ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 20, 2019

WRANGLER NFR TOP STOCK

Bareback rider Kaycee Feild rides Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Notch. Feild didn’t make the whistle and the rank horse was chosen top stock in its event at the Wrangler NFR. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Dan Hubbell

Cowboys battle to ride Top Stock of NFR

Top Rides BY SCOTT KANIEWSKI T he Top Stock at the 2019Wrangler National Finals Rodeo proved to be a mix of young and old. The Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s RodeoHouston’s Womanizer, who was named Top Saddle Bronc of the Wrangler NFR, earned the award at the young age of 7 in his first trip to the Finals. Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Notch, the Top Bareback of the Wrangler NFR, has been known the last few years as a horse to win some money on. And Powder River Rodeo’s SweetPro’s Bruiser has long been known as one of the best bulls in the world. He proved it again when the 9-year-old was named Top Bull of the Wrangler NFR. Bruiser is nearer the end of his career than the beginning. But that didn’t seem apparent when he took six-time bull riding world champion Sage Kimzey for a 94-point ride in Round 8, the highest- scored ride of the 2019Wrangler NFR. Between that ride and bucking off Jeff Askey in Round 3, Bruiser was named Top Bull of the Wrangler NFR. “It’s pretty gratifying,” said H.D. Paige, Bruiser’s owner. “I’m happy with him. It’s bittersweet to know his term is about to run up.” Paige wasn’t sure Bruiser would be up for the trip to Las Vegas, but he asked that the bull be kept on the stock list and he would see how the 9-year-old, 1,800-pound beast would feel. “His disposition and his toughness have been two of his greatest attributes,” Paige said. “The athletic ability you can’t even brag about anymore because there are 2,000 of them (bulls) that are bred for it. There

are a lot of them that have the ability, but it’s if you can get it out of them mentally. His mental and physical toughness is what has kept him going to this point.” Top Notch, 10, came along a little slower than other horses, said Cullen Pickett, of Pickett Pro Rodeo. “Those are the best horses in the world, and to say you have the best one out of all of those means a lot,” Pickett said. Nobody could handle Top Notch at the 2019 Finals. The 1,600-pound horse bucked off Taylor Broussard in the fifth round and four-time world champion Kaycee Feild in the 10th round. “I was hoping they’d win a round or something like that would happen because they’ve won a lot on that horse,” Pickett said. “But he’s also bucked off some top-caliber guys. He’s that type of horse.” It took Top Notch a while before Pickett could really see his promise. “He was a little slower coming, probably since he was a late 6-year- old (before he showed),” Pickett said. “He had all the attributes, he just couldn’t get it together at first. For sure since he was 7 until now, he’s had it.” Womanizer, however, is already showing he’s one of the top saddle broncs in ProRodeo. At 7 years old, the 1,400-pound bronc bucked off J.J. Elshere in Round 5 before taking average-winner Brody Cress to the Round 10 win with a 91-point ride. “It means hopefully that our family working our breeding program is finally paying off,” said Binion Cervi, of The Cervi Brothers Rodeo. “It’s

ProRodeo Sports News 12/20/2019

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