PRORODEO Sports News - February 21, 2025

MANAGER’S MESSAGE

Tracy Renck

WINTER RUN HELPS FUEL WRANGLER NFR DREAMS

T he winter run is in full force. The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo ended Feb. 8 and each event champ earned a $20,000 payday; the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is over Feb. 22 and finals winners will collect $15,000; and that sets the stage for RodeoHouston (March 4-23) & Rodeo Austin (March 15-29). This is a hectic time for cowboys to try and grab their share of huge purs es at these lucrative rodeos. There’s no question a RodeoHouston victory sets a cowboy on a direct path to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge. The 2024 winners at NRG Stadium pocketed $50,000 each for their vic tories. The list consisted of bareback rider Leighton Berry; steer wrestler Dakota Eldridge, team ropers J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II; saddle bronc rider Damian Brennan; tie down roper Ty Harris and bull rider Creek Young. Harris was the top money winner of RodeoHouston – putting $58,000 in his pockets. All those victorious cowboys quali fied for the 2024 Wrangler NFR. The high-paying rodeos don’t end in March either. They are littered throughout the season through

spring, summer and fall. Cashing checks and balancing rodeo counts is more important than ever for PROEODEO contestants. Consider how much the No. 15 qual ifiers for last year’s NFR made to get to Vegas. It is mind-boggling: BAREBACK RIDER RICHMOND CHAMPION $128,965 STEER WRESTLER SCOTT GUENTHNER $91,348 TEAM ROPING HEADER DEREK BEGAY $105,069 TEAM ROPING HEELER PAUL EAVES $108,912 SADDLE BRONC RIDER LOGAN HAY $127,250 TIE-DOWN ROPER QUADE HIATT $101,980 BULL RIDER CREEK YOUNG $121,609 Moreover, it is a credit to the PRCA, sponsors, and all the great rodeo committees for putting so much money into rodeos and standalone events. How much more? Well as recently as 2021 NFR here’s a list of the No. 15 qualifiers per event: BAREBACK RIDER ZACH HIBLER $65,381 TEAM ROPING HEADER QUINN KESLER $62,403 TEAM ROPING HEELER JOSEPH HARRISON $61,688 SADDLE BRONC RIDER SPENCER WRIGHT $74,061 TIE-DOWN ROPER JOHN DOUCH $88,874 STEER WRESTLER CURTIS CASSIDY $66,943

It doesn’t take an MIT grad to cal culate that the money is growing exponentially in PRORODEO. This is fantastic for competitors and a huge plus for fans – but it also increases the degree of difficulty to make the coveted NFR. That’s why cowboys must seize opportunities when they draw NFR roughstock or the top draws in the timed events. OPPORTUNITIES LOST CAN EASILY BE THE DIFFERENCE IN A COWBOY MAKING A RESERVATION FOR THE NFR OR STAYING HOME AND GETTING READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS. Making the NFR is priority No. 1 – but that is the same goal for most of the 6,000-plus members of the PRCA. The odds of reaching this goal – for most cowboys – are not great. That’s why cowboys need to be great when the spotlight is the brightest and moment is the biggest if they want to have a chance at a presti gious gold buckle in December. The 2025 NFR payout for contestants is $13,501,505 so anything is possible once at the Thomas & Mack Center. Let the fun heat up.

BULL RIDER ROSCOE JARBOE

$95,778

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