PRCA Standings Shuffle: 22 Move Up in Top 15
ProRodeo athletes had a dozen opportunities between July 13-20 to compete for a collective $396,705, which helped 22 cowboys move up within the Top 15 of their respective events in the PRCA | RAM World Standings.
Cowboys know it’s easier to maintain a position at the top than it is to play catch-up when trying to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Every dollar counts, and making the Top 15 in the world standings during the summer run establishes a solid base and builds a cowboy’s confidence.
The biggest shakeup of the week came courtesy the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping, which was postponed in late April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly three months later than usual, the top steer ropers in the circuit system convened in Torrington, Wyo., July 19-20, and two of those cowboys launched six spots within the Top 15. Scott Snedecor jumped from eighth to second, while Tuf Cooper went from 14th to eighth.
Snedecor set three records at the NCFSR, and the horse he was riding, Possum, was awarded Top Horse of the 2020 NCFSR. Snedecor won a record-setting $10,095 at the national circuit finals, breaking Trent Mills’ 2011 record by $2. During the six preliminary rounds, Snedecor registered a record-setting 67.6 seconds on six head. He also set the seven-head record with a time of 79.1 seconds.
Snedecor and Cooper are forces to be reckoned with in the arena.
Snedecor is a four-time steer roping world champion (2005, 2008, 2017-18) with 18 qualifications to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping.
While Cooper is still establishing himself in steer roping, he has made a substantial impact in tie-down roping with three world titles (2011-12, 2014) and a fourth world title for all-around (2017) thanks in part to branching out into steer roping. The Texas cowboy competed at the NFR in 2008-15 and 2017-19 and made the NFSR in 2017-19.
With successful trips to the NFSR in their back pockets, Snedecor and Cooper are likely to qualify for the 2020 NFSR when the season concludes Sept. 30.
Other cowboys to improve their position within the Top 15 last week include the following:
Four Spots
• Jeff Askey moved from 12th to eighth in bull riding.
Three Spots
• Ty Harris moved from ninth to sixth in tie-down roping.
• Ruger Piva moved from 16th to 13th in bull riding.
Two Spots
• Trevor Brazile moved from third to first in steer roping.
• Vin Fisher Jr. moved from ninth to seventh in steer roping.
• Riley Pruitt moved from 14th to 12th in tie-down roping.
• Jesse Pope moved from 15th to 13th in bareback riding.
• Buddy Hawkins II moved from 15th to 13th in team roping heeling.
• Chase Brooks moved from 17th to 15th in saddle bronc riding.
One Spot
• Boudreaux Campbell moved from third to second in bull riding.
• Brady Portenier moved from sixth to fifth in bull riding.
• Mason Clements moved from seventh to sixth in bareback riding.
• Clay Tryan moved from seventh to sixth in team roping heading.
• Paden Bray moved from ninth to eighth in team roping heeling.
• Sterling Crawley moved from ninth to eighth in saddle bronc riding.
• Stetson Jorgensen moved from 14th to 13th in steer wrestling.
• Spencer Wright moved from 14th to 13th in saddle bronc riding.
• Dirk Tavenner moved from 15th to 14th in steer wrestling.
• Andrew Ward moved from 16th to 15th in team roping heading.
• Caleb Smidt moved from 16th to 15th in tie-down roping.
Cowboys on the bubble for a spot in the Top 15 can find themselves a few dollars short of qualifying for the NFR. There are plenty of opportunities to win big between now and the end of the 2020 season, so it’s noteworthy to see who is on the cusp of breaking into the Top 15.
• Kody Lamb moved from 17th in bareback riding and is $1,001 away from breaking into the Top 15.
More changes in the world standings are likely in the coming week, particularly for those competing at the Deadwood (S.D.) Days of ’76 Rodeo, Spanish Fork (Utah) Fiesta Days Rodeo and Nebraska’s Big Rodeo in Burwell.
Fans can get their ProRodeo fix from home by tuning in to The Cowboy Channel or the PRCA on the Cowboy Channel Plus App. Spanish Fork will be on the app July 21-24 at 9:30 p.m. (ET), Burwell on July 22-25 at 8:30 p.m., and Deadwood July 23-25 at 9 p.m. with a matinee showing at 3:30 p.m., July 25. On traditional TV, The Cowboy Channel will have Spanish Fork at 9:30 p.m., July 21-24.
The outcomes of these rodeos, and the rest, are sure to make an impact on the world standings and possibly on who will qualify for the 2020 Wrangler NFR and 2020 NFSR. Check back with ProRodeo.com next week to see who moved up within the Top 15 of the world standings.
Courtesy of PRCA