Cole Franks
Name and Hometown: Cole Franks, Clarendon, Texas
2-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Qualifier
Joined PRCA: 2021
Regular Season Earnings: $116,426
Starting 2022 NFR in 10th place
Major regular season wins –
• National Western Stock Show Rodeo (Denver, Colorado), $11,290
• Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, $8,260
• San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, $5,000
• Rodeo Austin, $9,306
Fun Facts about Cole: He set a goal of winning the 2021 Rookie of the Year title in bareback riding. When he started traveling with Tim O’Connell and Jess Pope, they told him to set a goal of getting to the WNFR and the rookie would take care of itself. That’s exactly what happened. He also won the all-around and bareback riding titles at the College National Finals Rodeo in 2021. After a successful WNFR and finishing the season strong, he kept his momentum going through the winter buildings. Cole has spent a little time on the injury list this year. In June, he hurt his wrist, then a horse flipped over on him at Cheyenne Frontier Days and it smashed his free hand between the chute and his rigging. His finger was cut all the way to the bone. Two weeks later, he was back in the rodeo arena. He is the son of WNFR saddle bronc rider Bret Franks who was his first rodeo coach in college.