2017 Windy Ryon Memorial Adds To The History Books

2017 Windy Ryon Memorial Adds To The History Books

World champions and a couple current PRCA No. 1s were on hand to continue the 2017 Windy Ryon Memorial Roping's star-studded tradition on May 26-28 in Saginaw, Texas.

Jun 8, 2017 by Cassie Emerson Emerson
2017 Windy Ryon Memorial Adds To The History Books
By: Wyatt Imus

World champions and a couple current PRCA No. 1s were on hand to continue the 2017 Windy Ryon Memorial Roping's star-studded tradition on May 26-28 in Saginaw, Texas.
 
​The Memorial Day weekend roping also raised money for a group of worthy charities and honored the men and women who gave their lives in the armed services.
 
Caleb Smidt, the 2015 PRCA Tie Down World champion, won the 40-man roping tie down title after going 27.78 on three runs. Smidt is currently No. 1 in the PRCA All-Around title race.



Marty Yates, who sits atop the PRCA tie-down leaderboard, won his match roping against Justin Maass.
 
Junior Nogueira, the defending PRCA All-Around champion, won the Windy Ryon team roping title with his partner, Luke Brown. They were 38.51 on five. Brown is No. 1 atop the list of headers in the current PRCA team-roping race.
 
​One more champion, former North Texas High School Rodeo Association All-Around champion Maddy Goforth, was the women's breakaway champion while roping three head in 9.52 seconds.


 
Windy Ryon was a cowboy and businessman. He owned a saddle shop and western store in the old Fort Worth Stockyards. The store became fairly famous and was a place to hang out, drink coffee, and talk rodeo with the likes of Dean Oliver, Joe Beaver, and double cowboy Walt Garrison.
 
One can imagine the conversation at Windy's after the eight-head contest between Yates and Maass. After seven calves, Maass led by 8.95 seconds, and all he needed was a decent run to win the match. On the eighth calf, Maass took three loops, caught the calf at the back of the arena, and tied him in 42.56. Needing 33.60 to win, Yates responded by putting up a 19.44-second run to capture the match.
 


In steer roping, Vin Fisher edged 23-time world champion Trevor Brazil 48.46 to 48.47 on four head.



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