PRCA Weekly Recap: Gavin Soileau Posts Fastest Steer Wrestling Run of 2021
Gavin Soileau is new to the ProRodeo circuit, buying his PRCA card at the end of 2020. Now, the steer wrestling rookie is making his name known in the sport.
Heading into last week, his fastest time in the PRCA was 3.4 seconds, but he blew that out of the water in Dalhart, Texas. Between Aug. 2-8, Soileau not only clocked the best time of his career at the XIT Rodeo & Reunion, but he also posted the fastest steer wrestling run this season (and fastest since 2017), stopping the clock in 2.9 seconds.
“I got a really good start. Coming out of the chutes I actually thought I had probably broken the barrier,” said Soileau, 22. “But I got out and had a good head catch, and the steer was really good on the ground. They were 3.4 plus 10 on him earlier in the week, so I knew I had a great chance to put up a good time.”
Soileau’s recent stretch of success has seen him move up to third in the PRCA | Resistol Rookie Standings, with $15,821. He said the season has been anything but smooth sailing.
“I’ve learned a bunch this season, some of them have been hard lessons,” Soileau said. “From the first week of July to the very end of July I didn’t win a single check. So, I had to learn to stay positive, don’t get down on yourself, and if you don’t win for a while, it’s OK, it’s going to come back around eventually.”
It’s seems like things are beginning to come around for the Bunkie, La., cowboy.
Below are the other top times and rides for the week of Aug. 2-8.
Cole Franks put together the best bareback riding score of the week. He went for 93 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Aug. 8.
Two teams tied for the fastest team roping times this week. Cash Duty and Matt Schiek clocked a 3.7-second run at the Northeast Montana Fair & Rodeo Aug. 4, while Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira posted a 3.7 in Phillipsburg, Kan., Aug. 5.
Brody Cress had the highest saddle bronc ride of the week. Cress rode Outlaw Buckers Rodeo’s Ols Tubs Magic Carpet for 91 points at the Home on the Range Champions Ride in Sentinel Butte, N.D., Aug. 7.
Ty Harris and Cody Craig shared the fastest tie-down roping time of the week. Harris stopped the clock in 7.4 seconds at the Bozeman (Mont.) Stampede Aug. 7, while Craig posted the same time at the War Bonnet Round Up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Aug. 6.
Jessie Calkins put together the fastest breakaway roping time of the week when she posted a 1.8-second run at the Attica (N.Y.) Breakaway Roping on Aug. 8.
Beth Ann Borowy clocked the quickest barrel racing run of the week. She had a 14.89-second time at the Gerry (N.Y.) Volunteer Firemen’s Rodeo on Aug. 4.
Dustin Boquet continued his hot streak with the top bull riding score of the week. He went for 91.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Gladiator’s Hammer at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo on Aug. 8.
Garrett Hale had the fastest steer roping time of the week. Hale was clocked in 8.8 seconds at the XIT Rodeo & Reunion in Dalhart, Texas, Aug. 4.
Courtesy of PRCA