Standings Shuffle: 48 Cowboys Move Up
The winter season may be cold, but ProRodeo’s competition was hot, as the first week of February saw 48 cowboys move up within the Top 15 as they competed for nearly $1 million in prizemoney from Jan. 29 through Feb. 5.
Since the season began Oct. 1, 2017, more than 60 rodeos have been held, but all it takes is one big win for a cowboy to jump from the bottom of the world standings into the Top 15.
Veteran and rookie 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 early establishes a solid base and builds a cowboy’s confidence as the season picks up pace.
In the last week, seven cowboys moved from outside the Top 50 and into the Top 15. Among the group was tie-down roper Clif Cooper, who won $12,222 at the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show in Fort Worth, Texas. Placing second in the average propelled the Texas cowboy from tied for last in the world standings with other cowboys who had yet to win any money to 10th.
The following cowboys saw their position in the world standings improve between Jan. 29 through Feb. 5.
PREVIOUSLY OUT OF THE TOP 50
• Tanner Brunner is fifth in steer wrestling.
• Jason Duby is fifth in team roping heeling.
• Walt Woodard is seventh in team roping heeling.
• Clif Cooper is 10th in tie-down roping.
• Mason Clements is 11th in bareback riding.
• Elliot Jacoby is 11th in bull riding.
• Scott Kormos is 12th in tie-down roping.
40 SPOTS
• Marty Yates moved from 49th to ninth in tie-down roping.
37 SPOTS
• Matt Sherwood moved from 43rd to sixth in team roping heading.
34 SPOTS
• Wesley Thorp moved from 40th to sixth in team roping heeling.
29 SPOTS
• Colt Gordon moved from 35th to sixth in saddle bronc riding.
25 SPOTS
• Tyler Bingham moved from 34th to ninth in bull riding.
23 SPOTS
• Kory Koontz moved from 34th to 11th in team roping heeling.
22 SPOTS
• Dustin Egusquiza moved from 32nd to 10th in team roping heading.
• Steven Duby moved from 36th to 14th in team roping heading.
18 SPOTS
• Cameron Morman moved from 24th to sixth in steer wrestling.
17 SPOTS
• Spencer Mitchell moved from 24th to seventh.
16 SPOTS
• Jake Cooper moved from 20th to fourth in team roping heading.
15 SPOTS
• JR Vezain moved from 19th to fourth in bareback riding.
13 SPOTS
• Jesse Wright moved from 23rd to 10th in saddle bronc riding.
11 SPOTS
• Matt Reeves moved from 20th to ninth in steer wrestling.
• Heith DeMoss moved from 26th to 15th in saddle bronc riding.
10 SPOTS
• Cody Snow moved from 13th to third in team roping heading.
• Will Woodfin moved from 22nd to 12th in team roping heeling.
7 SPOTS
• Chase Dougherty moved from 11th to fourth in bull riding.
• Ty Breuer moved from 16th to ninth in bareback riding.
• Tyler Milligan moved from 21st to 14th in tie-down roping.
6 SPOTS
• Jessy Davis moved from 20th to 14th in bareback riding.
5 SPOTS
• Blane Cox moved from eighth to third in tie-down roping.
• Olin Hannum moved from 16th to 11th in steer wrestling.
4 SPOTS
• Chason Floyd moved from 12th to eighth in steer wrestling.
• Cory Solomon moved from 12th to eighth in tie-down roping.
• Hardy Braden moved from 15th to 11th in saddle bronc riding.
• Jeremy Elshere moved from 17th to 13th in saddle bronc riding.
3 SPOTS
• Tyler Pearson moved from fourth to first in steer wrestling.
• Shane Hanchey moved from fifth to second in tie-down roping.
• Cody Quaney moved from 14th to 11th in tie-down roping.
2 SPOTS
• Trevor Kastner moved from third to first in bull riding.
• Jake Orman moved from 10th to eighth in team roping heading.
• Taos Muncy moved from 11th to ninth in saddle bronc riding.
• Parker Breding moved from 14th to 12th in bull riding.
1 SPOT
• Luke Brown moved from third to second in team roping heading.
• Logan Medlin moved from third to second in team roping heeling.
• Jake Long moved from fourth to third in team roping heeling.
• Sterling Crawley moved from fourth to third in saddle bronc riding.
• Jake Pratt moved from sixth to fifth in tie-down roping.
• Tim O’Connell moved from eighth to seven in bareback riding.
• Roscoe Jarboe moved from eighth to seventh in bull riding.
With the San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo underway and the Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson, Miss., and the San Antonio (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo on the horizon, the outcomes of those rodeos and others are sure to impact the world standings.
Courtesy of PRCA