Looking at the Leaderboard
Rank rides and fast times are what every cowboy strives for, but only the highest scores and quickest runs make the leaderboard.
The best scores and times can vary from one year to the next, so here’s a comparison between the leaderboard of Feb. 8, 2019, and the leaderboard as it stood Feb. 10, 2018.
This week’s leaderboard features 11 additions – bareback riders Wyatt Denny, Jared Keylon, Richmond Champion and Tanner Aus, steer wrestlers Richard Coats and Stephen Culling, team ropers Clay Smith/Jake Long (twice), Caleb Smidt/Will Woodfin, Luke Brown/Paul Eaves, and tie-down roper Jake Pratt. The majority of these high scores and fast times occurred at the San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo, which runs Feb. 1-15 and boasts more than $350,000 in prize money.
Bareback rider Denny claimed the top spot of the leaderboard while also breaking the Rapid City, S.D., record with his 90.5-point ride on Fettig Pro Rodeo’s Classic Rock. The previous Rapid City record was 89 points, set by Tom McFarland in 2003.One year ago, the top bareback ride belonged to Tim O’Connell with 89.5 points on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Jason’s Pride in Denver.
J.J. Elshere made one of the highest-scored saddle bronc rides of all time this week when he scored 93.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Lunatic From Hell in Rapid City, S.D. One year ago, the highest saddle bronc riding score was 90 points, posted by Jesse Kruse on Powder River Rodeo’s Show Me Again in Billings, Mont.
Bull rider Cole Melancon made the highest score in bull riding for 2019 with his 91-point ride in Waco, Texas. At this point in 2018, 91 points was the highest bull riding score, held by Reid Barker on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Slim Kitty in Denver.
Steer wrestler Richard Coats made the fastest run of the season so far when he clocked in at 3.2 seconds in San Angelo. One year ago, Jacob Talley was at the top of the leaderboard with his 3.1-second run in Davie, Fla.
Team ropers Smith and Long made the leaderboard twice this week. First they clocked in at 3.6 seconds during Round 1 in San Angelo, then they returned with a 3.5-second run in Round 2 to claim the fastest time of the season so far. At this point a year ago, the fastest team roping time also was 3.5 seconds, posted by Jake Cooper and Cody Doescher in Tulsa, Okla.
Two tie-down ropers share the top spot with 6.8-second runs. Tanner Green made his in Waco, Texas, and Chance Oftedahl made his in Louisville, Ky. One year ago, Marty Yates held the fastest tie-down roping time of 6.8 seconds, which he made in Denver.
Trevor Brazile holds the top two times for steer roping this season. He clocked in at 9.2 seconds in Odessa, Texas, and 9.3 seconds in Hempstead, Texas. At this point in 2018, Brent Lewis held the fastest steer roping time with 8.8 seconds, made in Odessa, Texas.
Check back with prorodeo.com next week to see if anyone tops the current batch of best rides and runs of the season.
Courtesy of PRCA