in recent memory, with a 5.3 winning last hole.

Here’s The Team Roping Journal’s play-by-play of the round:

Andrew Ward took an aggressive start and got it on their steer fast. Kollin VonAhn was on the hunt and locked in, coming with a quick throw, and they finished eighth in the round with a 4.40.

Jake Smith sent his loop two swings out of the box, and Douglas Rich met him on the corner ready to set it down. Smith and Rich pocketed $5,500 a man for third in the round.

Clint Summers got his rope up in the box fast and threw quick. Jake Long took a typical Jake Long throw with a big swing and delivered fast. Their 4.60-second run landed them ninth in the round.

Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira were 5.3 with Nogueira getting the steer around the hips and fumbling his dally ever so slightly to cost him. 

Nelson Wyatt and Jonathan Torres made a solid run in 4.3 that would have won most of the summer rodeos, with Wyatt throwing the heat and Torres taking a smart shot to finish FAST. 

Brenten Hall reached as soon as he broke the plane of the box, and the reigning Resistol Rookie of the Year Kaden Profili looked like a veteran taking an aggressive first shot. They tied for fourth and fifth in the round with a 4.20.

Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp made their signature run—though Wade through a SHARP horn loop—with Thorp taking the first legal shot to be 3.8. 

Levi Lord took a smart shot on a Dustin Eguquiza reach to make a 4.2-second run, staying in the game after a run from Wade and Thorp that set a tough bar. 

Wyatt Bray might have been a tick behind their steer, but he sent some line and got things turned around quick. Paden cleaned it up fast, and they stopped the clock in 4.70 seconds.

Buda got Luke Brown to their steer fast, and Brown sent a sharp head loop. Travis Graves had a fast, aggressive swing and came with a strong loop and a rank slide on the heel side, and they were 4.90 seconds.

Cyle Denison and Tanner Braden roped like their NFR futures depend on it, with a BIG reach from Denison and a wild shot from Braden to be 3.9. 

Returning champs Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin take Proctor’s normal time in the box to get Admiral on point, and Proctor gets him on a long rope to be 4.3. 

Governor’s Cup team roping Round 1 results

Unofficial**