For Immediate Release:
Contact: Johna Cravens 580-235-2664
Wyatt and Torres Set New Team Roping Record at Fort Worth Rodeo
FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 27, 2026) On a night when the team roping competition was blisteringly fast, a pair of southeastern cowboys set a new Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR) record. Nelson Wyatt of Clanton, Alabama, and Jonathan Torres of Ocala, Florida, stopped the clock in 3.3 seconds, smashing the previous record by three-tenths of a second.
Wyatt, who has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) twice and just missed a third trip to Las Vegas last year, and Torres, a four-time NFR roper who finished fourth in the heeling world standings last year, paired up for the 2026 season and were ranked ninth in their respective categories when they backed into the box in Dickies Arena.
They were the final team to rope and the competition was fierce. The first three teams had times under five seconds, although one incurred a penalty. Dustin Eguisquiza, one of the former record holders, and his partner JC Flake then took the lead with a 4.3. The next team was 4.5, then two-time team roping world champions Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira took the lead with a 4.0. The next team missed, then Wyatt and Torres not only smashed the arena record; they won the round by seven-tenths of a second.
The previous record of 3.6 seconds was held by two teams – Lightning Aguilera and Coleby Payne who set the mark in 2022 and Eguisquiza and Levi Lord who matched it last year.
Steer wrestler Mason Couch of Bronaugh, Missouri, took a shot at the steer wrestling arena record with a time of 3.4 seconds. Although that was fast enough to win the round by four-tenths of a second, it was still three-tenths off the record set in 2019.
For the third time in 2026, one bull rider took all the money after making the only qualified ride of the round. Stan Smith of Bear Creek, South Dakota, rode Andrews Rodeo’s Jokers Alibi for 78 points, a $7,400 paycheck and a slot in the Semi-Finals. Smith, who shares a name with a former world champion tie-down roper from Texas, is hoping for his best pro rodeo season in 2026.
The 16-day FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament features 56 competitors (56 teams in team roping) in each event, divided into seven brackets of eight. The field includes top-ranked rodeo athletes from the 2025 and early 2026 season along with the winners from six nearby 2025 rodeos – Waxahachie, Cleburne, Gladewater, Mineral Wells, Wichita Falls and Denton – and the winners from the $100,000 FWSSR Rookie Rally.
Contestants compete in two rounds of back-to-back action with the top two money earners in each event advancing to the semi-finals. The top four from each Semi-Finals move on to Championship Saturday, February 7.
The third highest money winner in each bracket advances to the wild card round and the top two in the wild card round also advance to the Semi-Finals.
Bracket 3 concludes Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at Dickies Arena.
FORT WORTH, Texas --- The following are unofficial results round one of Bracket 3 of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s Pro Rodeo Tournament, January 27, 2026.
Bareback Riding: 1, (tie) Richmond Champion, Stevensville, Mont., on Dakota Rodeo’s Hannah Banana, and Wacey Schalla, Arapaho, Okla., on Dakota Rodeo’s Native Lights, 88 point, $2,200 each. 3, 79, $1,500. 3, Bradlee Miller, Huntsville, Texas, 86.5, $1,500. 4, R.C. Landingham, Hat Creek, Calif., 85.5, $1,000.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Mason Couch, Bronaugh, Mo., 3.4 seconds, $2,500. 2, Ryan Shuckburgh, Innisfail, Alberta, Canada, 3.7, $1,900. 3, Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., 4.3, $1,500. 4, Jacob Edler, Alva, Okla., 5.1, $1,000.
Breakaway roping: 1, Emilee Charlesworth, Marathon, Texas, 2.6 seconds, $2,542. 2, Shalee King, Kaysville, Utah, 3.1 seconds. $1,942. 3, Madalyn Richards, Hereford, Texas, 3.6, $1,542. 4, Brighton Bauman, Burleson, Texas, 4.1, $1,042.
Saddle bronc riding: 1, Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 86 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Smarty Pants, $2,500. 2, Ben Anderson, Eckville, Alberta, Canada, 84.5, $1,900. 3, (tie) Waitley Sharon, Ordway, Colo., and Statler Wright, Beaver, Utah, 83.5, $1,250 each.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Tom Crouse, Gallatin, Mo., 9.9 seconds, $2,518. 2, Beau Cooper, Stettler, Alberta, Canada, 10.6, $1,918. 3, Cole Clemons, Okeechobee, Fla., 10.8, $1,519. 4, Treg Schaak, Edgemont, S.D., $1,018.
Team Roping: 1, Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala., and Jonathan Torres, Ocala, Fla., 3.3 seconds, $2,518 each. 2, Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga., and Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prudente, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 4.0, $1,918 each. 3, Dustin Egusquiza, Marianna, Fla., and JC Flake, Milsap, Texas, 4.3 $1,518 each. 4, Riley Kittle, Woodland, Ala., and Cole Curry, Liberty, Miss., 4.5, $1,018 each.
Barrel Racing: 1, Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas, 16.41, $2,500. 2, Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D., 16.69, $1,900. 3, McKenna Coronado, Kanarraville, Utah, 16.78, $1,500. 4, Sue Smith, Blackfoot, Idaho, 17.33, $1,0000.
Bull Riding: (one ride) 1, Stran Smith, Bear Creek, S.D., 78 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Jokers Alibi, $7,400.