Bareback Riding - Waylon Bourgeois

For the three times Waylon Bourgeois has competed in Phillipsburg, he’s always won a check, and last year, he won big.
The bareback rider scored 89.5 points on the Beutler horse Unleashed for the win.
He’d seen the mare several times before he got to ride her.
“I knew that horse bucked,” he said, “and I knew if I could nail the start, the ride would be really good. I was focused on getting a really good mark out, because that’s where it all starts. You get a really good mark out, and you can be ahead of the horse.”
He spent the winter working, but this summer, he’s rodeoing. “Everything (about pro rodeo) is fun,” he said. “It’s pretty hard being home all winter and going to work every day.
Just a week later, Waylon drew the mare again in Lawton, Okla., scoring 81 points and winning sixth.
In 2024, he fell short of making his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, finishing in eighteenth place in the world (the top fifteen qualify for the NFR). This year, he’s ready for it. “I’m hungry for it, coming up. It’s a goal that requires a little bit of effort and some work ethic and that’s what I like.”
Hometown:Church Point, Louisiana
Favorite candy: “I don’t normally eat candy, but I would have to say Peanut M&Ms.”
Favorite holiday:Christmas, “because I love spending time with my family and being with them. But the Fourth of July is super fun, because we get to do what we love, and go to rodeo after rodeo after rodeo.”
Favorite mealgumbo, made by either of his parents or himself. “I know how to cook it. It’s kind of a thing you learn to do (in Louisiana).”
First buckle he won:for riding calves and pony bareback horses, at age ten, in the Acadia Youth Rodeo Association.
Influential person in his life:“My dad, because I see what he does, day in and day out, to provide for our family, especially when I was a kid.”
Rodeo accomplishments:2024 Southeastern Circuit bareback champion and 2024 Southeastern Circuit Finals champion; three-time qualifier for the Southeastern Circuit Finals Rodeo
Family:Jeff and Eloise Bourgeois

Steer Wrestling – Cole Walker

Cole Walker turned in a time of 3.6 seconds to win the steer wrestling at the 2024 Kansas Biggest Rodeo.
The 21-year-old knew he had a good steer. “It was the steers from Greeley (Colo.),” he said, “and I’d watched Jesse Brown run him. I knew the steer was going to leave hard and run straight and be honest on the ground.”
For much of 2024, Cole traveled with fellow steer wrestlers Kyle Irwin, Sam Dixon, and Steven Mullins and rode Kyle’ horse Sister.
The bay mare does fine in muddy conditions, which is what contestants faced after a rain and hailstorm hit the area at about 5 pm.
“She does pretty good in the mud,” he said, “and I get along with her, especially on steers like that that are slower.” Sister is good at her job. “Sometimes in the corner (of the box) she’ll want to jack with you a little bit, but as long as you stay out of her way and let her do her job, she’s awesome. She runs hard and she runs close.”
Even in his second year of pro rodeo competition, Cole knows the Phillipsburg rodeo is the place to be.
“It’s a pretty big one-header, one of the bigger one-headers we get to make during the Kansas rodeo run. It’s a tough one to win. You have to have the right steer and everything has to work out, and it did for me.”
Hometown: Springtown, Texas
Favorite candy: Reese’s Outrageous Bar
Favorite holiday: Christmas “for sure. It brings everybody together and you get to see family that you don’t get to see very often.”
Favorite meal:“my parents cook hibachi quite a bit. That’s got to be my favorite.”
First buckle he won:“for riding sheep when I was five, when I was going to the pro rodeos with my dad.”
Influential person in his life: “My dad (Joe Walker). No matter how good or bad I did, he’ll always call me and tell me ‘good job’ or ‘go at it at the next one.’ After every run, he calls me. He watches all the rodeos he can on TV. He’s helped me out more than I could ever ask.”

