To hear Devon Johnson tell it, team roping was the only option for him. From jackpots to college rodeo to regional rodeos, Johnson has been building his career, and he now stands poised to earn one of ProRodeo’s most prestigious titles and one of the most difficult to win: Resistol Rookie of the Year.

His chosen career path may have seemed far-fetched early on for a kid who grew up horseback but not in the Western sports lifestyle.

“My mom always had horses; she loved horses,” Johnson, 26, said, adding they were just for riding, not competition of any kind. “So, I grew up riding.”

Johnson’s road to rodeo

Cynthia Peterson grew up in Washington state. She worked for American Airlines, a job that eventually brought her to the heart of rodeo country in Texas. Even with the location change, the roping bug didn’t fully engulf Johnson until he got a taste of that world through his little sister, Savanah Gilder, who was involved in the sport through her mother’s family.

With a young boy consumed with all things team roping, Peterson went all-in to feed her son’s dream, learning to rope right alongside him so he would have a partner.

“My mom and I learned together,” Johnson said. He was 5. “We even went to a little clinic they had at NRS (in Decatur) that was just for beginners. We roped together at the low-numbered ropings.”

It wasn’t long before Johnson’s passion and dedication to roping drove him out of those ropings and, today, the Red Oak, Texas, resident is leading the 2025 PRCA Resistol Rookie of the Year standings for headers.

“I decided at 15 that this is what I wanted to do,” Johnson said. “I was a six heeler and, within a couple years, I was an eight.”

Not bad for a guy who was basically self-taught.

“I watched a lot of team roping and took a little from everybody,” Johnson said. “Then, I found my own style.”

Still, Johnson gives credit for help he has had along the long road to success.

“My mom took me around and kept me going for awhile,” Johnson said. “Neighbors around here, friends…all of Ellis County helped out, took me to practice when my mom was working. It was a whole village, ropers in my area, who let me practice and helped me out.”

Johnson is paying it forward, too, jumping in to help other young ropers in need like he was.

A little Boogie in it

But the ProRodeo road is calling in 2025 and Johnson is there for it, calling it the next step in his roping journey.

“I made the Texas Circuit Finals last year on my permit and won the year end in the UPRA (United Professional Rodeo Association),” Johnson said. “I made all the goals I set out for myself and the rookie deal, and ProRodeo is the next step.”

Winning the highly competitive UPRA title gave Johnson the confidence that he was ready to step into the next level. So did his partner, Boogie Ray, who knows a little something about elite roping. A veteran of the game, Ray roped at the 2003 NFR and has been a Texas Circuit Champion.

“That was just a God-thing,” Johnson said of hooking up with Ray. “He was roping with Cyle Denison and they quit roping. So, he called me up and said he thought a lot of my roping and asked if I wanted to give it a go.”

Together, Johnson and Ray earned some wins in 2024, cinching Texas Circuit Finals qualifications, and they’ve already picked up a couple of big wins in 2025, including the Playoff Series stop in Redmond, Oregon, and Huntsville, Texas. 

Roping with Ray has all kinds of perks for a guy learning the Pro Rodeo ropes.

“My partner is the king of entering,” Johnson joked while pointing to Ray’s track record of getting young guys started down ProRodeo’s tricky trail. “I’m grateful for him. He’s teaching me where you can and can’t go. Definitely showing me what works for the future.”

Ray’s role as chute boss of the weekly Mesquite Championship Rodeo may limit his summer rodeoing, but Johnson says he’ll rope whenever and wherever Ray can.

“Boogie and I haven’t really talked about the summer, but my Permit Finals partner, Cody Lansing from Colorado, will probably fill in where he can’t go,” Johnson said. 

The duo won both the PRCA Permit Finals in Waco, Texas, in October and the Permit Members Challenge held during the NFR in Las Vegas. 

Roping with Zane Pratt, Johnson won some money at the Resistol Rookie Roundup in late April. Held in Cowtown Coliseum inside the Fort Worth Stockyards, the event is open only to the top 15 rookies in the current ProRodeo standings.

“Obviously, Boogie couldn’t rope there,” Johnson laughed. “We went for first and came up a little short. It’s a tough setup but we were glad to win some. Every little bit helps.”

Rookie on top

Johnson has banked $14,815 and is leading second-ranked rookie James Arviso by about $2,000.

“It’s another goal to complete,” Johnson said of the elusive rookie title. But he’s thinking beyond that, too. “I’ve always wanted to make the NFR. I’ve watched it on TV for years, and it’s been a passion of mine for a long time.”

Johnson is looking forward to roping in historic rodeos he’s only watched on the Cowboy Channel.

“Cheyenne, Reno…I haven’t been to any of them,” Johnson said. “Every one of them is going to be new to me.”

That suits the former heeler just fine.

“I like not knowing and still winning, that’s my edge,” Johnson said. “For me, I like new places and the unknown factor. Just making your run.”

After years of heeling for his mom growing up, Johnson stayed in the clean up position while rodeoing at Trinity Valley College. He qualified for a pair of College National Finals Rodeos. Ironically, in 2021, he heeled for fellow Texan Riley Kittle, now a rival for the rookie title.

Johnson decided to make the switch to heading soon after leaving college.

“I entered on the heading side once and won, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” Johnson said.

While Johnson did earn an associate degree in business management while at Trinity, roping has been–and will always be–his preferred career path.

“Really, I got my degree in team roping,” Johnson admitted with a laugh. “I’ve roped for a living my whole life, since I was 15.”

“There was no other option. Everything I own–my truck, my trailer–all of it was paid for with cash by a rope.”

While jackpotting has been paying the bills, Johnson is ready to chase bigger dreams in ProRodeo.

“I plan on trying to make it [the NFR] and just have fun,” Johnson said.”I’m still figuring out my story.”