Standings Shuffle: Tegan Smith Climbs Four Spots in Saddle Bronc Riding

Six cowboys jumped four spots in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, the biggest climbs of the week of May 31 through June 6.

One of those cowboys who moved up four spots was saddle bronc rider Tegan Smith.

The Winterset, Iowa, cowboy scooted up from No. 17 to No. 13 in the world standings with $20,168.

“This year has been good for me,” said Smith 23. “The winter rodeos were slow because we were still dealing with the coronavirus, but now things are picking back up. I feel like it’s going to be like a normal rodeo year. It should be fun.”

Smith made the move thanks to earning $2,685 at the Casey Tibbs Match of Champions Xtreme Broncs in Fort Pierre, S.D., June 5.

“That’s one of my favorite bronc matches,” Smith said. “I got to go in 2019 and that was the first time I ever made the short round in xtreme broncs. I was able to go again this year, and I had some luck and won some money.”

Smith, who bought his PRCA card in 2018, had his best season a year ago, finishing 21st in the world standings with $33,293.

“It would mean the world to me if I could make the NFR,” Smith said. “All the hard work you put into rodeo your entire life would pay off. It would be the greatest thing ever. I just need to take one horse at a time and make sure I do my job. I don’t want to overthink it. Last year I saw I had a chance to make the NFR and that I can be one of those top guys, and I’m hungrier than ever.”

Smith is competing at the Woodward (Okla.) Elks Rodeo June 10.

“I enjoy competing as much as I can, especially when things are going well,” Smith said. “Everybody rides good and you have to draw good and take advantage of your good opportunities.”

Here’s a look at the other cowboys who moved up in the top 15 of the world standings.

Four spots

• Team roping header Lightning Aguilera moved from 17th to 13th.
• Tie-down roper Ryan Jarrett jumped from seventh to third.
• Bull rider J.B. Mauney moved up from 15th to 11th.
• Team roping heeler Logan Medlin cracked the Top 15, edging up from 18th to 14th.
• Team roping heeler Trey Yates is in the coveted No. 15 spot, scooting up from 19th.

Three spots

• Bull rider Parker Breding moved from 10th to seventh.
• World champion steer wrestler Ty Erickson slid up from 14th to 11th.
• Steer wrestler Stockton Graves jumped up from 13th to 10th.
• Bareback rider Jamie Howlett went from 17th to 14th.

Two spots

• World champion tie-down roper Marcos Costa went from 15th to 13th.
• World champion tie-down roper Haven Meged moved from 11th to ninth.

One spot

• Bull rider Dustin Bouquet went from ninth to eighth.
Reigning bareback riding world champ Kaycee Feild went from fifth to fourth.
• Steer roper Shay Good edged up from sixth to fifth.
• Two-time world champion team roping header Clay Smith went from sixth to fifth.
• Steer roper Jason Stockton went from 11th to 10th.
• Two-time world champion steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack went from ninth to eighth.
• Saddle bronc rider Kolby Wanchuck scooted from seventh to sixth.
• Team roping header Andrew Ward edged up from fourth to third.
• Steer roper Kim Ziegelgruber moved up from No. 15 to 14th.

On The Bubble

• Steer wrestler Riley Duvall moved up from 19th to 16th and is $1,172 from the No. 15 spot.

Courtesy of PRCA