Crandall Ties Down a Title

LAS VEGAS – Tate Crandall saved his best for last.

In the Shootout round of the 15-and-under tie-down roping at the YETI Junior World Finals on Monday, the 15-year-old from Payson, Utah, was the last of six cowboys to back into the box.

Two runs earlier, Ike Clayson of Blackfoot, Idaho, had taken the lead with an 8.74-second run. Carson Gates of Reklaw, Texas, followed with a 9.08, setting the stage for Crandall.

“The nerves were kind of getting to me,” Crandall admitted, “but I just made the best run I could. I knew I had to be fast and the whole run felt good.

“My horse worked great and once I got back on him and looked at the time it felt great.”

When the judge dropped his flag the clock showed 8.28. It was Crandall’s fastest run of the day – he was fourth in the first round with n 8.83 and third in the second round with an 8.65 – and it came at the perfect time.

Crandall is no stranger to the Junior World Finals, but this is the first time the Beehive State cowboy is leaving Vegas as a world champion. He credited his horse, and his smooth hands, for getting it done.

“My horse had been pretty sore, but I got him back a couple months ago and I couldn’t do this without him,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure he was healthy so we could do our best.

“And I felt good when I got to the calf,” he added. “I work on my tying at home, staying consistent and trying not to make any mistakes on the ground.”

He didn’t.

Jeffery Hayes of Wharton, Texas, won the first round with an 8.26; Weston Smyth of Hutchinson, Kansas, won the second round with a 7.60 – the fastest run of the day.

Crandall joined Ace Reese of Aquilla, Texas, who won the 19-and-under tie-down title with an 8.22-second run in the Shootout round; and Colton Charleston of Reeds, Missouri, who won the 12-and-under division with an 8.97.