PRCA for the Record: Royce Ford Looks Back on 92-Point Ride
Royce Ford qualified seven times for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo during his bareback riding career. Through hundreds of ProRodeo rides there’s one in Austin, Texas that he remembers like it was yesterday.
Ford matched up with Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Zinger in the short round at Rodeo Austin in 2005. The two combined for a 92-point ride that vaulted the Colorado cowboy to not only the rodeo win but the bareback riding record at the event.
“I remember that ride really well actually, I had Zinger one of Bennie Beutler’s horses,” Ford said. “At the time I was riding he was kind of a man killer to us cowboys. It was a big ‘ol bay horse, that was a bucking son of a gun.”
He also holds the average record at the rodeo from the same year with 259 points on three head. He said he was always excited about making the trip to Austin with an opportunity to get his season pointed in the right direction.
“It was always in the heart of that winter run,” he said. “It was always good to win money in the wintertime because it would give you a foundation to go on through the rest of the year.”
Ford last rode in the PRCA in 2011 but has stayed involved in livestock and the agricultural way of life ever since. He said while he misses the people of rodeo it was time for him to explore other options.
“You miss seeing the people and the friends you met along the way, but it was time for me,” Ford said. “The fun of riding bucking horses, there’s nothing that will ever replace that feeling. Now, I work as an auctioneer at three or four different livestock markets. I also buy and sell livestock; I really enjoy what I’m doing.”
2022 Rodeo Austin will be broadcast live on The Cowboy Channel and streamed live on the PRCA on The Cowboy Channel Plus App nightly, March 12-26.
Rodeo Austin records
• Total payout: $524,332, 2019
• All-around: $12,012, Ryan Jarrett, 2016
• Bareback riding: 92 points, Royce Ford, 2005 (259/3, Royce Ford, 2005)
• Steer wrestling: 3.2 seconds, Levi Wisness, 2007; Matt Reeves, 2009; Casey Martin, 2014; Cole Edge, 2018 (11.3/3, Matt Reeves, 2010; 7.4/2, Todd Fox, 1991)
• Team roping: 3.9 seconds, JoJo LeMond/Randon Adams, 2009; Derrick Begay/Will Woodfin, 2014; Aaron Tsinigine/Kory Koontz, 2014; Dustin Egusquiza/Kory Koontz, 2017 (14.7/3, Mike Bacon/Dennis Gatz, 2008; 9.5/2, Speed Williams/Rich Skelton, 2000)
• Saddle bronc riding: 94 points, Spencer Wright, 2015 (253/3, Wade Sundell, 2010; 165/2, Bobby Griswold, 1999)
• Tie-down roping: 7.0 seconds, Fred Whitfield, 2014 (23.9/3, Scott Kormos, 2010; 16.4/2, Blair Burk, 1999)
• Barrel racing: 14.27 seconds, Kappy Allen, 2000 (44.16/3, Jill Moody, 2009)
• Bull riding: 94 points, Clint Branger, 1994; Trey Traweek, 2004; Justin Edmonds, 2005 (265/3, Logan Knibbe, 2003; 180/2, Cody Hancock, 2006)
Courtesy of PRCA