Dec 12, 2020 – Maple Creek, SK
Nevada Said “No Dice”
When the whole world stopped spinning around about the end of March, rodeo too was frozen in time. But rodeo people are used to dealing with adversity. The PRCA, determined to rescue the season came up with a COVID protocol and somehow managed to restart the season in late June. It wasn’t easy; there were hundreds of hoops to jump through depending on what the state regulations were, other times dealing with county restrictions. Every rodeo on that revised schedule had the largest entry in their history. The contestants kept rodeoing, chasing an WNFR spot while not knowing if there would even be one. There was disappointment when Nevada said,” No Dice.” But the PRCA leadership didn’t just walk away; they got busy. I can’t imagine the consultations, proposals and negotiations before they announced that the WNFR would be held in Arlington, Texas. The countdown was on immediately. It was less than 100 days until those yellow chutes would be in use. It was a mammoth undertaking, and there’s a lot of people to thank. I can’t name them, but I can sure say “Thank You.”
Round 9 Results
Wyoming’s Cole Reiner won the round in the Bareback Riding with a solid 89.5 on Calgary’s A-47 Arbitrator Joe. Second-generation champion Kaycee Feild took second place with an 87.5 on Wayne Vold’s 73 True Grit to stay in the hunt for the Gold buckle. Richie Champion was third on a Sankey horse. Orin Larsen of Inglis, Manitoba won his fourth consecutive cheque when he clicked for 83.5 and sixth place. After a slow start, Orin has quietly climbed back to third in the World standings and is sitting fifth in the lucrative Average.
Texan Matt Reeves finished in a three-way tie for 1, 2, 3 by posting a 3.5. He was riding Curtis Cassidy’s decorated horse Tyson, and Tanner Milan was hazing for him.
There was a tie in the Team Roping too, Chad Masters and Wesley Thorp were 3.8, as were Colby Lovell and Paul Eaves. Kolton Schmidt and Hunter Koch were 4.0 with a barrier penalty. Levi Simpson and Shay Carroll took a no time.
Once again it was a Calgary horse in the Saddle Bronc Riding. This time it was X-55 Xena Warrior who carried Wyatt Casper to 88 points. Taos Muncy picked up his first cheque with an 82/.5 on the Stampede’s W-16 Wild Cherry; he was fifth. Lefty Holman finished half a point out of the pay window on C5 Rodeo’s 00 Double D. Zeke Thurston’s first horse turned around in the chute and left backwards, so he got a re-ride. It was not worth it because he only got 72.5 points.
I’m predicting Logan Bird will spend a sleepless night in Texas. Louisiana cowboy Shane Hanchey has been roping off Logan’s prize horse T.J., and he was 8.4 for a 5/6 split. Now the sleepless part: with one calf to go, Hanchey is leading the Average (aggregate). They’ve got a 7.2 second lead on the field, so basically he just needs a clean run tomorrow. If they win it, even though it will be Hanchey’s buckle, I’m thinking that’ll be the first time a Canadian-owned Tie-Down horse won the NFR Average since Jim Gladstone won it all in Oklahoma City back in 1977. Oh, the go-round winner? That was Tuf Cooper in 6.9 seconds.
Hailey Kinsel won her 6th go round. The big news is she didn’t establish a new record.
Once again Stetson Wright won the Bull Riding with a 92 score. He also clinched the All-Around title tonight. Dustin Bouquet cashed in for 80 points and sixth place on Wayne Vold’s 522 Vertigo Spy. Vern McDonald’s 40 Director’s Assistant pitched Denton Fugate.
Go-Round Buckle presentation
Keith Marrington and Living Legend Ken ‘Goose’ Rehill were on stage twice to collect the loot for the bares and broncs. Matt Reeves took Curtis Cassidy and Tanner Milan onstage with him.