After the dust
settled on an intense two-day competition at the Reno Livestock Events
Center, Jones' total time of 138.7 earned him $25,000 along with a hand-crafted
Cactus Trophy saddle and a gold Gist Silversmiths Championship buckle.
Becker finished second with 144.4 worth $12,000 and Masters rounded out
the top three with a 149.3 and $11,000. Besides the average, the event
pays the event fastest rounds. Rookie and last minute replacement Russell
Cardoza from Farmington, Calif., took home the first place check worth
$7,000. All combined, the WWGR paid out over $80,000 in cash and prizes.
Organizers were extremely happy with the event. Fans from all over the
United States made the trip to Reno to watch this unparalleled event that
showcases the roping abilities of the top cowboys in rodeo. The WWGR is
one of pro rodeo's most unique events and is patterned after the highly
successful Wrangler Timed Event Championship. Each contestant is required
to compete in all three roping disciplines: tie-down roping, team roping
heading, and team roping heeling. All totaled, each of the 20 invited
contestants roped 12-head of stock over two days with the top five roping
an additional three-head to determine the event champion.
The WWGR is the first leg of an exciting and action-packed week in Reno
that features the Reno Rodeo and the Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping
— in being a three event feature, the Reno Rodeo Committee, Lazy
E Productions and the Bob Feist Invitational put together a three-event
bonus called the "Reno Triple Crown" which would have paid an
extra $100,000 check to the roper who would win the World's Greatest Roper,
win the BFI on June 23rd, and then win either the tie-down roping or the
team roping average at the Reno Rodeo. All together, officials from the
three organizations anticipated that if attained, one roper could have
walked away from Reno with a staggering $225,000 in earnings. The World's
Greatest Roper is limited to just 20 invited entries and 14 of those 20
were entered in all three events. K.C. Jones was one of the ropers who
were not entered in all three. However, with this being a new bonus, officials
are already starting to plan for next year!
The Wrangler World's Greatest Roper was sponsored by Wrangler, the Silver
Legacy Resort Casino, Priefert Ranch & Rodeo Equipment, Boyd Gaming,
Ariat Boots, the Northern Nevada Toyota Dealers, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco,
Gist Silversmiths, RFD-TV, The Roping Show, Rodeo Video, the Reno Rodeo,
the Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping Classic and Cactus Saddlery.
The Wrangler World's Greatest Roper is a Lazy E Production. For more information
on the Wrangler World's Greatest Roper, log on to lazye.com or call (800)
595-RIDE.
2008 Wrangler World's Greatest Roper Results:
Average — $52,000: 1st. K.C. Jones, Burling, Wyo., 138.7, 15 head,
$25,000. 2nd. Marty Becker, Epress, Alberta, Canada, 144.4, $12,000. 3rd.
Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn, 149.3, $7,000. 4th. Trevor Brazile, 155.9,
$5,000. 5th. Daniel Green, Oakdale, Calif., 170.4, $3,000.
Fastest Rounds — $16,000: 1st. Russell Cardoza, Farmington, Calif.,
21.9, $7,000. 2nd. Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M., 22.1, $4,000. 3rd. Casey
Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 22.1, $3,000. 4th. (split) Kory Koontz,
Sudan, Texas, 22.8, $1,000; Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev., 22.8, $1,000.
Fastest Runs Bonus — $12,000:
Heading — Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn, 4.5, $4,000.
Tie-Down Roping — Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 7.8, $4,000.
Heeling — Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev., 4.3, $4,000.
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