Bo Pickett Strikes Paydirt at Ogden (Utah) Pioneer Days
There’s something about the Ogden Pioneer Days that just seems to work for tie-down roper Bo Pickett.
“I was third at that rodeo last year, and I believe my rookie year (2017), I cashed there also,” Pickett said.
Even in a season that currently has him outside the top 50 in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, Pickett found a way break through at the rodeo held from July 20-25 in Ogden, Utah. In fact, things worked better than they ever have – before the rodeo even officially started, since Pickett competed in two slack rounds on July 19.
Pickett didn’t cash in either of the two go-rounds. However, his consistency paid off, as he posted a total time of 17.7 seconds. That was good for a split of first place in the average, with Pickett and Jake Pratt collecting $5,318 apiece.
“We got into some fresh calves there. I ran two good times,” Pickett said. “I rode my yellow horse, Hollywood, and she’s really good on fresh calves. She’s really easy to idle and stay behind them.”
Hollywood is actually a backup horse for Pickett, behind recently acquired Sunday. But he’s ridden Hollywood since high school and decided Ogden was a good rodeo to bring her out.
“She’s old trustful,” Pickett said of the 16-year-old steed. “That was actually the first time I’ve ridden her at a PRCA rodeo this year. I kind of wanted to switch the horses up.”
Pickett, who took 23rd in the 2021 tie-down roping world standings, admitted this season has been a grind. But the Ogden average win certainly was a shot in the arm.
“I had a horse change, so it’s taken some time to get used to my new horse [Sunday]. For whatever reason, we haven’t really clicked, but it’s getting better,” Pickett said. “This was a cool confidence boost. I had a goal this year to win at least three tour rodeos. I knocked down one, and hopefully there’s two to go.”
Pickett noted that the competition from rodeo to rodeo is as difficult as it’s ever been. But the 25-year-old from Caldwell, Idaho, is up to the challenge, grinding away while trying to lay the groundwork for next season.
“Everyone wants to have a really good year every year,” he said. “The rodeos are tough, and they’re hard to win at. You can make really solid runs and still not get paid. It’s just part of the grind.
But this is the dream. I’m gonna stay hooked for as long as I can. I’m taking the rest of the year to set myself up for 2023.”
Other winners at the $330,525 rodeo were all-around cowboy Stetson Wright ($3,420, saddle bronc riding and bull riding); bareback rider Cole Franks and R.C. Landingham (85.5 points each); steer wrestlers Cody Devers and Stetson Jorgensen (7.8 seconds on two head each) team ropers Jaxson Tucker/Wyatt Cox (9.9 seconds on two head); saddle bronc riders Kade Bruno and Logan Cook (87 points each); barrel racer Jordon Briggs (16.96 seconds); and bull rider Trevor Reiste (89.5 points on Dakota Rodeo’s Mr. Winston).
Courtesy of PRCA