ProRodeo Sports News - August 10, 2018

Hanchey grabs first Cheyenne win

S hane Hanchey has won just about everything when it comes to PRCA competition, including the 2013 tie-down roping world title. Nine years into his ProRodeo career, he’s added the title of Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days champion. “This rodeo is so prestigious, I’ve never even thought it was a possibility,” Hanchey said. “I’ve had an awesome career so far, and God willing it will keep going.” Winning $11,345 in Cheyenne moved Hanchey from fifth to third in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings as of Aug. 6, but he wasn’t focused on the money. “This rodeo could be in January or September, but I don’t care because I got that buckle, and nobody can take that fromme,” Hanchey said. The Louisiana cowboy credited his Cheyenne win to his horse, Si, the 2017 PRCA | AQHA Tie-Down Roping Horse of the Year. “It’s pretty cliché, but he made it happen with the way he handles fresh

calves, it makes it easier for me,” Hanchey said. “He is the same horse every time. He’s not an NFR horse or even a Denver horse, but outside in long setups he’s hard to beat.” Hanchey is no stranger to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, having qualified every year since 2010. Hanchey didn’t place in the first two rounds at Cheyenne, but his 11.1-second time in the final round placed him 1.1 seconds ahead in the three- head average with 34.9 seconds. “It’s nothing like any other finals or short round,” Hanchey said. “It is called the finals because the best ropers are here, and I didn’t want to back off. I need to be more aggressive, I’ve been saying that since Denver.” Hanchey also did well in Colorado, having won the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver earlier this season and placing third at the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede. –Matt Naber

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Great inaugural appearance for Piva I n his first trip to Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, bull rider Ruger Piva came away with a win. The victory comes on the heels of also winning the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up his rookie year in September 2017. “If you told me that I was going to win Pendleton and Cheyenne within a year’s time, I’d never believe it,” said Piva, 23. The Challis, Idaho, cowboy joined the PRCA in October 2016 and ranked 37th in the world with $41,138 his rookie year, good for fifth in the PRCA | Resistol Rookie Standings. “I credit a lot of what I’ve done to wrestling and family,” Piva said. “In in the first two rounds, he made an 85.5-point ride in the finals to win the average by two points with 252 points on three head. “My hip was sore, and I was wanting to get it fixed, but I get better when it’s back-to-back, and it was fast and furious here,” Piva said. Piva won $9,931 in Cheyenne and moved from 31st to 27th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $47,072. “I’ll try not to spend it in one place, and that could happen,” Piva laughed. “I figured if I was going to make a jump for the Finals, it has to be here.” Piva met up with his bull riding coach and grandfather, Joe Piva, after winning Cheyenne. “I knew he had the capability when starting out,” Joe Piva said. “He’s been working on it and it paid off.” –Matt Naber wrestling, my coach told me to take it a step at a time and one match at a time, and that always worked for me, just worry about what to do in the moment.” That approach paid off well at Cheyenne. Although he did not place

ProRodeo Sports News 8/10/2018

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