ProRodeo Sports News - January 26, 2018

IN HIS OWNWORDS: JACOB TALLEY

STEERWRESTLER TRADED IN CLEATS FOR BOOTS Steer wrestler Jacob Talley had more than a passing interest in the NFL’s NFC Championship Game on Jan. 21. Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson was Talley’s coach in high school. Talley was pulling for the Eagles, who defeated the Minnesota Vikings to advance to the Super Bowl. As of Jan. 25, Talley, of Keatchie, La., was ranked in the Top 5 in the PRCA World Standings and looking to get back to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER for the second time. Talley turned 27 Jan. 26. if I put the time and effort in I could make the NFR. So a couple years ago I started really practicing hard and getting ready to go after it. Missing out on the 2017WNFR was a hard one to swallow. You make it the year before and then come back and I was right there on the bubble. I went from 13th to 18th just about all year, back and forth. You’re struggling to stay in the Top 15. After I fell out I struggled to stay right there and kept slipping away. That’s one of those deals where it’s disappointing, but it’ll light a fire under you to

D oug Pederson coached at my high school (Calvary Baptist Academy) in Shreveport, La., for four seasons then jumped to the NFL. I was in school there all four years he was there. You would never have known he actually played in the NFL. He was a really good coach. …He was down-to-earth, and he was a great guy to play for. He was really good about coaching us, but he was also more of a mentor to you and more about shaping our lives and making us respectable, godly young men growing up. It’s crazy to think just a handful of years ago I was playing for him. To see somebody on that level – yeah, he played in the NFL, but then he came back home – who coached a high school team go straight to the NFL for a couple years coaching and becoming a head coach. Now he gets to coach in the biggest game there is. It’s not a big part of it, but it’s like we helped him get that start together. I didn’t text him, I figured he was getting overloaded with his fair share of those. After high school was when I started rodeoing. One of the first things I did was go to a steer wrestling school TomCarney puts on in northeastern Louisiana. The first time I ran a steer, he told me I could take it as far as I wanted to go depending on the amount of work I put into it. It took me awhile to figure it out. I played with it a little bit, circuit rodeoed trying to learn everything. I’m a competitive person, kind of a perfectionist. I knew

make sure that that doesn’t happen again. You’ll have a hard time finding somebody hungrier to qualify, especially since I didn’t have a very good Finals in 2016 when I made it out there. This year is going to be a lot different. The thing that hurt me more than anything was the horse I was riding, Viper, got a little sore for four or five weeks in the fall for the Northwest. I didn’t get to ride him, and I didn’t win very much. He’s healthy. I’ve had him back since the last week of September. I’ve done very well on him since he’s been back. I know when I back into the box no matter where it is I can win first, and he’s going to give me a chance to do that. I already have five wins this season, including my first Southeastern Circuit average title. Viper is a big reason why I’ll be heading to my first RAMNational Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Fla., in April. That’s exciting. I’ve never been to it, but it’s a big deal to get to do it. My parents, Jeff and Amy, and my brother, Eric, are a very supportive group and they want to be involved with everything I do. I think that helps too, having a close-knit family and being backed by the people who love you. I don’t have any plans to celebrate my birthday. I’m actually going to be running my second steer at the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show in Fort Worth, Texas, that night. A win would be a great way to celebrate, and that’s no joke.

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ProRodeo Sports News 1/26/18

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