Seth Hall Starts Fast at RNCFR
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Seth Hall doesn’t rodeo a ton in the winter. He’s busy training horses in Queen Creek, Ariz.
But the Turquoise Circuit tie-down roper set the tone for the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in the first performance April 5, stopping the clock in 8.2 seconds.
And Hall did it early, as the first tie-down roper out for the April 5-8 rodeo in Kissimmee, Fla.
“To get our name on the board, to be first was really good,” said Hall, 27.
The Albuquerque, N.M., cowboy had been readying for his run for a while, and it showed.
“I’ve been running that calf for a month,” Hall said. “I’ve known I was first out when they called me back a month ago to enter this rodeo. We came prepared knowing we better back in there and grit our teeth and go for first.”
Hall made the trek to Kissimmee a four-day excursion, stopping along the way for rodeos in Lubbock, Texas, and Milton, Fla. His horse, Tank, handled the drive perfectly.
“Tank dealt with it pretty good,” said Hall, pointing out the drive was about 1,800 miles. “He’s a big, chunky guy. He’s been on a good metabolism the last six weeks, ready to get on the road. He felt good, and he worked well out here today.”
Hall entered the weekend 48th in the PRCA World Standings with $7,620. Like most cowboys, Hall is hoping to get to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas come December. Posting a time like he did Thursday, could help send him on his way.
“This is a big push,” Hall said. “If you do well here, you go all summer long a little bit harder. But regardless of this (result), I will be rodeoing this summer to get up there (in the Top 15) and stay.”
Memorable Day for O’Connell
Two-time PRCA World Champion Bareback Rider Tim O’Connell did not have a good winter, and he’s the first to tell you that’s the case.
But on Day 1 of the RNCFR, the 2018 season turned around for O’Connell, and a special person was on hand to witness it.
O’Connell’s son, Hazen, 32 days old, was in the stands for his first rodeo to see his dad post the top score of the day, an 86-point ride on Korkow Rodeo’s Harry’s Girl.
“This is his first rodeo ever,” said O’Connell, who entered the weekend in 13th place in the world standings. “That was pretty cool that I got in the mid 80s with my son watching. When he’s my age, I can tell him that story.”
Bird/Tryan back at It
Dustin Bird and Chase Tryan roped together in 2015.
They also qualified for the RNCFR as partners at the RAM Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals Rodeo in Great Falls earlier this season and looked like they hadn’t missed a beat when they reunited in Kissimmee.
The team ropers stopped the clock in 5.8 seconds, the fastest time of Thursday’s rodeo.
“It was actually pretty good because we know each other, we’ve known each other forever,” said Bird, team roping header. “We had a pretty good run when we roped in ’15, we just stepped right back into it.”
The duo knew they had a chance to get off on the right foot, said team roping heeler Tryan.
“We knew we had a pretty good steer,” Tryan said. “We just wanted to go make a good run and get the first one down.”
Other Results
The other top times and scores belonged to: steer wrestler Dakota Eldridge (5.1 seconds); saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell (87.5 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Moon Valley); barrel racer Shelly Anzick (15.45 seconds); and bull rider Chase Dougherty (81.5 points on Five Star Rodeo’s Rogue Leader).
The second performance of the RNCFR, which will conclude the first round, is set for 7:30 p.m. (ET) Friday. It will be livestreamed on www.WranglerNetwork.com.
Courtesy of PRCA