ProRodeo Sports News - April 16, 2021

RAM NATIONAL CIRCUIT FINALS RODEO

Jake Finlay has been close. He can quickly rattle off how close he’s been to qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The 26-year-old celebrated his birthday a few days early when he won the final round of the RAMNational Circuit Finals Rodeo (and the semifinals) to more than double his 2021 season earnings. “It’s more important for my pocketbook (than the world standings),” joked Finlay, who grew up in Goondiwindi, Australia. “World standings-wise I don’t really try to look. “I’ve gotten in the habit in years past of looking at them and I ended up 17th (in 2019) and 20th (in 2020), and I’ve not been in that (Top 15) bubble. “I don’t really look at it, and it’ll all work out the same.” Finlay cashed in for $14,249 after posting an 88-point ride on Vold Rodeo’s Sun Glow in the finals at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla., April 10. He won the semifinals with an 86 on United Pro Rodeo’s Awesome Sauce. The money moved him to seventh in the April 13 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $20,502. “This is huge,” Finlay said. “I’ve been rodeoing in the Prairie Circuit for a lot of years, so it’s cool to take it back there.” Finlay isn’t planning on looking at the standings even after the big score. “I like to think I don’t peek, I just have fun,” he said. “The guy who’s having the most fun is usually winning the most money.” Finlay enjoys birthday celebration Herrin, Rambo team up for win

Australian saddle bronc rider Jake Finlay tips his hat to the fans in Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla., April 10.

Teamed with his star horse Rambo, tie-down roper Hunter Herrin was in top form at the RAMNCFR. Herrin won the event in 7.8 seconds, earning $18,627 over the weekend. “This is the first time I’ve won this,” he said. “Here and San Angelo are the biggest licks before the summer, and it feels good to get a good win here. I didn’t make a very good run in the finals, if I’m going to be honest, I stood her up, she went down and I had to scoop her up. I won the first round on her with a 7.6. I was glad to be winning first when it was all said and done. Things just worked out in my favor.” Herrin was full of praise for Rambo, the 2014 PRCA Tie-Down Roping Horse of the Year. “There are some horses better than Rambo from top to bottom, but for me, he’s just special,” Herrin said. “I rode him at his first rodeo back in 2013 and then we sold him to Travis Dobbs and his family, and they own him. Some people tried to ride him for a couple of years, and it didn’t work out. When I got him back last March it just felt like old times again. “He was out a little bit after the (NFR), so I was riding a different horse this winter and we won a little bit, but nothing like this. It feels really good to get a good win here.” Last year with Rambo, Herrin finished fourth in the world standings with $188,895. Herrin earned $142,846 at the 2020Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, second in tie-down roping only to Shane Hanchey’s $143,692.

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo Sports News 4/16/2021

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