Looking at the Leaderboard
By Tracy Renck
For the first time in ProRodeo history, winners at The American in Arlington, Texas, could add $50,000 of their prize money to their PRCA | RAM World Standings. With life-changing prize money on the table, the rodeo action came in like a lion for the month of March.
The best scores and times can vary from one year to the next, so here’s a comparison between the leaderboard of March 8, 2019, and the leaderboard as it stood March 10, 2018.
This week’s leaderboard features three additions. Bull rider Garrett Smith topped the bull riding leaderboard with his 93-point ride on Hurst Pro Rodeo’s Yellow Hair at RodeoHouston. Jake Pratt joined Tanner Green and Chance Oftedahl at the top of the tie-down roping leaderboard with his 6.8-second run in Arlington.
Meanwhile, saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright joined his brother, Ryder, in the No. 3 spot with his 91-point ride on Big Rafter Rodeo’s Damaged Goods in Houston.
Bareback riders Clayton Biglow and Caleb Bennett share the top of the leaderboard with their 93-point rides. Biglow made his ride on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Notch during the San Angelo (Texas) Cinch Chute-Out, while Bennett’s was on Northcott Macza’s Spilled Perfume at the San Angelo Rodeo. One year ago, the top bareback ride belonged to Devan Reilly with his 93-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Killer Bee in Tucson, Ariz.
J.J. Elshere made one of the highest-scored saddle bronc rides of all time 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.
Smith’s 93-point ride also tops the highest bull riding score at this point last year. On March 10, 2018, Trey Benton III held the highest bull riding score with his 92-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Lumberjack in San Antonio.
Aaron Vosler made the fastest run of the steer wrestling season when he clocked in at 3.0 seconds in San Antonio. One year ago, Ty Erickson was at the top of the leaderboard with his 2.7-second run in Okeechobee, Fla.
Team ropers Clay Smith and Jake Long hold two positions on the leaderboard, one of which is the fastest – a 3.5-second run during Round 2 in San Angelo. They also made a 3.6-second run in Round 1, which was tied by Caleb Smidt and Will Woodfin, and Luke Brown and Paul Eaves. 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.
As three tie-down ropers share the top spot with 6.8-second runs, their time matches the top time at this point in 2018. 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