ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 20, 2024

TEAM ROPING AVERAGE WINNERS

Bittersweet Success Team ropers Clint Summers and Jake Long wrapped up the NFR Average title in Round 10 with 43.1 seconds on nine head. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Click Thompson BY ALEX DODD T he team roping average race hung in the balance until Round 10 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton something else to try for.” It marked the second straight year Summers and Long finished as runner ups for world titles, and the first time either won the average. Summers has competed at the Thomas & Mack Center four times, and Long made his 14th appearance at the NFR this season. The tandem placed in seven go-rounds, including a 4.1-second run to earn a share of the Round 4 win with four other teams. “I told (Clint) that if you even have a throw at the world at the end of the week, it means you had a great week,” Long said. Summers/Long win first team roping average title

Ridge. Five different duos held the lead in the NFR average throughout the competition, mainly due to missed catches and penalties sustained while taking chances to secure round wins and big paydays. No teams finished with 10 completed runs and only three caught nine. Header Clint Summers and heeler Jake Long proved the standard of consistency to win their NFR Average championship at 44.3 seconds on nine head. “This is unbelievable,” Long said. “Financially, it’s a great week, and we got to provide for our families. And this is the second most coveted buckle in our sport, so it’s pretty neat to strap this one on.” Long finished second in the PRCA | RAM World Standings for heelers with $345,939. Summers also finished second with $342,501. Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp won the PRCA World Championships for headers and heelers, respectively, with $361,480 each. “It’s bittersweet,” Summers said. “We worked our whole lives to be here and to do this. Like Jake said, this is one of the two best buckles you could ever get. And obviously, we wanted a gold one to go with it. But that just gives us

“I thought we stepped up to the plate, and those guys (Wade/Thorp) beat us (Dec. 14), and that’s fine. I don’t mind getting beat, but I was just glad we put a good run down.” Summers and Long racked up $199,355 during the NFR, the highest total of any duo in the team roping. Despite falling short of their ultimate goal, Summers appreciated the opportunity to compete with the best of the best and make another run at a gold buckle. And leaving with hardware made it even better. “As a little boy, all the way up ‘til now, you dream of roping here,” Summers said. “This is what you work for. And to get here and have success, it’s just on top of it.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/20/2024

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