Shaffer Sets Arena Record in Glen Rose

GLEN ROSE, Texas – Steer wrestler Justin Shaffer’s career is still young, but he already has his name in the record books at one of his home state’s rodeos.

The 20-year-old bulldogger from Hallsville, Texas, posted a time of 3.3 seconds to win the Glen Rose PRCA Rodeo, which also set the arena record.

“I wasn’t thinking about an arena record when I got there, but it sure feels good to draw a good steer and put up a time like that,” Shaffer said.

It’s the seventh win of Shaffer’s three-year career, and the fifth of those seven wins in which he’s had a time of less than four seconds.

The 3.3 in Glen Rose equals Shaffer’s career best when he won the Gladewater (Texas) Rodeo in 2014. He was second in the 2013 PRCA Resistol Steer Wrestling Rookie of the Year race to Jason Thomas, finishing 58th in the world.

Shaffer, who trains horses when he’s not rodeoing, plans to get back on the rodeo road more in 2015 after only earning $8,319 last season.

“I didn’t go much in the winter last season, and mostly only did a summer run,” he said. “I didn’t have a good year, and we had to put my main horse to sleep. This year, I feel like I’m more ready to go out and win after being exposed to the rodeo road the last two years.”

Considering Shaffer had to drive through a Texas ice storm to reach Glen Rose, the win was definitely sweeter.

“It was pretty nasty on the way up there, but it was worth it,” he said. “You always hope for at least a check if you have to drive through that kind of stuff.”

• Bareback rider Taylor Price won in Glen Rose with an 84-point ride on Andrews Rodeo’s Phantom, and then placed second at the Matagorda County Fair & Rodeo in Bay City, Texas, with a 77-point ride. The 22-year-old from Huntsville, Texas, also won the Los Fresnos (Texas) PRCA Rodeo on Feb. 8. He moved from 45th to 34th in the March 9 Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings.
• Stephenville, Texas, tie-down roper E.J. Roberts has found a rare level of consistency at the arena in Glen Rose. Roberts won the rodeo there in 2012 and 2014 when he posted times of 8.8 seconds both times. This year, Roberts was – you guessed it – 8.8 seconds. However, Cimarron Boardman was better, winning the rodeo with a time of 8.5 seconds.
• Three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo bull rider Tate Stratton picked up his first outright victory in eight months over the weekend when he rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Junior Bonner for 85 points in Bay City. On his Facebook page, Stratton said he was, “Blessed with the pick of the draw and did my part for 85 points and the win!” Stratton, who went to the WNFR in 2009 and 2011-12, last won a rodeo outright at the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, S.D.) in July 2014. The 30-year-old from Kellyville, Okla., finished 48th in the world last season.

Courtesy of PRCA