Yates finishes tenth in world in tie-down roping

A professional rodeo cowboy with Gonzales ties finished in the Top 10 in the world standings in tie-down roping after the 2024 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas last month.

Marty Yates, 30, finished in a tie for first in the eighth round of his event, which won him $30,155 for that place. He also finished in a fourth place tie in the seventh round, picking up an additional $11,410, and tied for sixth in the 10th round, which was good for another $2,717 — making his total 2024 NFR earnings $44,282 and bringing his yearly earnings to $207,434, which placed him tenth in the world.

It capped off a brilliant comeback year for Yates, who missed the NFR in 2023 after finishing 35th in the world and earning just $55,973 last year. He had qualified for nine straight NFRs prior to 2023.

In 2024, Yates won the Horse Heaven Roundup Rodeo All-Around title in Kennewick, Wash., and won tie-down roping events at the Ogden  (Utah) Pioneer Days, the California Rodeo in Salinas, the Clovis Rodeo in California and the Clark County Fair & Rodeo in Logandale, Nev. He was also co-champion at the Horse Heaven Roundup Rodeo and at the Fiesta Days Rodeo in Spanish Fork, Utah. Yates’ career earnings, since getting his PRCA card in 2012, now stand at $1,880,235.

And though he just finished in the Top 3 at Rodeo Houston, he was involved in a memorable ride outside the arena when stuck in Houston traffic on I-610, he saddled up his mare Cyndy and giddyupped to NRG Stadium to win his semifinal set. His daring was captured on video and made national news.

Yates, who is from Stephenville, is married to Gonzales native Loni Kay Yates, who is a professional breakaway roper and the daughter of Ricky and Kelly Lester of Gonzales. Marty and Loni Kay have a young daughter, Miley Grace, who turned 1 in November.