The year is quickly coming to an end in regards to qualifying for many of the finals, both in rodeo and team roping associations. It has been a great push for ropers and barrel racers as they try to qualify for their respective events.
The biggest news on the PRCA team roping front is the strong finish of the team of Derrick Begay and Cesar de la Cruz who won both Pendleton and Omaha this past month. The money earned was enough to push them into the number one position in the PRCA standings. These were big wins for this team, they almost doubled their earnings in one month.
The team of Chad Masters and Jade Corkill has slipped from number one in the PRCA standings to fifth in just one month. They still are in a good position going into the season’s end and will certainly have a run at the world title at the Wrangler National Finals.
With the season ending on Sept 30, 2011, for the fiscal year of the PRCA, there are some top names that didn’t make the NFR this year. In the Heading, we look at names like Keven Daniel, Travis Tryan, Joel Bach, Charley Crawford, and Arky Rogers who will not be on the roster. In the Heeling, 16th thru 20th are Allen Bach, Rich Skelton, Russell Cardoza, Chase Tryan and Justin W. Davis. Most of these ropers have been in Vegas many times in the past.
Jake Barnes and Walt Woodard have made the Finals this year and will have quite a following from young and old fans alike. These two veterans will be sure to bring some AARP comments out of this year's announcers who will be Randy Corley, Boyd Polhamus and Bob Tallman. Jake and Walt will be going into the Finals in the ninth place position if nothing changes.
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This past month I was fortunate enough to be asked to MC the National Cowboys and Western Heritage Museums inductions in the Rodeo Historical Society. It was a great time and was good to see a lot of generations of rodeo people to gather to help the family and friends of the inductees celebrate. Lewis Feild was on hand as an inductee and also won the reride story competition telling about one of the most interesting things that happened to him during his career. It was an honor for me to be there as one of this year’s nominees. Those inducted include Col. Johnson, Don Happy, Martha Josey, Roy Lewis, Sonny Linger, Shawn Davis, Lyle Sankey and Bob Christensen.
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This next month will be busy with some of the many Finals going on around the country. The ACTRA Finals will be in Reno starting on the 15th of October and ending on the 23rd. It will be a good time with a whole lot of money and some keen awards being handed out over the course of the week. Later in the month the big thing happening in the team roping world will be the USTRC Finals in Oklahoma City. Ropers from around the country will be converging on Oklahoma to take home some of the year-end awards.
The R4R Finals will be in Riverside, Calif. on the first weekend in Oct. and will host a large Finals with over $300,000 in cash and awards going to the ropers.
Good luck to all of the ropers headed to the various Finals that are upcoming.
If you have some special events, livestock, or products to advertise, be sure and get a hold of us by the 10th of Oct. to get it in the November issue and don’t forget about our special issue in December which will be handed out at the Wrangler National Finals in Las Vegas.