ProRodeo Sports News - Feb. 21, 2020

winThe American last year pretty much solidified a spot for me at the National Finals Rodeo. So, from there on out you could just go have fun and do your thing. It’s different for everyone, but for me, I had a young horse, Crush, and it (the win at The American) allowed me to go season the horse to get him ready for next year.” Erickson rode Crush all 10 rounds at the 2019Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas

RodeoHouston), I didn’t have to rodeo very hard and it made it easier. If you win something like that, you have the peace of mind to pick and choose your schedule after that. You don’t have to try and hit every one of the rodeos. You can be a family man, so to speak, and go have fun.” To cap the month comes Rodeo Austin, where three winners – bareback rider Caleb Bennett ($13,316), steer wrestler Scott Guenthner ($13,647) and bull rider Sage Kimzey ($7,286) – made the Wrangler NFR and a fourth – Stetson

BIG-TIME PAYOUTS RodeoHouston, The American and Rodeo Austin (Texas) paid out a combined $3.3 million in March 2019. Here’s a look at the breakdown of the pay- outs from those rodeos. • RodeoHouston – $1.75 million • The American in Arlington, Texas – $1,023,750 • Rodeo Austin (Texas) – $524,332

in December to win his first world championship. Erickson finished the season with $234,491 – $17,129 more than second-place Bridger Chambers. “Without winning $50,000 at The American I wouldn’t have come in No. 1 and I don’t know if I would have been able to win a world championship,” Erickson said. “A guy can say you still would have had a chance, but who knows? That ($50,000) fromThe American definitely helped me.” LikeThe American, most of the winners at RodeoHouston went on to qualify for the Wrangler NFR. Victorious cowboys at RodeoHouston who went on to Las Vegas were bareback rider Kaycee Feild, team ropers Ty Blasingame and Kyle Lockett, saddle bronc rider Jesse Wright, tie-down roper Michael Otero, and bull rider Trevor Kastner. “I can’t wait to go

Wright – won the prestigious ProRodeo all-around gold buckle. Stetson Wright, who won the saddle bronc riding in Austin, took home $9,935 to help him win the 2019 all-around world championship with $297,923. Kastner, who won in Houston, had planned on rodeoing on a limited basis in 2019 until scoring the big windfall. “Last year my goal was to just rodeo a little bit and make some extra money and not go for the NFR,” said Kastner, who made his fourth trip to the Wrangler NFR in 2019 and finished 11th in the world standings. “Then winning Houston gave me that boost to go ahead and make the push to make the NFR. Anytime they (rodeos likeThe American and RodeoHouston) put up that type of money it is big for the sport of rodeo.”

back to (RodeoHouston),” Jesse Wright said. “I’m sure everybody going down the road feels the same way, and coming back as the defending champ I hope that I can win it again. I’m also trying to get in the mix for The American.” Jesse Wright, who won a world title in 2012 and has qualified for the Wrangler NFR eight times, is thrilled to have rodeos likeThe American and RodeoHouston count in the world standings. “It’s awesome,” he said. “Winning it is one thing, but having it go toward the world standings is another. It put that much more ease on you throughout the year. You still want to rodeo hard, but you don’t feel so stressed out about having to win money.” Otero, who parlayed his $50,000 RodeoHouston win into his first Wrangler NFR qualification, agreed with Jesse Wright. “Those rodeos are great opportunities, and a guy needs to be on top of his game and be ready to win big money,” Otero said. “After that (winning

Mallory Beinborn photo Jesse Wright won RodeoHouston in 2019 with an 86-point ride on Flying U Rodeo’s Flood Tide. Wright, who earned $50,000 for the win, is eager to defend his title in 2020.

ProRodeo Sports News 2/21/2020

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