Sechrist Gains Confidence at RPCFR
by Justin Shaw
DUNCAN, Okla. – It’s all about confidence for 24-year-old Bryson Sechrist, the top tie-down roper at the Oct. 20-22 RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo.
“Last year, I won my hometown rodeo (Apache, Okla.) and that was the first circuit rodeo for us. Then, I won Tulsa (Okla.) and that put huge confidence in me and I knew if I chugged along I would make it to the circuit finals,” Sechrist said.
Sechrist narrowly missed his chance to compete at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER, finishing 18th in the 2016 WEATHER GUARD® PRCA World Standings.
Sechrist earned a total of $5,795 in Duncan, and has collected more than $8,000 toward the 2017 season and his shot at the next WNFR.
This early jumpstart for the 2017 world standings has Sechrist ahead of where he was for season earnings before his lucrative Fourth of July weekend this summer, when the ball started rolling for him. At the end of June, he had only won about $5,000.
Now, he’s earned more than $8,000 toward the 2017 season and his shot at the next WNFR.
“This is getting me more pumped up and confident,” Sechrist said. “This last month was a struggle. I was stressing out, but my friends said I didn’t really start until the Fourth of July – it was hard on me when I realized I can rope good enough and my horse is good enough, too. It was hard not making the NFR since it’s all I’ve ever dreamed about. But, that gave me confidence in myself, knowing I can do it next time. I’m already ahead of where I was going into July, so I’m feeling good.”
This will be Sechrist’s second time at the RNCFR. His first time was in Oklahoma City in 2012 – near his home in Apache, Okla. – when he ranked 49th in the world with $25,659.
“Every circuit finals are usually NFR guys, and if you make it to the RAM Finals, the competition is tough,” Sechrist said.
Sechrist made the fastest catch of the RPCFR in the first round when he was 7.7 seconds.
“I didn’t plan on it – I just threw my hands down, looked up and thought they’d missed my time,” Sechrist said. “I didn’t know I was that fast. My horse, Spiderman, set it up good and we had a good run and that set it up for the next two runs.”
Although he started out hot, the second round had a bit of a cool down, as Sechrist found himself just one hole out of placing with run of 9.0. He returned for the third round to place second with 8.3 – fast enough to win the average by 2.4 seconds with 25.0 seconds on three head.
“I was pretty pumped; the last time I won was in 2012, and the last few years I was struggling and wasn’t able to catch three of them,” Sechrist said. “I’ve always wanted to go to Florida, everyone says it’s pretty cool to go hang out there, and I hope to win some more. Since they changed the rule on money counting for the standings, I’m feeling better going to the winter rodeos now.”
Other winners at the $179,197 rodeo were all-around cowboy Cody Doescher ($3,789 in steer wrestling and team roping), bareback riders Justin Pollmiller and Caine Riddle (234.5 points on three head each), steer wrestler Riley Duvall (13.5 seconds on three head), team ropers Coleman Proctor/Billie Jack Saebens (16.5 seconds on three head), saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden (236 points on three head), barrel racer Tracy Nowlin (48.36 seconds on three head), steer roper Rocky Patterson (37.2 seconds on three head) and bull rider Colten Jesse (247.5 points on three head).
For more coverage of the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, check out the Nov. 4 issue of ProRodeo Sports News.
Courtesy of PRCA