PRCA for the Record: Salinas

By Matt Naber

For more than a century, California Rodeo Salinas has been one of the largest rodeos on the West Coast. The biggest names in rodeo have competed at this historic rodeo since 1911, but only the best leave their mark by setting a rodeo record.

Mike White set both bull riding records in Salinas 20 years ago with a 93-point ride that helped him score 179 points on two head in 1999.

The Texas cowboy’s ProRodeo career spanned from 1996 through 2016 and garnered $353,162 in prize money. He started his ProRodeo career with a splash as the 1997 PRCA | Resistol Overall and Bull Riding Rookie of the Year while setting the PRCA rookie earnings records with $105,293 (or about $160,250 in 2019 dollars, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

During his ProRodeo career, he made three consecutive trips to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (1997-99), and his record-setting rides in Salinas helped him win the 1999 world title with $151,371.

It was during the 1999 Wrangler NFR that White made his famous, 95-point ride on Flying Five Rodeo’s Skoal’s Yellow Jacket.

Cowboys will have a chance to top White’s records while earning prize money and ProRodeo Tour points July 18-21.

Rodeo records

• Total payout: $408,472, 2013
• All-around: $8,853, Ty Murray, 1990
• Bareback riding: 89 points, Cody DeMers, 2002 (173.5/2, Tim O’Connell, 2018)
• Steer wrestling: 4.9 seconds, Dru Melvin, 2011 (18.8/3, Frank Thompson, 2003)
• Team roping: 6.4 seconds, Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 2009 (42.8/5, Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 2013)
• Saddle bronc riding: 90 points, Billy Etbauer, 2002 (173/2, Billy Etbauer, 2002)
• Tie-down roping: 8.9 seconds, Chad Johnson, 1997; Trevor Brazile, 2008 (29.6/3, Bill Warner, 1997; Brent Lewis, 2001)
• Barrel racing: 15.62 seconds, Christina Richman, 2011 (63.77/4, Christina Richman, 2011)
• Bull riding: 93 points, Mike White, 1999 (179/2, Mike White, 1999)

Courtesy of PRCA