Scott Snedecor Takes Aim at Fifth PRCA Steer Roping World Championship
Scott Snedecor is trying to cement his name to becoming one of the greatest steer ropers in PRCA history.
Snedecor has four world titles on his résumé – 2005, 2008, 2017-18 – he will go for No. 5 against the other Top 14 steer ropers Nov. 4-5 at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kan.
Snedecor enters the National Finals Steer Roping No. 1 in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $79,660. He has a slim $3,190 advantage over reigning world champion Cole Patterson.
“This year it changed a little bit,” said Snedecor, 47. “There is a lot of tough competition this year and the horse is my main deal. He finally got seasoned. Last year he was pretty green, and I had to go through the green horse ups and downs. At the end of last year, he started working really good and he has just stayed on top of it, and he has made my game a lot easier as far as roping. I have missed a few but all-in-all he has been a great support for me, and he has worked all year long.
“I also would not have been able to do this without the support of my sponsors and my traveling partners Tony Reina and Logan Currie.”
Snedecor speaks of Goose his 13-year-old horse. Snedecor bought Goose in March of 2021.
“This year has been easy going and coasting through,” said Snedecor, who finished second in the 2021 world standings. “He picked it up just like we left off at the end of last year. About halfway through last year I about gave up on him two or three different times. My wife (Kelli) kept telling me ‘Don’t give up on him. You know how these green horses are. You have to get through the green stage.’ I’m glad I listened to her. She knows my program out here and she knows I will get rid of one pretty fast if they start working and someone offers me money. I’m glad I stuck with this one.
“He (Goose) went to the NFSR last year (and Snedecor earned $41,294) and he knows the drill and he worked good there last year. I’m looking forward to the (NFSR) this year. It has been a fun year all year long, trying to stay ahead of guys who are half your age. They made me step up and rope sharper and stronger.”
Legendary Guy Allen has the most PRCA steer roping world crowns with 18 followed by Trevor Brazile, the King of Cowboys, with eight, Everett Shaw six and Shoat Webster, Rocky Patterson and Snedecor with four each.
“A fifth gold buckle is always in the back of your mind,” Snedecor said. “After winning the first one just everyone after that is just a blessing for me. To be able to put myself in that position a lot of it is the horsemanship and knowledge I have learned from all the guys I looked up to like the Guy Allen, Trevor Brazile, Buster Record, and Jim Davis all the guys who have roped before me. I have picked up bits and pieces from every one of them. You are never too old to keep learning. I just take a little here and there and piece things together and stick what works for me.”
Snedecor is making his 21st trip to the NFSR and he has the third most career NFSR round wins with 28. Only Allen (48) and Brazile (36) have more NFSR round wins than Snedecor.
A year ago, Patterson won Round 3 and Round 8, as well as placed in eight other rounds to earn an NFSR-record $85,726. He finished atop the world standings with $190,242, a single-season steer roping earnings mark.
Patterson arrived at the 2021 NFSR with a $39,415 lead.
“I don’t have a $30,000-plus lead this year, so I better bust my butt a little harder out here in the practice pen,” Patterson said. “I have been (to the NFSR three times at the Kansas Star) and I have been on all the ends. I had a terrible Finals there my first year and I had a mediocre Finals my second year and then had the best Finals anyone has ever had in my third year there. I’m definitely shooting for a Finals way better than my first one and hopefully a lot closer to my third one.”
Jess Tierney ($69,339), Cody Lee ($65,734) and J. Tom Fisher ($58,902) round out the top five in the world standings.
The NFSR will begin at 7:00 p.m. CT on Nov. 4-5 and stream live online on the PRCA on The Cowboy Channel Plus App.
Courtesy of PRCA