PRCA Standings Shuffle: 23 Move Up in Top 15
By Matt Naber
Whoever said money can’t buy happiness has obviously never qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo because money makes the world of ProRodeo go ’round.
With 24 PRCA competitions across North America worth $954,326 last week, it took quite a bit of prize money to keep pace and even more to gain ground within the 2019 PRCA | RAM World Standings. From June 10-16, 23 ProRodeo athletes won enough to climb the ranks within the Top 15 of their respective events.
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 PRCA | RAM World Standings early establishes a solid base and builds a cowboy’s confidence as the summer run approaches.
Nobody knows this better than tie-down roper Adam Gray who jumped six places in the world standings, going from 21st to 15th. The Texas cowboy picked up checks at three Lone Star State rodeos last week: $1,191 at the Coleman (Texas) PRCA Rodeo, $691 at the Mesquite (Texas) Championship Rodeo, June 15, and $573 at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse in Cleburne, Texas.
The 35-year-old cowboy is on the cusp of reaching the $1 million milestone in career earnings since joining the PRCA in 2008. As of June 17, he was $25,333 shy of joining the ranks of the select few who have achieved the feat in ProRodeo.
Gray is a four-time qualifier for the Wrangler NFR (2009, 2011-12, 2014) and has come close to making his fifth qualification three times since his last appearance in Las Vegas, placing 17th in the world standings in 2015-16 and 2018.
Cowboys will have 21 PRCA competitions to choose from through June 23, including the Wainwright (Alberta) Stampede and Rodeo de Santa Fe (N.M.). The Reno (Nev.) Rodeo also kicks off this week for the 100th time, but the cowboys won’t see the fruits of their success there until the rodeo’s conclusion June 29. With plenty of prize money on the table, big jumps are sure to happen again.
The following cowboys also moved up within the Top 15 last week.
Three Spots
• Stetson Jorgensen moved from 15th to 12th in steer wrestling.
• Clint Laye moved from 16th to 13th in bareback riding.
Two Spots
• Caleb Anderson moved from ninth to seventh in team roping heeling.
• Jake Brown moved from 12th to 10th in bareback riding.
• Trey Yates moved from 16th to 14th in team roping heeling.
• Tyler Milligan moved from 16th to 14th in tie-down roping.
• Rocky Patterson moved from 16th to 14th in steer roping.
• Kolby Wanchuk moved from 17th to 15th in saddle bronc riding.
• Cole Melancon moved from 17th to 15th in bull riding.
One Spot
• Caleb Smidt moved from third to second in tie-down roping.
• Tuf Cooper moved from sixth to fifth in tie-down roping.
• Chet Herren moved from sixth to fifth in steer roping.
• Tyler Bingham moved from seventh to sixth in bull riding.
• J. Tom Fisher moved from ninth to eighth in steer roping.
• Boudreaux Campbell moved from ninth to eighth in bull riding.
• Tyler Pearson moved from 10th to ninth in steer wrestling.
• Rhen Richard moved from 10th to ninth in tie-down roping.
• Lon Danley moved from 13th to 12th in bull riding.
• Wade Sundell moved from 14th to 13th in saddle bronc riding.
• Shay Good moved from 14th to 13th in steer roping.
• Tanner Milan moved from 16th to 15th in steer wrestling.
• Steven Duby moved from 16th to 15th in team roping heading.
Cowboys on the bubble for a spot in the Top 15 can find themselves a few dollars short of qualifying for the Wrangler NFR. The following cowboys climbed the standings to No. 16.
• Team roping header Spencer Mitchell moved from 17th and is $1,494 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Team roping heeler Kory Koontz moved from 17th and is $1,874 away from breaking into the Top 15.
Check back with ProRodeo.com next week to see who the leaders are in the PRCA | RAM World Standings.
Courtesy of PRCA