Rock Hill native says being a professional cowboy ‘just worked out my way’

Sitting atop his horse at the northern end of Frontier Park Arena, Luke Brown has a slight look of disappointment.

He and team roping partner Jake Long just made their second go-round at the 122nd annual Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and, after failing to record a time the day before, they were unable to do so once again.

Brown is now watching other cowboys attempt their second go in a mud filled arena. The sloppy conditions aren’t doing any favors. After two decades in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the Rock Hill native knows there are going to be tough days and this is one of them. Brown’s done a good job balancing the good days and bad. A really good job.

“I think I’ve just been blessed. I’ve been lucky. I’m not scared to take a chance and it’s just worked out my way. I couldn’t ask for anything any better,” Brown said.

With several months of PRCA rodeos left to go, Brown has put himself in position to once again make the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. He’s seventh in the team roping header standings this year with a little over $62,000 earned. The top 15 land a spot in the 10-day competition this December.

Brown joined the PRCA in 1998 but didn’t start going to rodeos full-time until 2007. He’s made the NFR every year since 2008 and was the first cowboy from South Carolina to reach the season-culminating event since 1977. Along the way, Brown has nearly $1.9 million in career earnings from PRCA competitions.

The Northwestern High School graduate got into roping at a young age. His family worked in the construction industry, but his father competed in regional rodeo events on the side. Brown, who now lives in Stephenville, Texas, simply took it to the next level.

“There was a lot of people around Rock Hill that roped, and when I was little my dad started roping and so that’s all I’ve ever did since. I love it,” he said.

Brown and Long have been partners the last three seasons, traveling the country to compete in PRCA events. Life on the road is fast-paced as cowboys compete in multiple rodeos in the same week. Often times, they spend less than 48 hours in a town before loading up and driving hundreds of miles to the next.

The day before competing in Cheyenne, Brown and Long captured the title at Deadwood Day of 76 Rodeo in South Dakota. From Wyoming, they were headed down to Colorado San Luis Valley Ski-Hi Stampede. At one point, Brown was as high as third in world standings, but has slipped in recent weeks. But the season is far from over.

“We had a really good winter. Summer has been kind of slow a little bit, but you practice a lot and try to stay up for the next one,” Brown said.

For Brown the ultimate goal is ride onto the floor at Thomas & Mack Arena waving the Palmetto State flag ahead of the NFR competition. Even after a decade, it’s a moment he relishes above them all.

“It never ever gets old. Ever,” Brown said with a smile. “It’s the best feeling in the world. There ain’t a better feeling.”