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

RAM NATIONAL CIRCUIT FINALS

BY MATT NABER T he RAMNational Circuit Finals Rodeo’s temporary home among the green fields of Greeley, Colo., was a perfect match for the green on ProRodeo athletes’ minds as they competed for $388,000 in mid-September. Bull rider Jeff Askey didn’t know he made the only qualified ride during the eight-man semifinals of the RAMNCFR until he was walking to his interview withThe Cowboy Channel. “I knew they hadn’t ridden any before me, and then I took my stuff back (behind the chutes) since I knew I had to get on again,” Askey said. “And then I just didn’t pay much attention to the guys who went after me.” Getting there wasn’t easy. The Texas cowboy had multiple brushes with death in rapid succession in the second round in Greeley. “My bull in the second round reared back and jerked me down, and I did a summersault in the air, then he stomped on my head, hips and arms, but it was all just grazes,” Askey said. “My life flashed before my eyes there. I thought if this is the end of me, my wife is going to be ticked.” Askey’s 88-point ride on Brookman Rodeo’s Hot Axe in the semifinals was worth $11,317, and winning the final round by a single point with 89.5 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Chupacabra pushed his RAMNCFR total to $21,049. Saddle bronc riding at the RAMNCFR ended the same way it started, with Shorty Garrett and StetsonWright in a tie. But Garrett came out on top thanks to winning or splitting the win in every round of the RAM NCFR to take home the title and $16,490. Suprised RAM NCFR temporarily relocates for 2020 GARRETT’S PERFECT RUN

Jeff Askey took the RAM NCFR bull riding title with solid rides in the semifinals and finals. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Roseanna Sales

HANSEN SURPRISED BY SUCCESS

The final round is typically a clean slate, but a logjam tiebreaker based on previous scores was called into action when Garrett andWright each posted rides of 87.5 points. “I’m very lucky I did so well early on and rode strong all the way through,” Garrett said. “It’s a great achievement any time you can come into a multi-round deal and hit it off on Round 1 and keep it rolling.” Garrett split the win in Round 1 with an 86-point ride on Sutton Rodeos’ Sweet Emotion and won Round 2 outright with an 84.5-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Flashcard Champ to win the average by two points. Garrett’s hot streak continued in the semifinals with a 91.5-point trip on Hi Lo ProRodeo’s Toma Jo followed by the split in the finals with an 87.5-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo & PhenomGenetics’ Marquee.

A dark horse won the RAMNCFR bareback riding. Tristan Hansen narrowly qualified for the final round but came out on top with an 89-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Tic Tac. The victory was a breath of fresh air for Hansen, who placed fourth in the average with 160.5 points on two head and fourth in the semifinals with a 78-point ride. He advanced to the four-man finals thanks to edging Trevar McAllister by two points in the average. “Winning was a total shocker,” Hansen said. “Everyone in the four-man (finals) was a winner, and Blaine (Kaufman) was the guy to beat. “I’m still kind of baffled by it (winning the finals). I almost quit halfway through the season, and when it was announced it would be in Greeley, I figured I’d come and have some fun with my friends and give it a shot.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/18/2020

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