ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 20, 2019

TEAM ROPING AVERAGE WINNERS

Cody Snow, left, and Wesley Thorp take a victory lap after securing the average title after Round 10 of the 2019 Wrangler NFR. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Dan Hubbell

Always Getting Better

Snow, Thorp win Wrangler NFR average for first time

BY MATT NABER C ody Snow andWesley

was a team with a good lead that made a mistake, and we knew we had a good chance.” Round 8 stood out as a determining factor inThorp’s mind. “I was most proud of how we did

Thorp’s third trip to the Wrangler National Finals

Rodeo was the big one. Although 2019 marked the fourth time each had qualified for the Wrangler NFR, it was their third year in a row as a team. They climbed the ranks the previous two seasons, starting with a 14th-place finish in 2017 and fourth in 2018. After winning the Wrangler NFR average by a margin of 12.9 seconds in 2019, Thorp won the world title in team roping heeling and Snow finished second in the team roping heading PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. The duo entered the Wrangler NFR with Snow ranked eighth and Thorp ranked 10th. Their consistency helped them climb the world standings and win the average. “Wesley is a great partner, and at the Finals we think a lot alike,” Snow said. “It’s important to have the same mindset, so when something goes wrong, we don’t panic. We just finish.” Snow andThorp placed in four rounds, won Round 7 with a record- tying time of 3.6 seconds and finished with a time of 43.8 seconds on nine head. “Around Round 7 is when we realized we had a legitimate shot because we led the average,” Thorp said. “Then last night (Round 9) there

in Round 8 because we had just won Round 7, and then we didn’t draw good for Round 8, but Cody did a great job of getting him set up in the arena so we could lead the average,” Thorp said. “That helped us more than any specific one because it was difficult, and we got through it.” The duo won $151,885 during the Finals to help Snow finish second andThorp win gold. “It sucks, but it’s good,” Snow said. “I’m happy for him and I’m happy to have helped him get there. I will have another chance and I’m not worried about it. I’m happy he got it done and I was part of it. “It’s a bummer, but it’s not at the same time. I’m glad I got that close and had a chance since a lot of people don’t ever get a chance. It didn’t go my way, but Clay Smith deserved to win the world, he had a great year, too.” Thorp was appreciative of Snow’s help in the arena and wished they could have shared the stage as world champions. “I had a great partner and great horses and great sponsors and tons of family support,” Thorp said. “If any of those were any less it could not have been possible.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/20/2019

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