ProRodeo Sports News - August 20, 2021

DODGE CITY ROUNDUP DODGE CITY, KAN.

A record-breaking night for Cole Franks in Dodge City Riding Rookie TOP SCORES

TOP MONEY WINNER Dustin Boquet (bull riding, $12,356) BAREBACK RIDING

BY TANNER BARTH T he 2021 season has been one to remember for rookie bareback rider Cole Franks, and it keeps getting better. In July, Franks won not only the bareback riding title at the College National Finals Rodeo, but he also took home the all-around championship. Now, two months later, he’s on the verge of qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo as a rookie. Franks took a big step toward accomplishing that goal at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo Aug. 8. He went for 93 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire in the finals to take home the title. That score was not only the highest of his career, but it broke a 16-year rodeo record that was set in 2004 by Jason Jeter. “I was super excited right when I saw the draw, I knew that I had a really good shot at getting a bunch of points, but I knew it was going to be a lot of work,” said Franks, 20. “I knew I had to do everything right and do my part. It was drawn up really well, and every other person had a shot to win it as well headed into that final round. It’s definitely something I’ll never forget, that’s for sure.” The record ride in Dodge City earned Franks 750 points on the ProRodeo Tour presented by PendletonWhisky in what was a career week for the Clarendon, Texas, cowboy. Over the span of three days, Franks won $12,097, jumping from 17th last week to 12th in the latest PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $51,339. “That three-day stretch is definitely the best I’ve ever been in my life,” Franks said. “I was 92 in Carson, Iowa, then 90 in Dodge City in the long round, then 93 in the finals. It’s been quite a whirlwind, but I’m enjoying every single moment of this.” The success he’s having has caused him to rethink his goals for the 2021 season. He’s turning his focus to bigger and better things that he says hopefully ends with a two-week stay in Las Vegas. “Right when I first bought my PRCA card, I was mainly gunning for the (PRCA | Resistol) Rookie of the Year,” Franks said. “But then it just kind of started taking off, and I was like, dang, I really have a good shot at trying to make the NFR. I figured if I made the NFR I would pretty much have the Rookie of the Year wrapped up. So I changed my goal for the end of the year to the Finals instead of just the rookie award.” He’s about five weeks away frommaking that dream a reality. “I’ve been around the sport of rodeo my whole life and worked the past seven years to build onto this, you know, and it seems like it’s starting to pay off,” Franks said. $7,029 Paden Bray, 22, took home the all-around cowboy title in Dodge City, competing in tie- down roping and team roping.

Boquet

1. Cole Franks .................. 183 pts. on 2 2. Leighton Berry ............................ 179 3. Caleb Bennett ........................... 175.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Tucker Allen ................ 12.2 sec. on 3 2. Tyler Ravenscroft ....................... 13.0 3. Chance Howard .......................... 13.1 TEAM ROPING 1. C. Smith/J. Corkill ....... 17.2 sec. on 3 2. T. Wade/T. Yates ......................... 17.5 3. M. Theriot/J. Cooper .................. 17.9 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Lefty Holman ................ 172 pts. on 2 2. Mitch Pollock ........................... 169.5 (Tie) Jake Finlay ....................... 169.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Travis Rogers .............. 27.2 sec. on 3 2. Riley Pruitt ................................. 28.1 3. Paden Bray ................................. 29.3 BARREL RACING 1. Jordon Briggs ........... 51.36 sec. on 3 2. Molly Otto ................................ 51.72 3. Hailey Kinsel ............................. 51.89 STEER ROPING 1. Scott Snedecor ........... 34.6 sec. on 3 2. Cash Myers ................................ 37.4 3. Taylor Santos ............................. 40.3 BULL RIDING 1. Dustin Boquet ........ 177.5 points on 2 2. Ky Hamilton .................................. 82 (Tie) Bubba Greig .......................... 82

Complete results/Page 46

David Seymore photo

Bareback rider Cole Franks posted a 93-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire to win the Dodge City Roundup.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/20/2021

ProRodeo Sports News 8/20/2021

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