Navajo Nation Fair: Gilbert, Arizona cowgirl Danielle Lowman leads two events heading into short round

WINDOW ROCK

There are several rodeo stars who are leaving their marks at this year’s Navajo Nation Fair.

With the completion of Saturday night’s performance, the short round is all that’s left as the rodeo committee is bringing back the top contestants for Sunday’s championship round, which is slated for 1 p.m. at the Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena in Window Rock.

In addition to the short round, the fair will also award an additional $2,000 ($4,000 in team roping) to the winners of the Final Four showdown.

Heading Sunday’s list of short round qualifiers is Gilbert, Arizona cowgirl Danielle Lowman. The Diné cowgirl is leading two events as that puts her in contention for this year’s all-around title.

“It’s exciting to have that opportunity again,” said Lowman, who is seeking her third Navajo Nation Fair all-around crown. “I’m just going to do the best that I can. I’ll see what I can do with the draws that I get. It really depends on what I draw.”

Lowman leads the breakaway event with a 5.19 aggregate on two heads with Kylie Dodson trailing second at 5.66 and Kadin Jodie at 6.20.

In the ladies team roping, she teamed up with heeling partner Serena Dahozy as the pair turned in a first-place run of 6.55 seconds during Tuesday’s slack performance. The duo is working with about a six-second lead going into Sunday’s short round as the ladies team roping is a two-round event.

With a time of 11.52, the team of Nadia Begay and Jolene Yellowman won second while Renae Malala and Erynne Sells placed third at 11.60.

“I think I’ve been around rodeo long enough to where I just need to do my job,” Lowman said when asked about the pressure of being the high-call back in two events.

In the open team roping, she was two spots out from making the short round with heading partner Tyler Begay as they recorded two runs in 23.01 seconds.

“We were in the top 12 and they’re taking the top 10,” Lowman said.

The high-call back team for Sunday’s short round is none other than Blaine Redhorse and Ty Romo as the two Arizona cowboys won the first round with a 4.94 effort. On Saturday night, the duo turned in a second place run of 5.8 second in the second round.

With those two runs, they have an aggregate of 10.74 seconds with Dwight Sells and Denton Begay trailing second at 12.48 followed team roping brothers Wawa Ben and Brandon Ben (13.09).

In the bull riding, Tuba City cowboy Lane Granger leads the pack with an 83-point score. On Monday night, Granger captured the 3rd Annual Cody Jesus Invitational by covering 1-of-2 bulls here in Window Rock.

Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial winner Jaiden Harrison comes in next with an 81-point score followed by Cimmaron Curley (75), Wyatt Betony (67) and Robbie Taylor (62).

In the saddle bronc, Houck, Arizona cowboy Jacob Yazzie is in the driver’s seat as he covered two draws for 142 points ahead of Shane Phillips, who has a combined total of 135 points.

Creighton Curley, Lorenzo Benally and Byran Moreno are making it back for the short round as the latter three rode 1-of-2 broncs with Curley scoring a 74-point ride on Saturday night while Benally and Moreno posted scores of 64 and 60, respectively.

The bareback event has eight qualifiers in the short round led by the Betony brothers. Evan has a four-point lead over older brother Wyatt with a 157-point aggregate.

Evan, 26, won the opening round with an 80-point score and on Saturday night he tied with Wyatt for first place as the two Tonalea, Arizona cowboys posted identical 77-point scores.

“I knew that I just drew good,” Evan said of his two top scores. “I had to just show up and get my mark out.”

As for his score on Saturday night aboard C22 Deuce Bigelow, Evan said he couldn’t have asked for a better horse.

“He jumped and kicked for a good three, four jumps and he aired out really nice,” Evan said.

The steer wrestling field is led by a pair of former Indian National Finals Rodeo world champions. Tydon Tsosie, the 2023 INFR champ, is in control with a 14.27 aggregate while Jodie, the 2016 INFR winner, trails nearly two seconds back at 16.13. The two cowboys are from Crownpoint, and they lead 16-year-old Tryan Jodie, who has posted two runs in 17.04 seconds.

The barrel racing event is led by Tara Seaton as the Arizona cowgirl has turned in a pair of smoking runs. She won the opening round with a 16.576 effort and on Saturday night she added the rodeo’s fastest time of 15.596 seconds for an aggregate of 32.172.

