Tanner Brunner Wins Average to Advance at Tour Finale
RAPID CITY, S.D. – The only thing tighter than the bond between ProRodeo steer wrestlers is how tight the race is for a qualification to the 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
And the deciding factor in who makes the cut has boiled down to the final round of the Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale in Rapid City, S.D.
Steer wrestler Tanner Brunner has used the Tour Finale to climb the PRCA | RAM World Standings from 12th to eighth, but there’s only a $4,390 buffer between him and 15th.
“It’s a great rodeo at the end of the year that can help a lot of cowboys out on the bubble,” said Brunner, 27. “Just to have rodeos is great, and I’m happy they gave us somewhere to go with a great rodeo.”
With the final round on the horizon, Brunner and the 10 steer wrestlers hot on his trail are separated by less than $10,000.
Fans can watch the semifinals and finals of the Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale live on The Cowboy Channel and the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app at 9:30 p.m. (ET), Sept. 26.
Brunner was part of a six-way tie for second place in the first round of the Tour Finale with a 3.9-second run and placed third in Round 2 with 3.6 seconds to win the average with 7.5 seconds on two head.
“It’s a great setup, a great set of steers and a great set of cowboys here,” Brunner said. “You always think you will do well but there are other factors that go into it.”
One of those factors was Brunner’s mount, Miss Kitty, whom he owns with Sean Mulligan.
“She did very well, and Shayde Etherton placed on her too, so we’ll have two guys on her in the short round,” Brunner said.
Brunner has already earned $3,897 at the Tour Finale, however, Saturday is when the big checks will be won.
“You can’t let up, have to keep the hammer down and keep winning as much as you can,” Brunner said.
Brunner’s ProRodeo career has gained momentum in recent years, winning more than $302,642 since his rookie year in 2013 largely thanks to making back-to-back NFR qualifications (2018-19). The Ramona, Kan., cowboy slipped into the 2019 Finals in the No. 15 hole and is on track to make it a three-peat.
“It’s been great, but I’ll be happy with whatever I can get in there with,” Brunner laughed. “We will let the horses rest for a couple weeks and have a couple of fall rodeos and the (Prairie) circuit finals. We get a bit of a break and then can freshen up before the Finals.”
Check ProRodeo.com for coverage of the final round of the Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale.
Average winners are bareback rider Orin Larsen (175.5 points on two head); team ropers Riley Minor/Brady Minor (9.3 seconds on two head); saddle bronc rider Brody Cress (176.5 points on two head); tie-down roper Westyn Hughes (16.1 seconds on two head); barrel racer Dona Kay Rule (31.94 seconds on two); and bull rider Stetson Wright (87 points on one head).
Courtesy of PRCA