The top ropers in the world will descend on the 34th annual Windy Ryon Memorial Roping this weekend. The three-day event (Friday through Sunday) in Saginaw, just north of Fort Worth, will feature the best in team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping.

You could say this is Trevor Brazile's kind of event. The reigning world all-around champion plans to compete in all three principles at the Windy Ryon Arena.

Having grown up in nearby Krum, the event is like home to him. He's been attending for as long as he can remember. It all started with trips with his father, Jimmy, who competed there for many years.

"I just love to rope," Brazile says. "My dad wanted me to be a cowboy. Anything I could do with a rope, he just wanted me to be around it. I always wanted to excel in all three events."

Brazile, who now lives in Decatur, is setting a hot pace toward his fifth all-around world championship with $78,386 in earnings, some $24,000 better than closest competitor Josh Peek.

Brazile, 30, says he never again wants to experience the disappointment he felt in 2005 when Ryan Jarrett beat him for the all-around title after Brazile had won three straight.

"I won't take any part of it [winning a world title] for granted anymore," he said.

Brazile started 2007 almost the same way he did last year, with his first tour victory coming at Tucson, Ariz., in February. But in March his primary tie-down roping horse, Texaco, pulled a muscle and Brazile appeared to be in trouble.

Fortunately for Brazile, it turned out to be a blessing. He was able to purchase a new horse, and the two have been a good match.

"I first rode him at Huntsville (Texas)," he said of the horse he calls Monkey. "I won the all-around there. Then I took him out to the West Coast, and he kind of let me pick up where I left off. He really fits my style."

Monkey helped Brazile pick up the three-head, tie-down roping aggregate title at the Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco, followed by the tie-down roping championship at Clovis, Calif., and a second-place finish at Logandale, Nev.

Texaco was cleared to compete in San Francisco, but Brazile says he's comfortable riding Monkey, so he has decided to give his top horse a little more time to rest.

"I'm not going to go out on a limb and say (Monkey) is the next Texaco or anything, but he's small and has a lot of similar characteristics to him," he says. "He's worked pretty well."

Close call in San Antonio: Rookie Tyler Smith earned his first Professional Bull Riders' Built Ford Tough Series event on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio by the slimmest of margins over Mike Lee of Decatur.

In fact, it was such a tight race that the scores had to be verified by computer calculation at the conclusion of the event. Lee, the 2004 world champion, ended up .25 points short of the title.

"He had a lot of heart," Lee said of Smith after the event. "He's got a lot of talent and I've never seen him stop trying. He's going to be a great bull rider."

Smith, who finished with 176.75 points on two bulls, was overwhelmed by his first victory.

"Winning my first (BFTS) event is awesome," said the 20-year-old from Fruita, Colo. "I've been down in the standings and just knew I needed to do good in San Antonio to move up in the standings."

Cooper infant dies: Casely Faith Cooper, the four-week-old daughter of Clint and Amber Cooper, died Sunday after a series of surgeries at Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth.

Casely was born with a hernia in her lung.

Clint is one of the top young tie-down ropers in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Clint's father is eight-time world champion roper Roy Cooper.

knocke1@aol.com

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 25-27–34th Annual Windy Ryon Memorial Roping, Windy Ryon Arena, Saginaw, Texas. Friday, girls team roping, 9 a.m. Open to the world team roping, noon; Saturday, Invitational Breakaway Roping, 10 a.m.; Invitational tie-down roping, 1 p.m. Sunday, Senior and Super senior steer roping, 9 a.m. Steer roping, 1 p.m. $10. 817-624-1707.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MAY 25-26–Mesquite Championship Rodeo, Resistol Arena, Mesquite. 8 p.m. 972-285-8777. Box seats, $30-$14. Reserved grandstand, $12. Seniors (59-up), $7; Children (3-12) $7. www.mesquiterodeo.com.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MAY 25-26–Stockyards Championship Rodeo, Cowtown Coliseum, Fort Worth. 8 p.m. Box seats, $15; VIP Club seating, $15; General admission $11.50; Children (3-12), $8; Seniors (60-up), $9.50 www.stockyardsrodeo.com, 817-625-1025 or 817-323-2855.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MAY 25-26–Northeast Texas Stampede, Hunt County Fairgrounds, Greenville, Texas. 8 p.m.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 25-27–Cowboy Capital Pro Rodeo, Mansfield Park, Bandera, Texas. 8 p.m.