ProRodeo Sports News - January 19, 2024

HARRISBURG, PA.

RAM FIRST FRONTIER CIRCUIT FINALS

Family Affair

With his son pushing him, Clovis Crane rides to title BY ALEX RILEY Special to ProRodeo Sports News I n 2021, Clovis Crane decided that he was done with professional rodeos. A broken ankle with ligament damage had left him hobbled for much of 2020. After the First Frontier Circuit Finals that year, Crane was mentally prepared to walk away from the sport he loved. His manager – also known as his 10-year-old son Coy – had other plans. “When I was off that year, he hated it. The next year, he was like, ‘Dad, I want to go. I really want to go.’ He was just wearing me out. I was like, ‘Dude, I’m not going to a rodeo and not ride. I don’t want to just go and hang out,’” Crane said with a laugh. “Finally, he just kept asking and I was like, ‘Screw it, I’ll get my card and you can go ride.’ It was more or less for him to ride than it is for me at this point. For me, I just need to take him and get him the experiences, so while I’m there, I ride. I end up going to 15 of them, so I can make the circuit finals.” For the second straight year, that persistent nudging has worked out well. The Lebanon, Penn., native got the 2024 season started off strong as he won the saddle bronc riding average crown and year-end championship at the RAM First Frontier Circuit for a second straight year. After finishing fourth in the opening round, Crane won the second and third rounds, making him the only cowboy to cover all three head. He posted 211 points and earned $8,262 for his 2024 ledger. Crane’s history with the First Frontier dates back to 2005 when he earned the circuit’s Rookie of the Year. Between the all-around, bareback, bull and saddle bronc categories, he now has 13 season titles and 12 average championships from the circuit. Crane still loves competing and winning is certainly fun, but it’s not the primary reason he still climbs into the chute. Even at such a young age, Coy’s passion for the sport already outpaces his father’s. As part of their trips to different circuit rodeos, Coy gets the opportunity to ride steers during the performance, giving him experience competing under the bright lights. “It’s a big thing for him to ride in front of all the people, and at Cowtown there’s 5,000 people and he rides there every week. That’s pretty big stuff for a 10-year-old to get to ride in front of all those people,” Crane said. With his daughter taking part in barrel racing, rodeo remains a family pastime that everyone in the Crane household gets to take part in. Along with his work as a thoroughbred horse trainer, Crane will continue to climb in the saddle, training horses by day and competing at rodeos during the evening. With his family’s support, and maybe a little pestering from his manager to tag along, there are no signs of slowing down. “There’s a lot of days where I’ll ride 30 head before I’ll ever go to the rodeo. I’ll train and ride 30 and then hop in the car and drive down to Cowtown two hours away and ride and come home and do it all over again,” Crane said. “I love to ride, I love to compete. I’m happy that I can do things that my family can be involved with.”

TOP MONEY EARNER TOP SCORES

Nathan Bayous ($16,983, bull riding) BAREBACK RIDING

Bayous

1. Tim Kent........................223 pts. on 3 2. Jason Wilson................................220 STEER WRESTLING 1. A.J. Williams................22.4 sec. on 3 2. Cody Jones..................................28.7 3. Olin Ellsworth..............................32.3 TEAM ROPING 1. E. Fabian/D. Carey........19.3 sec. on 3 2. C. Smith/K. Brown.......................30.7 (Tie) W. Cameron/S. Brown.........30.7 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Clovis Crane..................211 pts. on 3 2. Will Stites.............................143 on 2 3. Ray Hostetler..................................82 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Zane Kilgus..................30.0 sec. on 3 2. J.R. Myers...................................37.5 3. Tyler Zebrovious..................18.7 on 2 BARREL RACING 1. Jaime Fowler.............42.40 sec. on 3 2. Jodi Lyn Colton..........................42.46 3. Brooke Klinger...........................42.59 BULL RIDING 1. Nathan Bayous...............240 pts. on 3 2. Michael Caruso...............................79 3. Brandon McDowell.........................76

Complete results/Page 41

Casey Martin photo Clovis Crane made it back-to-back RAM First Frontier Circuit Finals titles in Harrisburg, Pa. He wrapped up the average win with 211 points on three head.

ProRodeo Sports News 1/19/2024

ProRodeo Sports News 1/19/2024

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