Despite an ongoing injury battle, Shad Mayfield left Washington as the 2024 Puyallup Tie-Down Roping Champion and tie-down world standings leader. The 23-year-old now leads the world all-around standings by $57,013 over second-place Wacey Schalla heading into rodeo’s final regular-season stretch.
Not only has Mayfield been battling a torn labrum in both hips, but he’s also trying to build a new home, all while leading the all-around race with $236,554 won on the year across the team roping, steer roping and tie-down. He’s been busy, to say the least.
Mayfield roped his first calf in Puyallup in 7.9 seconds to tie for first, with Tuf Cooper and Haven Meged earning $2,588 each. In the second performance of set two, Mayfield roped his calf in 10.8 seconds to tie for second with Chet Weitz, landing $2,156. In the Semifinals, Mayfield was second with a 10.8, landing him in the final four. Mayfield stopped the clock at 7.4 in the finals, winning Puyallup and $13,000.
“Puyallup has always been good to me,” Mayfield said. “My rookie year, I won a lot of money there, and then I won it (Puyallup) in 2022. Things really just fell into place this year. I drew really good calves and roped the best I could. It’s always been one of my favorite set-ups.”
Mayfield walked away from Puyallup with a check to the tune of $17,744, securing his No. 1 spot in the world standings.
“I guess you could say I have a lot going on,” said Mayfield. “I have two torn labrum’s in both of my hips, and they have been costly to me all summer long. I’m just trying to keep pushing to get ready for the NFR.”
While surgery is an option to fix his injuries, it’s not Mayfield’s option.
“Surgery isn’t really what I want to do,” Mayfield said. “I am going to try to do stem cell before the NFR and see if that helps. They think it will work on the torn labrums, but if it doesn’t, then I’ll just do the surgery and get it out of the way.”
Not only has Shad been battling injuries, he’s also been trying to build a new place in Texas.
“I’ve got a lot going on at home,” said Mayfield. “I try to flip and build places because rodeo doesn’t pay all the bills,” Shad laughed. “So, I fly home quite a bit to check on things. It really helped that I had so much won in the world standings. I was able to take it easy and not be too hard on myself this summer.”
As far as the all-around race goes, Shad has won over $224,000, $57,000 more than Wacey Schalla and Junior Nogueira, who are neck and neck in second and third behind Mayfield in the all-around world standings.
The Money Man is competing in the tie-down, team roping and steer roping at Pendleton, hoping to keep his lead in the all-around.
“Pendleton is one hell of a rodeo,” Mayfield said. “I’ve really got into steer roping this year, so I’m excited to do that at Pendleton. I’m going to ride my steer roping horse, Pacman in the steer roping; he’s been here a couple of times and is great on the grass. In calf roping, I’m riding my horse, Platinum. He’s been one of my backup horses, but I decided to ride him on the grass. I used to ride Lollipop, and she’s been phenomenal at Pendleton, but I can’t risk her getting hurt. In the team roping, I’ll ride Tanner Tomlinson‘s horse. I’ve got a really good heeler, Faron Candelaria from New Mexico. He’s been heeling for me, and he’s ranked, so we’re excited to be entered in Pendleton.”
After Pendleton, Shad plans to head home for a couple of weeks. Don’t worry, though—he will be back on the road just in time for Mandan and the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls.
