Cole Franks Adds Albuquerque Victory to his Resume
Cole Franks is 11 days away from realizing the dream of many Pro Rodeo athletes – securing a position at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
The Clarendon, Texas, bareback rider is 12th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, a position solidified with a win at the New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo in Albuquerque, the final stop on the 2021 ProRodeo Tour on Sept. 19. The PRCA regular season ends Sept. 30.
Franks earned the win after posting 89-point ride on NFR bucking horse Top Egyptian from Pickett Pro Rodeo, stuffing $3,913 in his pockets.
“I’ve seen that horse quite a bit,” Franks said. “I’ve always wanted to get on him.”
Franks watched Caleb Bennett ride the horse in Dodge City, Kan., another rodeo Franks won, in early August. Bennett had an 89-point ride that day as well.
“He looked like a lot of fun, and he was that for sure,” said Franks, 20.
Franks also won the Rodeo de Santa Fe (N.M.) right up the road. It’s all part of a roll that began after Labor Day; Franks has won or shared the win at seven rodeos and earned $22,362 since the calendar rolled into September.
“It’s been good,” he said. “It’s been really good actually.”
There wasn’t time to celebrate, though, as the junior at Clarendon (Texas) College boarded a plane to get back to school Monday.
“I don’t like that thought,” he said. “Rodeoing is way more fun than school.”
As for his chance at the Finals, it wasn’t part of the original plan for 2021.
“I started out the year pushing for the rookie (of the year) deal, and I thought, if I got into a position where I thought maybe I could make it, I’d try,” Frank said.
Two new hauling partners changed his goals.
“I got in with Tim (O’Connell) and Jess (Pope),” he said of the three-time PRCA World Champ and 2020 Wrangler NFR qualifier. “They told me to put the rookie out of my mind and look at trying to make the NFR. They said, if you get to the Finals, the rookie takes care of itself.”
“So, I set my goal higher, and it’s definitely been more rewarding.”
The plan has worked perfectly: Franks has the Resistol Rookie of the Year title sewn up with a $38,000 lead and he is on the eve of clinching the NFR qualification.
Should he hold his position, he’ll join his dad, Bret as an NFR qualifier, but in a different event. Bret made three trips in the saddle bronc riding in 1997-98 and 2000.
“I still get on broncs here and there,” he said. In fact, Franks is the reigning college champion all-around cowboy and bareback rider. “Saddle bronc riding just doesn’t click like bareback riding does for me.”
Franks will spend his fall competing at college rodeos and some pros to “keep the rust knocked off.” As for his first NFR, he’s making plans to take college finals in between rounds if needed.
“I don’t know what to expect,” he said. “Guess I’m just looking forward to getting the first round out of the way.”
Other winners at the $131,835 rodeo were all-around cowboy Clayton Hass ($3,361 in steer wrestling and team roping); steer wrestler Rowdy Parrot (7.9 seconds on two head); team ropers Tate Kirchenschlager/Cole Davison (4.5 seconds); saddle bronc rider Damian Brennan (85 points on Hi Lo Pro Rodeo’s Garden City Gal); tie down roper Richard Newton (17.0 seconds on two head); barrel racer Dona Kay Rule (15.07 seconds); and bull rider Cullen Telfer (86.5 points on Hurst & TNT Pro Rodeo’s Doc Was Right).
Courtesy of PRCA