ProRodeo Sports News | 2020 Year-End Edition | Dec.18, 2020

$231 The amount tie-down roper Shad Mayfield won by in the PRCA | RAM World Standings over No. 2 Marty Yates to clinch his first world championship at the 2020 Wrangler NFR.

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Roseanna Sales

plans, and I think just having a good season paid off.” During the Wrangler NFR, Mayfield picked up $20,731 after placing second in Round 1 with a 7.5-second run and earned $11,000 during Round 7 after registering a 7.8-second time to place fourth. During Round 10, Mayfield stopped the clock at 7.5 seconds, but received a no-time after his calf came untied before six seconds. “I felt the best about the last round, even if my calf got up,” Mayfield said. “I put it all in God’s hands and out there in the arena to make the best run that I could. I didn’t have the best calf but thought I did what I could on him.” Because of the success of fellow competitors Shane Hanchey and Yates, it made for a close race to the gold buckle. Hanchey picked up $67,269 for winning the average and would have surpassed Mayfield if Hanchey had placed at least fourth in Round 10. But Hanchey came in fifth, finishing third in the

world with $195,991. Yates needed to place at least fifth in the last round to move to the top, but took sixth, finishing second in the world with $198,168. “It’s something I knew I had to work for,” Mayfield said. “I don’t think I roped to my full capability, and I knew it could go either way. I just kept my head up, knew what the other guys had to beat and paid attention to that.” During the regular season, Mayfield pocketed $156,668. He earned $603,000 at The American in Arlington – $53,000 of which counted toward the world standings. He also earned $24,500 from winning the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. Mayfield has dreamt about winning a gold buckle since childhood. “It means the world to me,” he said. “I had a great year coming in, the best year I could ever imagine having.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/18/2020

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