WEATHER GUARD PRCA World Standings Watch: Standings Shuffle – 24 Cowboys Move Up
With $2.14 million up for grabs between 39 PRCA rodeos across North America this past week, 24 cowboys saw their position improve within the WEATHER GUARD® PRCA World Standings’ Top 15. Meanwhile, six cowboys made considerable jumps and landed right on the bubble at 16th.
Nobody knows this better than Blane Cox after he moved from 22nd to 11th in tie-down roping thanks to winning $6,435 at the Strathmore (Alberta) Stampede and $4,896 at the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo.
Veteran and rookie cowboys alike know it’s easier to maintain a position at the top than it is to play catch-up when trying to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER. It’s important to build a solid bankroll as the final stretch of the 2017 season approaches at the end of next month.
Having five rodeos with six-figure payoffs proved to be a major boost as cowboys competed for $329,794 in Dodge City, Kan.; $208,469 in Strathmore, Alberta; $124,582 in Great Falls, Mont.; $118,935 in Phillipsburg, Kan.; and $100,156 in Heber City, Utah.
Having so many opportunities to win big money can really stir the pot on the world standings. In the last week alone, five cowboys burst the bubble and broke into the Top 15.
The following cowboys saw their position in the world standings improve between Aug. 2 and Aug. 8.
4 SPOTS
• Dustin Bird moved from 14th to 10th in team roping heading.
3 SPOTS
• Ryder Wright moved from 15th to 12th in saddle bronc riding.
2 SPOTS
• Clayton Biglow moved from seventh to fifth in bareback riding.
• Tyson Durfey moved from 10th to eighth in tie-down roping.
• Richmond Champion moved from 11th to ninth in bareback riding.
• Clay Elliott moved from 11th to ninth in saddle bronc riding.
• Jacob Talley moved from 15th to 13th in steer wrestling.
• Timber Moore moved from 15th to 13th in tie-down roping.
• Trevor Brazile moved from 16th to 14th in steer roping.
1 SPOT
• Russell Cardoza moved from fourth to third in team roping heeling.
• Vin Fisher Jr. moved from fourth to third in steer roping.
• Jake Long moved from sixth to fifth in team roping heeling.
• Hardy Braden moved from seventh to sixth in saddle bronc riding.
• Cole Melancon moved from seventh to sixth in bull riding.
• JR Vezain moved from eighth to seventh in bareback riding.
• Scott Guenthner moved from eighth to seventh in steer wrestling.
• Taos Muncy moved from ninth to eighth in saddle bronc riding.
• Tony Reina moved from ninth to eighth in steer roping.
• Trevor Reiste moved from ninth to eighth in bull riding.
• Tanner Milan moved from 10th to ninth in steer wrestling.
• Jordan Spears moved from 10th to ninth in bull riding.
• Trey Benton III moved from 12th to 11th in bull riding.
• Guthrie Murray moved from 13th to 12th in bull riding.
Cowboys on the bubble for a spot in the Top 15 can find themselves just a few dollars short of making a Wrangler NFR qualification. The following cowboys climbed the standings to No. 16 this past week:
• Saddle bronc rider Allen Boore moved from 25th to 16th and is $12,163 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Steer wrestler Jason Thomas moved from 20th to 16th and is $191 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Team roping header Marcus Theriot moved from 20th to 16th and is $38 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Bull rider Boudreaux Campbell moved from 20th to 16th and is $1,496 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Bareback rider Steven Dent moved from 19th to 16th and is $558 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Steer roper J.P. Wickett moved from 19th to 16th and is $1,424 away from breaking into the Top 15.
With the Lea County Fair & PRCA Rodeo in Lovington, N.M., and the Omak (Wash.) Stampede on the horizon, the outcomes of these rodeos and others are sure to impact the world standings, and possibly give a glimpse at who will compete at the 2017 Wrangler NFR.
Check back with prorodeo.com next week to see who the new leaders are in the world standings.
Courtesy of PRCA