Healthy Mote Puts on Show in Wainwright
WAINWRIGHT, Alberta – Bobby Mote isn’t just chasing a gold buckle. He’s in dogged pursuit of history.
The Culver, Ore., cowboy has four world titles on his resume: 2002, 2007 and 2009-2010.
What he wants is to join an elite club with Joe Alexander and Bruce Ford as the only bareback riders to win five gold buckles.
“I just have to try to capitalize on every chance I get,” Mote said. “You can’t make any mistakes and you just need to get the most out of every opportunity.”
Mote did just that on the night of June 22, winning the Wainwright Stampede with an 86.5-point ride on Vold Rodeo’s J Bar-9 to wrap up the two-head average title.
“That was the third or fourth time I’ve had that horse and that is a good horse,” Mote said. “I feel like I’m riding well and I’m healthy. To come up here and get on some good horses and get paid for it always feels good. Winning never gets old.”
Mote left Wainwright with $5,060 in prize money – $1,730 of that for winning the first round with 86 points on Big Stone Rodeo’s Circuit Breaker. He moved one spot from 11th to 10th in the June 23 Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings.
Despite his strong final-round ride, Mote was unsure if his score would get him the victory.
“You never know,” Mote said. “There were so many good horses out in the short round and so many good guys. I was just basically trying to do my job. These last several weeks have been going real well. I’ve been getting some wins and I feel like I’m ready for it (Cowboy Christmas). This is great to get some momentum going into the biggest month of rodeo.”
Much has been made of the fact Mote is 38 years old, but that is just a number to him.
“Honestly, I don’t want to be known for being the older guy who is going,” Mote said. “I want to be the best. I don’t care how old I am. I’m way healthier (now) than I was when I won my last two world titles.”
The other winners at the $173,000 rodeo were steer wrestler Tanner Milan (13.9 seconds on three head), team ropers Doug Wilkinson and Jacob Scott (20.2 seconds on three head), saddle bronc rider Kyle Thomson (164 points on two head), tie-down roper Kale Comeaux (26.8 seconds on three head), bull rider Dakota Buttar (166 points on two head) and barrel racer Braidy Howes (35.081 seconds on two runs).
Milan, the older brother of WNFR steer wrestler Straws Milan, was the only repeat winner in Wainwright. He won the rodeo in 2013 with an almost identical time of 13.8 seconds on three head.
Courtesy of PRCA