ProRodeo Sports News - April 14, 2023

REDMOND, ORE.

Broussard is healthy and winning again On Track BY JOLEE JORDAN, Special to ProRodeo Sports News M ay the odds be ever in your favor. Whether that phrase is taken as sarcasm or genuine encouragement, for bareback rider Taylor Broussard, the odds seem to always be in his favor. The odd numbered years, that is. The Louisiana bareback rider has made two appearances at the HIGH DESERT STAMPEDE

TOP MONEY EARNER TOP SCORES

Riley Webb ($5,671, tie down roping) BAREBACK RIDING

Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, first in 2019 and then again in 2021. As the 2023 season hits the spring run, Broussard looks poised for another trip, as he is 10th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with more than $35,000. “It seems like I’m an every other year guy,” Broussard, 29, joked. Truth is, there’s been a lot of bad luck to cause his gaps in qualifications to rodeo’s marquee event. During his last qualification in 2021, he was banged up badly, including dislocating his left shoulder in an early round. He underwent surgery immediately following the Finals to repair the rotator cuff, capsule, labrum, and bicep. “I started back in July, and it took a while to get back to feeling right,” Broussard said. With only three months to rodeo, he still managed a top 50 finish in the 2022 standings. But the down time has been the catalyst to his outstanding start in 2023, highlighted most recently by a win at the High Desert Stampede in Redmond, Ore., April 5-8, a stop along the PRCA’s Playoff Series. “Honestly, I didn’t feel like myself again until Denver,” Broussard said of the long road back. “I started working harder and I’m feeling the best I ever have this year.” Along with rehab and recovery from the surgery, Broussard also quit drinking. “Being from Louisiana, it’s not easy to not have a beer,” he laughed. “But I was overdoing it. And when I see how much it has benefited my riding, my body, my marriage, my bank account, everything . . . it’s worth it.” In Redmond, Broussard tangled with Fancy Rocks of Corey & Lange Rodeo, a horse that came originally from the Flying C outfit and was previously hauled by Danny Reagan of United Pro Rodeo before being purchased by Mike Corey. Though Broussard said announcer Steve Kenyon told the audience he’d been on the horse previously, he doesn’t remember that and sought out a little scouting report. “I called Danny but that was back in 2016 that he had the horse,” Broussard said. “Then Yance Day had her in the first perf (in Redmond) and she didn’t kick as much as you’d want.” Broussard visited with Corey, who informed him that he intended to make a change in the amount of flank used on the horse. “Mike said he was going to take a couple of holes out of the flank,” Broussard said. “I had no expectations.” As the first man out in the finals, Broussard stormed to the lead with an 86.5-point ride. Though he was pushed by one of those upstarts, rookie Kade Sonnier, he held on for the win worth $4,759. “It was kind of wild, but she bucked, and I just went and did my job,” Broussard said. “I was happy with the way it worked out.” The win helped Broussard maintain a solid position in the NFR Playoff Series standings, where he is fifth after solid finishes at several of the winter stock show rodeos like Denver and Fort Worth.

Webb

1. Taylor Broussard..................86.5 pts. 2. Kade Sonnier .................................85 3. Orin Larsen..................................84.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Bridger Anderson...................4.2 sec. 2. Grant Peterson..............................4.5 (Tie) Eric Logan.............................4.5 TEAM ROPING 1. J. Dees/R. Ashford..................5.1 sec. 2. C. Machado/D. Pearce...................5.2 3. B. Hirdes/M. George......................5.6 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Cash Wilson............................87 pts. 2. Tanner Butner..............................86.5 3. Lefty Holman...............................83.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Riley Webb.............................7.2 sec. 2. Taylor Santos.................................7.5 3. Tanner Green.................................7.7 BARREL RACING 1. Rachelle Riggers.................16.20 sec. 2. Kacey Gartner............................16.22 (Tie) Jennifer Kalafatic...............16.22 BULL RIDING 1. Jesse Hopper........................88.5 pts. 2. Brady Portenier...............................85 3. Ruger Piva......................................84

Complete results/Page 41

Roseanna Sales photo

Bareback rider Taylor Broussard kept his strong season going by winning the High Desert Stampede with an 86.5-point ride on Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Fancy Rocks. He earned $4,759.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/14/2023

ProRodeo Sports News 4/14/2023

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