ProRodeo Sports News - January 5, 2024

CHASE HAWKS ROUGH STOCK RODEO Veteran bull rider Parker Breding claims $10,000 win Big Boost BY TRACY RENCK A fter a decent 2023 season – and some reflection – veteran bull rider Parker Breding is ready to make another run at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Breding, a four-time NFR qualifier in 2013, 2015, 2018, career-best fourth in the world standings in 2018 and 2021. “This last year I went to a lot of rodeos and I was just kind of riding because it was my job and I still ended up in the top 30 and that proved to me that a more dedicated version of myself could still have the ability to make the (NFR) and that’s the plan. The past three years, I got a little burned out with all the traveling and it caused me to not go rodeo quite as hard. Now, that I’m this age, seeing my dad (Scott) who is 60 years old, and he still wishes he was riding bulls. I really do need to go as long as can while my body will put up with it because I know I’m going to regret it sometime soon down the road if I don’t.” Scott Breding qualified for the NFR from 1994-97 and 1999. He finished a career-best seventh in 1997. Parker said when he’s not riding bulls, he does odd jobs like gathering cows and he loves to team rope as a heeler. “I haven’t roped a lot this fall, but normally I would have been to and 2021, took a very small step in his quest for a fifth trip to Las Vegas by winning the Chase Hawks Roughstock Rodeo in Billings, Mont., Dec. 23. Breding, who lives in Fromberg, Mont., less than 45 minutes from Billings, claimed the crown with his 86.5-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Gone Elvis, earning a $10,087 payday. “I watched them win the Missoula (Mont.) Xteme Bulls on that bull (last August, Clayton Sellars had an 88-point ride) and my traveling partner Hawk Whitt got on him at the Missoula Stampede (in August),” said Breding, 31. “That bull was definitely one I wanted to get on. The (ride) was fast. I had not been on a bull since Pendleton (Ore., in September). It felt like he was making a lot of rounds with me. He spun right out of the gate to the left into my hand and he was just a nice even bull with a lot of speed. That was the perfect bull to have after (a three-month) break.” Breding was thrilled to visit the pay window during the holiday season. “That was a nice Christmas bonus (check),” Breding said. “I have been waiting the older I get for that riding a bike feeling when I’m riding to not be there and it is still there. I thought I would be a little rusty and it wouldn’t feel good, but the moment that bull turned back everything clicked again.” Breding, who finished 28th in the 2023 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $68,155, is focused on returning to the NFR. He finished a about four or five team ropings around the house,” Breding said. “It really is a rush. Backing into the box of a big jackpot roping I actually sometimes get more nervous than when I’m riding bulls because I know I can’t screw up at all. On a bull, you can get out of shape and recover and still win a lot of money and it doesn’t work like that in team roping.” Other winners at the Chase Hawks Roughstock Rodeo were bareback riders with 87-point rides – Leighton Berry on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Prairie Rose; Cooper Cooke (Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Mustard), and Garrett Shadbolt (Powder River Rodeo’s Twisted Tea, 87 points). Saddle bronc rider Ross Griffin took top honors with his 88-point trip on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ The Black Tie.

Kristen Schurr photo Chase Hawks Roughstock Rodeo champions were left to right, bull rider Parker Breding, bareback riders Garrett Shadbolt, Cooper Cooke and Leighton Berry and saddle bronc rider Ross Griffin.

ProRodeo Sports News 1/5/2024

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