Team Roping

Team roping header – Jake Clay (tie)
It was a repeat for team roper Jake Clay.
He not only won the 2024 Phillipsburg rodeo (tying with Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord), but won the 2023 event. Last year, he headed for Trey Yates; in 2023, he headed for Kollin VonAhn.
In 2024, he and Yates had a time of 4.2 seconds, one-tenth of a second faster than he and Kollin’s 2023 win.
The 26-year-old has been roping since he was a kid; he joined the PRCA in 2017. He also steer ropes.
Hometown: Sapulpa, Oklahoma
First buckle he won: dummy roping buckle as a youngster. “My parents would haul me around to all the ropings back then. My dad would rope and I’d go to the dummy ropings.”
Favorite snack: Airhead Extreme Bites. “They’re kind of sour but sweet, too.”
Rodeo accomplishments:2023 Wrangler NFR qualifier; 2021 Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo winner
Family: parents Dwayne and Julana Clay.
Team roping heeler – Trey Yates (tie)
Trey Yates partnered with Jake Clay to split the win in the team roping at the 2024 Phillipsburg rodeo.
The duo made a 4.2 second run to win the buckle, and Yates remembered the run. “They were a fresher set of steers, and I got a pretty good start on him,” he said. “Jake nailed the start, reached a long ways, and it was a good head start. It was amazing heading, and we had a good finish.”
Trey was on a horse named Sugar Daddy he’s owned for the last three years. Last year was Sugar Daddy’s first year fulltime on the road with Trey. Sugar Daddy came up lame over the Fourth of July, so he had a month off before Trey rode him in Phillipsburg.
“That was my first rodeo back on him,” Trey said. “He’s a good horse. He likes his job and he’s a winner, I think. He takes the hauling good. He’s tough.”
Trey’s done well at Phillipsburg. “I’ve had a lot of luck there,” he said. “I’ve won second place twice, once with Tyler Wade and once with Matt Sherwood. And I won third with JoJo Lemond.”
Hometown: Pueblo, Colo.
Favorite candy: blue Jolly Ranchers
Favorite holiday: Christmas, “because it’s the birth of Jesus, and I like Christmas lights.”
Favorite meal: spaghetti. “My grandma made good spaghetti, but the best spaghetti is made by my girlfriend, Bille Ann Harmon.”
First buckle he won: A buckle for the youth heading in the horse show at the Colorado Super Circuit in Pueblo, Colo. in 2006, when he was eight years old.
Rodeo accomplishments: Seven times to the Mountain States Circuit Finals and two times to the National Circuit Finals Rodeo.

Team roping header – Dustin Egusquiza (tie)
Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord tied for the team roping win at the 2024 Phillipsburg Rodeo.
As header, Dustin had scoped out the steers before competing.
“It seemed like the steers weren’t leaving the box very honest, and a lot of guys were breaking the barrier,” he said. “What helped us to succeed was my horse scored amazing and I was able to get the start I wanted.”
He was aboard his main horse, Cajun, a horse he rode at about half of the rodeos last year. He’s owned the thirteen-year-old brown gelding for four years. “He’s never cost me any money,and he’s always on my team. It seems like he’s always doing whatever it takes to help me win. It’s pretty awesome when you have one like that.”
Hometown:Marianna, Florida
Favorite candy:peppermint
Favorite holiday: Thanksgiving, for the food.
Favorite meal: steak and potatoes, “made by my wife. She does all the cooking. The only thing I can cook is cereal.”
First buckle he won: “If I had to guess, it was for the goat tying at a junior rodeo when I was five or six years old. My parents had me on horses before I could sit up.”
Rodeo accomplishments: seven times to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
Family: wife Mariah
Team roping heeler – Levi Lord (tie)
Levi Lord was the heeler for one of the teams that won the 2024 Kansas Biggest Rodeo.
He and Dustin Egusquiza turned in a time of 4.2 seconds to tie with Jake Clay and Trey Yates.
The duo had had a few days rest before roping in Phillipsburg, but not by choice.
They didn’t make the short round at Cheyenne Frontier Days, so they had a few days off before their next rodeo.
“It was kind of nice to get back to it with a good run,” Lord said, “to get back to it.”
It was on a fresh set of steers, he said, and his header did a good job. “Dustin got a really good start, and handled them good for fresh steers. Sometimes it’s hard to get a good finish in that arena, because it’s narrow.”
Levi has roped in Phillipsburg four times, winning money three of those times. He and Jr. Dees won second in 2022 and he and Dustin won third in 2023, while finishing as champion last year.
Hometown: Sturgis, S.D.
Favorite candy: Nerd Clusters
Favorite holiday: “I have a least favorite holiday, Christmas. It has a lot of down time” for rodeo.
Most influential person: “My dad (JB Lord.) He brought us (Levi and his brother Eli) up rodeoing, with a rope in our hands, on horseback. He gave us every opportunity he could. He watches our rodeos and keeps up with us, and comes to the National Finals and helps take care of horses.”
Rodeo accomplishments: four times to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo; three-time Badlands Circuit champion.
Family: fiancée Baileigh Baker

