ProRodeo Sports News - April 1, 2022

AUSTIN, TEXAS

RODEO AUSTIN

Sartain, Ward team up for Austin title Success BY TANNER BARTH TOP MONEY WINNER Stetson Wright TOP SCORES

good run,” said Sartain, a six-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “All these guys are capable of going under four (seconds) at any time if the steer lines up right. So, luckily the steers were kind of tough in a couple spots and we got by them.” His partner echoed the same sentiment. “It feels awesome that’s for sure,” saidWard, 34. “We made a good run, but all those guys are capable of being faster than we were, they do it all the time. We definitely had to sweat through it. I’m just glad they let us have this one.” The win in Austin also brought the team their biggest payday of the season so far. They each took home $9,400 for their performance in the finals. It’s been a longtime coming for Sartain, in his 24-year ProRodeo career an Austin championship had always evaded him.

“I’ve never won this rodeo and I’ve been here probably 15 to 20 times now,” Sartain said. “So, it’s pretty cool to get to win it finally after all this time and it makes it even cooler to win it with this guy. He’s one of my best buds.” This win is bittersweet for the duo because it could be their final run together this season in ProRodeo. Sartain toldWard earlier this winter that he’s planning to stay close to his home in Bandera, Texas, for the rest of the spring run and possibly the summer stretch. “It has been a dream come true to get to rope with him, it’s been a ton of fun. We will be friends forever, no matter if we are roping together or not,” Ward said. But Sartain was quick to stay they aren’t ruling out teaming back up at some point. “We aren’t done roping together for good, we are going to rope together some more that’s for sure,” Sartain said. “We are just done for a little while right now.”

N ick Sartain and ReaganWard have both made their mark on the team roping world over the years. The duo teamed up to add another line to their resumes in Austin, Texas, March 26. The veteran ropers were the first team to go in the finals. They stopped the clock in 4.2 seconds, but still had to wait for the other seven teams to make their runs. It was an anxious wait, but when the team roping wrapped up, they walked away with the 2022 Rodeo Austin title. “Waiting is the hardest part after you make a

($29,394, saddle bronc riding and bull riding) BAREBACK RIDING

Wright

1. Caleb Bennett ......................... 87 pts. 2. Cole Franks ................................ 86.5 3. Tilden Hooper ............................ 84.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Talon Roseland ..................... 3.7 sec. 2. Timmy Sparing ............................ 4.5 3. Eli Lord ........................................ 5.0 TEAM ROPING 1. Nick Sartain/Reagan Ward .... 4.2 sec. 2. Colby Lovell/Paul Eaves ............... 5.3 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira ... 6.0 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Leon Fountain ........................ 92 pts. 2. Zeke Thurston ............................ 87.5 3. Stetson Wright .............................. 87 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Shad Mayfield ....................... 7.4 sec. 2. John Douch ................................. 7.8 3. Quade Hiatt .................................. 8.2 BARREL RACING 1. Destri Devenport ............... 15.31 sec. 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi .............. 15.41 3. Bayleigh Choate ....................... 15.42 BULL RIDING 1. Stetson Wright ....................... 93 pts. 2. Roscoe Jarboe .............................. 85 3. Sage Kimzey .............................. 84.5

Complete results/Page 55

Peggy Gander photo

In one of their final rodeos roping together this season, Nick Sartain Reagan Ward took home the title in Austin with a 4.2-second run.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/1/2022

ProRodeo Sports News 4/1/2022

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ProRodeo.com

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