2023 PRCA Media Guide - All Chapters

Resistol Rookies of the Year

at it – one chance to win Rookie of the Year – and you get multiple chances at trying to make the NFR. To be able to win the Rookie of the Year is amazing.

TEAM ROPING HEELER OF THE YEAR

NAME: Junior Zambrano HOMETOWN: Nogales, Ariz.

BIGGEST MOMENT OF THE 2022 SEASON? Junior: This year was a combination of a lot of memorable moments. First off was winning in Tucson (Ariz.) at the beginning of the year. That was a hometown rodeo for me so to win that was a really big accomplishment. Then, to go all year and go as much as I could was also another big accomplishment for me. I don’t really come from a rodeo background so to get to hang out with these guys all year was an accomplishment in itself. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN ROOKIE OF THE YEAR? Junior: This is such an honor. I think about that quite often. I was able to do what a lot of people try and do and don’t succeed. I’m just very fortunate and I feel very blessed to be able to accomplish that goal. I’m not going to change my plan or slow down. I’m still going to go to as many rodeos as I can and showing up with this title under my belt is definitely going to help me with my confidence going down the road.

SADDLE BRONC RIDER OF THE YEAR

NAME: Damian Brennan HOMETOWN: Injune, Australia

BIGGEST MOMENT OF THE 2022 SEASON? Damian: Winning two rounds in Calgary, that was pretty cool. The atmosphere was electric, and it was my first time there. You looked up and there were just thousands of people staring down on top of you. It was pretty cool to do a victory lap around there, that’s for sure. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN ROOKIE OF THE YEAR? Damian: It means a lot to me. That was one of my main goals this year. I wanted to make the NFR as well, but winning Rookie of the Year was one of my goals and to be able to get that done with the competitors who I was competing against means a heck of a lot. To have my name in ProRodeo history is awesome, especially coming from Australia. That makes this even more special.

STEER ROPER OF THE YEAR

NAME: Logan Currie HOMETOWN: Wharton, Texas

BIGGEST MOMENT OF THE 2022 SEASON? Logan: I’m going to say the short round in Pendleton (Ore.). I tied my first steer, and I won the first round at Pendleton and that was awesome. I tied my second one down and I was like 14 (seconds) and I should have been 12. Then I come back second call back. Garrett Hale went, and he was 10.9 and Dalton Walker was 10.8 and nobody all week had tied one faster than 11 seconds and 10-something at Pendleton is doing it. I kept riding around thinking, no big deal just tie one down and win some money. My steer ran to the left really bad, and I took him from the head side. Everybody I talked to my father-in-law (Tony Reina), Scott (Snedecor) and Trevor (Brazile) all said take him the other side. They promised it would be easy and sure enough he was. I got back on my horse, and I was 10.9 and I won Pendleton. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN ROOKIE OF THE YEAR? Logan: That’s the only thing I have ever wanted to win. I roped my whole life and grew up around guys who made the Finals and rodeoed for a living, and I have been fortunate to be around them. That’s always been my deal (to win Rookie of the Year). To be perfectly honest, it never really occurred to me about making the Finals or anything like that, but I wanted to win Rookie of the Year. There’s just something about that buckle. It is indescribable. That’s a coveted deal.

BULL RIDER OF THE YEAR

NAME: Lukasey Morris HOMETOWN: Union City, Okla.

BIGGEST MOMENT OF THE 2022 SEASON? Lukasey: I would say when I won the Redding (Calif.) Etreme Bulls (in the spring). At the Xtreme Bulls events, I would place here and there, but seemed like I never did any good. Then I finally got my first win and I thought ‘Maybe I do ride good enough to be here.’ WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN ROOKIE OF THE YEAR? Lukasey: Ever since I can remember, my two goals as a bull rider were winning Rookie of the Year and making the NFR my rookie year. This year riding against guys like Bubba Greig and Dawson Gleaves, those guys ride really good. I knew it was going to be tough to win Rookie of the Year. To accomplish two of my goals in the same year, I’m just really blessed.

PRCA AWARDS

87

2023 PRCA MEDIA GUIDE