ProRodeo Sports News 2023 Year-End Edition

STEER ROPING WORLD CHAMPION

Cole Patterson came into the 2023 NFSR with a lead and never relinquished it on the way to his second championship. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Crystal Amen

NFSR HIGHLIGHTS LOHSE IS TOP NEWCOMER Reo Lohse, who finished eighth in the world standings with $91,317, won the Dixon McGowan Award, given to the highest-ranked first-time qualifier to the NFSR. The award memorializes McGowan, who died at age 23 in an automobile accident on May 10, 1997. Lohse won Round 8 with a 10.5-second run and earned $19,620 at the NFSR. COLE PATTERSON CLAIMS COLBY GOODWIN AWARD When Patterson won Round 2, he also captured the Colby Goodwin Award. The Second Go-Round Award is given in honor of the late Goodwin, who passed away after being injured during the ninth round of 1999 NFSR. “This is an award I’ve always wanted to win ever since I have been coming here (to the NFSR),” Patterson said. “I have just not ever done well in Round 2, so I’m really happy to get this win.” Tony Reina won the PRCA Legacy Steer Roping Finals at the Kansas Star with 52.3 seconds on four head. Reina clinched the title at the Legacy Finals with a 12.4-second run in Round 4, the final round of the competition. Reina REINA DOUBLES UP AT LEGACY STEER ROPING

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Golden Again Cole Patterson captures gold buckle No. 2 at NFSR, while his father Rocky wins average

BY TRACY RENCK T he mission for gold buckle No. 2 is complete for steer roper Cole Patterson. Patterson, who had a record-setting regular season earnings mark, took care of business Nov. 18 to claim his second career gold buckle at the National Finals Steer Roping at the Kansas Star Arena. “This a weight lifted off my shoulders,” said Patterson, 28. “It was a heck of year and when you come in with a $25,000 lead and even though the money is so good here, you are still expected to win. “That adds a little pressure to an already pressure-packed situation. That’s why I do it, to get put in these pressure situations.” Patterson added his latest gold buckle to the first one he captured in 2021. The Pratt, Kan., cowboy finished atop the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $166,710. With things getting quite interesting, Patterson slammed the door on the competition with his slick 9.9-second Round 9 winning run to clinch the coveted world title. He earned $10,160 for the round win. “I wasn’t sure of the exact numbers going into Round 9,” Patterson said. “But I knew I had an excellent steer. Scott (Snedecor) tied that steer in 10 (seconds, Nov. 17). I knew that steer was so good, and I knew if we went and made our run, we were going to

get a good check in the round and probably seal the deal up and we did. Snedecor finished second in the world standings with $144,452, thanks to earning an NFSR-best $51,415. Cody Lee ($132,011), Jess Tierney ($127,914) and Slade Wood ($116,655) rounded out the top five in the world standings. This gold buckle was special for Patterson, since it was his first since he and his wife, Natalie, had their first child, a boy, Pruitt, who was born in June. It was truly a special night for the Patterson family. Rocky, Cole’s father and four-time PRCA Steer Roping World Champion (2009-10, 2012 and 2016), won the average with 132.8 seconds on 10 head and he earned $30,349. This was Rocky’s third average crown, as he also accomplished the feat in 1999 and 2001. Patterson was the only roper to tie down all 10 steers. Cole and Rocky, who is 58 years old, are the first son and father to win a world championship and the average at the same NFSR. This was Rocky’s 28th appearance at the NFSR, second only to ProRodeo Hall of Famer Guy Allen’s 33 NFSR trips. Back in 2021, when Cole won his first world title, the Pattersons became the third father and son to win steer roping world championships. They joined John McEntire (1934) and Clark McEntire (1956-57); and Charles Good (1975) and Gary Good (1979). The Pattersons became the fifth father and son to win the average at the NFSR when Cole won the average in 2021, joining the company of Jim Snively (1959), and Joe Snively (1961, 72); James Allen (1971) and Guy Allen (1989, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2004); Charles Good (1976) and Gary Good (1979); and Jim Davis (1988) and Bryce Davis (2009).

also won the Legacy Steer Roping season title.

ProRodeo Sports News 12/22/2023

ProRodeo Sports News 12/22/2023

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