Braden Richardson Gets Clutch Win in Baker, Mont.
Since claiming the title at the prestigious Cody (Wyo.) Stampede some six weeks ago, ProRodeo bull rider Braden Richardson hadn’t been able to ride that wave into more big wins to get into serious contention for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo berth.
Fortunately, the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo in Baker, Mont., came along at just the right time to point the 26-year-old from Jasper, Texas, back in the right direction.
“This is great, because I needed a win,” Richardson said. “I’ve been staying on lately but haven’t been winning. This ought to help me out and close that gap.”
Richardson had an 88.5-points ride on C5 Rodeo’s Daytime Crime – previously unridden in six attempts – Saturday to win the title and $4,371. Richardson’s ride was a rodeo record, eclipsing the 87.5-point ride by bull rider Tim Bingham in 2018.
Richardson entered the week ranked No. 21 in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, some $11,000 out of the 15th and final qualifying spot for the upcoming Wrangler NFR, Dec. 2-11 in Las Vegas.
Registering the first qualified ride on a rank bull can only help restore his confidence moving forward.
“I was excited about having him, because I knew he was a bucker and was going to fit my style,” Richardson said. “But he didn’t ride quite as smooth as I was expecting. I’m happy I stayed aggressive and stayed moving throughout the entire eight seconds, or he would have easily bucked me off.”
Instead, it marked Richardson’s third ride of the week in five attempts, an attempt he nearly missed.
“I woke up a little late this morning, or make that this afternoon,” Richardson said. “I’ve been rodeoing by myself all year, sleeping in my truck, and I took two NyQuils last night after my rodeo in Billings. Well, I woke up at noon, and was an hour and a half away and the rodeo started at 1. I ate a beef jerky stick, drank a cup of coffee, and showed up in perfect time. Luckily, I wasn’t too far away.”
Now, he’s just looking forward to the home stretch of the regular season which ends Sept. 30.
“A few weeks ago, I made some short-terms goals, to try to win $10,000 every week,” Richardson said. “If I can do that, it’ll be easy to get back into the top 15. After the first week, I won $11,000, then $7,000 the next week. This week, I’m nearly halfway there after winning here (in Baker). I’m just going to keep my head down and stay positive, to keep staying on and not slow down.”
Other winners at the $191,301 rodeo were bareback rider Ty Breuer (90.5 points on C5 Rodeo’s Black Feathers); steer wrestlers Brady Boyce and Tucker Allen (3.4 seconds each); team ropers Clay Ullery/Matt Zancanella (4.7 seconds); saddle bronc rider Stetson Wright (88.5 points on C5 Rodeo’s Black Hills); tie-down roper Chance Thiessen (7.8 seconds); barrel racers Lexie Goss and Jessica Routier (17.07 seconds each) and steer roper Slade Wood (34.5 seconds on three head). Thiessen earned all-around cowboy honors winning $5,492 in tie-down roping and team roping.
Courtesy of PRCA