ProRodeo Sports News - January 25, 2019

R OUND THE SHORT Out of Action Three-time champ O’Connell out six months with injury Winning the bareback riding world title for a third consecutive year came at a cost for Tim O’Connell that will have him out of competition for six months. During Round 10 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the Iowa cowboy posted an 87-point ride on J Bar J’s All Pink and went home with his third consecutive gold buckle, but the ride also saw him suffer a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum of his left (free) arm. O’Connell said the injuries would keep him out until summer.

BY THE NUMBERS

The estimated number of people expected to attend the 123rd Annual Fort Worth (Texas) Stock Show and Rodeo between Jan. 18 and Feb. 9, according to TV station NBC 5 Dallas- Fort Worth. The rodeo begins Jan. 25.

The amount of money bull rider Dallee Mason earned for capturing the title at the Division 1 Xtreme Bulls in Fort

“A lot happened after the whistle,” O’Connell said. “I got flipped and turned and my shoulder yanked in the wrong direction. I didn’t think it was that bad, but I think I had injuries that gave it enough to take it the rest of the way.” In wrapping up his third consecutive gold buckle, O’Connell won $132,551 at the Finals and finished the season with $319,801. He also split the average title with Steven Dent, each of them finishing with 849.5 points on 10 head. It

O’Connell

Worth, Texas, Jan. 22-23. The Idaho

was O’Connell’s third consecutive Wrangler NFR average title. After returning home from the Wrangler NFR, O’Connell, 27, had an X-ray and an MRI and the results sent to Dr. Tandy Freeman of Justin Sportsmedicine. O’Connell was targeting the Fourth of July run as his return date to be back in the chutes. “I’m at peace with it,” O’Connell said. “It gives me time to be with my family, but I have no doubt in my mind that I can make the NFR in that time span.”

cowboy earned $11,800 during the 2018 season.

The amount of money steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack has earned the last three PRCA seasons – 2016- 18. The Gonzales, La., cowboy won world championships in 2016 and 2018.

Farewell performances for bullfighters Barry, Wilson When the curtain dropped on the RAM Columbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo, Jan. 13, it spelled the end of the careers of bullfighters Rowdy Barry and Ryan Wilson. Barry, 52, bought his PRCA card in 1986. The Washington native worked the National Finals Rodeo in 1999 and the Columbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo 18 times. He also worked the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo multiple times as well as the Canadian Finals Rodeo. “I was attracted to the bulls when I was young,” said Barry, who has lived in Kennewick, Wash., for 25 years. “It seems like my career has gone by in the blink of an eye, and I loved every minute of it. I think I was 13 years old when I went to my first bull fighting school, put on by Skipper Voss, and when I turned 16 I knew I wanted to be a bullfighter.” Wilson, 33, joined the PRCA in November 2006 and worked the RAM Columbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo four times. Growing up, Wilson was on the opposite end of the spectrum from Barry. “I was a city kid,” Wilson said. “I wasn’t raised around rodeo ever. I watched the movie 8 Seconds and I wanted to try bullfighting. ... I had great teachers in Rowdy, Rob Smets, Donnie Griggs and Danny Newman. It was an amazing career, I couldn’t ask for anything more. Just meeting the people in rodeo meant so much to me. It is one big family.”

Online For com-

plete rodeo results and up-to-date news and information, go to prorodeo.com.

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NUMBER OF PRCA-SANCTIONED RODEOS INTHE 2019 SEASON SO FAR

ProRodeo Sports News 1/25/2019

ProRodeo.com

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