Tie-Down Roping

Bryce Briggs ties up his first world championship.

by Larri Jo Starkey
The American Quarter Horse Journal

For three years, Bryce Briggs of Pilot Point, Texas, dreamed of this day.

On August 11, he nabbed his first world championship in tie-down roping at the 2012 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show.

“I’ve always wanted to win this,” Bryce told the Journal after his win. “I’ve been coming here for three years in the roping, and this was the first time I’ve made the finals.”

Bryce had two horses back in the tie-down finals, but it was Bowmans Dry Mate who scored a 223 for the world championship from judges Elsworth Harrison Jr., Rick Chayer, Terry Thompson, Chele Murrell and Gary Roberts.

Bowmans Smart Mate is a 1999 palomino gelding (Smart Mate-Dry Fancy by Dry Doc 16). He was bred by Roland Bowman of Wynnewood, Oklahoma. In 2010, he was the reserve world champion in senior heeling, and in 2011, he was fifth at the AQHA World Championship Show in senior heeling. Bryce bought the horse right after that show.

“I was starting to show him by February,” Bryce said. “He’s pretty fun. He really runs and stops. He’s pretty fun to rope calves on.”

In the August 11 finals, “Bobo” was the last horse to go.

“I thought it was a pretty good run,” Bryce said. “The horse scored pretty good. He ran up there and stopped pretty hard.”

Bryce rides with AQHA Professional Horseman C.R. Bradley of Pilot Point, Texas, most days.

“I pretty much learned everything (from him),” Bryce said. “How to work horses, how to rope, everything.”

Besides C.R., Bryce was grateful for his parents, AQHA Professional Horsemen John and Jill Briggs of Pilot Point.

“I thank Mom and Dad for hauling me everywhere and all that,” he said.