by ProRodeo.com | May 11, 2015
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Bull rider Kody DeShon knows time isn’t on his side when it comes to fulfilling his dream of qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
The 29-year-old Helena, Mont., cowboy is doing his best to seize the opportunity, and this past weekend provided proof he’s ready for the fight.
DeShon earned a share of the title at the Jasper (Texas) Lions Benefit Rodeo with Caleb Sanderson, and won the Mineral Wells (Texas) Rodeo outright to earn $3,324 (the highest total of the weekend in any event) and move into 16th place in the May 11 Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings.
“My success has gone beyond just Jasper and Mineral Wells,” said the 5-foot-9, 148-pound DeShon, who has won titles at five PRCA rodeos this year. “I’ve been drawing really well and I’ve been really enjoying what I’m doing. Things have been going really good for me.”
In addition to Jasper and Mineral Wells, DeShon also has wins in 2015 at the Bell County PRCA Rodeo in Belton, Texas; the Rocky Mountain Classic in Kalispell, Mont., and the Lakeside (Calif.) Rodeo.
DeShon bought his PRCA card in 2010, but had not gone full time in the PRCA before this year; his earnings of $19,211 to date already has surpassed his previous PRCA season-best of $16,003 a year ago in just 28 rodeos (he finished 72nd in the world in 2014). He won the RAM Montana Circuit Finals Rodeo in 2013.
“I’ve always wanted to make the NFR,” DeShon said. “This year, I knew I was running out of opportunities because I’m 29, and my whole goal is to go to 100 rodeos and see what happens. If you’re not chasing your dreams, you’re not really living.”
- Vin Fisher won the three-head average at the Butterfield Stage Days in Bridgeport, Texas, to earn $2,758 and move within $2,541 of steer roping world standings leader Neal Wood. Fisher placed third in the first and third rounds, and his average time of 38.8 seconds on three head was .2 seconds better than second-place Cody Lee.
- Reigning World Champion Spencer Wright won the saddle bronc riding at the Woodlake (Calif.) Lions Rodeo with an 83-point trip on Rosser Rodeo’s Clamper, and tied for second at the Mother Lode Round-Up in Sonora, Calif., with nephew Rusty Wright and Logan Nailon. Spencer remained second in the May 11 world standings, while Rusty is third.
- Seven-time WNFR tie-down roper Hunter Herrin had the weekend’s fastest time (7.8 seconds) in winning the Butterfield Stage Days Rodeo in Bridgeport, Texas, and also won the Mineral Wells (Texas) Rodeo in 9.1 seconds to remain fifth in the world standings.
- France’s Evan Jayne, bidding to become the first European to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, strengthened his hold on third place in the bareback riding world standings by winning the Mineral Wells (Texas) Rodeo, finishing second in Jasper, Texas, and third in Bridgeport, Texas. His earnings total to date of $37,404 is less than $6,000 from his career-best season of 2007.
Courtesy of PRCA