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Bareback Rider Garrett Shadbolt Sets Pace at NFR Open Powered by RAM

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Bareback rider Garrett Shadbolt has high hopes for the inaugural NFR Open powered by RAM.

The Merriman, Neb., cowboy stayed on track to reach his NFR Open goals by taking the lead in the first round with an 86.5-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Black Kat Wednesday night before a near sellout crowd of well over 5,000 spectators at the Norris Penrose Event Center.

“I’m feeling pretty good about that score,” said Shadbolt, 26, who is riding for the Prairie Circuit. “I think I might have left about one point out there tonight for that one time I set my left spur on the top, but I will take that strong start.”

The inaugural NFR Open powered by RAM, is one of the biggest rodeos of the 2022 PRORODEO season with $1 million in payouts to contestants, livestock and other PRCA members.

The NFR Open powered by RAM, formerly titled the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, is the most prestigious rodeo under the PRCA circuit system and features two contestants in each event from each of the 12 U.S. circuits, plus Canada, bringing more than 200 contestants to the Norris Penrose Event Center for five rounds of competition.

The event continues Thursday and Friday will culminate with a semifinals and finals on Saturday, July 16, when the national circuit champions will be crowned.

Shadbolt made his Wrangler National Finals Rodeo debut in 2021 in Las Vegas, finishing fifth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $192,919. And, he had been waiting to get aboard Black Kat, an NFR horse. The money earned at the NFR Open counts toward the world standings.

“I had a lot of guys take my money on that horse at rodeos,” Shadbolt said. “I was thinking it was about my turn to get on Black Kat and bam there she was on my draw. I was pretty excited to see that horse. That ride was absolutely great for about the first six seconds. Everything was feeling good.

“Then right about six seconds I put my left spur right on top of the mane and just that one little bobble on that caliber of horse instantly made it turn into a fire fight. The last couple of jumps I just had to bear down and get after it, and I think I finished her pretty good.”

A year ago, Shadbolt finished second at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, losing by one point in the finals to Richmond Champion. Shadbolt is 11th in the world standings with $67,736.

“The way I think about this event is like a row of bowling pins,” Shadbolt said. “You can only see the one in the front, but the bowling ball is going to roll through them each, one at a time. You can only see one, but you know there’s three of them back there. That’s kind of the way I think about things like this. You can only concentrate on one horse at a time, but you know there’s more down the line and you have to knock through them and get to the end.”

Other leaders at the rodeo after day one were steer wrestler Tyler Dick (4.2 seconds); team ropers Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry (5.9 seconds); saddle bronc rider Jesse James Kirby (82.5 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Rude Roommate); tie-down roper Brushton Minton (8.4 seconds); breakaway roper Martha Angelone (2.4 seconds); barrel racer Shelley Morgan (17.33 seconds); and bull rider Jeff Askey (83 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Trans Am).

Courtesy of PRCA

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