Scott Snedecor Grabs Steer Roping Lead at NFSR
MULVANE, Kan. – The drama to crown the 2020 World Champion Steer Roper only intensified after the opening five rounds of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping at the Kansas Star Arena.
Four-time world champion Scott Snedecor took over the world standings in Round 3 and will try to hold off defending world champion Trevor Brazile, Cole Patterson and Vin Fisher Jr. to win world title No. 5.
“When you start off good like this it is great,” said Snedecor, who is making his 19th appearance at the NFSR. “Last year, I didn’t start off very good here on the first two or three steers and I switched horses. But this year I started off good, and this was fun (Friday night).”
Snedecor, who claimed world titles in 2005, 2008, 2017 and 2018, earned $27,939 thanks to placing in four rounds and winning Round 4 with a round-record time of 9.0 seconds.
Snedecor leads the world standings with $81,149 but is followed closely by Brazile ($75,537), Fisher ($68,581) and regular-season leader Patterson ($68,488).
The NFSR concludes Saturday with Rounds 6 through 10. Action will be streamed live at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App.
Brazile leads the average with a 59.0-second time on five head, followed by Snedecor (60.6) and Patterson (65.3). The average pays $27,347 to the winner, $22,632 for second and $17,917 for third.
“You have to stay hooked and go fast for the rounds,” Snedecor said. “You have to stay in the rounds, and you have to get that extra check at the end of the day when the 10 rounds are up to overcome everything. I don’t look at the average that much. I just take it one steer at a time and tie them as fast as I can.”
Snedecor is riding Possum owned by Stephen Stransky. Snedecor won his ’17 and ’18 world titles aboard Possum.
Brazile, the King of the Cowboys, has won a PRCA-record 25 gold buckles – a record 14 in all-around (2002-04, 2006-15 and 2018); three in tie-down roping (2007, 2009-10); one in team roping (2010); and seven in steer roping (2006-07, 2011, 2013-15 and 2019).
He passed another milestone in his legendary career Friday.
The Decatur, Texas, cowboy entered his 23rd NFSR $12,865 away from reaching the $7 million mark in career earnings – no one else has broken $3.6 million in ProRodeo.
By Round 4, Brazile reached and passed the milestone by earning $7,577 after placing second with a 9.3-second run. He earned $27,150 for the day, including winning Round 3 with a 9.9-second run.
“I think that (passing the $7 million mark in career earnings) is one of the biggest things I have ever done,” Brazile said. “I have had a few milestones that were at the steer roping finals, and it is cool to reach that mark here because there will probably not be more thresholds with me. I started here in 1997 at the steer roping finals and I passed the $7 million mark here, which is cool.
“It was a good night. I couldn’t have asked for a much better start.”
Brazile was riding Salty, 19, a horse loaned to him by fellow steer roper John Bland.
“I rode a 5-year-old for 75 percent of the year this year, War Wagon, but he has an abscess,” Brazile said. “It was so nice for someone to step up and let me ride a horse (Salty) that good. John’s ridden that horse at the finals here, and he’s just been an amazing horse and a pleasure to ride.
“More of the same (Saturday) would be awesome. I want to draw good and want to just go execute. Even though things are going well you can’t let up because everybody is roping good. The guys there at the top just keep winning with me.”
Patterson, who won $13,890 – $9,155 for winning Round 5 with a 9.4-second run – is keeping things in perspective for Saturday.
“I just want to rope like I know how and see what happens,” he said. “Scott and Trevor are roping like they usually do, and I’m going to have to keep my foot on the gas to stay with them. I need to stay aggressive.”
Results from Rounds 1 through 5, the average standings and world standings after the 2020 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, Nov. 6, at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane:
Round 1: 1, J. Tom Fisher, 10.3, $9,155; 2, Vin Fisher Jr., 12.3, 47,577; 3, Chet Herren, 13.3, $5,998; 4, Thomas Smith, 13.5, $4,420; 5, Trevor Brazile, 13.7, $2,841; 6, Cole Patterson, 15.4, $1,579
Round 2: 1, (tie) Fisher Jr., 10.3, $8,366; Rocky Patterson, 10.3, $8,366; 3, Scott Snedecor, 10.5, $5,998; 4, Garrett Hale, 11.2, $4,420; 5, J. Tom Fisher, $2, 841; 6, Cole Patterson, $1,579
Round 3: Trevor Brazile, 9.9, $9,155; 2, Scott Snedecor, 10.5, $7,577; 3, Tuf Cooper, 11.7, $5,998; Chet Herren, 12.6, $4,420; Billy Good, 14.2, $2,841; Garrett Hale, 15.1, $1,579
Round 4: 1. Scott Snedecor, *9.0, $9,155; 2, Trevor Brazile, 9.3, $7,577; 3, J. Tom Fisher, 10.5, $5,988; 4, Tuf Cooper, 11.1, $4,420; Vin Fisher, 11.8, $2,841; Cole Patterson, 12.0, $1,579
*Round 4 record
Round 5: 1, Cole Patterson, 9.4, $9,155; 2, Trevor Brazile, 9.7, $7,577; 3, (tie) Scott Snedecor, 9.8, $5,209; Billy Good, 9.8, $5,209; Rocky Patterson, 9.9, $2,841; Cody Lee, 10.2, $1,579
Average (through 5 rounds): 1, Trevor Brazile, 59.0/5; 2, Scott Snedecor, 60.6/5; 3. Cole Patterson, 65.3/5; 4. Tuf Cooper, 82.9/5; 5. J. Tom Fisher, 34.3/3; 6. Vin Fisher Jr., 34.4/3; 7. Garrett Hale, 39.3/3; 8. Chet Herren, 47.1/3; 9. Roger Branch, 69.2/3; 10. Rocky Patterson, 20.2/2; 11. Billy Good, 24.0/2; 12. Cody Lee, 26.2/2; 13, Landon McClaugherty, 37.1/2; 14. Thomas Smith, 40.5/2; 15. Jess Tierney, 18.3/1
2020 PRCA | RAM World Standings (unofficial): 1. Scott Snedecor, $81,149; 2. Trevor Brazile, $75,537; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., $68,581; 4. Cole Patterson, $68,488; 5. J. Tom Fisher, $52,178; 6. Landon McClaugherty, $46,463; 7. Tuf Cooper, $46,074; 8. Billy Good, $44,332; 9. Chet Herren, $38,365; 10. Rocky Patterson, $38,145; 11. Thomas Smith, $36,730; 12. Garrett Hale, $36,629; 13. Cody Lee, $29,652; 14. Jesse Tierney, $28,852; 15. Roger Branch, $25,571
WHAT: Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping
WHEN: Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m. (CT)
WHERE: Kansas Star Arena, Mulvane, Kan.
WATCH: Streaming live on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App
COST: Tickets from $28, available at www.kansasstarcasino.com and
Ticketmaster.com
WHAT’S AT STAKE: Top 15 steer ropers vying for a world championship and a share of $425,000.
ROUNDS: Pay six places. First ($9,155); second ($7,577); third ($5,998); fourth ($4,420); fifth ($2,841); sixth ($1,579)
AVERAGE: Pays six places. First ($27,347); second ($22,632); third place ($17,917); fourth ($13,202); fifth ($8,487); sixth ($4,715)
Courtesy of PRCA