Champions crowned and records tested as top cowboys and cowgirls battled tough stock in this year's thrilling rodeo finals.
The South’s oldest rodeo association, the Southern Rodeo Association (SRA) was founded in 1954, and has been going strong ever since. Based out of Four Oaks, North Carolina, the organization sanctions rodeos all over the eastern United States and has been known to draw competitors from as far away as Oklahoma and Canada.
The annual Southern Finals Rodeo (SFR) is a much anticipated event, and this year’s finals number 51 rodeo just wrapped up, crowning new champions across events. The rodeo was held on the outskirts of Asheville, North Carolina in a town known as Fletcher at the Western NC Agricultural Center. The first performance was Friday night, followed by a Saturday night performance, and then a final round Sunday afternoon.
With tough stock and competition, several cowboys and cowgirls put their skills to the test and came out on top.
Round 1 winners were as follows: Timothy Kent in the bareback riding, Luke Bullard in the tie down roping, Taylor McLamb and Sage Dunlap with a tie in the breakaway roping, Connor Brumley in the saddle bronc riding, Jacob Rounds in the steer wrestling, Cole Lemaster and Alex Brooks in the team roping, Taylor Thompson in the barrel racing, and Lane Edwards in the bull riding.
Round two winners included: a tie between Tanner Phipps and Timothy Kent in the bareback riding, Cynch Whitesell in the tie-down roping, Mikayla Almond in the breakaway roping, a tie between Connor Brumley and Luke Bullard in the saddle bronc riding, Trey Lloyd in the steer wrestling, Heath King and Stephen Britnell in the team roping, Taylor Thompson in the barrel racing, and Bryson Robinson in the bull riding.
Round three wrapped up with these leaders on top: Timothy Kent in the bareback riding, Cynch Whitesell in the tie-down roping, Grace Toberer in the breakaway roping, Connor Brumley in the saddle bronc riding, Colton Brumley in the steer wrestling, Trey Lloyd and Tanner Lloyd in the team roping, Danielle Church in the barrel racing, and no qualified rides in the bull riding.
Overall winners were named at the end of the weekend. In the bareback riding, Tanner Phipps took first place. The calf roping king was Cynch Whitesell. Breakaway roper Grace Toberer secured the win for the girls and Danielle Myers did the same in the barrel racing. Connor Brumley was the saddle bronc champ and brother Colton Brumley the steer wrestling first place man. In the team roping, Heath King was the header of the weekend, and Stephen Britnell the leading heeler. Bryson Robinson made a clean sweep in the bull riding. When it came to crowning All-Around Champions, the All-Around Cowgirl title was awarded to Taylor McLamb and the All-Around Cowboy title awarded to Tanner Lloyd.
The aggregate champions were as follows: Timothy Kent in the bareback riding, Clay Livengood in the tie-down roping, Laci Moore in the breakaway roping, Connor Brumley in the saddle bronc riding, Trey Lloyd in the steer wrestling, Heath King and Stephen Britnell in the team roping, Taylor Thompson in the barrel racing, Lane Edwards in the bull riding, and Trey Lloyd as the all-around aggregate champion.
In addition to these winners, there were other accolades added, such as Best Dressed, awarded to Susie Justice for her awesome shirt, Sportsmanship Award presented to Madeline Green for her ongoing incredible attitude and the Horse of the Finals awarded to Taylor Thompson’s horse Butter or “SDK”.
It was a great weekend of rodeo in Fletcher and these top cowboys and cowgirls went home with a few more dollars in their pocket and new titles to be proud of.