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Jake Watson

Jake Watson – Hudson’s Hope, British Columbia ($108,791)
2-time WNFR qualifier

Hudson’s Hope, British Columbia has been spelled with and without the apostrophe that makes it possessive. Technically, it should be included making the small-town (population less than 1,200) south of the Northern Territories the town possessed by Hudson.

What Hudson’s Hope can claim is the residency of two great bronc riders and one of them, Jake Watson, is headed to his second Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. His journey to get there was helped along by Gene Maynard, an eight-time International Professional Rodeo Association champion saddle bronc rider.

Jake is the youngest of six children. They all competed in rodeo and their parents hauled them many miles to go ride and rope. Jake’s dad was a team roper and they always had horses around. When his siblings had graduated from high school, the rodeo trail got a bit of a break.

Just before his teenage years, Jake started playing hockey and stayed on the ice until it wasn’t fun anymore. He was a junior in high school when he got back to the rodeo arena competing in all the timed events.

When he was senior, he started riding saddle bronc horses. That’s also when their neighbor, Gene, started giving him advice. That worked and shortly thereafter, in 2013, Jake was part of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association champion men’s team for Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Oklahoma. Jake had earned his share of points with a third-place finish at the College National Finals Rodeo. The next year he got his permit.

In 2016, he qualified for the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, won it and made the trip to Las Vegas to compete at his firt NFR. He finished the year in fifth place. The next two years found him outside the top 15 at 25th and 24th place.

This year has been his best regular season so far. He will start the NFR in 8th place with $108,791 in regular-season earnings. They came with wins at rodeos from Mississippi to Saskatchewan and every place in between. He also qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo.

Jake’s family has a business, W6 Contracting in Hudson’s Hope. Jake is carrying the W6 brand on with his own business raising AQHA performance horses. They will all put those business to the side during the NFR. Jake will be concentrating on riding each horse they draw for him to the best of his ability and hoping to bring a PRCA buckle back to British Columbia.

Presented by Pendleton Whisky

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