PRORODEO Sports News - July 12, 2024

GREELEY, COLO.

GREELEY STAMPEDE

Day at a Time

Kincade Henry gets boost from Greeley Stampede title BY BRADY RENCK, Special to ProRodeo Sports News F or a cowboy, mental toughness can be finding fuel on an empty tank. Literally and figuratively. As the everyday rodeo portion of the schedule hits, it becomes a grind. The competition is relentless. The driving from event to event is exhausting. But the one thing cowboys can’t do is feel sorry for themselves because they know the guy next to them is going through the exact same situation. “You have to keep roping, keep doing your job. It’s very easy to get down on yourself and make this event harder than it is,” Henry said. “When you are doing two rodeos in one day and there’s 1,500 miles in between, it can be hard to stay in the right frame of mind. But staying positive is the most important thing.” Henry’s patience and resilience paid off recently. He delivered a solid first run at the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede and parlayed that into a terrific finish at the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede. Henry won on three-head in Colorado, clocking 26.6 seconds to eclipse Jake Pratt and Ty Harris (27.2). “I ran my first one probably a week and half before my last one. I treated that first one like a one-header. Had a calf and won the first round (to net $4,402),” Henry said. “When I came back for the second round, I knew the average was kind of soft and that I had a chance to win it if I did my job. It was almost like a relief that I won that first round and didn’t have to worry about it for a bit. And then when I came back, I knew exactly what I needed to do.” Only 22, Henry is experienced beyond his years. He turned pro when he was 18 and has twice qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. He finished eighth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings in 2023, the best of his career. Henry aims to return with a third-straight berth but knows he has work to do as he sits just outside the top 20. “For sure, that’s the goal,” said Henry, who hails from Mount Pleasant, Texas. “I know it sounds like a cliche, but it really is about focusing on one calf at a time and not worrying about things you cannot control. Keep focusing on that next run.” Henry’s dream of becoming a rodeo cowboy began to crystallize when he was around 13. As the youngest of three siblings, he began riding as a toddler. But when his sister wasn’t able to compete, he shifted his focus to hitting, not roping. He wanted to play college baseball for Louisiana State University. The gravitational pull of the arena remained present, if not strong. His father Chad and mother Melody competed in rodeos. And his dad coached. “By 13 I got into it again, and by 15, I was pretty serious and knew that this is what I wanted to do for my career,” Henry said. “I love it. My goal is to make a living doing this for the next 10 to 15 years. That would be amazing.” Anything seems possible given his talent and positive thinking. This season wasn’t going the way he expected. Then it turned, signaling that he’s about to go on a run. “Up until July 2, my Fourth of July rodeos weren’t going very well. It was a chip here, a chip there, other than the first round in Greeley. But one day changed everything,” Henry said. “Now it’s about embracing the challenges ahead and keeping this momentum going.

TOP MONEY EARNER Kincade Henry TOP SCORES

($11,994, tie down roping) BAREBACK RIDING

Henry

1. Dean Thompson ........ 174.5 pts. on 2 2. Jess Pope .................................... 171 3. Will Norstrom ........................... 163.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Logan Kenline ............. 11.7 sec. on 3 2. Don Payne .................................. 11.8 3. Darcy Kersh ................................ 12.4 TEAM ROPING 1. D. Egusquiza/L. Lord ... 15.6 sec. on 3 2. G. Tonozzi/C. Herren ................... 18.6 3. K. Johnson/C. Johnson ............... 19.2 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Damian Brennan ........... 176 pts. on 2 2. Gus Gaillard .............................. 173.5 3. Ira Dickinson ............................. 169.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Kincade Henry ............. 26.6 sec. on 3 2. Jake Pratt .................................... 27.2 (Tie) Ty Harris ............................. 27.2 BARREL RACING 1. Halyn Lide ................. 51.92 sec. on 3 2. Lisa Lockhart ............................ 52.05 3. Stephanie Fryar ......................... 52.40 BULL RIDING 1. Scott Wells ................. 169.5 pts. on 2 2. Hayes Weight ............................ 168.5 3. Jeter Lawrence ......................... 143.5

Complete results/Page 99

COWBOY CHRISTMAS

Jake Hodnett photo

Tie-down roper Kincade Henry captured the average title at the Greeley Stampede after clocking 26.6 seconds on three head.

ProRodeo Sports News 7/12/2019

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