Prairie Circuit’s Cole Bailey Earns Second Trip to RAM NCFR
DUNCAN, Okla. – Cole Bailey competed at his first RAM National Circuit Finals in 2016.
On Saturday night, the tie-down roper earned his second trip to the NCFR by winning the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo average in 32.1 seconds on three head.
Bailey, the family man with a full-time job, from Okmulgee, Okla., was only able to compete at 20 circuit rodeos this year – in his spare time – and barely qualified for the RAM PCFR.
Speaking of family, Baileys’ may have just been his secret to success this weekend. After a 12.5-second run in the first round, Bailey turned up the heat winning second in the second round in 9.5 seconds and moved himself to the No. 1 spot in the average (22.0 seconds on two head) before entering the third round.
“My first calf sure wasn’t my pick of the herd and I didn’t rope that great – that wasn’t how I wanted to start things off,” Bailey said. “I really think it was because my family stayed in the hotel room that night because they were there the next two nights and I did great – things went great.”
Bailey was the last tie-down roper to back in the box at the Stephens County Fairgrounds Oct. 19, roping his calf in 10.1 seconds and clinching his second trip to the RAM NCFR, April 2-4, in Kissimmee, Fla.
“I was nervous on my last calf because I was last out and I just needed to make a solid run to win the average,” Bailey said.
Bailey left Duncan after earning $5,320 aboard a young horse he owns named, Honky Tonk.
“Honky Tonk was outstanding this week, he made the same trip every time,” Bailey said.
Bailey’s debut at the 2016 RAM NCFR was a career highlight for him. He won the semifinals, and he wouldn’t mind if history repeated itself.
“It would be amazing to go down there and have as much luck, but it would also be awesome to win the voucher because my dad owns a Dodge dealership, Dick & Mike Bailey Motors,” said Bailey. “It would actually be the first truck I ever bought, if I did.”
As for Bailey’s good luck charm – his family – they will also be joining him in Kissimmee.
“My wife Brittany, son Brody and daughter Lynnlee will be with me,” said Bailey. “They are a huge support system and I hate to leave the house without them. The circuit system is great because it allows me to be at my full-time job, but still compete at a higher level.”
Other winners of the $185,721 rodeo were bareback rider Blaine Kaufman (248.5 on three head); steer wrestler Tanner Brunner (13.0 seconds on three head); team ropers Coleman Proctor/Jake Clay (18.9 seconds on three head); saddle bronc rider Colt Gordon (242.5 points on three head); barrel racer Tamara Reinhardt (48.67 seconds on three runs); steer roper Brady Garten (39.8 seconds on three head) and bull rider Fulton Rutland (253.5 points on three head). The all-around cowboy was Jade Matthew Taton ($484, bareback riding and saddle bronc riding).
For more coverage of the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, check out the Nov. 1 edition of ProRodeo Sports News.
Courtesy of PRCA