Blake Mindemann
Blake Mindemann – Blanchard, Okla. ($78,092)
First-time WNFR qualifier
Blake Mindemann is one of three steer wrestlers who will be making their Wrangler National Finals Rodeo debut in December. At age 33, Blake is the oldest of the three NFR rookies, but he’s been competing in rodeos since he was seven years old.
His dad Greg, brother Clay and uncle Steve were all PRCA steer wrestlers and Blake followed their footsteps. Blake joined the PRCA in 2004 but mainly competed in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas for much of the next decade.
In 2017 he had the most successful pro rodeo season of his career, finishing 40th in the world standings. This year he was in the Top 20 by late April, fueled by winnings of more than $12,000 at his first RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo. He was still barely in the Top 20 by July 9th, but by July 30th Blake jumped to fourth in the standings. He won nearly $5,000 at Sheridan, Wyoming, and added nearly $9,000 more at his favorite rodeo – Cheyenne Frontier Days.
After winning $3,400 at NFR veteran Sean Mulligan’s Nothin’ But Try Steer Wrestling Jackpot in May, Blake said he and his family planned to travel hard to rodeos during the summer to try to qualify for his first NFR. By the time their sons, Tyler, Tucker and Brodie, needed to return to Oklahoma to start the school year in August, Blake and his wife Cynthia felt like he had secured a berth at the NFR.
Even though Blake stayed closer to home after the boys returned to school, he cemented his 12th place standing by winning his hometown rodeo in Apache, Oklahoma, on the final weekend of the season. Blake was born in Apache and graduated from Apache High School in a class of 40 students. Winning there was a fitting way to end his regular season and seal his spot in Las Vegas.
