Amarillo, Texas native Trevor Brazile is a lot like the U.S. Postal Service.
In his case, however, neither rain, nor mud, nor ornery steers with a penchant for fighting can keep him from his expected date with championship buckles.
Brazile snared two of them this weekend at the 59th Annual Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo, highlighting the affair with stunning times and superb roping in front of over 7,000 spectators across the final two days of action.
He cornered a tie-down roping championship with a 15.9-second time (two head of cattle). Brazile and teammate Patrick Smith thrilled the Oakdale Saddle Club arena crowd with amazing times in team roping, setting a very high bar that proved unreachable and nabbing an 11.2 time across two runs.
Brazile was named the overall champion after a spectacular run at rodeo events. The Decatur, TX, resident is a seven time all around world champion with a yearly earnings record of nearly half a million dollars.
Ralph Smith of Oakdale was third among tie-down ropers at 17.7 seconds on two head. Escalon’s Waylon McCurly ended seventh among team ropers at 12.4 while Oakdale’s own Troy Murray finished eighth in 13.7.
Blake Knowles of Heppner, Ore, was first among steer wrestlers with a 10.2 combined time. In barrel racing, Shena Robbins took first place honors at 17.5. Oakdale’s Jessica Little thrilled locals with a sharp go at the same event, but was unable to place.
South Dakota’s Jake Costello won saddle bronc honors with an 83-point run. In bull riding, Jacob Tyner of Sacramento and Casey Decker of Bennett, CO, shared championship honors with 85-point rides.
Local bull riders Bo Bacigalupi and Cody Ibrahimi competed on a rainy Sunday, but were unable to stay mounted for eight seconds, slipping to the dirt for no-scores against a tough field of competitors.
The rodeo saw over 400 entries over the course of events, with heralded money winner, Brazile, entering as the most accomplished and leaving the same way.