PRCA Standings Shuffle: 19 Move Up in Top 15
By Matt Naber
The countdown to Cowboy Christmas has begun as the hottest time of the ProRodeo season gains steam.
With 19 PRCA competitions across North America worth $946,509 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 17-23, 19 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 picks up pace.
Nobody knows this better than steer wrestler Blake Knowles. The Oregon cowboy jumped seven spots from 21st to 14th thanks to winning $4,967 June 17-23. Knowles picked up $3,502 at the Wainwright (Alberta) Stampede by placing second in the average and earned $1,465 for placing fourth at Guy Weadick Days in High River, Alberta, with a 4.9-second run.
Knowles, 36, is a four-time qualifier for the Wrangler NFR (2009, 2011, 2015 and 2018) and could surpass $1 million in career earnings this season. As of June 25, he had won about $890,000 since joining the PRCA in 2002.
Cowboys will have 21 PRCA competitions to choose from through June 30, including ProRodeo Tour stops at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo, West of the Pecos (Texas) Rodeo and Rodeo of the Ozarks in Springdale, Ark. The Greeley (Colo.) Stampede kicks off this week as well, but Tour points and prize money won’t be known until the rodeo concludes July 3.
With some of the biggest checks on the line in the coming weeks, big jumps are sure to happen again.
The following cowboys also moved up within the Top 15 last week.
Four Spots
• Dawson Hay moved from 18th to 14th in saddle bronc riding.
• Ty Harris moved from 18th to 14th in tie-down roping.
Three Spots
• Tanner Milan moved from 15th to 12th in steer wrestling.
Two Spots
• Taylor Santos moved from 10th to eighth in tie-down roping.
• Tanner Aus moved from 17th to 15th in bareback riding.
• Dustin Egusquiza moved from 17th to 15th in team roping heading.
• Timber Moore moved from 17th to 15th in tie-down roping.
One Spot
• Richmond Champion moved from fourth to third in bareback riding.
• Jake Long moved from fourth to third in team roping heeling.
• Stetson Wright moved from fifth to fourth in bull riding.
• Trey Benton III moved from seventh to sixth in bull riding.
• Riley Duvall moved from eighth to seventh in steer wrestling.
• Garrett Smith moved from ninth to eighth in bull riding.
• Taylor Broussard moved from 11th to 10th in bareback riding.
• Clint Laye moved from 13th to 12th in bareback riding.
• Wade Sundell moved from 13th to 12th in saddle bronc riding.
• Josh Frost moved from 13th to 12th in bull riding.
• Trevor Reiste moved from 14th to 13th in bull riding.
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 heeler Chase Tryan moved from 17th and is $1,793 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Saddle bronc rider Mitch Pollock moved from 17th and is $721 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