Bradley Massey and Zack Mabry took management of the 2024 Southeastern Circuit this spring and by no means appeared again, profitable the year-end titles with $25,200.55 for Massey and $24,307.55 for Mabry.
The Florida and Alabama group went into the Southeastern Circuit Finals Nov. 8-10, in Davie, Florida, with $6,143.78 and $11,470.47 leads, respectively. They added $2,225 a person to seal the deal on Massey’s fifth year-end title—one in all which was on the heel facet—and Mabry’s second.
“I nonetheless work at it like I’m 20, I nonetheless rope three or 4 days per week,” Massey, 38, stated. “I at all times really feel like I’ve a reasonably good horse for down right here, and doubtless the largest factor is that just about yearly I’ve probably the greatest heelers. And if I do my job, more often than not, I win. There’s plenty of guys down right here which can be roping good, too. I imply, Marcus Theriot is down right here virtually yearly, Keven Daniel made the Finals 4 instances—there’s plenty of guys that rope good. So, I don’t suppose it’s luck, however I simply type of acquired it found out in some way or one other.”
For Mabry, the second title is simply as candy, and having the ability to end what they began is the cherry on high.
“it’s at all times good to have the ability to win the circuit,” Mabry, 33, stated. “I’m not a man that’s going to strike out and go to Reno or something, so profitable the circuit’s type of one thing {that a} man that stays residence can do. It means lots.”
Kicking it off early
Getting an early begin on the season was key in Massey and Mabry’s 2024 success. The group picked up $2,482 a person for second at Northwest Florida Championship Rodeo in Bonifay Oct. 5-7, 2023, and $2,865 every after profitable the tenth Annual Arcadia Fall Rodeo (Florida) Oct. 21-22.
February and March are prime time within the Southeastern Circuit with a large portion of their rodeos happening within the spring, and so they raked in $12,294 a person between from January to March.
“I don’t suppose something in our run was essentially that dominant, however I feel that we caught some steers early within the yr that had been huge steers, after which we simply stored putting alongside,” Mabry stated. “It appeared like we hit at a couple of of the larger rodeos, and that helped, however what helped us probably the most is we by no means had a month or two the place we acquired chilly; it’s not like we had been pink sizzling, it simply was type of regular.”
The Southeast summers is likely to be sizzling, however Massey and Mabry truly slowed down for a lot of the summer season. Regardless, when the common season ended, Massey led the pack with $22,975.50 received on the yr and Mabry with $22,082.50.
Seeking to 2025
As Massey continues so as to add year-end titles to his resume, he begins to etch himself within the Southeastern Circuit historical past books. With a household at residence, his targets on the circuit entrance hold him loads busy.
“I’ve labored at it for a very long time,” Massey stated. “I’ve by no means went and actually tried to make the NFR—I at all times had completely different targets. I do know lots of people can do it with households, however I’ve by no means felt that I may. My boys play journey baseball, my lady rodeos, and after I was younger, I by no means felt like I roped ok. Then after I acquired to the place I felt like I roped fairly good, I felt like I had an excessive amount of different stuff going. So, I’ve at all times put plenty of emphasis on [winning the circuit].”
However with an opportunity at among the 2025 winter rodeos and their tickets punched for July’s NFR Open in Colorado Springs, there’s an opportunity Massey and Mabry could enter outdoors the circuit right here and there.
“I feel there’s an outdoor likelihood,” Mabry stated. “We’ve nonetheless acquired an opportunity, possibly, to get into San Antonio and Houston. If we had been to get into San Antonio and Houston once more and did good, we’d enter round a little bit bit. And I wager that once we exit [to Colorado Springs], we’ve talked about coming into for 3 or 4 weeks, primarily simply because I wish to go.”
