ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 20, 2024

AUG. 17 – The Caldwell Night Rodeo in Idaho nearly folded in the 1960s. As a result of hard times, the committee opted to host country music superstar Patti Page for a concert to draw a bigger crowd. But it wasn’t in the cards. The rodeo had just moved to a new venue, and the grounds were already wet when a torrential downpour let loose. “That was in the day when you didn’t have pre-sold tickets, so everything was sold at the gate,” general manager Gene Betts told the ProRodeo Sports News. “At the end of the night, fans didn’t show up because of the rain, and Patti Page got paid. And that was about it.”The setback caused the Caldwell Night Rodeo to file for bankruptcy, and the committee did some soul searching. The change in strategy paid off as from from Aug. 13 -17, the Caldwell Night Rodeo celebrated its 100th anniversary. chapter is being written by 21-year-old Statler Wright from Beaver, Utah. Carrying on the family legacy, which began with his father Cody in 1998, Wright has now qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge, a major milestone in his young career. His journey to the NFR was solidified by an 87.5-point ride at the North Dakota Roughrider Cup in Mandan, N.D. Wright’s standout performance at the North Dakota Roughrider Cup, which offered more than $500,000 in prize money, one of the highest payouts in PRORODEO, earned him $17,935 and boosted him to ninth place in the PRCA | RAM SEPTEMBER AUGUST SEPT. 22 – The Wright family continues to leave its mark on professional rodeo, and the latest

PRCA ProRodeo file photo

MAY 18 – Back in 2017, the PRCA didn’t have much of a TV presence to speak of. That changed through visionary Patrick Gottsch, above. Gottsch, a well

MAY

known figure in the ag industry, began doing things with the PRCA seven years ago, and his goal was to put the Western Lifestyle on TV every day, all day, and that’s what he did with the inception of The Cowboy Channel in 2019. That same year, the PRCA and Rural Media Group announced a multi-year agreement to move the National Finals Rodeo to The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV beginning in 2020. Gottsch’s vision and the landmark TV deal became a huge milestone in the growth of the PRCA because the NFR could be seen by millions of people live simultaneously on two national TV networks. Gottsch, Founder of Rural Media Group, Inc., parent company to RFD-TV, The Cowboy Channel, The Cowgirl Channel and Rural Radio 147, passed away May 18. He was 70. found them both at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo. Paired with two bulls he knew could produce winning results, Hutchings made the most of his appearances at the 10-day event, riding for two 90.5-point efforts to post a 181 aggregate score and claim his biggest outcome of the season. History managed to repeat itself as Hutchings became the second cowboy to ride the bull in 2024, winning the final round to secure the average title. In total, Reno was a $23,324 payday for Hutchings. Professional Rodeo Association World Championship in 2023, Meged made more memories on July 14 by capturing the title at the storied Calgary Stampede. Meged, as the last cowboy out in the Final Four Showdown Round, clocked a 6.7-second run to claim the crown before 20,000-plus spectators at GMC Stadium. Meged, the 2019 PRCA Tie-Down Roping World Champion, knew if he was going to claim glory at the prestigious rodeo, he was going to need to be quicker than 7.1 seconds, which is what Macon Murphy recorded to sit atop the leaderboard as the first man out. JULY JUNE JUNE 29 – Comfort and confidence. They are the two things bull rider Tristen Hutchings has been chasing all season. The Monteview, Idaho, native JULY 14 – PRCA Tie-Down Roping World Champion Haven Meged seems to have found a second home in Canada. On the heels of winning his first Canadian

World Standings. SEPT. 28 – Steer wrestler Dalton Massey, right, knows a thing or

two about having a strong PRORODEO regular season. A year ago, he went into the NFR as the No. 1 man in the world after breaking the PRCA regular season earnings record. 2024 was nearly a carbon copy for the Hermiston, Ore., cowboy. He capped it off with a memorable run at the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., Sept. 26-28.

Stu Hagen photo

Massey just barely squeezed into the eight-man semifinals after clocking a 5.8-second run in the second round. He was able to advance with his two-head time of 10.4 seconds in the No. 8 spot. In the Final Four Showdown, Stetson Jorgensen set the pace with a strong 4.0-second run. Massey followed suit, putting together a nearly identical run. The duo was tied atop the leaderboard when all was said and done. Massey and Jorgensen split the first-place check of $26, 250, but Massey was crowned the Governor’s Cup champion due to a faster time in the semifinals. Damian Brennan ($41,750, saddle bronc riding).

ProRodeo Sports News 12/20/2024

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