PRORODEO Sports News - July 12, 2024

RODEO ROUNDUP

BLACK HILLS ROUNDUP BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. Martin captures second title

Cooper Martin returned to Black Hills Roundup four years after winning his first tie-down roping title in Belle Fourche (S.D) with his eyes set to leave as the champion. The 27-year-old cowboy from Alma, Kan., won the event in 2020 with a 7.7-second run earning $3,858. This year, Martin was just shy of that mark with a time of 8.8 seconds, earning $3,596. “It was pretty cool because I’ve only been to Belle Fourche twice and I’ve won it both times,” he said. “The last time I’d been was in 2020 and then I got injured a couple years ago. Getting to go back there and win four years a part for me was pretty cool.” Martin faced injuries in 2020, which resulted in time off from competing. In June 2020, a coil wrapped around Martin’s wrist during a practice run and resulted in two torn ligaments. Six pins in his wrist and two surgeries later, Martin had to train his hand again to be successful in the arena. Despite the challenge, Martin returned to the game and this time his motivation is centered on returning to the National Finals Rodeo for a fourth time. “It’s getting back to the NFR – since making it three times in a row and then COVID happened and then getting injured. I’ve just been trying to get back to that competitive level – that’s what has been driving me here the last couple years. That’s what we’re working toward and I’m trying to get back to that,” Martin said.

Clay Guardipee photo Cooper Martin struck gold at the Black Hills Roundup, winning with an 8.8-second run. HOME OF CHAMPIONS RODEO RED LODGE, MONT. Career-best ride lifts Filipek

Gillette (Wyo.) College student, Cooper Filipek, came out on top in the bareback riding at the Home of Champions Rodeo in Red Lodge, Mont., bringing home the biggest win of his young career. The 21-year-old from Rapid City, S.D., won the rodeo with an impressive ride of 88 points on Smith Pro Rodeos’ No. 646, a relatively new bucking horse to ProRodeo. “The ride felt really good and really clean,” Filipek said. “When I jumped off, the horse felt pretty good, and I felt pretty good about my ride. I looked up and saw that my score was 88 and I was like gosh dang they (the judges) must have liked my ride because that was the highest I have ever scored.” The bareback rider has his eyes set on a different prize than most, making it to the

COWBOY CHRISTMAS Permit Finals in Waco, Texas, in October, and buying his PRCA card for the 2025 season. “I had college classes four to five days a week, which made me stay on my permit. I am really trying to go to the Permit Finals this year and secure my pro card next year,” he said. “I have one more year of eligibility for college rodeoing, so I am coming back for one more year to get a business degree and hopefully claim a win there,” said Filipek, who was runner-up by a half point to Weston Timberman to win the national championship at the College National Finals in June in Casper, Wyo. Phillip Kitts photo Cooper Filipek picked up the biggest win of his career with an 88-point ride on Smith Rodeos’ No. 646.

ProRodeo Sports News 7/12/2024

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