Riley Webb Keeps Cruising with Arena-Record Breaking Win in Kennewick, Wash.
In Riley Webb’s mind, it’s simply a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.
While the 20-year-old roping phenom is not wrong, there’s also a fair amount of raw talent, passion, and plenty of sweat that has brought him through a historic season that just keeps getting more unbelievable.
Webb is the PRCA | RAM World Standings tie-down roping leader with just over a month left in the season; he’s already blown the regular season earnings record out of the water at $234,539 and counting.
He put another jewel in his crown with an arena-record breaking run in a short round for a big average win, this time at the Horse Heaven Round-Up in Kennewick, Wash., one of the final stops on the PRCA Playoff Series.
Webb went 6.6 seconds on his final calf on Aug. 26, more than 1.5 seconds better than the rest of the field to also cinch up the average at 24.7 seconds on three calves.
“I’m just trying to rope the best I can each time out and I’ve been drawing good,” the humble winner said.
To hear Webb tell it, it’s all due to drawing good and having a great horse. Or actually horses, plural.
“I’ve got great horsepower and I learned a lot last year,” he noted of his rookie season in 2022, where he made his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and finished 10th in the world.
“It started with a great winter, and it’s just been a great summer too,” Webb continued. “Of course, you run so many calves, you’re bound to have some mistakes. I had a couple of places where I made some mistakes that cost me money and to still have won what I have is incredible.”
For Webb, one highlight this season was a lightning fast second-round run in Spanish Fork, the one that clinched the new season earnings record.
“I knew going in that if I was third or better, I’d get the earnings record, so that was really cool,” he said. Though Webb and his family knew the moment it happened, it took a bit for an official announcement. “That’s when the PRCA systems were down, so it took a couple weeks to find out for sure but it’s awesome.”
Though Webb has been mounted on good horseflesh all season, he’s really excited about Marked Up Cat, aka Rudy, a horse he picked up at the start of August from fellow roper Lane Livingston.
“He was second in the voting for horse of the year last year,” Webb said, noting he picked the horse up after Dodge City, Kan. and headed straight for Lovington, N.M., and has been winning on him from the start. “I rode him at Sisters (Ore.) last year and broke out to win it and then won Redding (Calif.) on him this year. I wanted to add him to my arsenal . . . it’s just a huge plus to have multiple good horses.”
For Webb’s competitors, there is no hope that the Denton, Texas, cowboy is planning on going home to rest anytime soon.
“I know some guys like to take a break (at the end of the regular season) but I like to stay busy, stay sharp,” Webb said. “I want to keep the ball rolling. I make my living roping, so I will keep trying to get to all that I can.”
Other winners at the PRCA Playoff Series rodeo were bareback rider Richmond Champion (167.5 points on two head); steer wrestlers Kodie Jang and Tyler Waguespack (12.3 seconds on three head); team ropers Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham (17.3 seconds on three head); saddle bronc rider Damian Brennan (172.5 points on two head); breakaway roper Jordi Edens (4.2 seconds on two head); barrel racer Jordon Briggs (33.87 seconds on two runs); and bull rider TJ Gray (87 points on Wayne Vold Rodeo’s Wolf Bait).
Courtesy of PRCA