Celebration was the theme of the weekend for header Jake Stephenson and heeler Bobby Simmons. The duo claimed the #12 average title with a time of 31.31 on four steers, besting their nearest challengers Jimmy Ruiz and Marcus Becerra by over two seconds.

“I was so nervous, I had to get off my horse in the alleyway because I almost puked,” Stephenson admitted. “But when I backed into the box, I calmed back down.”

“Even before the flag dropped, I had already tried to get my hat off and throw it up in the air. I almost fell off,” said Stephenson, of Gouldbusk, Texas. “My dad was the first one to call. My family was stuck at the airport in Austin (Texas) on their way here. My phone was blowing up. This?was just a life-changing experience.”

Stephenson rode a 9-year-old sorrel gelding named Taters, while Simmons rode his gelding Meat, who happened to buck twice while they were roping.

“But luckily it was after the flag dropped!” Simmons, of Breckenridge, Texas, joked.