Standings Shuffle: 66 Move Up in Top 15
By Matt Naber
Big money meant big moves as more cowboys moved up within the Top 15 of their events than not. The first $2 million week of the 2019 season saw 66 cowboys move up within the Top 15 from Feb. 18-24, largely thanks to the $1,446,449 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.
The ProRodeo events that saw significant changes were:
• Bareback riding: 10 out of 15
• Team roping heeling: 10 out of 15
• Saddle bronc riding: 10 out of 15
• Bull riding: 9 out of 15
• Steer wrestling: 8 out of 15
• Team roping heading: 7 out of 15
• Tie-down roping: 7 out of 15
Cowboys 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. Every dollar counts, and making the Top 15 in the PRCA | RAM World Standings early establishes a solid base and builds a cowboy’s confidence as the season picks up pace.
Nobody knows that better than team roping heeler Billie Jack Saebens. The Missouri cowboy launched 146 spots in the world standings, from 160th to 14th, thanks to winning $11,000 at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. He’s no stranger to success in San Antonio, as he won the San Antonio rodeo in 2018.
Saebens is a two-time qualifier for the Wrangler NFR (2016-17). He finished the 2018 season 28th in the world standings with $51,678 and has won $14,910 for the 2019 season.
More major changes such as Saebens’ are likely to occur this week at The American in Arlington, Texas, which runs March 2-3.
123 Spots
• J.W. Harris moved from 130th to seventh in bull riding.
93 Spots
• Wade Sundell moved from 103rd to 10th in saddle bronc riding.
89 Spots
• Orin Larsen moved from 93rd to fourth in bareback riding.
87 Spots
• Josh Frost moved from 96th to ninth in bull riding.
73 Spots
• Ruger Piva moved from 85th to 12th in bull riding.
55 Spots
• Brady Minor moved from 60th to fifth in team roping heeling.
53 Spots
• Riley Minor moved from 59th to sixth in team roping heading.
49 Spots
• Trey Benton III moved from 52nd to third in bull riding.
47 Spots
• Joseph McConnel moved from 60th to 13th in bull riding.
43 Spots
• Derrick Begay moved from 50th to seventh in team roping heading.
42 Spots
• Cory Petska moved from 48th to sixth in team roping heeling.
31 Spots
• Ross Ashford moved from 33rd to second in team roping heeling.
30 Spots
• Tanner Milan moved from 38th to eighth in steer wrestling.
27 Spots
• Timber Moore moved from 35th to eighth in tie-down roping.
24 Spots
• Taylor Santos moved from 36th to 12th in tie-down roping.
22 Spots
• Tilden Hooper moved from 29th to seventh in bareback riding.
• Roscoe Jarboe moved from 30th to eighth in bull riding.
21 Spots
• Chason Floyd moved from 23rd to second in steer wrestling.
20 Spots
• Stetson Wright moved from 25th to fifth in bull riding.
19 Spots
• Junior Nogueira moved from 26th to seventh in team roping heeling.
• Kaleb Driggers moved from 27th to eighth in team roping heading.
18 Spots
• Kaycee Feild moved from 28th to 10th in bareback riding.
16 Spots
• Tate Kirchenschlager moved from 17th to first in team roping heading.
14 Spots
• Haven Meged moved from 19th to fifth in tie-down roping.
12 Spots
• Dawson Hay moved from 24th to 12th in saddle bronc riding.
• Cody Devers moved from 26th to 14th in steer wrestling.
11 Spots
• Tyler Wade moved from 15th to fourth in team roping heading.
• Jake Wright moved from 26th to 15th in saddle bronc riding.
10 Spots
• Travis Graves moved from 20th to 10th in team roping heeling.
Nine Spots
• Luke Brown moved from 12th to third in team roping heading.
Eight Spots
• Steven Peebles moved from 22nd to 14th in bareback riding.
Seven Spots
• Clay Tryan moved from 18th to 11th in team roping heading.
Six Spots
• Richmond Champion moved from eighth to second in bareback riding.
• Ryder Wright moved from 10th to fourth in saddle bronc riding.
• Tyler Bingham moved from 12th to sixth in bull riding.
Five Spots
• Justin Shaffer moved from ninth to fourth in steer wrestling.
• Jake Watson moved from 16th to 11th in saddle bronc riding.
Four Spots
• Kory Koontz moved from 13th to ninth in team roping heeling.
• Jake Pratt moved from 13th to ninth in tie-down roping.
• Tanner Aus moved from 16th to 12th in bareback riding.
• Cole Davison moved from 16th to 12th in team roping heeling.
Three Spots
• Zeke Thurston moved from fifth to second in saddle bronc riding.
• Hunter Cure moved from 18th to 15th in steer wrestling.
Two Spots
• Tyler Waguespack moved from third to first in steer wrestling.
• Bradley Harter moved from third to first in saddle bronc riding.
• Shane Hanchey moved from fourth to second in tie-down roping.
• Steven Dent moved from seventh to fifth in bareback riding.
• Scott Guenthner moved from seventh to fifth in steer wrestling.
• Winn Ratliff moved from 15th to 13th in bareback riding.
• Tyler Milligan moved from 16th to 14th in tie-down roping.
One Spot
• Ty Breuer moved from second to first in bareback riding.
• Paul Eaves moved from second to first in team roping heeling.
• Clayton Sellars moved from second to first in bull riding.
• Spencer Wright moved from seventh to sixth in saddle bronc riding.
• Adam Gray moved from seventh to sixth in tie-down roping.
• Jacob Talley moved from 10th to ninth in steer wrestling.
• Jamie Howlett moved from 12th to 11th in bareback riding.
• Jake Finlay moved from 14th to 13th in saddle bronc riding.
Cowboys on the bubble for a spot in the Top 15 can find themselves a few dollars short of qualifying for the Wrangler NFR. The end of the 2019 season is so far away that the bubble doesn’t matter yet, but it’s still noteworthy to see who is on the cusp of breaking into the Top 15. The following cowboys climbed the standings to No. 16.
• Bareback rider Connor Hamilton moved from 83rd and is $72 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Team roping header Matt Sherwood moved from 93rd and is $116 away from breaking into the Top 15.
With RodeoHouston underway and The American on the horizon, these rodeos and others are sure to have a big impact on the world standings.
Check back with prorodeo.com next week to see who the new leaders are in the world standings.
Courtesy of PRCA