ProRodeo Sports News - August 20, 2021

LEA COUNTY FAIR & RODEO LOVINGTON, N.M.

Cowboy seeks return to NFR after decade Win Mode BY ALLY GALLAGHER B etween competing at rodeos around the country, spending time with his family and coaching college rodeo at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Stockton Graves stays busy.

TOP MONEY WINNER Westyn Hughes TOP SCORES

Despite that tight schedule, Graves’ rodeo career is rolling along this season – the 42-year-old steer wrestler had climbed to fifth in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings as of Aug. 10. At the Lea County PRCA Rodeo in Lovington, N.M., Graves ran two head in 7.3 seconds to take the title. “It just worked out. It was a good steer, and I made a good run – 7.3 (seconds) on two, that’s pretty good,” Graves said. “(The top times were) 7.3, 7.4, 7.7, 7.8. That’s a pretty tough little rodeo to win something at right there.” But one check wasn’t enough for Graves. He turned around and won Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo in Phillipsburg with a 3.2. Then, he made a pit stop at the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo to claim third in the second round. Tacking on a second-place finish at Iowa’s Championship Rodeo in Sidney didn’t hurt either. Graves’ streak was good for more than $13,000 in four days. Being closer to home certainly helped, he said. “I never thought I would win that much; I was hoping to win maybe ($10,000),” Graves said. “After everything was said and done, I couldn’t believe it. I just had a good week that week. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s just coming home. Getting closer to home and having my family with me, it’s just kind of nice.” Crissi, Graves’ wife, and their daughter, Sequin, hit the road with him for the week. The family even spent a day at the water park to celebrate Sequin’s upcoming birthday. Before long, the Graves family will be back home. Northwestern Oklahoma State’s rodeo program will start up again, and Graves will be coaching. He’s hoping this final push on the rodeo trail will secure a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification, what would be his first in a decade. He said this year he “just made the decision” to change that. “My wife and I decided this year, after we had a good San (Antonio) and got a good jump start on everything, that we go head and try to make them (the Finals),” Graves said. “And that’s been the big difference, is I have day in and day out been in win mode. “I’m enjoying it, but the last 10 years I’ve just enjoyed rodeo and if I win, great, and if I don’t, no big deal, you know? But this year we turned it up a little bit and decided I’d go make (the NFR). And that’s what the plan was, so that’s what we’re doing.

($6,277, tie- down roping) BAREBACK RIDING

Hughes

1. Richmond Champion .......... 88.5 pts. 2. Jess Pope ..................................... 88 (Tie) Tim O’Connell.........................88 STEER WRESTLING 1. Stockton Graves . ......... 7.3 sec. on 2 2. Chance Howard . .......................... 7.4 3. Two tied at ................................... 7.7 TEAM ROPING 1. C. Kidd/R. Motes .......... 9.4 sec. on 2 2. C. Tryan/J. Long . ....................... 10.1 3. J. Clay/B. Saebens ..................... 10.2 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Cody DeMoss . ....................... 87 pts. 2. Leon Fountain ..................... 85.5 pts. 3. Ross Griffin . ................................. 84 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Riley Pruitt ........................... 8.2 sec. (Tie) Caleb Smidt...........................8.2 3. Marty Yates .................................. 8.3 BARREL RACING 1. Katie Pascoe .................... 17.12 sec. 2. Kassie Mowry .......................... 17.33 3. Nicole Driggers ........................ 17.34 STEER ROPING 1. Cole Patterson ................... 34.3 on 3 2. Chet Herren . .............................. 36.2 3. Cash Myers ................................ 36.6 BULL RIDING 1. Creek Young . ......................... 87 pts. 2. Shane Proctor ............................ 85.5 3. Trey Benton III .............................. 85

Complete results/ Page 48

Rod Connor photo

Steer wrestler Stockton Graves won the two-head average at the Lea County PRCA Rodeo with a time of 7.3 seconds.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/20/2021

ProRodeo Sports News 8/20/2021

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