Eli Lord Top Earner in Denver Qualifier

by Jim Bainbridge | Dec 31, 2014

DENVER – Second-generation PRCA cowboy Eli Lord is developing some momentum for what he hopes will be a breakout season in 2015.

Lord, who turned 22 on New Year’s Eve day, was the all-around champion at the Dec. 27-28 National Western Rodeo Timed-Event Qualifier with earnings of $2,816 in steer wrestling and team roping.

Heading for fellow South Dakotan Jade Nelson, Lord finished second in the first round of the team roping and second in the average standings with a time of 12.6 seconds on two head while also finishing fifth in the second round of the bulldogging.

It allowed him to advance to the main event, the Jan. 16-25 National Western Rodeo in the Denver Coliseum, with his dad, 14-time Badlands Circuit champion J.B. Lord, and his younger Levi, who also worked their way into the field through the qualifying event.

J.B. Lord was the Badlands Circuit year-end all-around champion in 2014 and Eli was third, a little over $4,000 behind his dad.

Eli Lord bought his PRCA card in 2012 and has been the soul of consistency, finishing his first three pro seasons with earnings of $14,572, $14,704 and $14,887, with about $25,000 of that total coming as a bulldogger.

The leading qualifiers in the National Western Rodeo Qualifier were steer wrestler Tanner Brunner (9.6 seconds on two head), team ropers Matt Sherwood/Quinn Kesler (12.5 seconds on two head) and 2004 World Champion Tie-down Roper Monty Lewis (16.9 seconds on two head). Sherwood was the world champion header in 2006 and 2008.

Courtesy of PRCA