PRORODEO Sports News - July 12, 2024

BULL RIDING

PRCA ProRodeo file photo by Mike Copeman

Blue Stone Late bull rider headed into ProRodeo Hall BY TRACY RENCK B lue Stone didn’t have a lengthy PRCA career, but it was quite memorable. Stone qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in 2001 and 2002 and won back-to-back PRCA World Championships and the NFR Average twice. Stone, who passed away March 13, 2022, at the age of 43, will be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame with the 2024 class. “This is one thing that I know he always wanted to have done and it’s a huge honor,” said Chris Willard, Stone’s cousin. “I just wish he was here for it. His try and will is what really set him apart. He never quit, not until his head hit the ground. He was always going at ‘em.” Stone captured his first world championship by earning $174,772 to edge Cody Hancock by less than $10,000. He followed that up in 2002 by earning $157,707 and defeated Myron Duarte by less than $9,000. Stone was the first cowboy to win back-to-back PRCA Bull Riding World Championships since Don Gay won three world titles in a row from 1979-81. Stone shares the NFR Round 1 bull riding record with Gay. Gay had a 94-point ride in 1974 and Stone equaled that score in 2001 on Gilbert Diamond G Rodeos’ Mr. Skoal’s USA. In his two NFR appearances, Stone rode 14 of his bulls and earned a combined $205,851 – $112,322 in 2001 and $93,529 in 2002. “Blue was like Sage Kimzey, the bigger the stage, the better he rode,” Duarte said. “Blue was a competitor and he brought me to my best level, and he made everybody’s game better. That’s what world champions do. When you are around world champions day-in and day-out, you’re either going to get better or you’re going to go home.” Stone’s NFR performances are stunning considering in 1998-2000, he earned a combined $40,131 as a part time competitor. He entered the 2001 NFR 12th in the world standings and eighth in 2002 and rocketed to the top both times. “All I set out to do was to make the Finals,” said Stone in a Feb. 6, 2002, issue of the ProRodeo Sports News . “I had never really even tried to make it before. I decided I would try to go at least once. It worked out a little better than I planned.”

“This is one thing that I know he al ways wanted to have done and it’s a huge honor. ... His try and will is what really set him apart.” – CHRIS WILLARD Stone’s cousin

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