“My horse is one of those horses that the louder it is – the faster he goes,” Seaton said of her equine WagRezRocket. “He loves the crowd, and he was feeling really jumpy and ready to go back there, so I knew it was going to be fast.

“I made sure that I did my part, and I hung on,” she added.

Seaton has a sixth-tenth lead over Dennehotso, Arizona cowgirl Carli Jones, who has recorded two runs in 32.879 seconds.

Sitting third is Winslow cowgirl Gracie Alcott at 32.893 while Paige Dale is at fourth with a 32.990 aggregate.

“Hopefully, it’s really loud again because that’s his thing,” Seaton said of Sunday’s short round. “He loves the crowd and he’s a like a little kid in a big play pen. You know, the ground is great and if I can hold him off those barrels and stay square in the saddle we should be in the winner’s circle.”

Short Round Qualifiers

Bareback Riding
• Evan Betony, 157.
• Wyatt Betony, 153.
• Whystle Joe, 137.
• Isaiah Tom, 127.
• Cauy Betony, 73.
• Delvecchio Kaye, 72.
• Clay Ramone, 71.
• Alvaro Begay, 69.
• Steer Wrestling
• Donte Goff, 10.06/1.
• Jacoby Young, 9.48/1.
• Nelson Charley III, 9.22/1.
• JW Boyd, 9.13/1.
• Kevin Thompson, 16.17/1.
• Trevin Fox, 24.36.
• Rooster Yazzie, 17.47.
• Tryan Jodie, 17.04.
• Jeremiah Jodie, 16.13.
• Tydon Tsosie, 14.27.

Breakaway Roping
• Erin Jones, 2.56/1.
• Sierra Farland, 2.42/1.
• Taniah Nez, 2.18/1.
• Heather Rogers, 12.37.
• Savannah Begay, 10.20.
• Twila Jones, 10.18.
• Kylie Gilbert, 8.48.
• Kadin Jodie, 6.20.
• Kylie Dodson, 5.66.
• Danielle Lowman, 5.19.

Saddle Bronc Riding
• Jacob Yazzie, 142.
• Shane Phillips, 135.
• Creighton Curley, 74.
• Lorenzo Benally, 64.
• Bryan Moreno, 60.

Tie-Down Roping
• Tylon Tsosie, 32.38.
• Cody Ben, 31.58.
• Braydon Boyd, 30.92.
• Michael Williams, 30.61.
• Rooster Yazzie, 30.22.
• Brad Moreno, 25.75.
• Nelson Charley III, 25.00.
• Roy Begay, 23.66.
• Dean Holyan, 20.33.
• Aaron Johnson, 19.09.

Ladies Team Roping
• Germain Daye/Jordan Daye, 16.11.
• Autumn Sells/Reneille Sells, 15.69.
• Savannah Joe/Arena Ben, 15.12.
• Cassidy Begay/Mia Wilson, 14.96.
• Kylie Gilbert/Heather Rodgers, 13.75.
• Lariat Nahkai/Jocelyn Coneisenney, 13.73.
• Kelsey Pepion/KayDee Joio TallSalt, 13.26.
• Renae Malala/Erynne Sells, 11.60.
• Nadia Begay/Jolene Yellowman, 11.52.
• Danielle Lowman/Serena Dahozy, 6.55.

Team Roping
• Jerwin Begay/Jhett Begay, 20.91.
• Garrell Yazzie/Leevey Williams, 20.30.
• Shaiden Dahzozy/Shayzum Yazzie, 19.61.
• Lariat Martinez/Laramie Martinez, 18.35.
• Eyron Cowboy/Emeric Cowboy, 18.00.
• Derrick Ben/Wacey Brady, 17.56.
• Doyle Lee/Troy Begay, 17.46.
• Wawa Ben/Brandon Ben, 13.09.
• Dwight Sells/Denton Begay, 12.48
• Blaine Redhorse/Ty Romo, 10.74.

Barrel Racing
• Jodelle Bitloy, 33.625.
• Naci Charley, 33.092.
• Gracie Alcott, 32.893.
• Carli Jones, 32.879.
• Paige Dale, 32.990.
• Riana James, 33.698.
• Kylie Dodson, 33.272.
• Jannon Long, 33.243
• Kassidy Dennison, 33.061.
• Tara Seaton, 32.172.

Bull Riding
• Lane Granger, 83.
• Jaiden Harrison, 81.
• Cimmaron Curley, 75.
• Wyatt Betony, 67.
• Robbie Taylor, 62.

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