ProRodeo Sports News - August 5, 2022

SNAKE RIVER STAMPEDE NAMPA, IDAHO Solomon leaves mark in Nampa On the Move BY PATRICK EVERSON, Special to ProRodeo Sports News

I n 2020 and 2021, tie-down roper Cory Solomon finished a more-than- respectable fifth in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. Those two years marked his best efforts since taking third in the world in 2011, the first season Solomon reached the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The recent upswing is no coincidence at all. “I finally have some really good horses that fit me,” Solomon said, specifically noting his No. 1 horse Play, whom he bought and brought from Brazil ahead of the 2020 season. “He’s a horse that lets me do my job. That allows me to focus on myself. It’s all up to me.” It’s certainly a formula that works, as evidenced by results at the Snake River Stampede, which took place from July 19-23 in Nampa, Idaho. Snake River has two qualifying go-rounds of tie-down roping, followed by a finals, and there’s an average, as well. Solomon scored well on all those counts. The 32-year-old clocked a 7.5-second run to split second and third with AdamGray in the first round, good for a $3,462 check. Solomon followed with a strong 7.1-second effort to split third/fourth and collect $2,901 in a very speedy second round – Tuf Cooper was first in a blazing 6.5 seconds. Then in the Saturday night finals, Solomon tied for first with Shane Hanchey, as both tied their calves in 7.6 seconds. That put another $1,325 in Solomon’s bank account. “The first round, I didn’t think my calf was gonna run that good, but he did. Then my second calf, I knew she was really good, but again, I didn’t expect to be 7.1,” Solomon said. “In the last round, I knew John Douch had gotten that same calf in 8 flat. So, I talked myself into just making sure I score, a score-first mentality. All three rounds, I was just trying to stay behind the barrier.” In avoiding any broken barriers, Solomon finished the Snake River Stampede with a time of 22.2 seconds on three head. That gave him the average title and another $6,456. Add it all up, and Solomon netted $14,144 over two days in Nampa. “I’m just blessed it worked out,” Solomon said after a victory that came on the heels of him reaching the Showdown round at the Calgary Stampede, where he earned a total of $16,750. Apparently, rodeos with “Stampede” in the name are just what Solomon needed to jump-start his summer. “In [early] May, I went to the Guymon rodeo, then I didn’t rodeo from then until the first of June. I took some time off, enjoyed my family, worked,” Solomon said. “So, I kind of started off summer pretty slow. But this past week right here was pretty good.” And against very good competition. The Calgary field was loaded as always, and the Nampa field included Hanchey, Cooper, Douch and Caleb Smidt, among others. “Whenever you can beat the best guys in the world, it keeps you thinking that you’re still that guy,” Solomon said. Solomon’s Snake River winnings moved him to 10th in the world standings, at $81,838. He’s got a game plan for the next couple of months that he hopes will set him up well for a successful ninth trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I’m pretty close to securing my spot. I won’t rodeo like crazy. I’ll ease around to make sure my horse is comfortable,” Solomon said. “But there’s a lot of money out there still. My goal is to be about one [NFR] go-round back heading to Las Vegas, to be $27,000 or so behind the leader. That way, I have nothing to lose and a gold buckle to gain.”

TOP MONEY WINNER TOP SCORES

Cory Solomon ($14,144, tie- down roping) BAREBACK RIDING

Solomon

1. Cole Franks .................. 170 pts. on 2 2. Jacob Raine ................................ 166 3. Dean Thompson ....................... 165.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Tyler Waguespack ....... 11.8 sec. on 3 2. J.D. Struxness ............................ 12.4 3. Bridger Chambers ...................... 12.6 TEAM ROPING 1. Ward/Hawkins II ......... 13.9 sec. on 3 2. J. Dees/L. Lord ........................... 14.1 3. T. Tomlinson/P. Smith ................. 16.2 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Ben Andersen ............... 174 pts. on 2 2. Colt Gordon ................................. 173 3. Brody Cress ............................. 171.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Cory Solomon ............. 22.2 sec. on 3 2. Shane Hanchey .......................... 23.7 3. Zack Jongbloed .......................... 24.6 BARREL RACING 1. Dona Kay Rule .......... 31.84 sec. on 2 2. Wenda Johnson ....................... 31.94 3. Ilyssa Riley ............................... 32.31 BULL RIDING 1. Ky Hamilton ............... 177.5 pts. on 2 2. Brady Portenier ........................... 174 3. Jace Trosclair ..................... 83.5 on 1

Complete results/Page 60

Thomas Duncan photo

Cory Solomon continued his strong season by winning the Snake River Stampede with a 22.2-second time on three head.

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