Joel Bach should look into real estate in Ellensburg, Wash. Not only did the young header win the WestStar Best of the Best Open held outside of town at Scott and Jo Repp’s ranch with Justin Davis, he placed third with Britt Bockius, as well. Not to mention, he and Paul Eaves set a new arena record at the Ellensburg Rodeo. What’s more, Paul Eaves was second at the WestStar heeling for Quincy Kueckelhan.
All told, Bach won $18,700 at the WestStar. He and Davis roped 5 steers in 36.16 to split $22,400. Kueckelhan and Eaves stopped the clock in 36.77 seconds to win $9,000 a man, then Bach and Bockius split $15,000 for their third place finish. Chad Masters and Jade Corkill came in fourth and World Champion Bareback Rider Bobby Mote and Garrett Jess roped their five in 41.27 to finish fifth.
The fast time of the roping was a 4.67 in the second round, posted by Kelsey Parchman and Cody Hintz.
Exactly 100 teams entered the open team roping. Additionally, the Repps held a pro-am team roping and an invitational calf roping. All ropers in the three events received WestStar hooded sweatshirts and hats, steak dinners, Pendleton Whisky and various gift certificates to go along with a prize line of rifles, headstalls, crooked stirrups and saddle blankets. In addition to the prize money, Bach and Davis also took home engraved rifles.
Seven-time World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor Brazile and NFR heeler Britt Bockius announced the tie-down roping and Justin McKee, voice of the Ellensburg Rodeo and the Professional Bull Riders, announced the Open Team Roping.
In the tie-down roping, Clif Cooper preceded his big win at the Justin Playoffs of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour in Puyallup, Wash., with a win at the WestStar. He took home $4,000, an engraved pistol, and Old Gringo Boots by besting 16 of the top PRCA tie-down ropers in the WestStar Invitational Tie-Down Roping.
The elimination-style roping saw Cooper beat out NFR regular Cade Swor, then his uncle and 2008 World Champion Stran Smith, followed by Shane Slack and, finally, Ryan Jarrett for the championship. During the event, Shank Edwards turned in a 6.5-second run to break the arena record set by Smith in 2008.
The WestStar good omens continued in the Pro-Am, local header Lance Clawson teamed with PRCA heeler Caleb Twisselman to rope four steers in 33.45 to win custom Cactus saddles. On the amateur heeler side, Reese Collins from White Plains, Mo., teamed with Keven Daniel to rope four steers in 39.99 for his saddle. Ironically, Daniel and Twisselman teamed up a few days later to win the Ellensburg Rodeo team roping.