Resistol Rookie contender Payton Scalzo had been dealt blow after blow throughout her Rookie year, but that hasn’t kept the Stephenville, Texas, cowgirl from securing the biggest win of her summer so far at the War Bonnet Round Up in Great Falls, Idaho, with a 2.0-second run.
Scalzo became a Co-Champion alongside McKenna Hickson and Addy Hill—each earning $3,539. The money should see Scalzo rise from No. 17 in the Resistol Rookie standings with $6,508 won to around No. 10 with $10,047 won.
“Idaho Falls is two-under, and it was fast,” Scalzo, 23, said. “I don’t even think a 2.4 placed. I knew I drew a good calf, so I focused on seeing what I wanted to see. My horse ‘Rey’ has been getting better with every run, and it all happened so fast.”
Fellow Resistol Rookie contender McKenna Brennan had a successful weekend, too, earning $2,004 at the Dodge City Roundup in Kansas with times of 2.9 and 2.1 seconds in Round 1 and 2, respectively. This money will boost Brennan from No. 12 to around No. 8 with a total of $10,615 earned.
Payton Scalzo’s road to the Rookie
Originally from Marietta, California, Scalzo moved to Stephenville to attend Cisco College where she rodeoed and obtained her cosmetology license. A 2023 CNFR competitor, Scalzo wanted to use her college momentum to her advantage and decided to declare 2024 as her Rookie Year.
That momentum came to a screeching halt when her “good” gelding ‘Lil Weezie’ tore his deep digital flexor tendon in his right hind foot. Not one to be deterred, Scalzo purchased bay gelding ‘Short Stop’ in late 2023 to keep rodeoing while Lil Weezie recovered.
But in March—just 7 months into owning Short Stop—he underwent colic surgery and died on the operating table. Scalzo was planning on heading out on the ProRodeo trail in 2 months, and was horseless.
Enter Mister Rey Time
Then came the 8-year-old gelding that’s been Scalzo’s ‘mane’ man this summer, named Rey. Sired by One Time Pepto and out of Shining Spark mare Shiners Miss Rey, this gelding is bred to the hilt.
“I bought Rey 2 weeks before I left for the summer, and he’d only been a heel horse,” Scalzo said. “Breakaway horses are so [expensive] now, so going the route of buying a heel horse made more sense. It was kind of a gamble, though. I saw his potential, but it was still a shot in the dark.”
Originally started as a reined cowhorse, Blake Walker had turned Rey into a futurity heel horse, rodeoing on him a handful of times. Scalzo only got to hit the practice pen twice on the gelding before it was time to start rodeoing.
“I think Rey’s cowhorse foundation was a big part of why he was able to make the change into heel horse and then breakaway so easily,” Scalzo said. “He’s really broke. He kind of made himself. I didn’t have super high expectations of him, and I treated him really well. He’s pampered now, and he gives me 110%.”
Now, Scalzo is in the rig with fellow Rookie Ariana Varischetti and Kaydin Finan. She says hauling with like-minded individuals has given her confidence, especially after moving from California to Texas and encountering the waves of talented breakaway ropers.
“I think hanging around with people who share your same goals is super important, and hauling with Ariana [Varischetti] has helped me a bunch,” Scalzo said. “Like they say, ‘Iron sharpens iron,’ and I couldn’t be more blessed to be with her.”
War Bonnet Round Up breakaway results
Idaho Falls, Idaho, Aug. 1-3
1. (tie) Payton Scalzo, McKenna Hickson and Addy Hill, 2.0 seconds, $3,539 each; 4. (tie) Hali Williams and Macy Young, 2.1, $1,950 each; 6. (tie) Zoie Bedke, Aubryn Bedke and Kaydin Finan, 2.2, $1,119 each; 9. (tie) Martha Angelone, Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, Megan Burbidge, Jackie Crawford, Taylor Hanchey and Erryn Hendrix, 2.3, $596 each; 15. (tie) Oaklie Boren, Samantha Fulton, Kendal Pierson and Lacey Worthen, 2.4, $54 each.
