Erich Rogers & Paden Bray capture the American title

The city of Arlington has been extremely good to team ropers Erich Rogers and Paden Bray. After winning the average at the 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Dec. 12, the duo cashed in for $100,000 apiece across the street at AT&T Stadium during RFD- TV's The American, March 7. Rogers and Bray clocked a 5.05-second time to win the four-team Shoot-out. It was Rogers and Bray's first win at The American.

"The mindset was just go catch and do the best we could on the stock they drew us," said Rogers, 34. "Shoot, that steer was one of the best in the herd for today and we made use of him and did what we had to do. I blocked everything out and just thought we were in the practice pen. Pretty much I hurried in there and nodded, got in there and got out of there. That was pretty much the same when we were here in (Arlington) back in December at Globe Life. It's the same atmosphere in a bigger building, and it was a great feeling to be back in the spotlight like this in a big stadium and win."

Bray agreed with his partner. "When I got the opportunity to rope with Erich (last year) I knew I just had to focus on my job and just do me," said Bray, 22. "A guy who ropes as good as he does is just going to give a young guy like me a "Winning $100,000 means a whole bunch to me," said Rogers, the 2017 PRCA team roping header world champion. "It's the greatest feeling ever and life changing for me. It also means a lot for the standings and a sigh of relief. Come August and September we don't have to press near as hard and be sweating it." Rogers entered The American seventh in the world standings with $10,282 and rocketed to first place with $60,282.

Bray was fifth among heelers but also jumped to first in his event with the same amount of money. A year ago, Rogers and Bray placed third and second in their respective world standings with $175,503 each. They earned an eventbest $122,962 at the 2020 NFR. At The American, Rogers was riding Sandy, 14, owned by Ken Bray, Paden's father. Paden was riding Slider, 13. "These are great horses," Paden said. "The ultimate goal is to get that gold buckle and get another one for Erich. Even though we have this healthy lead, I'm young and dumb and I'm not going to back off."

Other winners at AT&T Stadium were: bareback rider Tilden Hooper (90.50 points on Frontier Rodeo's Gunfire); steer wrestler Jacob Talley (3.87 seconds); saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright (91.25 points on Andrews Rodeo's All Or Nothing); tie-down roper Shane Hanchey (7.74 seconds); breakaway roper Jill Tanner (2.65 seconds); barrel racer Hailey Kinsel (15.420 seconds); and bull rider Colten Fritzlan (90.25 points on Dakota Rodeo's Safety Meeting).

THE DUO CASHED IN FOR $100,000 EACH