Cowboys Shatter World Record With 2.9-Second Rodeo Run

Dustin Egusquiza and JC Flake just made rodeo history in less time than it takes to blink.

At Rodeo Austin on March 25, the brothers-in-law blazed through a flawless team roping run in just 2.9 seconds. Their performance shattered the previous world record and became the first clean sub-three-second run in the sport's history.

The record had been falling fast. For 16 years, the 3.3-second mark set by Chad Masters and Jade Corkill in 2009 seemed untouchable. Then in June 2025, Mason Appleton and Rance Doyal clocked 3.2 seconds at the Snake River Stampede in Idaho.

Just nine days before Egusquiza and Flake's historic run, James Arviso and Doyal tied that 3.2-second record at the same Austin rodeo. But the new champions didn't just edge past the competition—they demolished it by three-tenths of a second.

"The world record is always something that I've wanted to have, because that's something you could say when you're 50 sitting in your recliner," Egusquiza said. "You've either got X amount of gold buckles, or you have the fastest run in history."

The duo actually tied the old 3.3-second record at their very first professional rodeo together in Durant, Oklahoma last June. That early success hinted at their chemistry, even though they finished 2025 competing separately.

Why This Inspires

What makes this achievement remarkable isn't just the speed. It's watching two athletes who believed in something most people thought was impossible.

"Just to even break the 3-second barrier is something I never thought was achievable," Flake admitted. "You always think something's achievable, but we run a lot of steers and never get that close."

Egusquiza, an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, currently ranks fifth in the world heading standings. Flake sits at sixth in heeling. Their partnership proves that family bonds and athletic excellence can create magic together.

The Austin crowd witnessed something they'll tell their grandchildren about: the moment two cowboys redefined what's possible in their sport.