2018 Media Guide - Cowboys

2017 ProRodeo Top Cowboys (continued)

Jason Thomas

Steer wrestling

Event:

19th

2017 world standings place:

$67,294 $413,555

2017 earnings: Career earnings:

May 29, 1990, in Little Rock, Ark.

Born:

Benton, Ark.

Residence: Joined PRCA: World titles:

2013

0

1 (2016) 1 (2012)

Wrangler NFR qualifications:

RNCFR qualifications:

Panola College (Carthage, Texas) and McNesse State University (Lake Charles, La.)

Education:

Professional 2017 Highlights ★ ★ Won the Ponoka (Alberta) Stampede ★ ★ Won the Stampede at the Ike (West Monroe, La.) ★ ★ Co-champion at the Amarillo (Texas) Tri-State Fair and Rodeo

★ ★ Co-champion at the Missoula (Mont.) Stampede ★ ★ Co-champion at the Ogden (Utah) Pioneer Days Career Highlights

★ ★ 2016: Won Round 2 and placed in three rounds of the Wrangler NFR to rank second in the average. Finished fifth in the world standings $114,500. Won the San Antonio (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo, the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Frontier Days and Rodeo (Weatherford,Texas), theWrangler Champion Challenge presented by Justin Boots (Redding, Calif.), the Crossett (Ark.) Riding Club 68th Annual PRCA Rodeo, the State Fair of Louisiana (Shreveport) Pro Rodeo, the Red Desert Roundup (Rock Springs, Wyo.) and the Gem State Stampede (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho). Co-champion at the Sundre (Alberta) Pro Rodeo ★ ★ 2015: Won the Ogden (Utah) Pioneer Days, the State Fair of Louisiana Pro Rodeo (Shreveport), the Spokane (Wash.) Interstate Rodeo and the Panola County Cattlemen’s Rodeo (Carthage,Texas). Finished 25th in the world standings with $44,334 ★ ★ 2014: Won the SandHills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa,Texas), the Rooftop Rodeo (Estes Park, Colo.), the Lions Club Rodeo (Leesville, La.) and the Panola County Cattlemen’s Rodeo (Carthage, Texas). Finished 31st in the world standings with $34,713 ★ ★ 2013: Won the Rusk County PRCA Rodeo (Henderson, Texas), the Leesville (La.) Lions Club Rodeo and the Sanders County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Plains, Mont.). Finished 29th in the world standings with $34,953 ★ ★ 2012: Won the NE Arkansas District Fair & Rodeo (Jonesboro), the Amicus Club PRCA Rodeo (Alexandria, La.), the Mesquite (Texas) ProRodeo Series on July 13 and won the second round of the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo with a time of 3.5 seconds. Earned $14,773 on his permit ★ ★ 2011: Won the RAM Southeastern Circuit Finals Rodeo (Davie, Fla.), the Dixie National Rodeo (Jackson, Miss.) with a time of 7.3 seconds on two head, theYMBL Championship Rodeo (Beaumont,Texas) and the SWDistrict Fat Stock Show & Rodeo (Lake Charles, La.). Co-champion at the Marshall (Texas) Pro Rodeo. Finished as the Southeastern Circuit year-end champion. Earned $18,520 on his permit ★ ★ 2010: Competed in just two PRCA rodeos before being diagnosed with mononucleosis (commonly known as Mono) ★ ★ 2009: Won the Phil Gardenhire PRCA Rodeo (Poteau, Okla.) in his first year on a PRCA permit; earned $836 Amateur Arkansas state high school steer wrestling champion, 2005-08; finished fourth in the National High School Finals Rodeo, 2008. Qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo, 2009-11, winning the three-head average in 2011 while competing for McNeese State with a time of 19.1 seconds Personal 6-2, 205 … Single … 2013 PRCA/Resistol Steer Wrestling Rookie of the Year … Father, Jim, owns an insurance and real estate business; mom, Leann, is a stay-at-home mom who gives riding and goat-tying lessons; older brother, Sean. His dad, brother, grandfather, Leon Bates, and uncles, Jeff Bates and Allen Bates, have all been instrumental in helping his career progress … Likes to play basketball, hunt and play horseshoes … Graduated from Benton/ Harmony Grove High School (Haskell, Ark.) … Favorite rodeo is the Dixie National Rodeo (Jackson, Miss.) … Favorite movies are“Transformers,”“The Hangover”and“pretty much everything with John Wayne”… Favorite meal on the road is Whataburger

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2018 PRCA MEDIA GUIDE