Paradise cowgirl has number to remember

In the world of rodeo, the term "No. 1 back number" has a ring to it.

That's because the contestant who enters the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with the highest regular-season earnings receives the first contestant back number.

Last year, the honor went to Trevor Brazile, who entered the Las Vegas championships with $285,412, almost twice the earnings of second-ranked Josh Peek.

Likewise, the North Texas High School Rodeo Association awards the contestant who has earned the most points from the regular season the first back patch to wear during the finals. And the honor will go to Stevi Roubion for the second consecutive year.

"I wanted to have the No. 1 back number and to be a lot of points over everybody else going into the finals," said Roubion, a senior who is home schooled and is from Paradise. "I also was reaching for 5,000 points. All season, I wanted to go over 5,000."

The association concluded its regular season of 28 rodeos last weekend and Roubion leads the NTHSRA's 2007-2008 girls all-around race over second-ranked Shady Foreman, 5,072 to 3,389. Roubion has clinched the girls all-around title for the second consecutive year and she has the break-away title sewn up.

Roubion also has qualified for the finals, which are scheduled for May 29-31 at Cowtown Coliseum, in goat tying, team roping heading, team roping heeling, ribbon roping and steer undecorating.

"It's been a lot of hard work in the arena with my horse and practicing a lot to come out on top," Roubion said.

Brazile taking control

Trevor Brazile, the defending world all-around champion, finished in the money at three Texas rodeos last weekend and took the lead in the 2008 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association standings.

After earning $8,424 in Bridgeport, Beaumont and Conroe, Brazile surpassed Josh Peek in the world standings. In the standings released Monday, Brazile leads Peek, $75,101 to $72,704.

Peek had an early-season lead mainly because he won a $50,000 bonus after claiming in the tie-down roping title at RodeoHouston in March.

But Brazile rallied by consistently winning an abundance of smaller checks. At the Bridgeport rodeo, for example, Brazile pocketed $3,496 after placing in all three steer roping rounds and winning the title.

Brazile and Peek also are entered in the 35th Windy Ryon Memorial Roping, which is scheduled for May 23-25 in Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.windyryon.com.

Briefly

Mary Burger, the 2006 world barrel racing champion, won the title last weekend at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo after turning in an arena record time of 15.61 seconds, according to the weekly rodeo's public relations department.

The Professional Bull Riders has scheduled Built Ford Tough Series tour stops in San Antonio on Saturday and in Dallas on June 21-22. A PBR Copenhagen Challenger Tour stop is scheduled for May 24 in Decatur. For more information, visit www.pbrnow.com.