Tonalea bareback rider completes cycle at annual Lions Club Rodeo

By Quentin Jodie | Jun 19, 2025 | Rodeo |

CHURCH ROCK, N.M.

The cycle is complete for the Betony family.

On Saturday night, Wyatt Betony went 2-for-2 during the 75th Annual Gallup Lions Club Rodeo in the bareback event.

Betony was crowned the event champion for the first time with a 76-point ride aboard Feather Lights, a Casper Baca equine. He also won the $1,000 bonus round when he produced an 81-point effort on Mississippi Queen.

“I’m the last of my brothers to win the prestigious Gallup Lions Club Rodeo, and the bonus round,” Betony said of his younger siblings Evan and Cauy Betony.

“They all won the rodeo and the ride-off before I did,” the older Betony said.

When asked about accomplishing that feat, the Tonalea, Arizona cowboy didn’t know about it until the drive home when his wife, Deven Betony, brought it up.

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Colorado cowboy Tyler Beebe was a double winner on Saturday night at the Gallup Lions Club Rodeo. Beebe won the event championship and the bonus round.

“It just makes this year’s Lion’s Club Rodeo that more special,” said Betony, who earned $855 for winning the rodeo.

To reach the bonus round, Betony had to complete the 8-second ride on Feather Lights.

“I didn’t know any of the Casper Baca horses,” Betony said. “CJ (Baca) said he’s a good saddle bronc horse and he was going to be in the bareback tonight.

“He said he’s usually a fun one in the saddle bronc and it should be good,” he added. “It turned out to be good.”

Second-place finisher Clay Ramone rode Whiskey Bent for 70 points in the Saturday night’s performance that paid him $570. In the bonus round, Ramone covered Wanted Man with a 72-point ride as Betony followed next.

“I didn’t watch his ride,” Betony said of Ramone. “I was rooting for him, but I was too busy trying to get ready. Everything just went fast.”

The matchup between Mississippi Queen and Betony produced an 82-point ride.

“I didn’t know the horse, but I’ve seen it on social media and the guy riding the horse was flying in the air,” Betony said of Mississippi Queen “CJ let me pick first and I just picked the bigger horse.”

In the saddle bronc, Colorado cowboy Tyler Beebe also went 2-for-2 on Saturday night, winning the rodeo outright with a 74-point ride atop Paint Saint that paid him $1,089 while Creighton Curley took home the second-place prize of $726 with his 71.5 effort.

“I had him last week in Silver City last week, so I knew he was going to be good,” Beebe said. “I think he bucks a lot better in a small pen, and I picked up fast and I felt really good throughout the ride.”

In the bonus round, Beebe rode X3 for 72 points while Curley was bucked off Spoon Man.

“The ride-off horse was a lot of horse to handle,” Beebe said. “He dripped the reins through my hands, and I was playing catchup the whole ride.”