Saddle Bronc Riding - Roper Kiesner

The biggest ride of Roper Kiesner’s life came in Phillipsburg last year.
The Ripley, Oklahoma saddle bronc rider scored 90 points to win the rodeo.
And the ride came at a good time.
“I had come off a dry spell of not really getting anything rode,” he said. “Then I drew that horse (Foul Motion), which is a horse of the (National) Finals (Rodeo), and he has a reputation of bucking off a lot of guys.”
Kiesner talked to a few guys who had ridden Foul Motion before, to get some advice on what his rein measurement should be. But it was pickup man Matt Scott who gave him the tip he needed.
Matt advised him to take a longer rein, which would give Roper more leverage and make it easier for him to stay in the saddle.
The horse pulls riders down, and that’s something Rider doesn’t like. “I’m little, and I’m fairly confident, that if I had taken a shorter rein measurement, I’d have gotten lawn darted on the first jump.”
Kiesner was so happy with his ride, he even threw his hat in the air and hugged Bennie Beutler. “I think I’m theonly person who’s ever given Bennie a hug,” he laughed.
Winning Phillipsburg turned his season around. Ever since his 90 point ride, “I’ve been on a hot streak,” he said. “That got things rolling for me again.” He went on to win the average at the Prairie Circuit Finals in Duncan, Okla. in October.
Roper, who has an artistic bent and makes knives, has competed in Phillipsburg eight times.
Hometown: Ripley, Oklahoma
Favorite candy: Lifesaver Gummies
Favorite holiday: Independence Day because of the rodeos.
Favorite meal: a good steak. “Not to be arrogant, but I’d say I make the best steak, on a Traeger smoker. A smoked steak is hard to beat.”
First buckle he won: in the mutton bustin’ when he was three years old.
Influential person in his life: “My dad (Phillip). He used to ride saddle broncs, and he’s the one who really helped me and gave me my start. He showed me all the basics, but I’ve had help from a lot of different people, like Bobby Griswold, Billy Etbauer and Taos Muncy. But my dad’s always been there. He studies and watches my rides. He’ll be the first to tell me what I did right, and the first to tell me what I did wrong.”
Rodeo accomplishments: Eleven-time Prairie Circuit Finals qualifier.
Family: fiancée Addi Hale.

Tie-Down Roping - Riley Webb

The reigning world champ won the tie-down at the 2024 Kansas Biggest Rodeo.
Riley Webb, Denton, Texas, had a time of 8.6 seconds to win the buckle.
Webb is a two-time world champ, having won the title in 2023 and again last year, earning $475,214 for the 2024 season.
As a youngster, he played baseball but when he roped a calf, he “was hooked on it,” he said, and went competitive at age eleven.
He is the son of Dirk and Jennifer Webb.

Breakaway Roping – Martha Angelone

Martha Angelone won the first ever breakaway roping buckle at the 2024 Phillipsburg rodeo.
It was the first year for Phillipsburg to add breakaway roping, and the 2022 world champ has her name at the top of the Kansas Biggest Rodeo list.
She roped her calf in 2.0 seconds to win $2,546.
It was a good year for Angelone; she not only won Phillipsburg, but Salinas, Calif.; Spanish Fork and Tremonton, Utah and was co-champion at Bryan, Texas and Burley and Jerome, Idaho.
Angelone grew up in Virginia but knew if she wanted to be a world champion roper, she’d need to move west. She and her sister, Sarah, also a breakaway roper, live in Texas. They learned to rope from their late father, Vito, who passed away in 2016 from cancer.
The Stephenville, Texas cowgirl is the 2022 WPRA world champion breakaway roper and has qualified for five National Finals Breakaway Ropings (2020-2024).

Barrel Racing – Jessica Routier

Jessica Routier rounded the barrels in 16.93 seconds to win the barrel racing at the 2024 Phillipsburg Rodeo.
She was aboard her palomino mare Fiery Miss West, “Missy,” and at the rodeo that night, “it was probably one of the fastest runs Missy’s ever run on a standard” pattern, she said. On Missy, Jessica has placed in Phillipsburg several times, but this was her first title win.
“It’s always exciting when you break the sub-seventeen-second time on a standard pattern.”
Missy, who is fourteen years old, has been Routier’s main mount for the past eight years and is a six-time Badlands Circuit Barrel Racing Horse of the Year. She has carried Routier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo six times (2018-2023).
Jessica appreciates the work the committee does to prepare for solid, safe footing for the barrel horses.
“I’ve talked to the tractor driver (Ricky Solida), and he and the committee members take pride in making the ground as good as they possibly can. They always strive to have the best ground, for slack and performances. You can tell when you look at the barrel racing times from that rodeo, that they work really hard, and it is appreciated.”
Hometown: Buffalo, S.D.
Favorite candy: chocolate covered peanuts
Favorite holiday: Christmas. “It seems like a whole month of family get-togethers, and celebrating, and it’s just a warm cozy-feeling holiday.”
Favorite meal: “I like to make homemade pizza. I mix the crust in a bread machine, and we top it with ham and pepperoni. We don’t get too crazy (with toppings.) We’re meat eaters in this house.”
First buckle she won: A goat-tying buckle at a Wisconsin Little Britches Rodeo, at age 8.
Influential person in her life: College coach Glen Lammers, when Jessica was a student at National American University in Rapid City (the college no longer exists.) “He was a great coach. It didn’t matter who you were. If you worked hard, he would help you. He would help you with things he was knowledgeable about and find people to help you with things he wasn’t knowledgeable about. He was a good person and set a good example on how to live a good life.”
Rodeo accomplishments: Three times to the Great Lakes Circuit Finals and sixteen qualifications to the Badlands Circuit Finals; six times to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
Family: husband Riley; son Braden; daughters Payton, Charlie and twins Rayna and Rose.