Tyson Durfey Wins All American ProRodeo Finals
WACO, Texas – The decorated career of veteran tie-down roper Tyson Durfey got even better Saturday.
Durfey, the 2016 PRCA world champion, added the All American ProRodeo Finals presented by Pendleton Whisky crown to his resume, thanks to clocking an 8.6-second run in the four-man finals at the Extraco Events Center.
“I had a little bit of a stronger calf, and I knew my catch was in good shape, but I reached a long way and my go was a little funny and wide,” Durfey said. “I was just trying to hustle and keep my feet. When I flanked the calf I wanted to keep everything tight and nice and clean, and it just worked out. The calf took a tie and I got a championship.”
Durfey qualified for the four-man finals by winning the nine-man semifinals earlier in the evening with a 7.2-second run. That time was one-tenth of a second off the All-American ProRodeo Finals record of 7.1 seconds shared by Shane Hanchey (2015) and Marcos Costa (2017).
“I have been here a lot of times and I never won a championship,” Durfey said. “So, to get the saddle and this buckle really means a lot to me because I’m 35 (years old) and I have been doing this professionally for 15 years. To finally win this championship after that long really means a lot.”
Durfey was quick to credit his horsepower for his latest triumph.
“I rode my bay horse, Nikko, tonight,” Durfey said. “He went to about 85 rodeos with me this season. He has just been an unbelievable horse. I couldn’t be prouder of him. He’s going to get a vacation for a couple of weeks now.”
Durfey’s Waco victory isn’t that big of a surprise. He has been one of the top tie-down ropers in the PRCA all season. He finished third in the unofficial regular season 2018 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $126,518. Durfey will compete in his 11th career Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and sixth in a row.
The 2018 Wrangler NFR is Dec. 6-15 in Las Vegas.
“This win (in Waco) certainly doesn’t hurt,” Durfey said. “We do have a little bit of a break between now and the NFR. The thing about it is I’m just going to go to the Finals and execute the basics and try and make as good of runs as I possibly can, and whatever happens, happens. I’m going to put it in the Lord’s hand and I will accept whatever he has for me.”
Other winners at the All American ProRodeo Finals were bareback rider Jamie Howlett (86 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Shady Night), steer wrestler Scott Guenthner (4.1 seconds), team ropers Billy Bob Brown/Hunter Koch (4.8 seconds), saddle bronc rider Chase Brooks (89 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Delta Dawn), barrel racer Ivy Conrado (15.99 seconds) and bull rider Parker Breding (87 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Rank Hank).
Howlett and Bill Tutor each had 86-point rides in the finals, but Howlett was awarded the crown because he had an 82-point ride in the semifinals, while Tutor came in at 75 points.
Brooks tied the All American ProRodeo Finals record with his ride. He shares the record with Wade Sundell (twice in 2009) and Cody Wright (twice in 2011).
Click here for the full results and payout.
For more coverage of the All American ProRodeo Finals, check out the Oct. 19 edition of ProRodeo Sports News.
Courtesy of PRCA