ProRodeo Sports News - August 10, 2018

“I wasn’t aware I tied a record, but that’s cool,” said Hardwick, 29. “I know I had two good horses.” Orin Larsen, who has traveled with Hardwick for four years, praised his buddy. “I knew if Seth did his part with that horse (Gunfire) he was going to come out on top,” Larsen said. “I was pretty stoked for him. It will help with his confidence and help in the standings.” Hardwick left town with $6,580 and moved up to 20th in the Aug. 6 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $44,797. He trails J.R. Vezain for the No. 15 spot by $15,826. “That Dodge City victory was very important,” Hardwick said. “I’m still on the outside looking in (to get to the Wrangler NFR), so every dollar counts here. When you can get a chunk of money with a win like that, it helps a bunch, especially with the (regular) season ending Sept. 30.” The Dodge City Roundup Rodeo was selected by USA TODAY voters as the Best Rodeo in the Readers’ Choice contest Aug. 3. Hardwick also loves the rodeo. “I really like Dodge City,” Hardwick said. “For whatever reason, we all have our rodeos or honey holes where you can always make money, and Dodge City has been that way for me. I’ve never won it before, so this is great.” WRANGLERTOUR IN FOREFRONT Hardwick not only edged up the world standings after Dodge City, but he also moved to fourth in the Wrangler Tour standings with 645 points. The Wrangler Tour consists of 22 of the PRCA’s biggest rodeos, and culminates with the Justin Finale in Puyallup, Wash., Sept. 6-9. The top 24 competitors in the Tour standings in each event will earn a DODGE CITY ROUNDUP

standings and moved up nine spots, thanks to a stellar Wrangler NFR where he finished in second place in the average with 802.5 points on 10 head. Hardwick departed Vegas with $136,231 after placing in seven rounds. “That was awesome,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better first NFR. It was a great experience. Now I’m trying to get back to repeat it and hopefully give those boys a run for their money and try and come out on top this time.” Following his Vegas windfall, Hardwick’s career was put on pause because of a nagging hip injury. “Right after the NFR, I had (left) hip surgery, and that took me out for the entire 2016 season,” Hardwick said. “I injured it during the summer of 2015, and I just rode through it all the way through the NFR. I had a lot of cartilage damage (in my hip), which caused me to miss the whole year and not just six months.” Hardwick acknowledged the 2017 season was tough. He finished 23rd in the world standings with $56,059. “It was a struggle getting back,” he said. “It’s pretty hard missing a full year and getting back to the skill level you were at and to full strength. It was slow going. This year has been pretty good, and I’m hoping to finish this season strong.” The biggest change for Hardwick came recently – June 9 – when he got married to Sarah Haux. “We have been together for three years and things haven’t been much different since we got married, which I think is a good thing,” Hardwick said. “If you get married and there’s a big dramatic change, then maybe there was a problem.” Larsen is optimistic Hardwick also will be celebrating another trip to the Wrangler NFR in 2018. “Seth and I have the same views on a lot of things rodeo-wise, and we feed off each other,” Larsen said. “I also think we can both take constructive criticism pretty well, which is pretty important in rodeo, and we try to make each other better. There’s no question he has talent. You don’t make the NFR by a fluke deal, you earn your spot. I know he has the ability to get back there again.”

spot at the Justin Finale, as cowboys make a final push toward the all-important Top 15 in the world standings. “I definitely want to qualify for Puyallup, because it is going to pay a lot of money,” Hardwick said. “Being at Puyallup in my position is going to be very important because you can win a big chunk of money there, and it will be a deciding factor toward the end of the year with guys who are on the bubble. We are entered up in everything we can get to these last six weeks, including all the Wrangler Tour rodeos.” Hardwick made his lone Wrangler National Finals Rodeo appearance in 2015, finishing third in the world standings with $226,870. He arrived in Las Vegas 12th in the 2015 FLASHBACK

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Complete results on Page 72

SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Bradley Harter ............ 172 pts. on two 2. (tie) Taos Muncy ......................... 171.5 Jake Wright ................................ 171.5 4. Spencer Wright .......................... 170.5

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Caleb Smidt ............ 28.1 sec. on three 2. Ty Baker ........................................ 29.2 3. Blake Ash ...................................... 29.8 4. Tanner Green ................................ 29.9

STEER ROPING 1. Roger Branch ......... 35.1 sec. on three 2. Brady Garten ................................ 35.3 3. Trevor Brazile ................................ 37.2 4. Marty Jones .................................. 37.8

BULL RIDING 1. Jesse Petri .................. 174 pts. on two 2. Tyler Bingham ............................... 169 3. Tim Bingham .............................. 163.5 4. J.W. Harris ........................... 88 on one

ProRodeo Sports News 8/10/2018

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