A year after his good friend Jack Mitchell won a title in bull riding, Brodey Clemons followed by winning the championship in tie-down roping at the National High School Finals Rodeo July 13-19 Rock Springs, Wyoming.
“It’s pretty tough, a big accomplishment. A lot of hours were put in to get this,” Clemons said.
The event, the final competition of the season for the National High School Rodeo Association, featured competitors from across the nation. In the competition among states, Texas captured its 10th championship in the history of the rodeo.
Mitchell also competed in Rock Springs as he returned to defend his title. He placed fifth this season.
“He’s practically my neighbor,” Clemons said of Mitchell. “We go hunting together a lot.”
Clemons posted a time of 7.91 seconds in the finals to take first place. His winning time was almost a full second faster than the 8.72 time of runner-up Kyan Wilhite of Clovis, New Mexico.
Earlier in the week he had the lone sub-nine-second time in the opening round, finishing in 8.21 seconds.
This was Clemons’ third straight season to compete at nationals. He finished sixth in 2024.
“I knew he could do it and was gonna do it,” Mitchell said, adding that having his good friend there made the experience even more special. “When you have your friend there and they’re supporting you, wanting you to do as good as you and you want them to do their best, it’s really special.”
Mitchell scored 76 points on his final ride. He placed the highest among Texans in the event and was the only rider from the Lone Star State to advance that far.
“I can’t believe how it’s worked out. You don’t get to do this forever in high school and to have this time is something great,” he said.
Ty LaVergne, of Sulphur, one of three Louisiana riders in the finals, took the top prize with a score of 87.
Clemons is the younger brother of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association roper and Resistol 2024 Rookie of the Year Cole Clemons. His older brother paid him a visit in Rock Springs, he said.
“He gives me lots of inspiration. I talk to him a lot,” Brodey said.
The younger Clemons began competing at age 5 riding sheep, along with being a “little bull rider.” Then, his mother suggested he try something that would have him jumping off an animal instead of getting thrown off.
Clemons comes from a rodeo family. Along with Cole, his father rode bulls and his grandfather started the Okeechobee Rodeo in Florida, where Brodey and his family lived before moving to Peaster after his freshman year of high school.
“When you get to Texas and start roping against guys shooting for the NFR (National Finals Rodeo), you’d better get good fast if you want to keep competing,” he said.
Clemons plans to get his own PRCA card and start competing professionally in the next year, he said.
Mitchell is leaning toward getting his Professional Bull Riders card and competing on the professional circuit, perhaps even getting drafted to compete in PBR team competition, such the Texas Rattlers in Fort Worth. He’s also considering competing for a year on the PRCA circuit beforehand.
Clemons said he is also considering competing in college as well, with his top choices being Weatherford College or Tarleton. Cole competed for Weatherford College before joining the PRCA circuit permanently.
In college, participants can also compete at the PRCA level while retaining their college eligibility.
And, just like Mitchell, he’s cherishing every moment he has with his championship belt buckle.
“It’s pretty cool to wake up and have a buckle that says [national] champion on it,” Clemons said.
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