ProRodeo Sports News July 13, 2018

the only one in the rig to win during Cowboy Christmas. Chambers, Tanner Milan and Harley Cole each won several thousand dollars, Guenthner said. That makes for some fun times traveling. “I have a really good crew that I’m traveling with,” Guenthner said. “We don’t have many negative days.” Chambers echoed that. “We’re riding a pretty-good high right now,” he said. “We’re always told, ‘Don’t ride the highs too high, don’t ride the lows too low.’ But when the rig is doing good everybody feeds off each other. That makes it easier going down the road, that’s for sure.” AIMINGTO GET BACK After last year’s debut trip to the Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas, Guenthner is itching to get back. In 2017, the steer wrestler earned $87,338 in Las Vegas and finished fifth in the Wrangler NFR standings. Overall, he finished sixth in the world standings after earning $186,839. His previous best finish came in 2016 when he was 31st in the world with $37,789. “It makes you really want to go back,” Guenthner said. “It’s like a Cowboy Christmas for 10 days. It’s just amazing, so cool. There are millions of people in Vegas to watch the rodeo, and you have a pile of supporters, whether they are family or friends.” Jumping to third in the world has Guenthner in a great place for getting back to the Finals. Chambers, who was sixth in the world as of July 12, wouldn’t be surprised to see his traveling partner back under the bright lights of theThomas &Mack Center. “I’ve only been traveling with Scott a little bit, but he was in our circuit (Montana) last year and camped out there and was kicking everybody’s butt,” Chambers said. “The biggest thing about Scott is he knows how to win. He finds a way to pull a check here, there and everywhere he goes.” Ponoka Stampede

Big difference from last year, when he won about $6,000. Guenthner had a successful Canadian run, too. Just before Cowboy Christmas, he had a three-way split of first at the Wainwright (Alberta) Stampede, which he considers his hometown rodeo. “It (Ponoka) was big for both the Canadian standings and the (PRCA) world standings,” Guenthner said. “I was kind of fighting between 13th and 15th every week. So this definitely moved me up there a ways. Now it makes for a little more relaxing summer to go and have fun, keep winning. It’s not so stressful, where I need to keep winning every week or I’ll slowly fade out of the Top 15.” His hot run didn’t end with Ponoka, either. He cashed checks in Livingston, Mont., Red Lodge, Mont., and Greeley, Colo. “All it takes is one rodeo, especially one as big as Ponoka, and it can change everything,” traveling partner Bridger Chambers said. “He was chipping away at them here and there, and something like that turns into a snowball.” BIG BOOST Winning so much money during so short a span has Guenthner in an enviable position. “I never really pay attention to the standings, but I like to know what I’ve got won,” he said. “I’m not really too worried about being in the No. 1 spot, but it’d be cool. I just want to be in the Top 15 going into the NFR.” With a little more breathing room at the top, Guenthner can afford to relax a little. But that doesn’t mean he’ll rodeo differently with less than three months left in the season. “I will go just as hard,” he said. “Steer wrestling is one of the tougher events in rodeo. Going to the Finals, there’s not very much that separates first from 15th. It showed last year with Tyler Pearson going from a little ways down to winning. So, I will stay going as hard as I am.” (Pearson won the world title last year by

going from third to first, eliminating a deficit of $53,233.) While winning in Ponoka, Guenthner was aboard Chambers’ 12-year-old horse, Rooster. “He’s just honest and can run,” Guenthner said. “He’ll go where you want him to go. He’ll run you right up the back of the steer and then get out of your way, which is what you need at that rodeo because you’re coming with a lot of speed.” Guenthner’s winning has been infectious. He wasn’t

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Trevor Brazile............................ 7.3 sec. 2. Zack Jongbloed................................8.4 3. (tie) Jake Hannum............................9.5 Ryan Jarrett......................................9.5

BARREL RACING 1. Stevi Hillman...................... 17.385 sec. 2. Tammy Fischer...........................17.556 3. Jessica Routier...........................17.592 4. Shayna Weir...............................22.369

BULL RIDING 1. Joe Frost...............................78.50 pts. 2. Trey Benton III..................................NS 3. Sage Kimzey.....................................NS 4. Dakota Louis....................................NS

Complete results on Page 67

ProRodeo Sports News 7/13/2018

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