Standings Shuffle: 50 Move Up in Top 15
Despite having a successful debut at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December, team roping header Nelson Wyatt hadn’t caught anything at the first five rodeos he and Levi Lord competed at this season.
That all changed at the best possible place — the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.
The duo officially ended their dry spell with four successful runs that launched them from zero to 10th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings for heading and heeling.
During Bracket 5, Wyatt/Lord won the first round and placed third in the second round to qualify for the semifinals with $2,300.
At the semifinals, they tied for second with a 5.0-second run to advance to the final round where they were the first team out and posted a 3.7-second run to tie for third.
Nelson Wyatt and Levi Lord San Antonio Finals from PRCA ProRodeo on Vimeo.
“It just didn’t seem like I could catch,” said Wyatt, 27. “But then in San Antonio he (Lord) was ready for the ones I turned.”
Wyatt and Lord picked up $8,375 each at San Antonio.
“There’s only a few really good winter rodeos that pay a lot and San Antonio is one of those,” Wyatt said. “We had zero dollars won before then and did good and now we have more than $8,300 and that took us from out of the top 50 and into the top 10. It’s a rodeo a guy needs to do good at.”
Wyatt was on a new horse he calls Colt, named after the friend he bought him from, Colt Fisher. So far, Wyatt has only competed on the 12-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding at the recent ProRodeo competitions in Rapid City, S.D., and Jackson, Miss., and San Antonio.
“I wasn’t surprised, I thought he would be good there,” Wyatt said.
Lord stuck with his little bay American Quarter Horse gelding called Little Bay, the same 24-year-old horse he rode during the 2020 NFR.
“He hasn’t slowed down, so I’ll ride him again this year,” said Lord, 25. “He’s pretty special and as tough as they come. He doesn’t require much to maintain him.”
With their first NFR in the rearview mirror, the duo is seeking a return with gold buckles on their minds. Wyatt and Lord finished fourth in their respective 2020 world standings.
“Last year felt like we were just trying to make the NFR since we hadn’t been there before but when you come that close to winning it, it gives you extra motivation since we know we have the ability to win it,” Lord said. “Some things didn’t go our way, but we came close and we’re working hard to get back there and have that chance again.”
Now Wyatt and Lord are heading to Arlington, Texas, for The American where a life-changing amount of money could be won, but only $50,000 counts toward the 2021 PRCA | RAM World Standings.
Fans can catch all the action on The Cowboy Channel and PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. (See broadcast schedule)
With more major rodeos on the horizon, big jumps such as Wyatt’s and Lord’s are sure to happen again. The 50 cowboys who advanced within the Top 15 of their respective events Feb. 22-28 are listed below.
Outside the Top 50
• Clayton Biglow is fourth in bareback riding.
• Stockton Graves is fourth in steer wrestling.
• Adam Gray is fifth in tie-down roping.
• Nelson Wyatt is 10th in team roping heading.
• Levi Lord is 10th in team roping heeling.
43 Spots
• Jade Corkill moved from 45th to second in team roping heeling.
35 Spots
• Clay O’Brien Smith moved from 38th to third in team roping heading.
• Kolby Wanchuk moved from 39th to fourth in saddle bronc riding.
31 Spots
• Ty Erickson moved from 34th to third in steer wrestling.
• Logan Patterson moved form 38th to seventh in bareback riding.
29 Spots
• Tim O’Connell moved from 40th to 11th in bareback riding.
27 Spots
• Dakota Eldridge moved from 36th to ninth in steer wrestling.
20 Spots
• Kincade Henry moved from 31st to 11th in tie-down roping.
17 Spots
• Jacob Talley moved from 27th to 10th in steer wrestling.
15 Spots
• Rusty Wright moved from 26th to 11th in saddle bronc riding.
• Trenten Montero moved from 27th to 12th in bareback riding.
12 Spots
• Jake Watson moved from 21st to ninth in saddle bronc riding.
• Brady Portenier moved from 27th to 15th in bull riding.
11 Spots
• Aaron Tsinigine moved from 17th to sixth in team roping heading.
• Matthew Palmer moved from 25th to 14th in bull riding.
10 Spots
• Kyle Lucas moved from 11th to first in tie-down roping.
• Brady Minor moved from 23rd to 13th in team roping heeling.
Nine Spots
• Cory Solomon moved from 24th to 15th in tie-down roping.
Eight Spots
• Shane O’Connell moved from ninth to first in bareback riding.
• Riley Minor moved from 23rd to 15th in team roping heading.
Seven Spots
• Logan Medlin moved from 21st to 14th in team roping heeling.
Six Spots
• Stetson Wright moved from seventh to first in bull riding.
• Ruger Piva moved from ninth to third in bull riding.
• Creek Young moved from 12th to sixth in bull riding.
• Jamie Howlett moved from 20th to 14th in bareback riding.
Five Spots
• Brye Crites moved from ninth to fourth in team roping heeling.
• Coleman Proctor moved from 18th to 13th in team roping heading.
Four Spots
• Marty Yates moved from 10th to sixth in tie-down roping.
• Jake Minor moved from 15th to 11th in team roping heeling.
• Nathan Hatchel moved from 16th to 12th in bull riding.
Three Spots
• Garrett Rogers moved from 14th to 11th in team roping heading.
Two Spots
• Chase Brooks moved from third to first in saddle bronc riding.
• Garrett Shadbolt moved from fourth to second in bareback riding.
• Hayes Smith moved from fourth to second in team roping heading.
• Cole Reiner moved from seventh to fifth in bareback riding.
• Ryder Wright moved from seventh to fifth in saddle bronc riding.
• Gary Gilbert moved from eighth to sixth in steer wrestling.
• Trey Benton III moved from 10th to eighth in bull riding.
• Clayton Sellars moved from 11th to ninth in bull riding.
• Jacob Kammerer moved from 12th to 10th in saddle bronc riding.
• Riley Pruitt moved from 16th to 14th in tie-down roping.
One Spot
• Tyler Waguespack moved from third to second in steer wrestling.
• Paden Bray moved from sixth to fifth in team roping heeling.
• Cooper Martin moved from eighth to seventh in tie-down roping.
• Jesse Pope moved from 10th to ninth in bareback 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 end of the 2021 season is still a ways off, but it’s still noteworthy to see who is on the cusp of breaking into the Top 15.
• Saddle bronc rider Mitch Pollock moved from 25th and is $79 away from breaking into the Top 15.
• Team roping heeler Kyle Locket moved from outside the top 50 and is $80 away from breaking into the Top 15.
Check back with prorodeo.com next week to see who the new leaders are in the world standings.
Courtesy of PRCA