Cody Ohl and Shad Mayfield will match on 10 head June 11 in Hico, Texas, with $25,000 up for grabs in a match that will raise money for Mayfield’s friend and driver Corey Carrington, who is paralyzed on his right side due to spinal stenosis.
This will mark the first match pitting these two greats head-to-head, at Ohl’s place in Hico, Texas, and Ohl says it will be the final competition appearance in his storied career—and Roping.com will be there to capture the action.
With 20 NFR qualifications and 6 gold buckles, Oh, 49, is a ProRodeo Hall of Famer who retired in 2019. He tore his meniscus in 2021, and when he had his knee drained, he developed sepsis. Further complications ensued, and doctors weren’t sure Ohl would walk again.
“Joe Beaver asked me yesterday, ‘Why would Shad do this?'” Ohl said. “But Joe knows my mentality. I’ve never set myself up for failure when it has to do with roping…It’s all on the line. I don’t care who the world thinks the greatest is, I tell myself who the greatest is. I never got to match Joe, but now Shad has a chance to rope against me. All the odds are in his favor, but it’s not going to be no cake walk.”
The match is the third in Ohl’s series of charity matches, and he’s won both previous matches this spring and raised $50,000 for ropers who’ve fallen on hard times. The first match against Kass Newman raised $29,000 for injured roper Caleb Berquist, and the second match against Spencer Barney raised another $20,000.
“I don’t expect Cody to take it easy on me,” said Mayfield, the 2020 PRCA World Champion, who, at 22, already has $844,676 in career earnings and sits fourth in the world this year. “He’s taking this seriously. He says it could be his last match roping—even his last big event—and we know Cody loves match ropings. I know he’s looking forward to it. He’s always told me to only match world champions. Well, I’m a world champion, so is he. We’re going at it. I can’t back off— you don’t back off when it’s Cody Ohl backing in there. He’s just a winner. “
Viewers can sign up for a free, seven-day trial to watch the match, and Roping.com will donate 25% of every membership sold both Sunday and Monday to Carrington’s cause. The footage will be archived alongside the greatest calf roping matches and runs of the last three decades, including every Mo’Betta calf roping from 1992 to 2009, as well as hours and hours of Spicer Gripp tie-down roping action.
The roping starts at 11 a.m. with an Open tie-down roping with $2,500 added, followed by a $1,000-added 19-&-Under girls’ breakaway and a $2,500-added Open ladies breakaway. The match is to follow, and Roping.com and CalfRoping.com will be updating the schedule throughout the day on social media so ropers know when to tune in for the match action.
“It’s a big deal,” Mayfield added. “It’s Cody Ohl! I never imagined I’d get to match him. The craziest part is that Cody is doing all of this to help other people—that’s insane. Cody has been on the other side of it, he’s been where these guys are that they’re putting benefits on for. People need to watch, they need to support what he’s doing. Cody’s an inspiration, really.” CR
