Heating Up: Leaders Emerge in Turquoise Circuit

When the temperatures heat up, the rodeos start to slow down in the Turquoise Circuit. Arizona and New Mexico are the playgrounds for the cowboys and cowgirls who compete in the circuit. With temperatures above 100°F many days in the summer, the competition slows down.

Many rodeos have already taken place in New Mexico and Arizona and a few more will occur before fall, but nothing like the other circuits. When the Turquoise Circuit slows down, the others hit full swing. This allows the competitors to spend the winter at the rodeos in their home circuit and then escape the heat in the summer months to other circuits.

Here is an early look at the standings leaders from the Turquoise Circuit heading into the slower summer months:

In the bareback riding, Evan Betony from Tonalea, Arizona is the leader with $3,288 won. Betony picked up the win at the Lake Havasu (Arizona) Stampede, where he rode Honeycutt Rodeo's Colorado Gypsy for 82 points to pick up $1,154.

Not too far behind is Matt Tuni from Dennehotso, Arizona, with $2,458 in earnings. Tuni had a great first round at the Yuma, Arizona Silver Spur Rodeo. He topped Windy Whiskey from Salt River Rodeo for 84.5 points to take the win and $1,272.

Slade Keith of Stanfield, Arizona, is leading the saddle bronc riding at $3,090. Keith has been steadily chipping away with checks almost everywhere he has entered. He earned the win at the Helzapoppin Pro Rodeo in Buckeye, Arizona, at the end of January. Keith rode Morning Star from the Salt River Rodeo string for 86.5 points and the championship check of $1,070. His largest check came from Parada Del Sol in Scottsdale, where he won third and $1,087.

Lane Wimberly of Belen, New Mexico, trails in second place, having won $2,475. Wimberly won two substantial checks at Lake Havasu and Roots N' Boots in Queen Creek to put him in contention.

The bull riding looks to be a runaway victory for Anthony, New Mexico's Marco Juarez. With $10,682 in winnings, Juarez has more than doubled his nearest competitor's earnings. Juarez is just 21 years old but is riding like a veteran. He won second at Queen Creek with his 83-point ride and also picked up the win the same weekend at Lake Havasu, where he rode Dennis from Honeycutt Rodeo for 86.5 points.

Avery Mullins is trying to stay within striking distance of Juarez but has earned just $4,699 on the season so far. His biggest win was in Vernal, Utah, where he picked up a check for $1,434 for a fifth-place finish. Mullins will have to up his game for the remainder of the season if he wants to catch Juarez.

Lordsburg, New Mexico, sends the steer wrestling leader. Tyke Kipp has a small advantage over Justin Rockhill for the lead so far. With $4,220, the 31-year-old cowboy is holding his own. Kipp's biggest check came from Scottsdale, where he won second with a 4.6-second run to earn $1,560.

Rockhill has won $2,906 so far where the bulk of it came from the Cave Creek Rodeo (Arizona) Days. Rockhill threw his steer in 4.9 seconds to take home the championship and the $1,967 payday.

In the team roping, header Choc Westcott from Wikieup, Arizona, has been paired up with Clinton Groff of Phoenix, Arizona, this season. Together, the duo has earned over $8,000 a piece and leads the standings. They won second at the Legends of the West PRCA Rodeo in Wickenburg this past weekend, April 6-7, to deposit $1,339 to their circuit standings. Their biggest check so far was from Cave Creek, where they stopped the clock at 4.6 seconds and cashed the check for $2,563 for third place.

Rookie cowboy Pecos Tatum is leading the tie-down roping standings at $8,497. The La Plata, New Mexico cowboy was fourth in Cave Creek to deposit $1,606 and won third in Yuma for $855. He has been smoking fast recently, where he was 7.3 seconds at the Rio Grande Valley rodeo in Mercedes, Texas. Without question, Tatum is one to watch.

Shannon Griffin, who comes from La Luz, New Mexico, is leading the barrel race by a respectable margin. Griffin has pocketed $7,909 at just four rodeos. Marian Morgan from Glendale, Arizona, is holding down second with $6,042 won so far at six rodeos.

The breakaway is a close race so far, but Macy Young of Wittman, Arizona, has bested the field. Young has won $4,229 at just two rodeos. Portales, New Mexico's TiAda Gray, is in second place, having won $3,212.

There is still plenty of time and rodeos for the standings to change a lot but for the winter season coming to an end, these leaders have nearly already secured their place at the Turquoise Circuit Finals.