PRCA for the Record: Montgomery
Today’s youngest members of the PRCA were just being born when bull rider Clint Craig set the Southeastern Livestock Exposition & Rodeo in Montgomery, Ala., 18 years ago.
The Arkansas cowboy combined with Andrews Rodeo’s Locomotion for 92 points in 2003. Since then, the closest anyone has come to his score was Jason Beck (2014) and Clayton Foltyn (2016) with 91 points, each.
“Oh man, that’s awesome but you know records were made to be broken,” said Craig, 38. “I haven’t ridden any bulls in six years so to know your name is still hanging around is exciting.”
Craig went on to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in 2004 and 2007 and won more than $500,000 during his ProRodeo career that spanned from 2001 through 2014.
“I rode bulls in the PRCA for 14 years and made the NFR twice, and when you’re done you realize you were ‘meat for the grinder,'” Craig joked. “As Donnie Gay says, ‘nobody cares but your mom,’ but it’s nice to know people see you made a good ride here and there.”
ProRodeo athletes will have a shot at breaking Craig’s Montgomery record, and the rest, while collecting valuable ProRodeo Tour points March 18-20. Fans can catch all the action on The Cowboy Channel and PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. (See broadcast schedule)
“The history of anything is important, whether it’s the history of America or the history of rodeo, which is the sport of America,” Craig said. “You owe the guys who came before you respect. I look on Tuff Hedeman and Donnie Gay’s era with awe and respect and I hope guys today look at the early 2000s with a certain amount of respect since each era has good things in their own right.”
On the other end of the spectrum, saddle bronc rider Brody Cress set the most-recent record in Montgomery with his 90.5-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Maple Leaf in 2018. The previous record was 90 points, set by Cody Wright in 2014.
“That’s a horse that I got to see a lot of but hadn’t gotten a chance to get on and it was awesome to get to do it there,” Cress said. “She was bucking horse of the year (2013) and gives you every opportunity. As long as you do your job she will take you to the pay window. It’s cool to have a record there but I doubt it will stick for long. But, it’s awesome that is has so far.”
Cress, 25, is a four-time NFR qualifier (2017-20) and won the NFR average in 2017 and 2019.
The Montgomery rodeo was unable to be held due to COVID-19 last year and the committee has been hard at work on bringing the rodeo back after a one-year hiatus. (Check the March 19 edition of ProRodeo Sports News for more)
Other Montgomery records are as follows:
Rodeo records
• Total payout: $160,612, 2002
• All-around: $8,132, Herbert Theriot, 2000
• Bareback riding: 91 points, Josi Young, 2015
• Steer wrestling: 3.2 seconds, Charlie Lowry, 1984 (7.2/2, Tom Duvall, 1989)
• Team roping: 3.5 seconds, Dustin Egusquiza/Brad Culpepper, 2016 (8.5/2, John Alley/Clark Adcock, 2016)
• Saddle bronc riding: 90.5 points, Brody Cress. 2018
• Tie-down roping: 7.3 seconds, Ricky Hyde, 2003; Tyson Durfey, 2004 (16.6/2, Tyson Durfey, 2003; C.R. Bradley, 2004)
• Barrel racing: 14.33 seconds, Tiany Schuster, 2016
• Bull riding: 92 points, Clint Craig, 2003
Courtesy of PRCA