The inaugural Cody Johnson Championship Event kicked off today with nearly 200 teams competing in the CoJo Open Qualifying Round, vying for a spot in the CoJo Open Team Roping Short Go on Saturday, October 19. The 10 fastest times from each of the six rotations in the Oct. 15, prelims nabbed a spot in the clean-slate short round.
Alongside a first-class payout, the winners will take home a stacked prize lineup, including a Bill Fick Ford 350 Dually truck, Bloomer gooseneck stock combo trailer, custom guitar, Gist buckle, Cactus Saddles, Smarty Trainer, TurtleBox Speaker, Resistol hat, Resistol Hat Pac, Cactus Gear horse blanket, and Blue Otter sunglasses. Second place will be awarded: Henry 44 mag Golden Boy Rifle with custom engraving, Resistol Hat Pac, Cactus Saddlery Pad, and Cactus Gear horse blanket. Third place: Cactus Saddlery pad, Cactus Gear horse blanket. Fourth place: Cactus Gear horse blanket. Championship Round Fast Times (rounds 1, 2, 3, and Short Go) will be awarded Clint Orms money clip.
The Short Go, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. CT, will feature a clean-slate format and high-energy short-round competition in front of a sold-out crowd, who will witness team roping history as the first CoJo Open Team Roping champions are crowned. Fans can stream all the action live on Teton Ridge Plus.
The qualifying rounds started a historic week of roping, a golf tournament, after-party, and charity gala, raising support for the Texas FFA and Different Day Foundation.
Who made the cut? The top 60 teams making it back to Championship Saturday can be found below.
| Team | Header Name | Heeler Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ketch Kelton | Jace Helton |
| 2 | Kavis Drake | Denim Ross |
| 3 | Kellan Johnson | JC Flake |
| 4 | Aaron Tsinigine | Kyle T Lockett |
| 5 | Clint Summers | Jake Long |
| 6 | Tanner Tomlinson | Cory Petska |
| 7 | Kolton Schmidt | Landen Glenn |
| 8 | JR Dees | Michael Fortenberry |
| 9 | Billy Bob Brown | Cooper Freeman |
| 10 | Korbin Rice | Josh Patton |
| 11 | Joe Mattern | Cash Duty |
| 12 | Brye Crites | Levi Lord |
| 13 | Cory Kidd V | Ty Arnold |
| 14 | Bubba Buckaloo | Little Michael Calmelat |
| 15 | Luke Brown | Logan Medlin |
| 16 | Clay Smith | Junior Nogueira |
| 17 | Riley Kittle | Will Woodfin |
| 18 | Chad Masters | Ross Ashford |
| 19 | Curry Kirchner | Tyler McKnight |
| 20 | Andrew Ward | Jake Long |
| 21 | Coleman Proctor | Coleby Payne |
| 22 | Erich Rogers | Cory Petska |
| 23 | Rhen Richard | Dillon Graham |
| 24 | Kolton Schmidt | Chase Tryan |
| 25 | Chris Francis | Cade Passig |
| 26 | Hagen Peterson | Michael Fortenberry |
| 27 | JR Dees | Kaden Profili |
| 28 | Tyler Tryan | Nicky Northcott |
| 29 | Dawson Graham | Douglas Rich |
| 30 | Shane Philipp | Tyler Worley |
| 31 | Manny Egusquiza | Lane Mitchell |
| 32 | Nelson Wyatt | Levi Lord |
| 33 | Colby Lovell | Ty Arnold |
| 34 | Tyler Wade | Wesley Thorp |
| 35 | Luke Brown | Jade Corkill |
| 36 | Kaleb Driggers | Junior Nogueira |
| 37 | Trey Gallais | Jeremy Buhler |
| 38 | Chad Masters | Joseph Harrison |
| 39 | Cooper Cowan | Cade Cowan |
| 40 | Clay Smith | Coleby Payne |
| 41 | Coy Brittain | Eddie Medina |
| 42 | Chris Francis | Tyler McKnight |
| 43 | Tyler Tryan | Hunter Koch |
| 44 | Dawson Graham | Dillon Graham |
| 45 | Wyatt Imus | Lucas Falconer |
| 46 | Shane Philipp | Lane Mitchell |
| 47 | James Arviso | Will Woodfin |
| 48 | Coleman Proctor | Logan Medlin |
| 49 | Tyler Wade | Paul Eaves |
| 50 | Bubba Buckaloo | Jade Corkill |
| 51 | Cash Duty | Cashton Weidenbener |
| 52 | Rhen Richard | Jeremy Buhler |
| 53 | Kaleb Driggers | Wesley Thorp |
| 54 | Colby Lovell | Joseph Harrison |
| 55 | Chad Masters | Wyatt Cox |
| 56 | Clay Smith | Nicky Northcott |
| 57 | Dustin Egusquiza | Levi Lord |
| 58 | Chris Francis | Josh Patton |
| 59 | Tyler Tryan | Denton Dunning |
| 60 | Dawson Graham | Cooper Freeman |
