PRORODEO Sports News - November 22, 2024

PRORODEO NATIONAL FINALS STEER ROPING

Cole Patterson captures his third gold buckle at NFSR with clutch Round 10 Hat Trick PRCA ProRodeo photo by Ryan Jae Cole Patterson holds up a three at the National Finals Steer Roping at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kan. Patterson won his third PRCA Steer Roping World Championship.

BY TRACY RENCK M ake it a gold buckle hat trick for steer roper Cole Patterson – and in dramatic fashion. With a championship hanging in the balance in Round 10, Patterson delivered a 10.6-second run, which split second in the round, and catapulted him to his third PRCA World Championship at the Kansas Star Arena. Patterson, who won gold buckles in 2021 and 2023, needed to finish fourth or better in the round to clinch the world title and that’s what he did to defeat hard-charging Scott Snedecor by $4,141. “I didn’t know the fourth or better, I just knew when we talked before Round 10 started that if the average stayed the same Scott couldn’t catch me if I held my spot in the average,” said Patterson, who was the last roper to compete in Round 10. “But, if he moved up in the average, he could catch me and if he moved up in the average he was probably going to place in the round, so I knew it was a possibility (he could beat me) and he goes out there and sticks it on one (with a 10.4-second run to take the Round 10 lead).

“When I rode in the box I looked down at my dad (Rocky Patterson, a four-time steer roping world champion) and said, ‘I guess I have to get a check now,’ and he said ‘Yep.’ I just let it all hang out.” Patterson earned $7,946 with his Round 10 effort and finished fourth in the average – 121.2 seconds on nine head – to collect another $15,456. He finished the season with $152,928 in the PRCA | RAM World Standings to edge four-time world champion Snedecor, who finished the season with $148,787. Slade Wood was third with $122,467. “That’s the most pressure-packed run you can have in this event (in Round 10),” Patterson said. “You back in there and you have to win good in the 10th round to secure (the world championship) and you’re laying a lot on the line because when I went at that last one, I put my average check on the line. It is a big risk, but we rodeo all year long to win the gold (buckle) and anytime I’m put in that situation that’s what I’m going to try for.” Snedecor, who has won PRCA Steer Roping World Championships in 2005, 2008, 2017 and 2018, arrived in Mulvane in sixth place and nearly came away with gold buckle No. 5.

ProRodeo Sports News 11/22/2024

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