ProRodeo Sports News - August 20, 2021

KANSAS’ BIGGEST RODEO PHILLIPSBURG, KAN.

Diggers, Nogueira back in sync and winning rodeos Playing Well Together TOP SCORES

SMIDT CLIMBING IN ALL-AROUND Caleb Smidt claimed the all- around title in Phillipsburg by placing in tie-down roping and team roping. The two-time world champion tie-down roper is fourth in the all-around world standings with $111,590.

TOP MONEY WINNER

BY ALLY GALLAGHER ProRodeo Sports News A fter a year apart, the band is back together. In six of the past seven seasons, team roping header Kaleb Driggers and heeler Junior Nogueira finished among the top 5 of the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings in their respective events. Last year, they tried their luck with other roping partners but reunited in March 2021. With three second-place finishes each in the world standings, these two are ready to be No. 1. “We’re roping pretty well and we’re doing well together,” Nogueira said. “There’s a good chance to win a gold buckle in the end, but the main goal is just to have a good (Wrangler National) Finals and support our families too. But a gold buckle is for sure the dream. And we’ve been close a couple times. “It’s been close, and in God’s time I think it’ll happen.” Tacking on a win at Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo in Phillibsburg added $3,829 to each of their season totals. As of Aug. 17, Driggers was third among headers and Nogueira third among heelers. Nogueira said picking up a win is always an accomplishment. “It’s been cool to be part of the whole rodeo industry because the roping world has been crazy. Everybody’s roping so good,” said Nogueira, who became the first Brazilian to win a PRCA all- around world title when he did it in 2016. “The competition up here’s been very, very tough. It’s pretty fun.” As veterans in the field, Nogueira and Driggers are all too familiar with the rodeo trail getting lonely. This year, though, they’ve both brought their families along for the ride, and having his wife and daughter with him has made a big difference for Nogueira. Leading up to the Wrangler NFR, Nogueira knows that he and his partner will need to do more than have a good regular season if they want to take home gold. “We all know whoever has the best NFR, that’s who’s going to have the best shot at a gold buckle, because the NFR pays really, really well,” he said. “Everybody has a chance.” Nogueira and Driggers are accustomed to the pressure that comes with the NFR, and they perform well under it. In 2019, they won Rounds 9 and 10 and split Round 8. In 2017, they tied the world record for the fastest team roping time at the NFR, clocking 3.3 seconds. Whether they are in Phillipsburg or Las Vegas, the tag team doesn’t change much about their mindset. “It’s not a different game plan, it’s just doing our job wherever we go,” Nogueira said. “And I know if we do our job, we have a chance at winning.”

Marty Yates ($4,269, tie- down roping) BAREBACK RIDING

Yates

1. Jess Pope ............................ 87.5 pts. 2. Kaycee Feild .................................. 85 (Tie) Blaine Kaufman ..................... 85 STEER WRESTLING 1. Stockton Graves ................... 3.2 sec. 2. Kyle Irwin ..................................... 3.4 (Tie) Nick Guy .............................. 3.4 TEAM ROPING 1. K. Driggers/J. Nogueira ........ 3.7 sec. 2. T. Wade/T. Yates ........................... 3.8 3. T. Tomlinson/P. Smith .................. 4.1 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Wade Sundell ...................... 85.5 pts. 2. CoBurn Bradshaw ...................... 83.5 3. Two tied at ................................. 82.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Marty Yates ........................... 8.1 sec. 2. Blake Chauvin .............................. 8.6 3. Two tied at ................................... 8.7 BARREL RACING 1. Hailey Kinsel ..................... 16.61 sec. 2. Tracy Nowlin ............................ 16.77 3. Jordon Briggs .......................... 16.79 BULL RIDING 1. Sage Kimzey ....................... 87.5 pts. 2. Shane Proctor ............................... 86 3. Two tied at ................................. 85.5 ALL-AROUND COWBOY Caleb Smidt ($3,347, tie-down roping and team roping)

Complete results/ Page 52

Terri Abrahamsen photo Kaleb Driggers, rear, and Junior Nogueira turn to face the clock during their 3.7-second run in the first performance of Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo in Phillipsburg Aug. 5.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/20/2021

ProRodeo Sports News 8/20/2021

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