Jesse Brown's 3.1 leads a fast year in the bulldogging

Jesse Brown threw his steer in 3.1 seconds at the High Desert Stampede and walked off with $3,396. No bulldogger has been faster this season.

The time behind him keeps showing up at one rodeo. Brighton Field Day Festival in Florida gave up two 3.2-second runs on the same ground, Tyke Kipp and Traver Johnson, who each took $2,572, plus a 3.4 from Riley Reiss. When an arena hands out three runs under 3.5, the cattle had as much to do with it as the men, and the men were fast anyway.

The marquee names sit a step back. Ty Erickson turned in a 3.4 at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo for $2,752. Mason Couch matched the 3.4 at the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo. Marc Joiner went 3.2 at the Okeechobee Cowtown Rodeo.

Steer wrestling rewards the start, and the start rewards the draw. Brown got both right once this winter. His 3.1 is the time the rest of the field is chasing into the summer.