It's a $306,000 paycheck for the men from Alpine, Texas.
Alpine, Texas, natives and best friends Jim Breck Bean and Jasper Klein ran four steers in 29 seconds to win the Ariat World Series of Team Roping #11.5 Silencer Central Finale and $306,000.
"That's the first four steers I've ever caught for him," 28-year-old Klein laughed. "We've won the ProRodeo in El Paso together, won a little in Big Springs. But never four steers in a row."
"It's by far the biggest check I've ever won at once," 30-year-old Bean said. "It's a real amount of money—it's a life-changing amount of money. I mean, you work a long time to make $150,000 a piece."
The two run High West Outfitters, a hunting and outfitting company, when they're not roping.
"We only rope together," Bean said. "We only practice together. I've got an arena at my house; his horses stay at my house. That's where we rope."
"My kids call him Uncle Bean," Klein said. "I was on the phone with my kids and they're like, did you win with Uncle Bean? I mean that's how close our houses are."
"We're family, 100 percent," Bean added.
Their runs of 6.53, 7.99 and 6.86 seconds put them in the high-callback spot.
"Our second steer was by far the strongest," Bean said. "He really tried Jasper to the right. Jasper did a really good job cleaning that one up."
Their 7.62-second short round sealed the deal, though not without nerves.
"I wasn't nervous until I missed my dally," Klein laughed. "When I got to the horn, I panicked."
"When he gets to tie on, he'll be deadly," Bean joked.
Klein, originally a header, credited eight-time world champion Rich Skelton for his foundation.
"I've got to give some credit to Rich Skelton on my heeling," he said. "Rich's big thing is don't get in too big of a hurry. So today, on those four steers, I just made sure I caught and it worked. It was easy."
Bean's home-raised palomino gelding Corona and Klein's borrowed gray gelding Stylin Pistol Peete "Pistol" carried them to victory.
"The yellow is home-grown, home-raised, home-trained," Bean said. "Every weekend I've taken him jackpotting, I've won money on that horse."
"I went and tried him this last Tuesday," Klein said of Pistol. "On Pistol, you are the roper and nothing else. Just keep your hand forward until you rope."
