ProRodeo Sports News - Jan. 7, 2022

WACO, TEXAS

RAM TEXAS CIRCUIT FINALS RODEO

Permit holder Ryan Nettle wins Texas steer wrestling crown Turning Heads BY JOLEE JORDAN, Special to ProRodeo Sports News O n paper, it appeared that the 2021 RAMTexas Circuit Finals Rodeo was Ryan Nettle’s first appearance at the season ending championship event annually held over New Year’s weekend at the Extraco Events Center in Waco, Texas. In truth, while it was the first time the PRCA permit holder had appeared as a contestant, it wasn’t his first time in the building nor even his first time to back in behind the barrier during the event. TOP MONEY WINNER Brody Cress ($9,488, saddle bronc riding) BAREBACK RIDING TOP SCORES Cress

1. Chad Rutherford ....... 255.5 pts. on 3 (tie) Cole Reiner ...................... 255.5 3. Cole Franks ................................ 246 STEER WRESTLING 1. Ryan Nettle ................ 14.2 sec. on 3 2. Cody Harmon ............................ 22.2 3. Walt Arnold ............................... 23.2 TEAM ROPING 1. Masters/McKnight ...... 13.5 sec. on 3 2. M. Egusquiza Jr./B. Ray ............. 13.9 3. C. Snow/W. Thorp ..................... 15.7 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Brody Cress ................. 266 pts. on 3 2. Sterling Crawley ......................... 255 3. Isaac Diaz ................................ 246.5 TIE DOWN ROPING 1. Tuf Cooper ................. 23.0 sec. on 3 2. Shane Hanchey ......................... 23.5 3. Marcos Costa ............................ 25.0 STEER ROPING 1. Slade Wood ................ 32.4 sec. on 3 2. Landon McClaugherty ............... 32.6 3. Ryan Willberg ............................ 35.7 BULL RIDING 1. Jeff Askey .................... 164 pts. on 2 2. Parker McCown ....................... 161.5 3. Trey Benton III ...................... 88 on 1 ALL AROUND COWBOY Toby Collins ($1,045, saddle bronc riding and bull riding)

The Goldthwaite, Texas, steer wrestler had already earned a pair of titles at the event, winning championships at the Texas Circuit Finals Youth Rodeo event, which is held in conjunction with the RAMTCFR each year. Nettle had also come to help employer, and fellow steer wrestler, Cade Staton at past events. With a comfortability belying his age and rodeo status, Nettle swept through his first official entry at the RAMTCFR on Jan. 1, claiming the three-head average title in 14.2 seconds, earning $5,271. “Waco and I have always seemed to get along good,” said Nettle, 21. “I’m pretty excited. I wasn’t expecting it, but I was definitely hoping for it.” Nettle took up steer wrestling prior to his freshman year in high school. Already a tie-down roper, he wasn’t interested in trying a new event, but family talked him into it. “Once I jumped my first steer, I was hooked,” he laughed. “I kept at it from there and never (tie-down) roped again.” Nettle went to the National High School Finals Rodeo that same year and added two more trips before graduating high school. College rodeo followed and he made the College National Finals Rodeo in June of 2021, winning a go round. Along the way, he bought his PRCA permit and qualified for the RAMTexas Circuit Finals Rodeo. InWaco, Nettle set up his championship run with a win in the opening go round after posting the fastest time of the rodeo at 4.0 seconds. With the first-round win under his belt, he opted to change strategy in round two, looking to be smart and business-like. His run of 5.0 was out of the money but left Nettle in first place with one round remaining. During the finals, Nettle rode FedEx, a horse with whom he has great history. “He’s owned by Amye Craig and Cade; I work for them, and we got FedEx in 2019 and trained him,” he said. “I actually jumped some of the first steers on him.” Nettle rode FedEx at several amateur rodeos early in the horse’s career and then took him to the championship at the 2020 Junior American Rodeo in the horse’s first handful of rodeo runs. “He’s a great horse,” Nettle said. Not only did he carry Nettle to the average title, but he also helped Staton secure the Texas year-end title during the RAMTCFR. During the final round inWaco, Nettle watched as his closest competitors failed to stop the clock. “It was pretty wide open, I think I only had to be 10 seconds to win it, so I tried to just be sure I got out of the barrier and got him down,” he said. Of course, sometimes playing it safe can be more difficult than needing a round win and Nettle agreed. “I was looking to play it smart, but I actually blew the barrier out on that last one. “That’s not what I was trying to do!” he laughed. His time of 5.2 just nearly missed another round check but allowed Nettle to clinch the average by eight seconds over Cody Harmon. The big win left Nettle with a bit of a dilemma. He had planned to stay on his permit, allowing him time to finish out his ag business degree at Texas A&MCommerce and finish up his college rodeo career before setting off on his ProRodeo rookie year. But with the advice of Staton and two-time PRCAWorld Champion Steer Wrestler Hunter Cure, who’s hazing horse Staton and Nettle borrowed during the circuit finals, Nettle realized his winnings had him in line to compete in San Antonio. That opportunity tipped the scales. “I actually just bought my card,” he said, noting he’ll haul in 2022 with Staton, Cure and Martin. “The chance to compete in San Antonio was like a sign if there was one, to go for it.”

James Phifer photo Steer wrestler Ryan Nettle competes during the RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo. The permit holder won the average and earned $5,271.

RECORDS SET IN WACO According to the Texas Circuit, several arena re- cords were set during the 2021 edition of the Texas CFR. Tie-down roper Tuf Cooper’s 6.6-second run to win the second round set a new mark as did Jordan Briggs’ 15.49-second run the same round in barrel racing. Though just in its second year, the break - away roping saw its arena record change several times during a hotly contested third go with Chey- anne Guillory’s 1.6 second taking top honors.

WOOD KEEPS ROLLING At just 19, Slade Wood is already building an impres - sive resume. Fresh off his first National Finals Steer Roping and earning both the 2021 Resistol All- Around and Steer Roping Rookie of the Year titles, Wood beat a field chocked full of NFSR qualifiers and world champions to win the average at the 2021 RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo. His three-head total of 32.4 seconds edged Landon McClaugherty by two tenths.

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