ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 20, 2019

TIE-DOWN ROPING AVERAGE WINNER

Rookie tie-down roper Haven Meged used the average title at the Wrangler

National Finals Rodeo to help claim the world championship.

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Clay Guardipee

Veteran performance

Meged claims first average title after steady 10-day run

BY AMBER BAILLIE T here were a lot of firsts in 2019 for tie-down roping rookie Haven Meged. The two biggest were his first world championship and his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo average title. The 2019 PRCA | Resistol Rookie of the Year entered the Finals in second place behind reigning world champion Caleb Smidt, but Meged moved up in the projected world standings after leading the aggregate in tie-down roping for most of the rodeo. By the end of Round 10, Meged had earned $126,135 in Las Vegas after placing in five rounds and winning the average with a time of 85.7 seconds on 10 head. Although the Montana cowboy didn’t notch any go-round wins, every one of his runs ranged between 8.0 and 9.8 seconds. “I kind of kick myself for not placing better,” he said. “I let a couple calves get away fromme. I went out (Saturday) morning and practiced. I made it all just slow down, thinking about why I’m here and to not overdo anything.” Former world champions Tyson Durfey and Tuf Cooper followed closely behind Meged in the average standings. By Round 9, Durfey was second in the aggregate and a mere $20 behind Meged in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. “My biggest strength here was my mental game,” Meged said. “After sitting on the couch for three weeks and not getting to rope … I ran two calves before I left for the Finals. The biggest thing has been trusting in the Lord and staying positive. It was God’s plan and I didn’t trust it.

At the beginning when I was hurt and couldn’t walk, I was thinking I wouldn’t be able to rope out here, so just being able to rope is awesome.” Meged finished strong in the final round, clocking an 8.0-second run and placing fifth. He earned $6,769 in the round and $67,269 for the average. “My nerves weren’t bad, but when I rode in that box (Saturday night) and everybody went wild, I was a little nervous,” he said. “Once I got it on the ground, it was kind of a blur. It was unbelievable to hit the barrier, and to win the average and gold buckle, it’s awesome.” Meged didn’t have a complex approach to his first Wrangler NFR. “Honestly, just keeping it simple,” he said. “Coming in here, everybody talks about how cool it is talking to guys who have roped here. To be in the Top 15 in tie-down roping and now the world champion at such a young age is unbelievable.” Meged had a whirlwind season. He purchased his PRCA card last fall and won the RAMNational Circuit Finals Rodeo in March. Now, he’s added that Finals average and a world title. Other rising stars in the Top 15 this year were former tie-down roping rookies of the year Ty Harris (2018) and Tyler Milligan (2017), and Shad Mayfield, the 2019 National High School Rodeo Association Champion. “It’s been a dream come true, signing all day and getting to meet all of the awesome fans,” Meged said. “I remember when I was a little kid trying to chase Trevor Brazile around to get his autograph, and now thinking about how people are trying to chase you around to get your autograph, it’s just awesome.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/20/2019

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