ProRodeo Sports News - February 8, 2019

PRCA Xtreme Broncs Finals set for Rapid City The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association

recently announced that Rapid City, S.D., was selected as the host site for the “PRCA Xtreme Broncs Finals” in August. “South Dakota has produced great saddle bronc riders for years, starting with Casey Tibbs,” PRCA CEO George Taylor said. “It seems fitting for South Dakota to host the finals of this great event.”

The Xtreme Broncs Tour is a series of events that features only saddle bronc riding competition. These stand-alone events were first approved by the PRCA in 2016. It is estimated there will be up to 20 stops on the tour this year. The Rapid City event will be the conclusion of the tour and will be nationally tele- vised. The format will be the top 12 saddle bronc riders in the PRCA earnings standings and the top 12 competitors who have competed in the Xtreme Bronc Tour events competing in a long go and a short go for the Xtreme Broncs title and a portion of the $50,000 added money. All money earned on the tour and in the tour finale will count toward Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifying. The event will bring the best saddle bronc riding com- petitors in the world to compete in Rapid City. The Central States Fair and Range Days Rodeo will host the event Thursday, Aug. 22. “This is a huge win for South Dakota and Rapid City to be able to host this world class event,” said John Kerstiens, President of the Central States Fair Board of Directors. “This event will bring the national spotlight to Rapid City.” “There are lots of details to cover in producing an event like this,” said Ron Jeffries, General Manager for the Central States Fair. “Rapid City has never seen a rodeo event of this magnitude. We have a lot of ground to cover and a lot of sponsorship opportunities and exposure that this level of national event offers.”

David Seymore photo

Bareback rider Kohlton Anderson is bucked off Mosbrucker Rodeos’ Snappy Tune at the PRCA Championship Rodeo in Park City, Kan., Jan. 26. Head over Heels

Waguespack receives community honor Tyler Waguespack won his second PRCA steer wrestling world championship Dec. 15 at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. A prestigious honor that didn’t go unnoticed by his community. Waguespack graduated from East Ascension (La.)

$4,869,369 “That bull came and hit me in the left hip and tossed me about 10 feet when he hit me,” Jestes said. “When I landed, I landed with my right leg completely straight, and that bull kept charging and ran through me and pushed over the top of that straight leg. I was wearing knee braces, so the only thing that could give was my hamstring.” Jestes joined the PRCA in 2010. Bullfighter Jestes recovering from surgery Bullfighter Nathan Jestes is on the road to recovery after suffering a severe right hamstring injury during Round 1 of the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Dec. 6. Dr. Thomas Youm performed the two-hour surgery on Jestes in New York City, Jan. 31. Jestes has worked the Wrangler NFR the last three years. “I had two tears in my hamstring,” said Jestes, 31. “One of the tears was very uncommon, that’s why I went to a specialist in Dr. Youm because he had performed this type of surgery before on similar tears of the hamstring. It was a reconstructive surgery where they used an Achilles tendon pretty much to reconstruct my hamstring.” Jestes is home in Douglas, Wyo., and on the road to recovery. Jestes’ injury happened when he was hit by Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Left Lane after he bucked off Dustin Boquet in the Thomas & Mack Center.

High School. Ascension Parish president Kenny Matassa proclaimed Jan. 28, 2019, as “Tyler Waguespack Day” in Ascension Parish and named Waguespack an Ascension Parish Ambassador. “It was cool,” Waguespack said. “I wasn’t really expect-

ing it and I didn’t know at all they were going to have ‘Tyler Waguespack Day.’” According to the proclamation, Waguespack is a native of Ascension Parish. He was born Dec. 19, 1990, in Gonzales, La., to Michael and Vicki Waguespack, who taught him rodeo and steer wrestling. “Back where I live in Louisiana, rodeo isn’t very big like it is as you get further out West,” Waguespack said. “I thought it was great to get the word out about rodeo in my area because other than me and my wife (Sarah, a barrel racer) there’s really no one else who rodeos on the professional level.” Waguespack won his 2018 world championship by earning $260,013, pock- eting $180,429 of that at the Wrangler NFR, the most of any steer wrestler. Waguespack won the average and the world championship, as he did in 2016.

MONEYWON BY PRCA COWBOYS INTHE 2019 SEASON

ProRodeo Sports News 2/8/2019

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