PRORODEO Sports News - February 21, 2025

BAREBACK RIDER PELKE SNARES CAREER-BEST WIN

N ick Pelke knows if he wants to realize his dream of qualifying for the Wrangler NFR he needs to win some lucrative rodeos. Well, he did just that on Feb. 8 taking home the crown at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Pelke had a 91.5-point ride on J Bar J's Straight Stick to claim the title and the $20,000 top prize. “I’m speechless,” said Pelke, 24. “To win Fort Worth, that’s a milestone career win and I did it my third time here. Then, to have my first career 90-point ride in the win is pretty awesome. I had never been on that horse before. It was the horse Rocker Steiner had a 92.5-point ride on in 2024 to win Fort Worth. Sparky Dre esen (J Bar J’s owner) told me I had the horse to win it, and he was sure right.” Pelke said his eight-second ride was a

Bareback rider Nick Pelke stretches out during an 87.5-point ride on Sanky Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Shoutin Shoes on Feb. 7 during the Fort Worth (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo semifinals.

magical blur. “I saw her trips at the NFR and I dang sure made sure I had a good mark out of there and from there on out I was shake, rattle and roll ing and it worked,” said Pelke, who

finished a career best 19th in the 2024 world standings. “This win will let me rodeo freely all year. Having money in your pocket early allows a guy to rodeo and this Texas swing is just getting started and this is a good time to get hot.”

TOMLINSON / GRAVES GRAB FORT WORTH CHAMPIONSHIP T eam ropers Tanner Tomlinson/ Travis Graves just teamed up for the first time this season and the moved proved beneficial in Fort Worth. Fort Worth championship. “This is third time I have won Fort Worth as I also did it in 2007 (with header Keven Daniel) and 2009 (with header Turtle Powell),” said Graves, 40, a 14-time NFR qualifier including last year. “This is awesome to win Fort Worth again. It was so long ago that I last won it. It pays a lot more now and it is a lot bigger deal nowa days. Winning this sets your season up. The duo stopped the clock in 4.9 sec onds in the finals to grab the coveted

“We had a big advantage going last (in the finals) because we were able to see what we needed to do. We had a pretty good steer and just made our run, and it was good enough. I have roped with Tanner in jackpots but never in the (PRCA). This is a huge win.” Tomlinson, 24, was thrilled to win Fort Worth for the first time. “I have never had a good winter before and one of my goals was to win one of the big winter rodeos this year,” said Tomlinson, a two time NFR qualifier in 2022 and 2023. “That is a major blessing, and it has been a good start with my new part ner Travis. He has done an outstand ing job, and I just hope we can keep the momentum rolling.”

Team roping header Tanner Tomlinson and heeler Travis Graves string together a 5.7-second run in the first semifinal of the Forth Worth (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6 at Dickies Arena. All Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo photos by PRCA photographer James Phifer

34 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS