DUNCAN, Okla. – The last time Jared Keylon won the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo he went on to qualify for the 2012 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
On Oct. 20, the bareback rider gave his 2019 season an early boost by winning the RAM PCFR for the second time in his 12 years of PRCA competition.
“I came in with the attitude there are so many good guys riding in this circuit, and when you have competition like that all the time you know you have to be on your toes,” Keylon said.
The Arkansas-native-turned-Kansas cowboy won two of the three rounds, giving him the average win by 11.5 points. Keylon’s $4,580 payday came in part by winning the second round with an 84.5-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Big League and the third round with an 85-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Satin Sheets.
“I couldn’t have asked for three better horses,” Keylon said. “The third one (Satin Sheets) I’ve had before. You couldn’t ask for a more solid draw. You never know if you’re going to win first, but you look at it like, ‘That’s my placing horse.'”
Before his win, Keylon ranked second in the Prairie Circuit with $17,517.
Since his last trip to the Wrangler NFR, Keylon’s been climbing the world standings. He was 54th in 2017 and 36th in 2018 with $25,791.
Winning the RAM PCFR hadn’t sunk in for Keylon on Oct. 20 since he’d been bouncing between Duncan, Okla., his home in Uniontown, Kan., and Waco, Texas, for the All American ProRodeo Finals. While at Waco, he won the first two rounds of Bracket 1 and the semifinals and took home $7,600, bringing his weekly winnings to just past $12,000.
“It means a lot to my heart because I have two kiddos at home, so to them dad’s gone, but I can show this is what dad’s doing to get some extra money,” Keylon said, referring to his son Gunner, 7, and daughter Sadie, 2. “This time of the year is the best time (to win) because we’re going to lay up for the winter for those of us that didn’t make the NFR.”
With two big wins early in the season and a qualification for the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in place, Keylon’s feeling optimistic.
“I feel like if you work hard and put your faith in the Lord it will work out the way it’s supposed to,” Keylon said. “You never know where you’re going to end up, and if you do your job at home by working out and getting on the spur board, you’ll be satisfied because you know you did the best you could.”
With the holidays on the horizon and rodeo season heading into hibernation, Keylon’s ready to head home.
“I’ve been gone so many weekends this year I’m ready to do something with my family,” he said.
Considering the start he’s had for the 2019 season, there’s a good chance Keylon will make another run for the Wrangler NFR.
“My wife and I talked about it, but I kind of just leave it up to the Lord,” Keylon said. “If it keeps going good, I might try to go back to the NFR.”
Other winners of the $185,591 rodeo were all-around cowboy Steven Dent ($6,447, bareback riding and saddle bronc riding); steer wrestler Riley Duvall (13.8 seconds on three head); team ropers Dylan Gordon/Chase Boekhaus (16.2 seconds on three head); saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden (242 points on three head); tie-down roper Cody McCartney (27.4 seconds on three head); barrel racer Dona Kay Rule (46.35 seconds on three runs); steer roper Kelton McMillen (51.8 seconds on three head); and bull rider Brett Custer (246 points on three head).
Ram Prairie Circuit Finals
Duncan, Okla., Oct. 18-20
All-around cowboy: Steven Dent, $6,447, bareback riding and saddle bronc riding.
Bareback riding: First round: 1. Will Martin, 83 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Jason’s Pride, $1,832; 2. Jared Keylon, 81.5, $1,374; 3. Blaine Kaufman, 80, $916; 4. (tie) Steven Dent and Garrett Shadbolt, 77, $229 each. Second round: 1. Jared Keylon, 84.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big League, $1,832; 2. Steven Dent, 82.5, $1,374; 3. (tie) Mike Fred and Mark Kreder, 79, $687 each. Third round: 1. Jared Keylon, 85 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Satin Sheets, $1,832; 2. Mark Kreder, 81, $1,374; 3. Justin Pollmiller, 80.5, $916; 4. Will Martin, 78.5, $458. Average: 1. Jared Keylon, 251 points on three head, $2,748; 2. Will Martin, 239.5, $2,061; 3. Steven Dent, 237.5, $1,374; 4. Mark Kreder, 228.5, $687.
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Blake Mindemann, 3.8 seconds, $1,851; 2. Stockton Graves, 4.4, $1,388; 3. Riley Duvall, 4.7, $925; 4. Jule Hazen, 5.3, $463. Second round: 1. (tie) Riley Duvall and Hunter Crawford, 4.3 seconds, $1,619 each; 3. Jule Hazen, 4.4, $925; 4. Kyle Eike, 4.7, $463. Third round: 1. J.D. Struxness, 3.9 seconds, $1,851; 2. Bridger Anderson, 4.0, $1,388; 3. Stockton Graves, 4.4, $925; 4. Tyler Pearson, 4.6, $463. Average: 1. Riley Duvall, 13.8 seconds on three head, $2,776; 2. Cody Devers, 15.6, $2,082; 3. Tyler Pearson, 15.8, $1,388; 4. J.D. Struxness, 16.6, $694.
Team roping: First round: 1. Dylan Gordon/Chase Boekhaus, 4.6 seconds, $1,851 each; 2. (tie) Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward and Paul David Tierney/Tanner Braden, 5.2, $1,157 each; 4. Cale Markham/Buddy Hawkins II, 5.6, $463. Second round: 1. Curry Kirchner/Jett Hillman, 5.0 seconds, $1,851 each; 2. Dylan Gordon/Chase Boekhaus, 5.1, $1,388; 3. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 5.5, $925; 4. Cale Markham/Buddy Hawkins II, 6.0, $463. Third round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Joseph Harrison, 4.4 seconds, $1,851 each; 2. Nick Sartain/Austin Rogers, 4.5, $1,388; 3. Jesse Stipes/Jake Smith, 4.8, $925; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jett Hillman, 4.9, $463. Average: 1. Dylan Gordon/Chase Boekhaus, 16.2 seconds on three head, $2,776 each; 2. Nick Sartain/Austin Rogers, 17.1, $2,082; 3. Cale Markham/Buddy Hawkins II, 21.2, $1,388; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jett Hillman, 9.9 on two head, $694.
Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Steven Dent, 80 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Night Latch, $1,851; 2. Hardy Braden, 78.5, $1,388; 3. Roper Kiesner, 78, $925; 4. (tie) Clint Lindenfeld, Dalton Davis and Preston Kafka, 76, $154 each. Second round: 1. Hardy Braden, 83.5 points on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Aces Wild, $1,851; 2. Dalton Davis, 79.5, $1,388; 3. Jake Finlay, 77, $925; 4. (tie) Tyrel Larsen and Colt Gordon, 75.5, $231 each. Third round: 1. Colt Gordon, 87 points on New Frontier Rodeo’s Toy Box, $1,851; 2. Hardy Braden, 80, $1,388; 3. Steven Dent, 77.5, $925; 4. Jake Finlay, 76, $463. Average: 1. Hardy Braden, 242 points on three head, $2,776; 2. (tie) Tyrel Larsen and Clint Lindenfeld, 222.5, $1,735 each; 4. Steven Dent, 220.5, $694.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Ryan Jarrett, 8.0 seconds, $1,851; 2. Trent Creager, 8.5, $1,388; 3. Tyler Milligan, 8.8, $925; 4. Luke Potter, 9.3, $463. Second round: 1. Cody Quaney, 7.7 seconds, $1,851; 2. Cole Bailey, 8.0, $1,388; 3. Paul David Tierney, 8.2, $925; 4. Tyler Milligan, 8.8, $463. Third round: 1. Bryson Sechrist, 8.0 seconds, $1,851; 2. Cole Bailey, 8.2, $1,388; 3. (tie) Caddo Lewallen and Ryan Jarrett, 8.3, $694 each. Average: 1. Cody McCartney, 27.4 seconds on three head, $2,776; 2. Caddo Lewallen, 27.7, $2,082; 3. Tyler Milligan, 28.0, $1,388; 4. Cole Bailey, 34.6, $694.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 15.55 seconds, $1,851; 2. Kylie Weast, 15.61, $1,388; 3. Hollie Etbauer, 15.76, $925; 4. Emily Miller, 15.85, $463. Second round: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 15.50 seconds, $1,851; 2. Hollie Etbauer, 15.54, $1,388; 3. Kylie Weast, 15.70, $925; 4. Tracy Nowlin, 15.73, $463. Third round: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 15.30 seconds, $1,851; 2. Emily Miller, 15.41, $1,388; 3. Tracy Nowlin, 15.46, $925; 4. Kylie Weast, 15.54, $463. Average: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 46.35 seconds on three head, $2,776; 2. Kylie Weast, 46.85, $2,082; 3. Emily Miller, 47.09, $1,388; 4. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Randi Buchanan, 47.17, $347 each.
Steer roping: First round: 1. Blake Deckard, 11.4 seconds, $1,710; 2. Rocky Patterson, 12.5, $1,282; 3. Billy Good, 12.7, $855; 4. Dee Kyler Jr., 15.4, $427. Second round: 1. Brady Garten, 10.6 seconds, $1,710; 2. J.P. Wickett, 11.0, $1,282; 3. (tie) Trenton Johnson and Cole Patterson, 11.1, $641 each. Third round: 1. Brodie Poppino, 9.9 seconds, $1,710; 2. Billy Good, 13.3, $1,282; 3. Ralph Williams, 14.6, $855; 4. Kelton McMillen, 19.4, $427. Average: 1. Kelton McMillen, 51.8 seconds on three head, $2,565; 2. Mike Chase, 57.0, $1,924; 3. Ralph Williams, 64.0, $1,282; 4. Brodie Poppino, 22.3 on two head, $641.
Bull riding: First round: 1. Tyler Hessman, 86.5 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Outback Pharmacy, $1,851; 2. Nathan Hatchel, 84, $1,388; 3. Jeston Mead, 82.5, $925; 4. Brett Custer, 82, $463. * Second round: 1. Trevor Kastner, 86 points on Silver Creek Rodeo’s Bull Throttle, $2,545; 2. Brett Custer, 83, $2,082; no other qualified rides. * Third round: 1. Trevor Kastner, 86 points on New Frontier Rodeo’s Black Lightning, $2,005; 2. Tyler Hessman, 82.5, $1,542; 3. Brett Custer, 81, $1,080; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Brett Custer, 246 points on three head, $2,776; 2. Trevor Kastner, 172 on two head, $2,082; 3. Tyler Hessman, 169, $1,388; 4. Nathan Hatchel, 84 on one head, $694. *(all totals include ground money).
Total payoff: $185,591. Stock contractors: Frontier Rodeo, Mo Betta Rodeo, Beutler & Son Rodeo, Big Rafter Rodeo, Rafter H Rodeo Livestock, New Frontier Rodeo and Silver Creek Rodeo. Rodeo secretary: Dollie Riddle. Officials: Royd Doyal, Steve Knowles and Joe Bob Locke. Timers: Tammy Braden and Kate Rumford. Announcer: Greg Simas. Specialty act: Keith Isley. Bullfighters: Nathan Harp and Wacey Munsell. Clown/barrelman: Keith Isley. Flankmen: Matt Scott, Matt Williams, Chad Cometti and Tom McFarland. Chute bosses: Bennie Beutler and Les Wagley. Pickup men: Butch Braden Jr and Ryan Bestol. Photographer: Fly Thomas. Music director: Dakota Riggin.
