ProRodeo Sports News - Feb. 21, 2020

RODEO RAPID CITY RAPID CITY, S.D. Whitt hones in on goals with Rapid City win Hawk’s Eye BY MATT NABER A broken jaw and missing the bulk of the summer run isn’t what many would consider to be a good season. But bull rider HawkWhitt kept his eyes on the big picture, bouncing back to make the 2019 season the best of his ProRodeo career, and he’s

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carried that momentum into 2020. Now, the 25-year-old cowboy is on track to surpass his 2019 season total before the end of February, thanks in part to winning Rodeo Rapid City (S.D.) with an 87-point ride on Sutton Rodeos’ Pepper Lewis for $4,609, Feb. 8. “I’d seen him (Pepper Lewis) a little bit before in a previous set and he looked pretty good and I knew he would buck,” Whitt said. “It was touch and go. He beat me out of there a bit and I was playing catchup the whole time, but I caught up and got him rode.” Growing up on a ranch inThermopolis, Wyo., Whitt started riding at a young age with sheep, calves and steers. From there it was stepping up the ladder from junior rodeos to high school rodeos, and in 2015 he got on his ProRodeo permit. “I’d hoped I would be doing this a long time ago,” Whitt said. “It’s a big step, I guess you just kind of have to overcome it and realize it’s not much different from what you were doing then.” Whitt has gradually climbed the ranks since the first year on his permit in 2015. He went on to finish 11th in the 2017 PRCA | Resistol Rookie Standings for bull riding with $11,646 and had his best season in 2019 with $24,989 to finish 51st in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. This season, Whitt is becoming accustomed to the winner’s circle, having won the NILE Pro Rodeo in Billings, Mont., and the Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco, both of which ended Oct. 19. “I’ve grown quite a bit really,” Whitt said. “I started working harder at it and putting more time and effort into it. And I have goals set that I want to accomplish. I’m taking it as seriously as I can to do what I want to do … (I’ll) ride as good as I can and see what I can get done and see those bright lights in Vegas come December.” Winning Rapid City pushed the Wyoming cowboy from eighth to seventh in the 2020 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $19,340. “It makes you feel pretty good to know you can win a rodeo like that,” Whitt said. “There are a lot of big names there, and when you come out on top it helps you realize you can go win, so just keep doing it.” The day after winning Rapid City, Whitt suffered a dislocated shoulder at the San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo, but he didn’t miss much time, returning to compete at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. Shorty Garrett set the Rodeo Rapid City saddle bronc riding record with his 90.5-point ride on Sutton Rodeos’ South Point. The previous record of 87 points was shared by ProRodeo Hall of Famer Dan Mortensen (2006) and Bradley Harter (2019). $188,557 The combined payout of Rodeo Rapid City ($161,842), the Ro- deo Rapid City PRCA Xtreme Broncs Match ($13,743) and the Rodeo Rapid City PRCA Xtreme Bulls competition ($12,972). IN BRIEF SADDLE BRONC RECORD

Rex Dickinson Treeby, $3,899, tie-down roping and team roping BAREBACK RIDING

Treeby

1. Kyle Bloomquist ..................... 88 pts. 2. Garrett Shadbolt ......................... 84.5 3. Nate McFadden ............................. 84 STEER WRESTLING 1. Scott Kleeman ....................... 3.9 sec. 2. Tyke Kipp ..................................... 4.1 3. Tom Littell .................................... 4.6 TEAM ROPING 1. K. Johnson/C. Johnson ......... 4.5 sec. 2. C. Clark/W. Cox ............................ 4.6 3. A. Macy/J. Johe ............................ 4.8 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Shorty Garrett ..................... 90.5 pts. 2. Isaac Diaz ...................................... 86 3. Two tied at ..................................... 83 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Ben Robinson ....................... 8.6 sec. 2. Rex Treeby ................................... 8.9 3. Blane Cox ..................................... 9.0 BARREL RACING 1. Bobbi Grann ...................... 12.38 sec. 2. (Tie) Brandee Wardell ............... 12.47 Jessica Routier ......................... 12.47 BULL RIDING 1. Hawk Whitt ............................. 87 pts. 2. Tim Bingham .............................. 84.5 3. Thunder Boomer ........................ 83.5

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ProRodeo Sports News 2/21/2020

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