2018 PRCA Media Guide - PRCA Awards

2017 Pendleton Whisky Let ’er Buck Stock of the Year Awards Each year, the top ProRodeo cowboys in each roughstock event vote for the top bucking horses and bulls – the animal athletes with whom they contend in the arena and whose performance is worth half their own scores. Ballots go out every Sept. 1, and the winning animals are acclaimed at the PRCA’s annual awards banquet each December just before the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Stock contractors are proud of these top buckers. They invest heavily in purchases and/or breeding programs, feed and medical care for their bucking stock for years, fostering the animals’ growth and development until they are ready to be tested in the arena for the bucking instinct and physical abilities that may make them champions in their own right. In 2010, Pendleton Whisky expanded its ProRodeo involvement by sponsoring the stock awards, which are now known as the PendletonWhisky Let ‘er Buck Stock of the Year Awards. PendletonWhisky provides cash prizes for the top three animals in each event and funds the stipends for stock contractors who provide bucking stock for the Wrangler NFR. In 2017, bareback horse Virgil, saddle bronc Wound Up and bucking bull SweetPro’s Bruiser moved from second last year to the top spot. Bulls 1. SweetPro Bruiser, D&H Cattle 2. Spotted Demon, Big Stone Rodeo 3. Hot & Ready, Smith, Harper & Morgan The 2017 PendletonWhisky Let ‘er Buck Stock of the Year Awards went to: Bareback Horses 1. Virgil, C5 Rodeo 2. Craig at Midnight, Powder River Rodeo 3. (Tie) Top Flight, Pickett Pro Rodeo; Street Dance, Kesler Rodeo; Onion Ring, Korkow Rodeo Saddle Broncs 1. Wound Up, Beutler & Son Rodeo 2. Spring Planting, Flying 5 Rodeo 3. Medicine Woman, Frontier Rodeo

Best bareback horse 2017 Virgil C5 Rodeo

When bareback riders draw C5 Rodeo’s Virgil (right with Tanner Aus) they know they’re in for some big points so long as they stay on. Contestants climb onto the 2017 Bareback Horse of the Year in the chute and can feel something special, according toVirgil’s breeder, Dale Kling. “When he goes into the chute, every rider comments that the horse has a buzz to him, a very competitive buzz,”said Kling, C5 Rodeo livestock superintendent. C5 Rodeo owner Vern McDonald ranked winning this award at the top of his professional career. “I’ve got several businesses here in Canada, and this is probably the biggest thing I’ve accomplished,” McDonald said. “… I think it’s something that doesn’t happen every day and I’ll probably never win it again in my whole life.” The 9-year-old, 1,600-pound gelding is known for leading riders to a first-place score. That was the case for Austin Foss, who scored 88 onVirgil to win the Lynden (Wash.) PRCA Rodeo in August.

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Dan Hubbell

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PRORODEO AWARDS